2 
REPORT. 
compulsory exercise of two intellectual faculties, the develop* 
meut of which is in a direct ratio with the use that is made of 
them; and finally, the habit of rendering to ourself an account 
of what is read — a species of exercise that leads to thought 
and meditation. 
The division adopted by the authors seems to us simple, 
proper, and logical. In the first ,-part, they commence by giv¬ 
ing us all the requisite knowledge of natural history, and then 
some general ideas on the cultivation of the soil, the physiology 
and anatomy of plants, and finally on vegetable reproduction. 
The second part is devoted to the study of the soil in general, 
and to that of its physical properties. The different operations 
required to bring the soil into cultivation, manures, ameliora¬ 
tors, and stimulants, are the objects of the third part. Under 
these different titles are arranged the subdivisions, skilfully 
treated, and entirely within the comprehension of the young 
readers, for whom the book is destined. 
The publication of the second volume depends, the authors 
tell us, upon the reception that may be given to the first. 
This reserve, full of modesty and good taste, reveals to the 
Society not only the value of its new colleagues, but the zeal 
with which it should encourage and promote their labors. 
However, gentlemen, this sympathy and encouragement have 
recently been generously manifested, by the governmental coun¬ 
cil of our department, for the elementary work that we have 
the honor to report upon; the council having ordered the ex¬ 
penses of printing the work to be defrayed out of the fund ap¬ 
propriated by government for the encouragement of agriculture. 
If, on the one hand, this intelligent vote is a just and proper 
reward for a useful work, it will also enable its publishers to 
furnish it at a less cost than they otherwise could. Thus, 
gentlemen, by our co-operation with the general council of 
the department, we at once render an act of justice to the 
authors, and make manifest the interest that we feel, not only 
in the teachers and the scholars of the country, but also in 
the success of primary and secondary instruction in matters 
appertaining to agriculture. C. MANDEL. 
Report adopted, and ordered to be printed. 
