DEDICATION

TO THE

CENTRAL AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY

OF

GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND.

GENTLEMEN,

Having had the honor and great gratification of assisting in the formation of your Society, which I do not hesitate to call one of the corner stones of the empire; having also witnessed with admiration, so many individuals of various political opinions, setting them aside to unite for the common interests of Agriculture, which, unfortunately, is too clearly proved to be a business of loss; I consider it becomes us all to work for the common good, and endeavour to assist the farmer, in such a way as may tend to extricate him from his difficulties.

It would be great, nay, unmeasured presumption indeed, if so humble and unknown an individual as myself were to venture to assert, that the means he recommends will effect that object; but it may be reasonable to say, that it is believed they will be a first step towards it, since any improvement in culture, which may enable a man to better his condition, is in

B

fact a pace gained towards the end in view. There are other considerations of far deeper import, which it would ill become me to touch upon, on this occasion; but if the unassisted labours of one individual of your Committee, may lead to great and important results, relating to that first of products, Wheat; and that investigations establish his conclusions to have been correct; it is hoped he will have merited your approbation.

To you, Gentlemen, the great, I wish I could say the whole body of Farmers of the United Kingdom, I dedicate this little work, the result of five years of close attention and research.

Several of you inspected the collection of one hundred and three varieties of Wheat, which I exhibited at the Committee Room, these are now increased to upwards of one hundred and fifty sorts.

That among these varieties, there are some that will thrive better than others, in the particular soils and situations adapted to each, all over the kingdom, is my firm belief. That one ear of a superior variety, sowed grain by grain, and suffered to tiller apart, produced four pounds four ounces of wheat; whereas another ear, of an inferior sort, treated in the same manner, produced only one pound ten ounces; is a proof that it is of paramount importance to select the most productive and farinaceous sorts for seed. It being obvious, that a farmer who would have sown

his whole crop with the last named variety, would have probably been ruined, whereas, the superior variety would have enabled him to farm with profit.

It is to the consideration of this general proposition, that I now invite your attention, not to view it as a specimen of literary labour, with the eye of criticism, but as the mere statement of one, who hopes he may not have laboured in vain, for the interest of those whom he considers the true sinews of the land, -its farmers. It is hoped it may lead to more extended and improved researches, in every county and province of the empire, as its principle extends to every cultivator of wheat throughout the universe.

The writer had the honor to receive the following encouragement, from the venerable and much to be regretted Father of Modern Agriculture, the Right Honorable Sir John Sinclair, on exposing his views to him.

"My Dear Sir,

"I had the pleasure of receiving your obliging communication from Belle Vue. It contains much important information. The plan you describe, seems to be judiciously formed. I should be very glad, therefore, to see such an excellent system established also in this country; but ever since the extinction of the Board of Agriculture, which cost me so much trouble to establish, and so much exertion to carry on, I have lost all hopes of seeing Agriculture again, placed in that splendid and flourishing state which it then exhibited.

I hope, however, that this will not discourage you from continuing your exertions, the success of which I trust you will have the goodness, from time to time, occasionally to communicate to me.

"With my best wishes for your success, in the important pursuits, with which you are so laudably occupied.

With this encouragement from a Philosopher of the most benevolent mind and extended knowledge, who had proved himself the farmer's friend and guide, I determine to submit my work to your favorable consideration, beseeching you to make allowances for the production of an unlettered soldier, who has for the last twenty years turned his "sword into a ploughshare," but who courts the deepest enquiry into a most important subject.

I have the honor to be,

Your very

Gentlemen,

faithful and obedient Servant,

J. LE COUTEUR.