I had dabbled a little in farming in my native village, New Britain, Connecticut, and had labored to excite additional interest in agriculture among my neighbors.

We had formed an Agricultural Club, and met weekly for several winters to compare notes, exchange opinions' and discuss matters connected with the occupation.

They had honored me with the post of Corresponding Secretary from the beginning.

We held a meeting the evening before I left for England, when they not only refused to accept my resignation as Secretary, but made me promise to write them letters about farming in the Mother Country, and on other matters of interest that I might meet with on my travels there.

My first idea was to do this literally;--to make a walk through the best agricultural sections of England, and write home a series of communications to be inserted in our little village paper.