74 



Scientific Farming. 



Vol. V. 



To tlie Editor of the Farmers' Cabinet. 



Scientific Farming. 



Sir, — I have often been amused, while 

 leadinfT the article on imported stock, at page 

 373 of the 2d vol, of the Cabinet, with the 

 quaint observations of " neighbour Symmons" 

 on that subject ; and the more so, as I have 

 an ancient friend, whose lands adjoin my up- 

 per fields, who lias become quite a seer in all 

 that relates to the present fashionable notions 

 of improved stocks implements of husbandry, 

 management of crops, and, in short* in every 

 thing bearing the name of improvement; 

 and it must be confessed that he has some- 

 times truth and reason on his side, when, I 

 assure you, he does not forget to triumph. I 

 often spend an hour with him of an evening, 

 which I occupy in reading to him some of our 

 agricultural publications, the Cabinet in par- 

 ticular, which, although I cannot induce him 

 to take, or indeed any other of these books 

 of theory, as he calls them, he will consent 

 to hear, while I read, and I am never at a 

 loss to know what are his sentiments by the 

 gruffs which he utters, either in approbation 

 or condemnation, between the puffs of his 

 pipe, as I proceed. When I read to him the 

 last number of the Cabinet, he said, at the 

 conclusion, " tell that Cabinet-man of thine, 

 he need not take so much pains to learn us 

 how to grow bigger crops, but if he '11 just 

 say where we are to find a better market for 

 what we've got, I'll just thank him — that's 

 all." I ventured, upon this, to hint that I 

 considered the present prices of farming stock 

 quite as high — nay higher — than what are 

 obtained for many other articles in the mar- 

 ket, when he said in a gruff, "just name one," 

 when I replied, the Cabinet at a dollar a year, 

 and a new gown for your wife at twelve and 

 a half cents per yard ! This was a settler, 

 and I think he will be the better for our con- 

 versation, as was the discontented English- 

 man, at page 362 of the same volume of the 

 Cabinet, which, having with me at the time, 

 I read to him the article, from beginning to 

 end. I also added to it the concluding re- 

 mark of the editor's address, on the last page 

 of the first number of the 5th vol., that the 

 time is come when persons will no longer be 

 able to sleep quietly on the subject of agri- 

 culture, but will be compelled to improve in 

 self-defence. And, having advanced so far, 

 I read to him, on my last visit, a chapter from 

 a most interesting book, entitled " Scientific 

 Farming," which, to be sure, I expected him 

 to spurn at, but, strange to say, he admitted 

 there was a great deal of truth in it, and said 

 he should like to hear it again, from the pages 

 of the Cabinet, some future day ! This was 

 a new idea, and I determined to select from 

 it some observations, which I enclose, believ- 



ing with my old friend that the perusal might 

 be of much service to tlie cause of agricul- 

 ture, as far as the pages of the Cabinet circu- 

 late: and if, Mr. Editor, you join in the 

 opinion, pray insert and oblige, P. M. 



" Amidst all the advantages and recrea- 

 tions which have been pointed out as sur- 

 rounding a country life, that of scientific 

 farming is certainly one of the greatest : it 

 is a pursuit full of interest and variety, at 

 once natural, philosophical and dignified ; 

 and it is difiicult to imagine a man of wealth 

 and education more usefully or honourably 

 employed, than in directing the cultivation 

 of his estate. Agriculture is nov; become, 

 indeed, as Cicero termed it in his day, ' the 

 nearest of all employments to the purely 

 philosophical kind.'* It is a science which 

 requires an education to prosecute it to its 

 full capacity, to make the other arts and sci- 

 ences of modern times bear upon and co- 

 operate with it, so as to add to its progression, 

 and to apply beneficially, the knowledge of 

 its already established principles and prac- 

 tices; it is no longer an occupation which 

 requires a man to forego the refined pleasures 

 of society, and to bury himself amid woods 

 and wildernesses, in some obscure spot far 

 away from the enjoyments and society of the 

 world ; for, locate himself where he will, the 

 arts, the elegancies and the knowledge of 

 civilized life will penetrate to him, and give 

 him all the real advantages of the city (in 

 the perusal of books) and in the peace and 

 fullness of his retirement. And what a 

 noble art is agriculture now become ! Look 

 at the manner in which it is now practised 

 by the most skilful of its professors ! Let any 

 one just turn over the leaves of Louden's En- 

 cyclopaedia, and trace the progress of its im- 

 plements only, from the plough of the ancients 

 in the shape of a mere pick, to the almost 

 endless machines which the active brains of 

 men, and their advancing knowledge of me- 

 chanics, have given to the scientific farmer ! 

 Let any one turn to the list of engravings of 

 farming apparatus, in the same excellent 

 work, amounting to about 300, and he will 

 obtain some idea of the amount of science 

 and invention, now devoted to the use of the 

 agriculturist, and there are no men who have 

 availed themselves of the progress of the 

 arts and of general knowledge more than 

 they. Mechanics, chemistry, hydraulics, steam 

 — all have been seized upon to develope the 

 principles or facilitate the operations of agri- 



* " Of country occupations I profess myself a warm 

 admirer; they are pleasures perfectly consistent with 

 every degree of advanced years, as they apjiroach the 

 nearest of all others to those of the purely philosophi- 

 cal kind; they are derived from observing the nature 

 and properties of their own earth, which yields a ready 

 obedience to the cultivator's industry, and returns with 

 interest wliat he deposits in her charge."— Cicero, 



