Agriculture is the most healthful , the most useful , and the most noble employment of man ,— Washington. 
VOL. IV. NEW YORK, DECEMBER, 1845. NO. XII. 
A. B. Allen, Editor. 
TO OUR SUBSCRIBERS. 
Here we are, gentle reader, at the end of our 
fourth campaign, and we trust by this time that you 
hke us hugely, and are prepared to furnish the 
sinews of imr —-which, by the way, means nothingmore 
liuii less than cash, in the shape of subscriptions—for 
tHe fifth regular sortie against the agricultural enemy, 
.Colonel Ignorance and Captain Prejudice. They are 
doughty knights, truly, or in more common parlance, 
hard customers but if we can only succeed in once 
conquering them, we shall then do well enough, and be 
able to sit down under the shade of our apple and 
peach orchards, and enjoy the fruits of our labors. 
Agricultural products are now bringing capital 
prices—indeed, the farmer, to our great delight, has at 
length got the upper hand again ; and while he is 
lilling his stout leather purse with the proceeds of his 
cattle and crops, it will be a great pity if he does not 
set apart a small sum for an agricultural journal, to 
store his mind with new ideas, and enable him to im¬ 
prove his ancient craft. Now, is there anything bet¬ 
ter adapted to this purpose than the American Agri¬ 
culturist ? We opine not. It may not be very modest 
in us to say so; nevertheless, we cannot help insinuat¬ 
ing in the most delicate manner imaginable, that our 
periodical is out and out the very best friend and in¬ 
structor that the farmer, his wife, and all his little 
ones, can possibly obtain in their affairs ; and it should 
ever be the first and last book, after the Bible, for 
them to read. Why, only look at it. We will say 
nothing of the pages and pages o.f rich solid practical 
matter, for the hardy husbandman, which runs 
through all the calendar months from January to 
December inclusive ; but merely glance at the Ladies’ 
and Boys’ Departments. Then candidly tell us, 
gentle reader, did any one ever give you such an ad¬ 
mirable treat as the first to the last of these papers, 
Saxton & Miles, Publishers, 205 Broadway. 
from Polly Dickson to Farmers’ Wives. Our lady con 
tributors, though few in number, are a host in talen:, 
amiability, good sound sense, beauty, and discretion 
We expect a large addition to them, in the coming 
volume; and this we will frankly say, that any man 
may consider himself highly flattered by being asso¬ 
ciated in their company. Then, as to the boys, what 
sage advice for them, from the redoubtable Sambo 
to Mr. and Mrs. Thrift and Unthrift, and all the 
little Thrifts and Unthrifts ! Why, boys, if some of 
you don’t become Presidents of this great Republic one 
of these days, we shall be exceedingly disappointed. 
Our first President—the immortal Washington—the 
greatest and best man that ever lived, was a farmer; 
all the rest have been lawyers—no offence to the 
profession—and far, very far indeed, his inferiors. We 
hope when the boys who read this paper get grown, 
and can go to the polls, that they, will elect a FARMER 
for their President. Let the plow rule is our motto. 
The first number of Volume-Fifth of the Agricul¬ 
turist will be issued promptly- on the 1st of January, 
1846, with embellishments and: matter such as wiU 
commend it more and more- to the farming public. 
The work is well established—has a good and con¬ 
stantly increasing circulation—-and we have the 
means now of pushing it more-extensively than here¬ 
tofore, in every quarter. We- shall take care to do, 
this the present year to the utmost; fully believing at 
the end of it, we can show as large a< subscription list 
as any other paper of a similar kind in the United 
States. There is one superiority about our journal,, 
and that is, it has nothing, to do with, cliques , or par-, 
ties, and is the organ of no particular Society. It 
stands FREE and INDEPENDENT—it is conse¬ 
crated to the general good oh the greah agricultural 
class of the country—and +1l us do we ever intend, to 
keep it 
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