INTRODUCTION. Vll. 



6Aly to American, but also to the best European publi- 

 cations, lest any useful suggestions, or modern improve- 

 ments in the art, should escape notice ; still keeping in 

 view the difference of climate, seasons, kc. 



Upon a careful perusal and comparison of the works 

 in our possession, we have found much difference of 

 opinion with respect to many important operations in 

 farming. In these cases we shall aim to select the 

 practices most consistent with common sense. 



Who will venture to assert that we have arrived at 

 absolute perfection in all the complicated operations of 

 this noble art? If not, why are there so many obsti- 

 nately wedded to their present practice, and so hostile 

 or indifferent to all innovation ? The farmer who is 

 prejudiced in favour of the practices of his forefathers, 

 fiiay conclude he can do well enough without such aid 

 as this work offers ; yet let him reflect that a life-tim« 

 is requisite to determine many things by mere expe- 

 rience in the business ; and that by adopting the rules 

 here laid down, much time may be saved and great waste 

 prevented, because here will be summed up the expe- 

 rience of practical farmers for many ages. 



The great Agriculturist, Arthur Young &ays, " No one 

 of common sense can deny the vast advantage of judi- 

 cious collections. I know not for instance of a more use- 

 ful work than a collection of all the truly valuable in 

 every book of husbandry ; that the benefit of reading 

 might be reduced to the labour of a few months, instead 

 of twice as many years." 



Agriculture has been justly termed the most essential 

 of all arts. In every region of the habitable globe, 

 where the least appearance of civilization exists, it ne- 

 cessarily occupies a great portion of the human race ; 

 and many learned men have made it their chief study 

 and employment, justly deeming it the original and gen- 



