Oct. i, 1885.] The Australasian Scientific Magazine. 
117 
THE EDITOR'S CHAIR. 
We have just received a copy of “The Science of Agriculture, by 
Frederick James Lloyd, F.C.S.; London : Longmans, Green and Co. This 
important work, as the preface informs us, consists mainly of a reproduction 
of lectures delivered at King’s College, London. The object of the author, 
as stated by himself, is the very laudable one at the present agricultural 
crisis of elucidating “the only true means by which farmers may contend 
against adverse circumstances and increasing foreign competition.” Mr. 
Lloyd has supplemented his study of agricultural literature by careful 
personal inquiry, and puts before his readers, in language as little technical 
as possible, not only the results of the latest scientific investigations, but 
the outcome of his own conversations with leading agriculturists. The 
carefully- tabulated analyses were for the most part made by himself, and 
evince a large amount of laborious and accurate research. The chapters 
on the chemistry and physiology of plant and animal life are treated at 
once with learning and simplicity, and the value of the facts recorded and 
the principles enunciated cannot be over-estimated from the agricultural 
standpoint. It is manifest that the chemical composition of the substances 
constituting the organisms of plants and animals is of the highest practical 
importance to the farmer, since the laws regulating the formation of those 
substances must be influenced or utilized by him in the cultivation of his 
crops and the raising of his stock. The intelligent selection of manures 
and diets is, in fact, dependent on his knowfledge of chemical and physio- 
logical structure and the internal processes of plant and animal life, com- 
bined with a knowledge of the composition of foods. The sections 
dealing with the classification and the improvement of soils, natural and 
artificial manures, and the rotation of crops, contain the latest results of 
scientific inquiry and experiment on these important subjects. The chapter 
on permanent pasture will command a large amount of attention at the 
present time, when the stress of foreign competition and the consequent 
unremunerative character of arable land is leading so many to turn their 
attention to the laying down of land to grass. “ Dairy management and 
produce” touches a question scarcely less interesting to the agricultural 
public nowadays, and the author has discussed it with the care and com- 
pleteness it deserves. He is hardly so enthusiastic on the subject of 
ensilage as the warmest advocates of that substitutionary diet would desire, 
but thinks that the practice will be largely carried out in the future, “ if 
silage can be shown not to influence the keeping property of the milk, nor 
yet the taste of the butter.” All agriculturists who wish to add to the 
practical knowledge of their craft, a valuable acquaintance with its scientific 
principles, and to be put abreast of the latest methods and appliances, may 
be strongly recommended to procure this interesting and useful work. 
