It is a misfortune to a pupil, in such circumstances, to be retarded in his progress by a trifling neglect; for he cannot make up his leeway until after the revolution of a year; and though ever so attentive, he cannot possibly learn to anticipate operations in a shorter time, and therefore cannot possibly understand the object of a single operation in the first year of his pupilage. The first year is spent almost unprofitably, and certainly unsatisfactorily to an inquisitive mind. But attentive observation during the first year in storing up facts, will enable him, in the second, to anticipate the successive operations ere they arrive, and identify every minutia of labour as it is performed.

17. Let it not be supposed by those who have never passed through the perplexing ordeals incident to the first year of farming, that I have described them in too strong colours, in order to induce to the belief that farming is an art more difficult of attainment than it really is. So far is this from being the case, I may safely appeal to the experience of every person who had attained manhood before beginning to learn farming, whether I have not truly depicted his own condition at the outset of his professional career; so that every pupil must expect to meet with those difficulties.

18. But, formidable as they may seem, I encourage him with the assurance, that it is in his power to overcome them all. The most satisfactory way of overcoming them is to resolve to learn his business in a truly practical manner-that is, by attending to every operation personally. Merely being domiciled on a farm is not, of itself, a sufficient means of overcoming them; for the advantages of residence may be squandered away in idleness, by frequent absence, by spending the busy hours of work in the house on light reading, or by casual and capricious attendance on field operations. Such habits must be eschewed, before there can arise a true desire to become a practical farmer.

19. Much assistance in promoting at tention should not be expected from the farmer. No doubt it is his duty to communicate all he knows to his pupils, and I believe most are willing to do so; but

as efficient tuition implies constant attendance on work, the farmer himself cannot constantly attend to every operation, or even explain any, unless his attention is directed to it; and much less will he deliver extempore lectures at appointed times. Reservedness in him does not necessarily imply unwillingness to communicate his skill; because, being himself familiar with every operation that can arrest the attention of his pupils, any explanation by him of minutiae at any other time than when the work is in the act of being performed, and when only it could be understood by them, would only serve to render the subject more perplexing. In these circumstances, the best plan for the pupil to follow is to attend constantly and personally observe every change that takes place in every piece of work. Should the farmer happen to be present, and be appealed to, he will, as a matter of course, immediately remove every difficulty in the most satisfactory way; but should he be absent, being otherwise engaged, then the steward, or ploughmen, or shepherd, as the nature of the work may be, will afford as much information on the spot as will serve to enlighten his mind until he associates with the farmer at the fireside.

20. To be enabled to discover that particular point in every operation, which, when explained, renders the whole intelligible, the pupil should put his hand to every kind of work, be it easy or difficult, irksome or pleasant. Experience acquired by himself, however slightly affecting the mind,—if desirous of becoming acquainted with every professional incident,-will solve difficulties much more satisfactorily than the most elaborate explanations given by others; and the larger the stock of personal experience he can accumulate, the sooner will the pupil understand the purport of every thing that occurs in his sight. Daily opportunities occur on a farm for joining in work, and acquiring such experience. For example, when the ploughs are employed, the pupil should walk from the one to the other, and observe which ploughman or pair of horses perform the work with the greatest apparent difficulty or ease. He should also mark the different styles of work executed by each plough. A considerate comparison of particulars will enable him to ascertain the

best and worst specimens of work. He should then endeavour to discover the cause why different styles of work are produced by apparently similar means, in order to rectify the worst and practise the best. The surest way of detecting error, and discovering the best method, is to take hold of each plough successively, and he will find in the endeavour to maintain each in a steady position, and perform the work evenly, that all require considerable labour -every muscle being awakened into energetic action, and the brow most probably moistened. As these symptoms of fatigue subside with repetitions of the exercise, he will eventually find one of the ploughs more easily guided than the rest. The reasons for this difference he must endeavour to discover by comparison, for its holder cannot inform him, as he professes to have, indeed can have, no knowledge of any other plough but his own. In prosecuting this system of comparative trials with the ploughs, he will find himself becoming a ploughman, as the difficulties of the art divulge themselves to his apprehension; but the reason why the plough of one of the men moves more easily, does better work, and oppresses the horses less than the rest, is not so obvious; for the land is in the same state to them all-there cannot be much difference in the strength of the pairs of horses, as each pair are generally pretty well matched-and in all probability the construction of the ploughs is the same, if they have been made by the same plough-wright. The inevitable conclusion is, that one ploughman understands his business better than the others. He shows this by trimming the irons of his plough to the state of the land, and the nature of the work he is about to begin, and by guiding his horses in accordance with their natural temperament. Having the shrewdness to acquire these accomplishments in a superior degree, the execution of superior work is an easier task to him than inferior work to the other ploughmen. The case I have thus selected for an example, is not altogether a suppositious one.

