TO THE AGRICULTURIST OF AMERICA. 



MY DEAR Sm . 



The pages which I now pass into your hands are the 

 result of much study and hard work, combined with a long special 

 experience in matters pertaining to your vocation. They have been 

 written solely for your information and advantage, and I trust their 

 sincerity and utility will be found to fully justify my familiarity in 

 thus personally addressing you. 



For many years past I have had constant intercourse with men of 

 your profession, and with the b^esf practical experts in chemical 

 manures in every part of Europe, and I judge that the time has come 

 to impart to you not only the results of my experience with them, 

 but also of my own personal investigations. 



You will, perhaps, tell me that too much has already been written 

 and said upon the purely chemical side of this great question ; that 

 you have bought and read books and periodicals without number, 

 and that you are not very much further advanced to-day than you 

 might have been had you kept your money and read no books at all. 



I fancy I can hear you saying, that men of my profession have 

 not yet found out the secret of imparting knowledge to men of yours ; 

 that where you have too little theory, tJiey have too little practice, 

 and that their unfortunate habit of wrapr -ng round their teachings 

 a dark mantle of scientific words which you do not understand, has 

 hitherto occasioned you more confusion than benefit. 



