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the books and follow his example. Till such cases occur 

 we must thiuk that the reading of well-written w^orks on 

 his calling, and devoting much careful thought to the 

 subject, will be necessary to the highest success. of every 

 fjirmer. The truth is, the world is greatly indebted to 

 those who have thought and written upon Agriculture, 

 and also to those whose studies have related to the gen- 

 eral topic, whether their field has been that of Natural 

 History or Natural Philosoph}^; whether Comparative 

 Anatomy, Entomology, Meteorology, Botany, or Chem- 

 istry. The improvements in stock, fruits, crops, imple- 

 ments and methods of farming, are made by men who 

 read and think ; and the man who talks most about the 

 superiority of practical farming, is indebted to some 

 "book farmer" for that which is most valuable in the an- 

 imals, the crops, the fruits, and the implements on his 

 farm, and for the best modes he pursues in working it. 

 Nay, the grain crop and the hay crop of the present sea- 

 son which have saved the nation from famine, from 

 calamities greater even than those of war, could not 

 have been gathered without the aid of those machines 

 which have been given to the w^orld by ingenious in- 

 ventors, i. e. by men w^ho have devoted long and intense 

 thought to these things ; and who, seeing the demand, 

 have sought to meet it, and thus to lighten, facilitate and 

 render more profitable the toils of those engaged in cul- 

 tivating the soil. In saying that the farmer should read 

 and think upon his calling, we only affirm, that in com- 

 mon with every other man who pursues a regular voca- 

 tion, he should thoroughly understand his business in all 

 its details and relations, and should make the most of it 

 and of himself. 



It is too late in the day for ignorance to conceal itself 

 5 