21. Having advanced thus far in the knowledge, practice, and capability of judging of work, the pupil begins to feel the importance of his acquisition, which fans the flame of his enthusiasm, and

prompts him to greater acquirements. But even in regard to the plough, the pupil has much to learn. Though he has selected the best ploughman, and knows why he is so, he is himself still ignorant of how to trim a plough practically, and to drive the horses with judgment. The ploughman will be able to afford him ocular proof how he tempers all the irons of the plough to the state of the land, and why he yokes and drives the horses as he does in preference to any other plan. Illiterate and unmechanical as he is, and his language full of technicalities, his explanations will nevertheless give the pupil a clearer insight into the minutiae of ploughing, than he could acquire by himself as a spectator in an indefinite length of time.

22. I have selected the plough, as being the most useful implement to illustrate the method which the pupil should follow, in all cases, to learn a practical knowledge of every operation in farming. In like manner, he may become acquainted with the particular mode of managing all the larger implements, which require the combined agency of man and horse to put into action; as well as become accustomed to use the simpler implements adapted to the hand, easily and ambidextrously-a large proportion of farm work being executed with simple tools. Frequent personal attendance at the farm-stead, during the winter months, to feed the corn in the sheaf into the thrashing-machine, and afterwards to work the winnowing-machine, in cleaning the thrashed grain for the market, will be amply repaid by the acquisition of the knowledge of the quality and value of the cereal and leguminous grains. There is no better method of acquiring knowledge of all the minor operations of the farm, than to superintend the labours of the field-workers, their work being methodical, almost always in requisition, and mostly consisting of minutiæ; and its general utility is shown, not only in its intrinsic worth, but in relation to the work performed by the teams.

23. The general introduction of sowingmachines, particularly those which sow broadcast, has nearly superseded the beautiful art of sowing corn by the hand. Still corn is sown by the hand, especially on small farms, on which large and expensive

machines are not found. In the art of hand-sowing, the pupil should excel; for, being difficult to perform in an easy and neat manner, its superior execution is regarded as an accomplishment, and in contributing to a manly and healthful exercise, establishes a robust frame and sound constitution.

24. The feeding of cattle in the farmstead, or of sheep in the fields, does not admit of much participation of labour with the cattleman or shepherd; but either practice forms an interesting subject of study to the pupil, and without strict attention to both he will never acquire a knowledge of fattening and computing the value of live stock.

25. By steadily pursuing the course of observation I have indicated, and particularly in the first year, the pupil will soon acquire a considerable knowledge of the minutiae of labour; and it is only in this way that the groundwork of a familiar acquaintance with them can be laid, and which requires years of experience. Indeed, observant farmers are learning new, or modifications of old, practices every day, and such new occurrences serve to sustain a regard for the most trivial incident that happens on a farm.

26. In urging upon the pupil the necessity of putting his hand to every kind of labour, I do not intend to say he should become a first-rate workman; for to become so would require a much longer time than he has in a period of pupilage. His acquaintance with every implement and operation should enable him to decide quickly, whether work is well or ill executed, and in a reasonable time. No doubt a knowledge of this kind may be acquired, in time, without the actual labour of the hands; but as it is the interest of the pupil to learn his profession in the shortest time, and in the best manner, and as that can be acquired sooner by the joint co-operation of the head and hands than by either member singly, it would seem an imperative duty on him to acquire his profession by labour.

27. Other considerations as regards the acquisition of practical knowledge deserve attention from the pupil. It is most con

ducive to his interest to learn his profession in youth, before the meridian of life has arrived, when labour of every kind becomes irksome. It is also much better to have a thorough knowledge of farming before engaging in it, than to acquire it in the course of a lease, when losses may be incurred by the commission of comparatively trivial errors at the early period of its tenure, when farms in all cases are most difficult to conduct. It is an undeniable fact, that the work of a farm never proceeds so smoothly and satisfactorily to all parties engaged in it, as when the farmer is thoroughly conversant with his business. His orders are then implicitly obeyed, not because pronounced more authoritatively, but because a skilful master's plans and directions inspire such a degree of confidence in the labourers as to be regarded as the best in the circumstances. Shame is acutely felt by servants on being detected in error, whether of the head or heart, by the discriminating judgment of a skilful master; and a rebuke from him irresistibly implies ignorance or negligence in those who receive it. The fear of ignorance or idleness being imputed to them, by a farmer acquainted with the capabilities of work-people by his own experience, and who can estimate their services as they deserve, powerfully urges labourers to perform a fair day's work in a workmanlike style.

