LITERARY NOTICES 



Transactions of the New York State Agricultural Society for 



1854. 



This is a remarkable voluminous work, containing a large 

 amount of useful information for the farmer, and an equally larg^ 

 quantity of useless verbiage. On scanning it, one cannot but be 

 profoundly struck with the industry which the cumpilation of such 

 a work demands. The credit of editing the book is due to B. P. 

 Johnson, the accomplished secretary of the society. That the 

 work is very wide of what it should be is not Mr. Johnson's fault. 

 The essays in the book disclose no new features in vegetation, 

 and are only instructive to beginners. The entomological infor- 

 mation we would call valuable, if the writer was more conversant 

 with the economy of his subject. It is very necessary that we tho- 

 roughly investigate the peculiar habits of destructive insects. A 

 remedy may be suggested therefrom. The writer appears to have 

 had but a very vague idea of the application of his surmises, 

 facts, and theories to practical demonstration. The absence of 

 illustrations of the insects, and their various methods of commit- 

 ting depredations, is to be deplored. Pictorial representations 

 carry conviction in such matters, where written explanations fail 

 to convince or even clearly elucidate. The last pages of the book 

 become enraptured all about a certain horse, renowned for divers 

 feats of agility displayed in days of yore. Candidly, gentlemen, 

 is this not a puff? A very good one as we view the matter. 



Cut the report down about three hundred pages, and dovetail 

 the remaining portion in a good wholesome style, and we should 

 have a book worthy the perusal of every cultivator in the country 

 But, as it is, the very appearance suggests a counterpart of Sa- 

 hara for dryness ; but as our worthy secretary is restricted to cer- 

 tain conventionalities, which obedience to statutory edicts render 

 imperative, we must even digest a volume of transactions annu-_ 

 ally for all time to come. 

 We are only sorry to see a really capable, persevering man, like 



