36 MY VIXEYAED. 



mer. Every day and every hour of labor only added to 

 our love of our rural home. Our aspirations did not reach 

 for grander things than we possessed, but being contented 

 with our lot, we enjoyed the liighest degree of happiness. 



BOOK-FARMING. 



The general success of my farming operations was from 

 the first greater than I had anticipated. It was probably 

 greater than most persons who had always been accustom- 

 ed to in-door labor would liave met with. This success 

 may be taken as an illustration of the success of book- 

 farming. I had studied the subject more or less atten- 

 tively for years, and had secured all tlie reliable books on 

 agricultural subjects which I could find. When com- 

 mencing any oj^eration, I read carefully all my books 

 contained upon the subject, and thus availed myself of the 

 experience of others. If the methods pursued by others 

 seemed applicable to my case, I adopted them, or modified 

 them as circumstances seemed to dictate. The antipathy 

 which many hold against book-farming is quite uncalled 

 for. It is not to be supposed that experience and practice 

 are without value. Tiiey are doubtless of more value 

 than anything which can be gained from books. But 

 this admission does not satisfy the opponent of book- 

 farming. He goes farther, and considers that books are 

 useless — worse than useless. They teach only fanciful 



