PREFACE. 



THE following communication explains the rea- 

 son that induced the author to present to the public 

 this little work on " The Elementary Principles of 

 Scientific Agriculture " : 



NASHVILLE, TENN., December 17, 1879. 

 In accordance with Chapter CLXXXVI., Acts 

 of the General Assembly of Tennessee, approved 

 March 27, 1879, which directs "that the Superinten- 

 dent of Public Instruction and the Commissioner 

 of Agriculture shall be constituted a commission to 

 procure the preparation of, or the designation of a 

 work on the Elementary Principles of Agriculture 

 which shall be taught in the public schools of the 

 State, as are the other studies prescribed in the 2ist 

 section of the Public School Law," the undersigned 

 have " procured the preparation " of a work as here- 

 in described, by Professor N. T. Lupton, Professor 

 of Chemistry, Vanderbilt University; and, having 

 carefully examined the MS., hereby approve the 



