224 Lewises State and Prospects of Agriculture, 



of a steam-plough ; and, in short, the tract is altogether con^ 

 temptible. 



Observations on the present State and future Prospects of Agricul- 

 ture, illustrative of the Advantages of an Experimental Farm, 

 being a fuller Developement of the Author''s Views, first made 

 public in a Communication addressed to the Highland Society of 

 Scotland. By George Lewis, Tenant in Boglillie, near Kirk- 

 aldy. 8vo, 123 pages. Price 2s. 6d. 



This work has been reviewed in the Quart erh/ Journal of Agri- 

 culture, in which the reviewer draws a comparison between an 

 experimental garden and an experimental farm, and arrives at 

 the conclusion that, if an experimental farm were conducted on 

 the same principles as an experimental garden, the same results 

 might be confidently anticipated. We have no great faith in 

 either, as far as respects the conducting of experiments, or ori- 

 ginating new practices ; but we think both calculated to be use- 

 ful, by exhibiting, collected in one place, what may be called the 

 materials of the respective arts : for example, masses of the 

 different kinds of soils, specimens of all the different kinds of 

 plants, of the different breeds of animals, and models or ejc- 

 amples of the different kinds of implements, machines, and 

 buildings. The exhibition of the different kinds of plants and 

 animals, however, would be the chief good ; because machines, 

 buildings, &c., might be exhibited in models. As to teaching 

 the practice of farming to young men, there seems to be no 

 reason for deviating from the common practice, in gardening, 

 carpentry, and other arts ; and the science, or principles of the 

 art, can never be better (that is, more usefully) obtained than 

 from books. Young men may be drilled into rules, but prin- 

 ciples can only be obtained through the exercise of reason. Such 

 is our opinion, formed after having seen two or three experi- 

 mental gardens, including the Paris garden, which, under 

 Thouin, was the first in the world ; and all the principal experi- 

 mental farms, colleges of agriculture, &c., in France, Germany, 

 and Italy. Nevertheless, good will arise from discussing the 

 subject ; and Mr. Lewis deserves the best thanks of the agri- 

 cultural public for having brought it forward in so respectable a 

 shape. The farmers of Scotland, till within a very recent period, 

 have paid very little attention to either the physiological or 

 chemical principles of their art. 



Art. VI. Literary Notices. 

 The Orchidacece of Mexico and Guatemala. By James Bateman, 

 Esq. To be completed in ten parts, elephant folio. Price 

 1/. Il5. Qd, each, or 15/. 155. the entire work. 



