SPECIALTIES IN FARMING. 91 



A person's taste and predilection should be carefully consulted 

 before a final decision is made. It is said that every good 

 man has a hobby, and this, rightfully interpreted, furnishes 

 a key to his character. It was predicted of a six-year-old 

 boy, who was going about with his father's vest on and a 

 chicken in each pocket that he was treating for the roup, that 

 he would some day distinguish himself as a poultry fancier. 

 He is now one of the leading men in that important depart- 

 ment of husbandry. Col. M. P. Wilder, while he was a 

 devout lover of nature and truly grateful for all her gifts, 

 regarded the Camilla as the queen of flowers, and gave forty 

 years of his life to the development of its marvellous beau- 

 ties. Mr. Hunnewell chose the rhododendron. Mr. Eph- 

 raim Bull of Concord, after years of patient experiment in a 

 field suited to his taste, and in which labor was a pleasure, 

 was rewarded with one of the best gifts ever bestowed upon 

 man. The fruitage of the Concord grape is not only a leg- 

 acy to the present generation, but an annuity entailed on 

 generations to come. The originator of "Moore's Early 

 Grape," whose indomitable will is always strengthened by 

 the obstacles it meets in his favorite pursuits, and in whose 

 mind impediments to success are but phantoms of the air, 

 for a score of years communed with nature so closely and 

 so devotedly that she was compelled to yield to him the vine 

 bearing her choicest clusters ; and he has been crowned with 

 a wreath like that so long and proudly worn by his illustri- 

 ous neighbor. Let me not be misunderstood : I would 

 advise no man to engage in special agricultural pursuits 

 unless he is willing to consecrate his life to the work of 

 improvement or development. He should not only avail 

 himself of all existing knowledge pertaining to his business, 

 but should eagerly and persistently seek for more. I know 

 that it is fashionable to advise men to use their brains if they 

 would succeed in life. This is all very well, only the advice 

 is not given with sufficient emphasis. The brain is the motor 

 which moves the world. " Brain is Iving," muscle is subject ; 

 whoever is deficient in the former will succeed better in any 

 other business than farming. Where can be found a more 

 imperative requisition for brain-work than in the work of 

 plinjinating the objectionable points in a herd of cattle, and 



