AGRICULTURE IN THE UNITED STATES. 41 



be able> and with very little attention may be able, 

 to go through a sutficiently accurate analysis of 

 soils, and be familiar with many of the minute, as 

 well as the more important changes that matter un- 

 dergoes ill its transformation from inert atoms to 

 organized life. Constantly among plants, and com- 

 pelled to be familiar with insects, some of both of 

 which he numbers among his worst enemies, he is 

 in part a botanist and entomologist by necessity ; 

 and, were his observations properly directed, there 

 is nothing to prevent, but much to make farmers 

 the most successful discoverers in these sciences. 

 Works which would give a proper course to his in- 

 quiries may be found at almost every bookstore ; 

 and it is not too much to hope, that volumes will be 

 found in every common school and district library, 

 to awaken inquiry and direct observers in the suc- 

 cessful pursuit of these and other sciences.* We 

 think that blame may be attached, in a greater or 

 less degree, to most of the agricultural publications 

 and periodicals of the day, in not devoting more of 

 their pages to the discussion and elucidation of 

 these topics. It may perhaps be said, that but lit- 

 tle is yet known with certainty on these subjects ; 

 that chymical analysis, vegetable physiology, and 

 the development of the laws that govern the nutri- 

 tion of plants and animals, are all as yet in their in- 

 fancy : still it cannot but be useful to have what ac- 

 tually is known spread before the public ; and even 

 if much that is supposed to be certain should here- 

 after prove merely theoretical, useful observations 

 will be elicited, and truth the more readily establish- 



* In the second series of Harpers' School District Library 

 are emhraced the following important works relating to agricul- 

 ture: Fanners' Instructer. in two vols., by Judge Buel ; a 

 Treatise on Agriciikure and Horticulture, by Gen. Armstrong; 

 Chaptal's Chymistry applied to Agriculture, with the most val- 

 uable part of Davy on the same subject ; and a volume entitled 

 Food lor .Man. giving a particular account of the most useful 

 and important grains, roots, fruits, &c. 



II.— D 



