No. 244.] 295 



has demonstrated that even chaff has its value in combination with 

 flax-seed, and other substances, as food for stock. Books sometimes 

 recommend modes of improvement, as in draining, beyond the means 

 of American tarmers generally, but that proves their want of capital, 

 and not the ineligibilities of the work, if they could accomplish it. 

 Look across the Hudson at the Jersey meadows, — what a mine ot 

 wealth if their owners had the means to drain and embank them as 

 in Holland, — would it be reasonable to reject a valuable book because 

 it contained some things not applicable, — merely because it was 

 European? About as reasonable as it would be to refuse to pick up 

 a walnut or a chestnut because they are covered with useless hulls 

 and prickly burrs ! Instead of discouraging the introduction of 

 works which have done so much for European Agriculture, and for 

 the renown of their authors, let us rather stimulate our young men to 

 accumulate and read all that comes in their way on their profession, 

 •^to exercise their own judgment, and hold on upon that which is 

 good. 



" Always anxious to learn, for which the longest life is too 

 short." 



Your obedient servant, 



J. S. SKINNER. 



Mr. Meigs. — I have read this communication from Mr. Skinner 

 ■with pleasure, for it is of that character which the club was consti- 

 tuted to invite, being a free and unreserved criticism on some of the 

 doings and opinions of the club. We have always for years asked 

 for such unreserved expressions of opinion as the only sure means of 

 arriving at just conclusions. We ask not for flat but polite contra- 

 diction. Sir, we are not the first to give publicity to great truths in 

 the cause of agriculture! We are proud rather of our disposition 

 and capacity to read and understand the instructions of great and 

 learned men who have lead the way. Many a brilliant mind has felt, 

 and many an eloquent tongue has taught the same things, whi<"h we 

 seek to enforce. The greatest men that the world ever saw for the 

 last three or four thousand years have with one accord harmonised 

 upon the glorious duties and powers of our race in relation to our 

 common mother earth. Some twenty years ago, I gave gladly ten 

 shillings for this little pocket volume, written by one that the mem- 

 bers present hardly ever heard of in a town, whose existence is re- 

 cently made known — and it is the original Farmers' Library by La- 

 throp, of Rochester. Let me read some passages which neither we 

 nor our ancestors could better write than Lathrop has: 



