The Book of the Farm by Henry Stephens

The Book of the Farm

by

Henry Stephens

This 3 volume work is frequently referred to in the BBC series "Victorian Farm". Anyone with an interest in the practical aspects of farming in the Victorian era would enjoy picking up any of these volumes and reading a few pages, and studying the diagrams.

Stephen's starts by describing the hardships facing a young farmer. He states that the purpose of the book was to be a guide to the young farmer. The task of compiling such a text required a "highly qualified agriculturalist, able to indite lucid instructions for conducting a farm" and "a clear-headed mechanician, to describe with minute distinctness the principles and construction of agricultural implements" and "an accomplished man of science to explain to conviction the rationale of every operation". This was too much to ask on one person, but Stephens took it on single-handedly, and produced a remarkable 2000 page 3 volumes set that became the bible of farming for over 50 years.

His approach was to lay a foundation in the first volume, then in the latter two cover the tasks of the farm in each season. No doubt, during each season he wrote of the work needed on the farm and developed it.

It was reprinted repeatedly -- as a 3 volumes, 2 larger volumes, 6 smaller volumes, in the UK and in America, and edited reorganised by Paul MacDonald.

Here a few of the section headings:

On the Evils of Attendant on Landowners Neglecting to Learn Practical Agriculture. A critique of absentee landlords.

On Experimental Farms as a Place of Learning. An idea well ahead of his time.

Drawing and Storing Turnips (Winter) A topic that warranted 20 pages.

Feeding Sheep on Turnips (Winter) Another 35 pages and 30 illustrations.

Draining and Hedging

His approach was to lay a foundation in the first volume, then in the latter two cover the tasks of the farm in each season.