It is a source of deep regret, that I am unable here to present a communication which was confidently expected, from the late Dr. Cuming of New Brunswick, upon a subject of great importance to the agriculturists of Maine, and which no person within the circle of my acquaintance, could have treated in so able a manner as he, but which he was prevented from preparing, by sudden death.

I have thought that a brief notice of this remarkable man might not be out of place here, as illustrating what may be accomplished by a poor farmer's boy, by dint of determined energy, industry and perseverance. If such an one under the disadvantages incident to a system of greater social inequality than ours, could rise from the position of a herd boy to marked eminence in a scientific profession, how great encouragement have the young men of our own country to aim at high attainments in science.

Mari A. Cuming was born August 12, 1813, at Myers, in the county of Banff, Scotland, where his father rented a small croft or farm. His parents being poor, Mari was sent from home at the age of nine or ten, to serve as herd boy, on a neighboring farm. Several summers were thus occupied, and during the winters he attended school. His whole school education during his minority did not exceed nine or ten months. Even at this early age, his active and ingenious mind busied itself during leisure hours, in the construction of various mechanical contrivances and philosophical toys, many of which are well remembered From being herd boy, he was in due time promoted to the post of plowman, in which capacity he served, partly at home and partly upon other farms in the vicinity, until at the age of twenty, he was by his father's death, left tenant of the few paternal acres. His father's affairs were left in a very embarrassed condition, and it cost some years of toil to cancel the indebtedness thus inherited.

Although his school education was very meagre, he was all the while, like his illustrious countryman, Miller, acquiring a rich and varied education. Nature was his teacher, and well did he heed her

lessons. From a mere boy he was a great reader, and never neglected any opportunity for acquiring knowledge. His memory was singularly retentive, and whatever he learned was well digested, and arranged in so orderly a manner that it never failed to be available when wanted. He early joined a mutual instruction club in his native village, of which he became an active and efficient member, often contributing essays, and sometimes lecturing upon various scientific subjects which had occupied his attention.

At the age of twenty-two, he married, and the demands of a rapidly increasing family furnished active employment during subsequent years; but nothing could quench his thirst for knowledge, nor weaken his courage in attempting its acquisition. About this time he became acquainted with Dr. John Sheir, then lecturer on Agri- cultural Chemistry and Botany, at the University of Aberdeen, from whom he received much aid, both by personal instruction and by the loan of books. In return, Mr. Cuming reciprocated the favor, by conducting upon his farm series of experiments suggested by the Professor, and designed to elucidate doubtful points in Agricultural Chemistry. The very first season following the announcement by the celebrated German chemist, Leibig, of his peculiar views on mineral manures, and particularly of the use of bones dissolved in sulphuric acid, (superphosphate of lime,) a series of experiments were instituted by them, designed to test the practical value of these theories. The papers, now lying by me, show a lengthened correspondence on this subject-the minute directions of the one as to the proportions to be used, and the methods of preparation and application on the part of Dr. Sheir, and the careful and systematic carrying out of these directions, and the weight of the products upon the several plots by the other, possess much interest, but the limits of this notice forbid any details of these or other experimental researches. Suffice it to say, that as he kept steadily on, the desire of devoting himself wholly to scientific pursuits grew stronger and stronger, until at the age of thirty-three, his wealth consisting chiefly of a wife and five children, he entered the Royal Veterinary College, at Edinburgh, as a student. Under such circumstances, it may readily be imagined that his labors were unremitting, and of his success, we can judge from the fact that at the examination at the end of his first year, he took a medal for chemistry, it being one of four

annually awarded for greatest proficiency in the several branches taught; no instance having previously occurred in the history of the college, where a medal had been awarded to any student except in his senior year. At his last examination, before graduating, he received three out of the four, awarded that year to the class, a circumstance equally unprecedented.

The writer has before him the schedule of one of these nearly perfect examinations, and on only two of the six pages of closely written matter, can be found any corrections by the examining professors, and these evidently attach to accidental omissions by haste, and not to mistakes of ignorance.

About this time he got no small reputation for an essay on "Typhus in Cattle," but the conclusions of his paper did not satisfy himself so well as they did others, and he continued his investigations until he ascertained beyond doubt, that the mysterious disease so fatally prevalent, and which he had deemed epizootic typhus, was in fact, the effect of poisoning by lead. He showed also, that loss from this cause was common in the vicinity of large towns-that cattle often obtained it from the street manure spread upon the pastures, and which contained tea-chest lead, scrapings of paint pots, &c., all of which he repeatedly identified among the contents of their stomachs after death.

After graduating with high honors, Dr. Cuming established himself in a successful practice, at Ellon in Aberdeenshire, and during the years of his residence there, repeatedly obtained the large gold medal of the Highland and Agricultural Society for essays which were published in their transactions. He was also connected with the "Scottish Farmer," at that time published at Aberdeen, for which he wrote many of the leading editorials.

