4 INTRODUCTION. 



adopted in conjunction with ample draining, with or without the additional advantages 

 derived from sub-soil ploughing. 



Many of the processes which may be resorted to in carrying out the new system 

 are in a great degree mysteries to thousands in the United States, although familiarly 

 known and long employed in other countries, where with not half the natural advan- 

 tages the labour of the husbandman is far better rewarded. Such has been the agri- 

 cultural improvement effected in Flanders, that the whole country may almost be 

 styled a garden, each acre being capable of supporting its man. Scotland, in little 

 more than half a century, has changed from comparative unproductiveness, into one 

 of the richest agricultural districts in Europe. In Great Britain, the products of the 

 grain harvests have increased within sixty years, from one hundred and seventy to 

 three hundred and forty millions of bushels. The system inculcated by the new 

 principles, has even in some districts of our own country, where they have been well 

 followed up, increased the value of farms, two, three, and four hundred per cent. 

 from twenty and thirty dollars to one hundred dollars per acre. " It has," says Buel, 

 * made every acre of arable land, upon which it has been practised ten years, and 

 lying contiguous to navigable waters, or a good market, worth, at least, one hundred 

 dollars, for agricultural purposes." 



The zeal for the promotion of good husbandry which pervades the country at large, 

 is displayed in the geological surveys which have been finished, or are in progress, in 

 most of the states ; in the agricultural surveys in several others, together with the 

 liberal premiums appropriated by legislative authority, and innumerable societies, for 

 the encouragement of every thing tending to improve and advance the agricultural 

 interests. It is also shown by the extensive circulation of the many periodicals de- 

 voted in whole or in part to agricultural topics. Every section of our extensive 

 country has more or less of these invaluable aids for the dissemination of useful 

 information. Although wishing to avoid, as far as possible, all invidious distinctions, 

 where there are so many just claims to notice, some of these publications cannot be suf- 

 fered to remain without a passing notice. Such are, " The American Farmer," re- 

 cently published in Baltimore by John S. Skinner and successors, the pioneer of. 

 American periodicals specially devoted to agriculture : " The Cultivator" published 

 in Albany, N. Y., by the late Judge Buel and successors : "The New England Far- 

 mer" by Thomas G. Fessenden and successor, the Rev. H. Coleman : " The 

 Southern Agriculturist" in Charleston, S. C., by B. R, Carroll; and "The Farm- 

 er's Register" by Edmund Ruffin at Petersburg, Virginia. These able works con- 

 stitute the chief officials on agricultural subjects in the northern, middle, and southern 

 states. 



Book-farmers have long suffered under general discredit, and been exposed to 

 abundance of taunt and ridicule, even from their own agricultural brethren. Doubt- 

 less the imperfection of much of the scientific data furnished and practised upon has 

 often given occasion to unsatisfactory results. But the rapid progress of science 

 has developed new facts, and furnished much more accurate information. Under 

 the direction of Davy, agricultural chemistry made vigorous advances. His many 

 splendid discoveries, and especially his demonstration that the common alkalies, pot- 

 ash and soda, and the alkaline earths, magnesia, lime, and alumine, were not simple 

 elementary substances, but the oxides of metals, seemed to give a new impulse to 

 those who sought to make chemistry subservient to agriculture. But even with the 

 brilliant achievements of Davy and the subsequent valuable researches of Count Chaptal 

 in France, agricultural chemistry remained very imperfect. Too exclusive attention 

 had been devoted to the mineral constituents of soils. Most gratifying and important 

 results have been since obtained through the able investigations pf several eminent 

 French chemists, among whom we may name, Raspail, De Saussure, Braconnot, and 

 Boussingault, all of whom have devoted special attention to ascertaining the nature 

 and properties of organic substances entering into the composition of soils. What 

 England commenced by Davy, and France followed up so ably by her distinguished 

 cheiists just named, Germany seems to have the honour of almost perfecting 

 through the brilliant achievements of her chemist, Dr. Liebig, the highly important 

 results obtained by whom have been quite recently placed before the world in a trea- 

 tise entitled * Organic Chemistry." The interesting developements made in this 

 work of the chemical agencies operating in the various stages and conditions of growth, 



