are ended--and the labours of
the farmer take a new direction.

"Salvitur acris hiems grata vice veris et Favoni,"

* * * * *

"Ac neque jam stabulis gaudet pecus, aut arator igni."

But we cannot follow Mr. Stephens through the cheerful labours of the
coming year. Our task is so far ended, and from the way in which the
whole of the long weeks of winter are described, the reader must
judge of Mr. Stephens's ability to lead him safely and surely
through the rest of the year.

A closing observation or two, however, we beg to offer. We look upon
a good book on agriculture as something more than a lucky speculation
for the publisher, or a profitable occupation of his time for the
author. _It is a gain to the community at large,--a new instrument
of national wealth_. The first honour or praise in reference to
every such instrument, is, no doubt, due to the maker or
inventor--but he who brings is into general use, merits also no
little approbation. Such is our case with respect to the book before
us. We shall be glad to learn that our analysis of it contributes to
a wider circulation among the practical farmers of the empire, of
the manifold information which the book contains, not so much for
the sake of the author, as with a view to the common good of the
country at large. It is to the more general diffusion of sound
agricultural literature among our farmers, that we look for that more
rapid development of the resources of our varied soils which the
times so imperatively demand. To gain this end no legitimate means
ought to be passed by, and we have detained our readers so long upon
the book before us, in the hope that they may be induced to lend us
_their_ aid also in attaining so desirable an object.

We do not consider _The Book of the Farm_ a perfect work: the author
indulges now and then in loose and careless writing; and this
incorrectness has more frequently struck us in the later portions of
the work, no doubt from the greater haste of composition. He sets
out by slighting the aids of science to agriculture; and yet, in an
early part of his book, tells the young farmer that he "must become
acquainted with the agency of _electricity_ before he can understand
the variations of the weather," and ends by making his book, as we
have said, a running commentary upon the truth we have already
several times repeated, that SKILFUL PRACTICE IS APPLIED SCIENCE.

These, and no doubt ot