MECHANICS OF AGRICULTURE. 49 



agricultural schools, and notably those of New York, 

 California and Illinois, comparatively little has been done 

 for educating the farmer in agricultural mechanics. And 

 the impression has gone abroad that while mechanics 

 and engineering have done so much for the industries 

 generally, agriculture is far behind in that respect. The 

 supposition is not correct. As we shall see while investi- 

 gating and illustrating this department of agriculture, the 

 aid afforded by mechanical engineering is nothing short 

 of wonderful. And it will be seen further that the 

 skilled agriculturist of the present day has to be, of 

 necessity, an efficient mechanic. The tendency of all 

 agriculture is in that direction very decidedly, and towards 

 further advancement. And there is still ample scope for 

 improvement. 



So far, the developments of agricultural mechanics 

 are due very largely to private effort, and to the pushing 

 business tact of the many individuals and firms who have 

 made specialties of the agricultural tools and machines 

 manufactured and brought into notice by them. Progress 

 of that kind is not without its advantages ; hence, every 

 credit is due to those who have been the direct means of 

 many of the immense advances made in the form and 

 quality of farming tools and machines generally. But the 

 process has its disadvantages. It has led to the palming 

 off upon the classes who cultivate the soil of immense 

 numbers of machines and contrivances which actual work 

 prove to be absolutely unsuitable for the purposes for 

 which they were recommended and pushed into notice. 

 Worry, loss of time and money, and disappointment follow 

 the purchase of bad and unsuitable tools and machines. 

 But, in spite of all drawbacks, the agriculturist has now 

 the choice of tools and machines equal to the best seen 

 in other countries. The author's object then in drawing 

 attention to the foregoing facts is twofold : First, in order 

 to show the effective services already extended to agricul- 

 ture by mechanical developments in the form and quality 

 of the tools and machines in use. Secondly, to show 

 further that mechanical skill is absolutely necessary to 

 the agriculturist of every degree, that he may be able, 



