Elements of Agriculture. By W. Frean, LL.D. (John Murray). —We
have here a text-book "prepared under the authority of
the Royal Agricultural Society of England," and published at a. price so moderate as ought to ensure the very widest circulation. The plan was settled by a sub-committee of the Society. and the author was assisted in his work by the advice and suggestions of a number of experts, among whom we find the well-known names of Sir John Lawes, Miss Ormerod, Mr. Clare Sewell Read, and Dr. Voelker. The work consists of three parts, which are respFc- tively entitled " The Soil," " The Plant," "The Animal." It so to speak, "chockfull" of facts, which it is quite beyond our province to deal with. Perhaps the most generally interesting chapter will be the last, on "Dairying." Every one, one might say, thinks he can manage a dairy. Anyhow, it is within the competence of many to make an experiment, and failure, which is not impossible, will not be ruinous. Here is a basis of fact : "An ordinary Shorthorn dairy cow may be expected to yield in the course of a year 600 gallons of milk." Value this at 8d• per gallon, and we get £20 as the gross produce. Allow four shillings per week for its food, and £4 for interest on its price and depreciation ; add other items which experience will suggest, and a cow will be seen not to be the potential fortune which some people suppose. However, this volume tells the reader how to make the best of her, as, indeed, of all kinds of agricultural possibilities.
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