PREFACE. 11 



kind. The practical man does not understand the infer- 

 ences of science, and considers himself bound to defend his 

 own views. The contest is not about scientific principles, 

 which he does not understand, but about the false concep- 

 tions he has formed of them. 



Until this contest is ended by agriculturists themselves 

 taking an active part in the matter, science can offer no 

 effectual aid. I am doubtful if this time has yet arrived. 

 I built my hopes, however, on the young generation who 

 enter upon practice with a different preparation from their 

 fathers. As for myself, I have reached the age when the 

 elements of the mortal body betray a certain tendency to 

 commence a new circle of action, when we begin to think 

 about putting our house in order, and must defer to no 

 later period what we have still to say. 



As every investigation in agriculture requires a year 

 before we shall have all the facts before us, I have scarcely 

 any prospect of living to see the results of my teaching. 

 The only thing that remains for me to do, under these cir- 

 cumstances, is to place my views in such a manner be- 

 fore the public, that there can be no possibility of mis- 

 conception on the part of those who will give them- 

 selves the trouble of becoming thoroughly acquainted 

 with them. 



Many have reproached me with unjustly condemning 

 modern agriculture as a system of exhaustion. From the 

 communications addressed to me by many agriculturists as 

 to their system of husbandry, I must exempt them from 

 such an accusation. There are, however, but few among 

 the general body who really know the true condition of 

 their soil. 



I have never yet met with an agriculturist who kept a 

 ledger, as is done as a matter of course in other industrial 

 pursuits, in which the debtor and creditor account of every 

 acre of land is entered. 



