Entered, according to the Act of Congress, in the year 1850, by JOHN L. BLAKE, D.D. in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States J. P. JONES, & CO, STEREOTYPERS, 183, William Street, N Y 3. O. JENKINS PRINTER, 114 Nassau St, N. Y. The more I am acquainted with agricultural affairs, the better I am pleased with them; insomuch that 5521 853 I can no where find so great satisfaction as in those useful pursuits. PREFACE. THE following work has been prepared at intervals of ime amid the supervision of a farm; of moderate size, indeed, but at first destitute of everything deserving the name of culture; literally, a waste, without buildings or fences. Possessing some natural capabilities for a desirable residence, his attention was directed to it. Having had little or no practical knowledge of agriculture since he was a small boy, he had comparatively to learn everything as he progressed. His habits and pursuits of life had prepared him to look beyond the mere improvement of his own premises; to the subject of agriculture generally, and especially to the social and intellectual interests of rural life. Hence, he very soon abandoned the prosecution of some labors on general literature that had been begun, in order that the time appropriated to them might be directed to subjects suggested by objects with which he had now become more immediately surrounded. Another work simply embracing the elements of agriculture may not be needed. Works of that description are already numerous; and some of them from individuals far more.competent than the author. We experience no want of good agricultural books, but of a disposition in the agricultural community to use them. There is an inexplicable prejudice against book-farming, as it is called; and, the presumption is, that there is in our country not one farmer in ten, if there is one in twenty, possessing a book of any sort on the subject. The design of the author is to overcome this prejudice; to induce agriculturists to avail themselves of the experience of others; Science must be combined with practice, to make a good farmer. MRCC508 Agriculture is the art of arts-without it man would be a savage, and the world a wilderness. Always have a book within your reach, which you may catch up at your odd minutes. Resolve to edge in a little reading every day, if it is but a single sentence. to study the best books on the subject; to read the best periodicals that relate to it, and to give their sons an education fitting them for the occupation. The other portions of his work are incidental to this. For a long period it was found that Christian Missionaries were unable to reach the heathen to whose country they were sent, any more than agricultural books reach the class of persons for whom they were designed, and who are most in need of them. Hence, in sending out a colony of missionary laborers, it has been found expedient that they should carry with them a knowledge of the healing art, of surgery, of the mechanic arts, and of agriculture. These were matters, in their application, readily understood and appreciated. By this means heathen prejudices and superstitions were subdued or mitigated. An intercourse between the parties was the natural result. The latter ceased to be afraid of the former; and the inference followed, that if these strangers knew more than themselves about medicine and the useful occupations of life, they might also be in possession of a better religion. Thus by degrees they would begin to listen to their teachings on the great subject for which they had mainly been sent. This has been the best way to convert the heathen. The author availed himself of the policy described in the construction of the present work. Instead of offering the rural community a large volume, consisting of the didactics of agriculture, he is disposed to treat them with the titbits of domestic economy, with hints on education, with prescriptions for health, and especially with instructions for the better maintaining the social relations of life. These are subjects which all more or less understand; in which all feel a deep interest; on which they are always prompt to receive instruction. With these matters he has indeed mixed up fragments of scientific and practical agriculture, designed to create a taste for the subject, and to induce the reader to procure other works more elaborate and complete upon it. If they can in this way have their judices against books of the class described removed, a new era Sin is like a bee, with honey in its mouth, but a sting in its tail. pre If you can give fifteen minutes a day, it will be felt at the end of the year. And a man may be thinking when about his work. A Kind Spirit.-Perform a good deed, speak a kind word, bestow a pleasant smile, whenever you have opportunity, and you will receive in due time the same in return. PREFACE. ν will be formed in the history of our country. Then farmers will no more think of living without these handmaids of profitable husbandry, than they would think of spading up their ground, instead of procuring a plough for its culture. Hence, the expectation is cherished, that wherever the present volume finds friends, other works on agriculture will follow; and, espe cially, that thousands in this way will be induced habitually to read the periodical literature relating to it. In calling the attention of persons to subjects with which they are not familiar, particularly if those subjects have repulsive attributes, there is danger of presenting too much in connection with each; that is, of giving too large doses. It is analogous to furnishing unpleasant food or medicine in large quantities. A little only at a time should be given till aversion to the subject is overcome, and a relish for it is engendered. On this account are read the hundreds of thousands of little tracts on religion, where a large volume on a single religious topic would not be opened. And it is believed, that if every State in the Union, containing half a million of inhabitants, and in the same proportion for more or less, would annually spend five thousand dollars in publishing and distributing to every family prime agricultural tracts, got up under a board of agriculture, the increased products would pay the expense five times over. The author has made no effort at originality in this work. His own thoughts are indeed in his own language; but wherever he found the thoughts of others well expressed, he copied them as he found them, and usually without giving credit, preferring, for convenience, to make a general acknowledgment. Besides, in many instances, the style was so altered, where he borrowed thoughts, it might be considered a greater injustice to ascribe the whole to others than to give no credit at all. Frequently, too, the same things are found in different works, and it was more than he could do, if credit were given, to tell to whom it was due. From the following he borrowed in this way all he could Encyclopedia Americana; Loundon; Thaër; Johnson; Featherstonhaugh; Petzholdt; Low; Buel; Dana; Nichol The air is perfumed with the sweet breath of new-made hay. Depend upon it, the happiness you bestow on others is reflected back to your own bosom. How to make industry attractive, is one of our present social problems. Work is always pleasant vi and easy, where many persons can join together; especially PREFACE. son; Buist; Fessenden; Cole; Skinner; Balfour; Gardner; Allen; Tucker; De Bow; Davy; Tull; Sprenghel; Wilson; New England Farmer; Maine Farmer; United States Farmer; Agriculturist; Albany Cultivator; Prairie Farmer; Ohio Cultivator; American l'armer; Merchants' Magazine; and from miscellaneous sources too numerous to be named even in this summary process. more What is found on the social relations of rural life is exempt from the admissions in the above paragraph. Here was a path but little trodden. Here was a field rich in resources, but little touched, and susceptible of yielding mental food beyond what is now collected. Had its resources been duly estimated, the labor bestowed upon it would have been more ample. The prescribed limits of the work have been more than filled; and he hopes in a manner that will justify, in some other form, a renewed effort farther to promote some of the most hallowed interests of the country in which it is his proud destiny to live. A bad workman is accustomed to quarrel with his tools. where men and women can engage in it. Rural life gives us many illustrations of this principle. |