Excerpt from The Farmers' Cabinet, and American Herd-Book, Vol. 7: Devoted to Agriculture, Horticulture, and Rural and Domestic Affairs This Number of the Cabinet being the first of another volume, and the Proprietor and late Editor, having associated in preparing and arranging its materials, there would seem a propriety in introducing themselves to their readers, in the new capacity of joint-editors, by a brief exposition of their views, Recollecting, however, that from time to time, for the six years that the Cabinet has claimed the attention of the Agricultural community, the views of its conductors have been freely expressed, and its objects as freely explained, we do not feel that there is much for us now to say, that can be new, or that can throw further light upon the ground that should be occupied by a farmer's monthly paper. When we say, as was said in the first Number of the first volume of the Cabinet, "that it is designed to promote the interests of practical agriculture," we throw open a field as broad as can be desired for an agricultural paper, and express in these few words, almost all that may be necessary to designate the goal, to the attainment of which, our efforts will continue to be directed. "To eat his bread in the sweat of his face," was early promised as man's inheritance. We purpose to strike into no new path - we make no promise of a "royal road," that shall lead to luxuriant pastures and well filled barns, without the toil of travel. To him who is at all conversant with former modes of tillage - who recollects the state of agriculture in this vicinity, even so lately as fifty years ago, it must be obvious, that if other arts have made bold advances, that of agriculture has by no means, been stationary. We ask for the character of the farmer, credit for the enterprise and perseverance, he so richly deserves, and with the lack of which, he is so often unjustly charged. The average produce per acre, in corn, wheat and grass, has probably, more than doubled in Pennsylvania and the adjacent states, within the last half century. And is it possible that this should have been the case, if our farmers had been indifferent to the progress of every thing else around them, and had only treated their lands with the exhausting processes, that follow upon inactivity and lack of thrift? Who that is fifty years old, does not recollect the introduction of clover - the use of plaster and of lime, and the effects that were at once produced by these additional means - these fresh stimulants, that have ever since been spreading and multiplying themselves in all directions, and in the hands of the skilful manager, with a success, that has made fields that were barren, to laugh with abundance? - Look again at the use of marl, in parts of New-Jersey, Delaware, Maryland and Virginia, and the laborious industry with which these regions are explored, and their rich treasures borne away, to change the very character of the soil, and to treble and quadruple the crops of its owner. Has there been no intelligence - no forecast manifested in these operations! It is to enlighten this intelligence - to throw forward this forecast, and to place within reach of every farmer, every facility for the enriching of his land, and the improvement of his condition, that the efforts of the Farmers' Cabinet will be directed. And is the farmer to derive no benefit from these efforts? This appears to us impossible. Had the man who first introduced the artificial grasses - who first used plaster, lime and marl, been able to keep the secret of their effects to himself; - if this knowledge had not been spread far and wide by books, and by conversation, what, we would ask, would now be the state of our agriculture? Knowledge delights in its own diffusion; and the great improvements to be witnessed in the face of the country, are fairly attributable to the rapid spread of every species of information, tending to enlighten the farmer in ...