20 NECESSITY OF CONSULTING BOOKS. 



- — improvements in breeding cattle — the use of plaister 

 of Paris — soiling of cattle — the extensive field culture of 

 roots, for the purpose of feeding stock — artificial grasses, 

 &c. are of modern date, and have brought about great 

 revolutions in the theory and practice of farming. The 

 practical farmer, especially in the older and more pop- 

 ulous parts of the country, must understand, and in some 

 degree practice these improvements, or he will not only 

 neglect to make the most of his means, but probably 

 make so many backward and down-hill movements in 

 the journey of life, that ten chances to one, old age 

 will find him in the vale of poverty. The cultivator 

 who does not keep pace with his neighbours, as regards 

 agricultural improvement and information, will soon find 

 himself the poorer, in consequence of the prosperity that 

 surrounds him. He will be like a stinted oak in the for- 

 est, which is deprived of light and air by his more tow- 

 ering neighbours. 



There are farmers who feel unwilling to consult agri- 

 cultural books of any description for information, be- 

 cause disappointment has attended some attempt they 

 have made to follow the directions contained in them. 

 Let such men recollect that the editors of periodical 

 and other publications, do not consider themselves res- 

 ponsible for the correctness of the statements, or 

 the soundness of the theories of the various writers, 

 whose essays they publish. Their rule is to admit ev- 

 ery essay, which appears to contain any new hint. It 

 is impossible for them to judge of the correctness in 

 point of/acf, of any statement, made by a correspond- 

 ent. They believe that a free and unreserved commu- 

 nication of all experiments, whether the conclusion drawn 

 from them are erronious, or not, is of use. The cautious 

 farmer, if he is struck with their novelty, may try them 

 for himself. If they are found to fail, he will not re- 



