vi PREFACE. 



hope of being able to render the volume more useful and instructive to the agricultural community, and 

 interesting to the general reader. It is our intention to be historical and practical, rather than theoretical, 

 and while those partial to startling and visionary suggestions may deem the commentary wanting in 

 interest, the intelligent farmer will, we trust, acquire instruction from the perusal of the text, as well as 

 derive advantage in the study of the figures. To be enabled to perform our duty more acceptably, we 

 have availed ourselves of the opinions and agricultural experience of others, whose opinions have been 

 verified by the success with which their professions have been attended. Our thanks are due to 13. P. 

 Johnson, of Albany, for counsel cheerfully accorded when a sense of incompetence created doubts of 

 our correctness; to Joseph Harris, of Rochester, New York, and to Edward D. Mansfield, of Ohio, for 

 much general information on the subject of agriculture and the effects of internal improvements; find 

 to J. F. Ballantyne, of Chicago, for information relative to that prodigious interest of the country, the 

 grain trade. For the article on the vine and wine-making, we are indebted to Robert Buchanan, of 

 Cincinnati, Ohio, a gentleman not more distinguished for his successful cultivation of the grape than 

 for his investigating mind and general attainments. To William Renick, of Pickaway county, in the 

 same State, we arc under obligations for the facts connected with the past history of the cattle trade 

 of the west with the east, and the driving system, formerly of such vast importance to the intermediate 

 regions, but which will soon be forgotten, the railways now supplying a more easy and profitable 

 means of transfer. As our country confers no honors for distinguished services in the peaceful walks 

 of life, as well for history as from a sense of justice, we make frequent allusions to individuals in the 

 body of these volumes, and take pleasure in associating with their beneficent works the names of men 

 who have proved useful to the country, as a duty to them, and an incentive to others. Charlatans enjoy 

 and outlive their honors, while the reputation of real benefactors continues a rich inheritance for their 

 children. Regretting our inability to present a more complete commentary on the figures, we believe 

 the volume will prove useful as a statistical compilation, and more generally interesting to the agricul 

 turist than have any of its predecessors. The duties of the Census Bureau involve so wide a range of 

 practical and scientific inquiry as to preclude claim to anything approximating perfection in the illus 

 tration of its multifarious details, and we only ask the concession of having performed a laborious duty 

 with an earnest intent to develop impartially the material interests of the country. 