28. Let the converse of this state of things be imagined; let the losses to which the ignorant farmer is a daily prey, by many ways-by the hypocrisy, negligence, idleness, and dishonesty of servants-be calculated, and it must be admitted that it is much safer for a farmer to trust to his own skill than to depend on that of his servants. No doubt a trustworthy steward may be found to manage for him; but, in such a position, the steward himself is in a state of temptation, in which he should never be placed; and as the inferior servants never regard him as a master, where the master himself is resident, his orders are never so punctually obeyed. I would, therefore, advise every young farmer to acquire a competent knowledge of his profession before undertaking to conduct a farm. I only say a competent knowledge; for the gift to excel is not imparted to all who select farming as their profession.

29. Experience will undoubtedly dissipate doubt, and remove perplexity; but though a sure and a safe, it is a slow teacher. A whole year, as I have already observed, must revolve ere the entire labours of a farm are completed in the field, and the pupil understand what he is about; and a whole year is too long time for him to be kept in a state of uncertainty. Could the pupil find a monitor to explain to him, during the first year of his pupilage, the purpose for which every operation is performed,-fortell him the results which every operation is intended to produce, and indicate the relative progress which all the operations should make, from time to time, towards the attainment of their various ends, he would acquire far more professional information, and have greater confidence in its accuracy, than he could obtain for himself in that perplexing period of his novitiate. Such a monitor would certainly best be an experienced and intelligent farmer, were his whole time devoted to his pupil. A farmer, however, cannot bestow as much attention at all times as would be desired by a pupil; and lapses of time are occasioned by necessary engagements, which oblige the farmer to leave home; and thus inattention and absence combined constitute sad interruptions to tuition.

30. But a book might be made an efficient assistant-monitor. If expressly written for the purpose, it might not only corroborate what the farmer inculcated, but serve as a substitute in his temporary absence. In this way the tuition of the pupil might proceed uninterruptedly. The usual deprecations against the acquirement of practical farming from books, would not apply to such a one. I would give no such counsel to any pupil. Books on farming, to be really serviceable to the learner, ought not to constitute his sole study: the field being the best place for perceiving the fitness of labour to the purposes it is designed to attain, the book should only present itself as a monitor for indicating the best modes of farming, and showing the way of learning those modes most easily. By it the practice of experienced farmers might be communicated to the pupil. By consulting that which had been purposely written for his guidance, while carefully observing the import of daily operations, which are often intricate, always protracted over

considerable portions of time, and necessarily separated from each other, he would acquire that import in a much shorter time than if left to be discovered by his own sagacity.

31. Such a book would be useful to every class of pupils to him who, having finished his scholastic and academical education, directs his attention, for the first time, to the acquirement of practical farming; or who, though born on a farm, having spent the greater part of his life at school, determines, at length, on following his father's profession. For the latter class of pupils, tuition in farming, and information from books, are as requisite as for the former. Those, on the other hand, who have constantly resided on a farm from infancy, can never be said to have been pupils, as, by the time they are fit to act for themselves, they are proficients in farming. Having myself, for a time, been placed precisely in the position of the first description of pupils, I can bear sincere testimony to the truth of the difficulties to be encountered in the first year of pupilage. I felt that a guide-book would have been an invaluable monitor to me, but none such existed at the time. No doubt the farmer ought to possess the ability to instruct every pupil he receives under his charge. This is his bounden duty, which, if rightly performed, no guide-book would be required; but very few farmers undertake the onerous task of instruction. Practical farming they leave the pupils to acquire for themselves in the fields, theoretical knowledge, very few, if any, are competent to impart. The pupils, being thus very much left to their own industry, can scarcely avoid being beset with difficulties, and losing much time. It must be acknowledged, however, that the practice gained by slow experience is, in the end, the most valuable and enduring. Still a book, expressly written to suit the circumstances of his case, might be a valuable instructor to the pupil, in imparting sound professional information.

32. Such a book, to be a useful instructor and correct guide, should, in my estimation, possess these qualifications. Its principal matter should consist of a clear narrative of all the labours of the farm as they occur in succession, including the reasons why each piece of work is undertaken. While