

V \ 



COMPILERS' PREFACE, 



n 



IN offering to the agricultural public the present 



volumes, the compilers feel that a few words in ex- 



planation of their intentions and wishes may in this 



place be necessary and proper. Profoundly im- 



pressed with the important influence which .the cul- 



, tivation of the soil exerts on the prosperity of the in- 



^ dividual and the nation ; confident that in too many 



^ cases the most effectual methods of promoting this 



desired prosperity are not adopted; believing that 



the systems of farming at present pursued in this 



r country are usually more or less defective, and may 



r be greatly improved by an acquaintance with the ad- 



j vanced methods of more experienced countries, and 



^ a thorough investigation by our farmers of the prin- 



^ cipal points of difference between their husbandry 



^- and ours, we have endeavoured, in the papers se- 



lected and prepared for these volumes, to embrace 



such general principles and such courses of practice 



as will conduce most certainly to benefit and im- 



, i prove the condition and prospects of the tiller of the 



J soil. Very little space has been devoted to mere 



P theories of rural economy, a correct practice from 



^ already established facts being considered more im- 



3 portant. It has been our wish and endeavour to pre- 



- sent such a manual as will be found instructive to 

 ff 



Q all who are engaged in the great undertaking of pro- 

 ^ duciug a nation's wealth as well as a nation's bread 



310 



777 



