22 



early inhabitants of these countries was limited, would be 

 most striking. 



This is not idle talk ; it leads us to inquire if the resources 

 of nature, although so heavily drawn upon, be entirely ex- 

 hausted ; and if she has any thing left in store to reward 

 the ingenuity and sagacity of man. 



Could an intelligent committee have a more important 

 department consigned to them than such inquiry? — At 

 present it is no man's business ; but the moment it becomes 

 a duty, active individuals will discover on what food the 

 inhabitants of other climates are maintained: something 

 new will often come out, to which it is a part of their 

 office to give a fair trial. 



Accident often I admit gives rise to the most important 

 discoveries; but should, at present, accident bring into the 

 way of any man a new and promising vegetable, where is 

 he to bring his discovery I — Is it to the practical farmer, 

 proud of what he already possesses, and vain of his skill 

 in the management of it ? His maxim is : 



Quod sapio satis est mihi, non ego ciiro." 



" I am for none of your novelties.*' 



Had such a committee as I suggest existed, would a 

 deaf ear have been turned to Dr. Letsom? and would 

 mangel wurzel have been thirty years making its way into 

 the farms of practical agriculturists 1 Even supposing the 

 latter to be less opinionated, and the members of the agri- 

 cultural societies less enlightened than I assume, and be- 

 lieve them to be ; the question of the introduction of a new 

 vegetable would come before these separate tribunals, 

 under very different circumstances. The practical farmer 

 would commence with doubts, and before he proceeded 



