Allen's Compend of American Agriculture. 487 



the American people will ever become a nation of entire wa- 

 ter drinkers, is founded upon neither common sense, nor a 

 correct knowledge of the people, and, like all ultra notions, 

 will have its reaction." And, as we must have some kind of 

 drink, he thinks it is far better to have such a wholesome bev- 

 erage as light wines than malt and alcoholic liquors. And 

 the introduction of pure light wines, "he is confident, will 

 produce a great natural and moral reform — one that will be 

 received by our temperance brethren, ere long, as a national 

 blessing." 



Art. VI. A Brief Compend of Atnerican Agriculture. By 

 R. L. Allen. 1 vol. 12mo. pp. 437. New York. 1846. 



Among the several agricultural Treatises which have been 

 issued within a few years, scarcely one has come up to our 

 idea of what they should be. It is therefore gratifying to be 

 able to announce the appearance of one which is, as its title 

 indicates, a full compend of American Husbandry. 



Mr. Allen comes to the task with many years of practical 

 experience, and with varied and extensive reading, and the 

 volume abundantly shows that he has not been idle while 

 pursuing the duties of his profession. The author states, in 

 his preface, that much of the volume " has been tested by the 

 writer's own experience and observation. For the remain- 

 der, he is indebted to various oral and written information, 

 derived from the best agriculturists, and especially from the 

 valuable foreign and domestic agricultural productions of the 

 day." The volume is dedicated to the young farmers of the 

 United States. 



The book is divided into twenty-one chapters ; but it is to 

 be regretted that the author did not add a table of contents, 

 as well as a copious index, as the former greatly facilitates 

 the finding of any particular subject. Chapters 1 to 3, are 

 devoted to soils and manures, and occupy upwards of sixty 

 pages. That upon manures is a complete digest of all that 

 has been written upon the subject since the publication of 



