IV. PREFACE. 



still desiring to accomplish the walk originally proposed. 

 On returning to England at the beginning of 1863, 

 after a continuous residence of seven years in America, 

 I found myself, for the first time, in the condition to 

 carry out my intention of 1846. Several new motives 

 had been added in the interval to those that had at 

 first operated upon my mind. I had dabbled a little in 

 farming in my native village, New Britain, Connecti- 

 cut, and had labored to excite additional interest in 

 agriculture among my neighbors. We had formed an 

 Agricultural Club, and met weekly for several winters 

 to compare notes, exchange opinions and discuss matters 

 connected with the occupation. They had honored me 

 with the post of Corresponding Secretary from the 

 beginning. "We held a meeting the evening before I 

 left for England, when they not only refused to accept 

 my resignation as Secretary, but made me promise to 

 write them letters about fanning in the Mother Country, 

 and on other matters of interest that I might meet with 

 on my travels there. My first idea was to do this 

 literally ; to make a walk through the best agricultural 

 sections of England, and write home a series of coin- 



