C 39 ] 
tions, — their own occular proof, — that the 
adoption of any new plan, in opposition to 
their daily pradlice, will be beneficial to them, 
before they can be persuaded to adopt it. 
With them demonstration only will bring 
convi6fion, and will do more in five minutes 
than all the books that have been written on 
the subjef^l. It is impossible for any one to 
form a true estimate of the ability of a prac- 
tical husbandman but one who is well qua- 
lified in that art. 
This observation applies alike to men in 
all arts and professions ; and until a know- 
ledge of pra6f ical husbandry is inculcated at 
an early age, when the mind is unincum- 
bered, wdth other pursuits, and when suffi- 
cient leisure is afforded to 'observe all the 
minutiae of the farmer's pracfice and plod- 
ding, for three or four years, at the plough 
tail, we apprehend it to be very difficult to 
find a nobleman or gentleman of large land- 
ed possessions (whose education and habits 
have been diredted to other pursuits) v/ell 
qualified in the niceties of agriculture. We 
