94 THE BOOK OF THE LANDED ESTATE. 



manuring, and another something else, to the neglect of nearly all the 

 other branches, and the result is that they are only partially successful 

 as farmers. The proof of these remarks is exemplified on farms in most 

 parts of the country. But, as has already been stated, the farmer who 

 would be successful in his business must not only be possessed of an 

 intimate and perfect knowledge of all of the branches referred to, but 

 must also, in good earnest, put them all into practice, for the proper 

 and harmonious working of all of these points, which are as wheels 

 necessary to make the machine of agriculture complete in all respects. 



From what has been stated, it must appear evident that there is at 

 least very great room for improvement in farming as practised at the 

 present time, and that were an improved mode of dealing with the land, 

 in respect to its tillage, draining, and manuring, acted upon with intelli- 

 gence, skill, and decision, both the produce and profits from its cultiva- 

 tion would be vastly increased. The farmers themselves would be the 

 first to be benefited by an improved mode of dealing with their sub- 

 jects, because by this they would be enabled to grow a much greater 

 quantity of straw, grain, and green crops than they do at present, and in 

 consequence to rear many more beasts from the produce ; and imder 

 such a state of things proprietors would come in for their share of the 

 profits in the shape of higher rents. Both proprietors and tenants have, 

 therefore, a mutual interest in seeing an improved state of farming, such 

 as is here inferred, put into operation without delay. But the general 

 public also would participate in the advantages of an increased amount 

 of produce from the land, inasmuch as there would be a more plentiful, 

 and probably a cheaper, supply of food than is at present enjoyed ; and 

 so all classes of the community would be benefited by this proposed 

 improvement of the land. Seeing that such is the case, the next ques- 

 tion is, By what particular system of fanning can this desirable state 

 of things be brought about ? 



Having for many years past had to deal with the improvement of 

 landed property in its various departments in several parts of the 

 country, I have seen much to convince me that the mode of farming at 

 present generally practised is very far from being calculated to bring into 

 action the dormant capabilities of the land, so as to materially increase 

 the produce and profits from its cultivation. The mode of tillage gener- 

 ally practised may justly be characterised as a scratching of tlie surface- 

 soil. It is in some respects nearly as primitive as the mode of culti- 

 vating the land practised by the poorer class of settlers in the back- 

 woods of Canada. There the new settlers draw the plough over their 

 land so as to break the surface just deep enough to receive and cover 

 the seed, and here pretty much the same mode is in many instances put 



