No. 199.] 523 



of our modern farmers seem to think that deep tillage is a modern in- 

 vention ; that is as great an error as many others as to the practice of 

 olden times. We do not yet even succeed in architecture in many 

 important points, as well as the Greeks did in the days of Pericles ', 

 we built for the accommodation of our Congress a Hall for each House, 

 Senate and Representatives, in the form of the Odeon of Pericles in- 

 stead of the Forum. We are endeavouring to imitate their statuary. 

 We have commenced permanent roads like those of old ; the Appian, 

 Flaminian, &c. We have just began to transmit intelligence by rail- 

 roads, about as rapidly as it was transmitted in Assyria, in Greece and in 

 Rome. The select horses ran at full speed, a few miles each, the 

 news was handed to another rider ready mounted, who went off at 

 full speed, so that the express moved on an average nearly thirty 

 miles an hour ; on its arrival at Rome a person employed for that pur- 

 pose read with a loud voice, great numbers were ready to write down 

 the news, they then hastened to the various sections of the city and 

 read with loud voices to the crowds assembled at these neios places. 

 Thus no time was lost in setting up types, so that all Rome got the 

 news in half the time we now get it by rail-roads, through the 

 printed Extra. The Electro Telegraph is ours, the old folks knew 

 nothing of that. 



As to the deep and thorough tillage, the French Agricultural Soci- 

 ety felt great surprise about four years ago, when a French translation 

 was made from the excellent work on agriculture by an Italian named 

 Torello, written three hundred years ago. The doctrines of this book 

 are not now surpassed. 



Mr. Pike. — He advised (I think) too much ploughing, that would 

 cause the fertilizing gasses to escape from the soil. They rise and are 

 carried away. • 



Judge Van Wyck approves shallow planting especially for Indian 

 Corn. 



Dr. Underbill. — I plant corn from two inches to two inches and 

 a half. Wheat about two to three. 



