MY VINEYARD. 37 



and impracticable things. The province of the farmer is to 

 work, not to study ; to practice, not to theorize. Happi- 

 ly these groundless and injurious notions are dying out. 

 Doubtless our Agricultural Colleges, when they have 

 reached their full working condition will be of great ser- 

 vice in hastening their dispersion. But just now much 

 more is being done by the agricultural publications. And 

 they, too, are learning something. They are to-day better 

 than a few years ago. They are taking higher and more 

 worthy position. They are beginning to employ — the 

 best of them — talent of the highest merit, and are doing 

 a work of incalculable value to the great agricultural in- 

 terests of the nation. There is no business or profession 

 in which intelligence and study, and careful observation, 

 in short, the free use of brains, are more desirable or more 

 advantageous than in farming. 



PLANTING AN ORCHARD. 



In this record I do not propose to dwell at length upon 

 those subjects which are not related to my experience in 

 the culture of the grape. I have given a sketch of my 

 surroundings, and of some of the incidents connected with 

 my purchase and settlement at Lakeview, that the reader 

 may have a fair notion of my preparation for the branch 

 of farming which ultimately became ray chief occupation. 

 Some of my plans, however, were worked out with so 



