is another important saving would result to the farmer, from the introduction of mill feed. It would enable him to keep his stock of horses at a great deal less expense than he now keeps them. They would be more healthy, and all his hay might be saved for the horned cattle. By a very slight mixture of shorts with cut straw, or cut corn-stalks, it would make very palatable food; and the result in this method, compared with foddering on hay, would be as follows.

One hundred bushels of shorts would be ample to mix with two tons of straw, and two tons of stalks.

The Weight of the foregoing as follows, viz.

Thou wilt readily perceive, without my dwelling on it, that the above method would answer equally well for store cattle as for horses. By the present mode the corn stalks are almost wholly lost, and a great proportion of the straw trodden under foot in the barn-yards. One benefit that would result from the change of feeding, and which must be obvious to every one, would be its enabling every farmer to keep a larger stock; and thus increase his manure,—the grand secret, after all is said, in farming well, and doing it to advantage.

If it is alleged that my calculation of hay is too high, it may be observed, that the shorts are also estimated at a price higher than they often command in the Philadelphia market. I have known them as low as 20 cents; and 25 cents is a very common price in the fall of the year. They may safely be put in bulk in the 11th mo. and will keep sweet until the ensuing spring.—I have thus hastily thrown my ideas together on this subject. If thou canst glean from them any thing of importance, I shall be glad.

Thy assured friend,
James Canby.

Treatise on Agriculture.

SECT. II.

Of the actual state of Agriculture in Europe.

12. The climate and soil of Great Britain and Ireland, are particularly favourable to husbandry; nor is her geographical position less auspicious—placed, as she is, on the longest line, and amidst the most important markets of the continent of Europe. If to these advantages be added the laborious, enlightened, and enterprising character of the nation, we cannot but expect results the most favourable to agriculture: yet is the fact notoriously otherwise. To show that this opinion is neither hasty nor unfounded, we must enter into details, which may not be unprofitable.

The surface of England is estimated at 37,265,853 acres, which are distributed as follows:

Of the arable land the following annual disposition is made:

The lands, in wheat and rye, yield on an average of ten years, three quarters per acre, or 6,000,000 quarters; yet there is an annual deficit in England of 1,820,000 quarters, which must be drawn from foreign markets.[1]

There is certainly nothing very flattering in this view of English agriculture; but it may be said to be one of statists and politicians, and probably underrated. Let us then see what their own most eminent agriculturists, their Young and Sinclair, and Dickson and Marshall, say on this subject—"A very small portion of the cultivated parts of Great Britain, is to this day, submitted to a judicious and well conducted system of husbandry; not in fact more than four counties, (Norfolk, Sussex, Essex, and Kent:) while many large tracts of excellent soil are managed in a way the most imperfect and disadvantageous."[2]

Nor is her management of cattle better. "Considering the domestic animals in a general way, we find each species, and almost every race, capable of great improvement, and, with a few exceptions, the sheep much neglected. In some districts are whole races of cattle incapable of improvement (within a reasonable time) in the three great objects which they are expected to yield, viz. milk, flesh, and labour."[3] We now add some of the causes to which this defective husbandry has been ascribed: "to enumerate all would be impossible, from their number and complication."[4]

"1st. The commons, or unenclosed grounds, which in many places amount to near one half of the whole arable land, and which are submitted to the most absurd and ruinous system of culture."[5]

"2d. The