viii Introduction to the First Edition. 



Nearly every farmer may practise the system with 

 the same or even better results. Each year's ex- 

 perience reveals many new advantages of the sys- 

 tem. 



I do not pretend that my conclusions will be found 

 infallible under all circumstances, but I hope to show 

 how the system was applied to my own farm, that the 

 reader may obtain a clear view of its workings, and 

 be enabled to carry on the system with such altera- 

 tions as the different conditions under which he is 

 placed shall suggest. 



I am not farming for pleasure, although I find a 

 good deal of pleasure in farming. I follow farming 

 for my daily bread, and the profit there is in the 

 business. My farm operations are not supported 

 by a profitable business or profession in town. 



I mention this that my readers will clearly under- 

 stand that although this work contains some radical 

 departures from "General Farming," they are not 

 to be entertained by the experiences of a "fancy 

 farmer," a " book farmer," or a "city farmer." 



I have no apology for presenting this subject in 

 book form. I humbly acknowledge that it is not 

 written at "the earnest solicitation of numerous 

 friends," but because I am very much interested in 

 farming as a business or profession, and I would be 

 pleased to see more of our intelligent young men 

 engaged in this pursuit. 



As a literary writer, I make no pretensions. If 

 this work is well received, it must be entirely on its 

 merits as a record of the personal, practical experi- 