His removal to New Brunswick was in 1852, upon the invitation of the St. John County Agricultural Society, and in the hope of finding a competent support, and a broader field of usefulness where veterinary science was almost unknown. Pecuniarily, he was unsuccessful; nor did pupils present themselves for instruction as he had been led to expect. Although he bore testimonials of the highest character, the people generally among whom his lot was cast, failed to see advantage by availing themselves of scientific skill, instead of employing quack "horse doctors" whose ignorance was

equalled only by their pretensions. To eke out the scanty income. from professional services, he resorted to the pen, and became connected with the newspaper press at St. John. At one time he started "The Farmer," a magazine devoted to agriculture, but it failed for want of support.

Not long before his death, he removed to Kennebacasis, near St. John, where he hoped to find leisure to prepare a popular work on the applications of veterinary science to the wants of horse owners in this country. This he had long designed, and had he been permitted to complete the work, it would doubtless have placed his name high on the list of benefactors to American agriculture. His death occurring on the twenty-first of July last, was as sudden as it was unexpected, being caused by the rupture of a blood vessel while in the apparent enjoyment of usual good health. It deprived his family of a much loved husband and father, a large circle of friends of a true-hearted companion and judicious adviser, and veterinary and agricultural science of a staunch supporter and advocate.

Being by this afflictive dispensation, deprived of the pleasure of submitting the expected communication from his pen, I insert in its place a paper left by him, and which was evidently intended as introductory to the work on horse management above alluded to; and this because of the conviction that the lack of veterinary science which exists among us, must be more extensively and deeply felt, before measures will be taken to supply the need, and in the hope that his remarks may serve a useful purpose to this end. It is barely possible, also, that indicating as they do, the main features of a work which is exceedingly needed, their publication may, in some way, prove instrumental towards supplying this great desideratum in our agricultural literature.

"The horse, viewing him merely as one of the most beautiful and perfect of nature's creations, presents many points of pleasing and instructive study for the inquiring mind; but when considered in relation to the profits to be made from rearing him, his value as an article of commerce, and the many important services he performs for us, everything connected with his existence, his welfare and his usefulness, assumes a double interest, and yields advantage as well as pleasure by being known. In all intelligent communities, therefore, and among almost every class of men, the quality and value of horses, their performances, ailments, and management, are popular topics of conversation, and things about

which there are few indeed, who do not wish to be thought well informed.

But such knowledge is neither hereditary nor intuitive, nor to be acquired by mere outside acquaintance with the animal in health, or casual external observation of his diseases. That it may be reliable, and of use to us in our daily treatment of him, everything connected with his physical structure, his wants and uses, must be scanned and studied, first in its individual aspect, and then in its various relations. His natural history needs to be known, that we may understand his habits and constitution, and how to develope his qualities to the best advantage, in the artificial condition we consign him to. His form and anatomy must be examined, that we may judge rightly of his motions and proportions, and be able to detect with certainty the seat and nature of the injuries he is exposed to in our service. The physiology and uses of the different organs and structures of his body must be investigated, that we may be prepared to find out and comprehend the diseases and changes of condition, consequent on his domestication and usage. Chemistry, dietetics and hygiene, must be consulted, to show us how to feed and keep him, as best suited to promote his health and powers of endurance. Mechanics must be studied to make his labor give the best results, with the least amount of vital expenditure; and pathology and therapeutics known, to enable us to restore him to usefulness, when lamed or diseased.

Such are but the more important of the points of inquiry, that must be studied, before we can tell with any thing like certainty, what is right or what is wrong in our treatment of the horse: their investigation, arrangement and application being comprised in the less common and more scholastic term, veterinary science. And the bare recital of them is enough to show that more is required of those who would aspire to a proficiency in this kind of knowledge, than the mere practice of stable duties, horse shoeing or jockeyship.

As a proof of the advantages believed to arise from the special study of a subject of so great importance, the civilized nations of Europe have long ago devoted a portion of their attention to the cultivation of veterinary science. Colleges for teaching it have been established in almost every eminent seat of learning. Governments have aided its extension by patronage, employment, and pecuniary support. Men of talent and liberal education have become its practitioners and teachers. And some of the proudest names in human surgery the world ever produced, have helped it forward.

In these countries, therefore, and under such advantages, not only is every thing connected with the horse investigated by the light of science, and ascertained with all its accuracy, but the popular notions upon the subject among those classes of the community that are far beyond the immediate influence of study, are also generally true to nature, and practically useful, if not always strictly scientific. How different it was before veterinary science was cultivated, and how different it is still, where it has not been introduced, it is scarcely necessary to say. On these points, the absurd