The Farmer. 459 
Bankiva species in Java, and the Jago species in Sumatra, more 
nearly approximate to our common fowl than that now under 
consideration, and to which Sonneret refers. Upon the whole, 
it seems that our varieties of domestic fowl proceed from mixtures 
of original species. Practical observers arrive at much the same 
conclusion on this point with scientific naturalists. It is thus, for 
instance, considered in India, that our game-cock originated from 
a mixture of the jungle cock with wild species in Malaga and 
Chittagong. Altogether, however, it must be admitted that, on 
this disputed point, very little is actually known; and the domes- 
tication of the bird ascends to such remote antiquity, that it seems 
hopeless to determine the era, and still more hopeless to ascertain 
the original species with precision. 
THE LIFE, PRIVILEGES AND PREJUDICES OF THE FARMER. 
BY THOMAS BARLOW. 
Of all pursuits which man can follow, that of the farmer con- 
duces most to his happiness. The life of the farmer is the one 
most conformable to the requirements of our nature and as a 
natural consequence must be one of the greatest enjoyment and 
peace. It is true that from the earliest day agricultural labor has 
been looked upon by certain pretendedly higher classes of men of 
various nations as one of subservient drudgery; but this is far 
from being the honest view drawn from a sense of the utility of 
things. Whilst this prejudice has obtained to a greater or less 
extent among most all nations, the wiser and better classes have 
understood and properly appreciated agricultural pursuits. Em- 
perors and kings have been sensible of their dependence upon the 
tillers of the soil for their welfare and strength, and have period- 
ically, in some countries, condescended to take off their gloves and 
take the plow by the handle and direct it through the soil, as a 
kind of special regard and encouragement for this industry. All 
these things, that is, all industrial pursuits, depend upon the popu- 
lar opinion to a great extent, for the character they bear in the 
minds of men, that is, whether reputable or disreputable. All 
honest business professions are honorable if they enure to the be- 
nefit of man; but some will have more prominence in the views 
and estimation of man dependant upon the good which is to re- 
sult from them. In this country the great body of the people are 
of the class of farmers, and the people hold the sovereign power 
in their own hands and bear the crown upon their own heads; so 
