DAIRY FARMS AND THEIR DIFFICULTIES. (FROM THE " AUSTRALASIAN.")

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXIII, Issue 3045, 30 April 1867, Page 6

DAIRY FARMS AND THEIR DIFFICULTIES. (FROM THE " AUSTRALASIAN.")

Uncut Books. — The question whether we should have our books supplied "cut or uncut" is being discussed in the Athenaeum. Mr. Charles Darwin writes :—" I was glad to see in your paper of tho 15th ultimo that you have allowed ' A Great Reader' to protest against books being sold uncut. He is obliged to own that many persons like to read and cut the pages at the same time ; but, on the other hand, many more like to turn rapidly over the pages of a new book, so as to get some notion of its contents and see its illustrations, if thus ornamented. But ' A Great Reader' does not notice three valid objections against'uncut books. In the first place they sometimes get torn or badly cut, as may be seen. with many books in Mudie's Library, and I know, % lady who-is habitually guilty of cutting bookWith' her t&umb 1 . Secondly, and which is muchmorcimportant, dust accumulates on the rough edges, and works in between the leaves as the books vibrate on their shelves. Thirdly, and most important of all, for those who not merely read, but have to study books, is the slowness in finding by the aid of the index any lost passage, especially in works of reference. Who could tolerate a dictionary with rough edges ? I have had Loudon's Encyclopaedia of Plants and Lindley's Vegetable Kingdom in constant use during many years, and the cloth binding is sti^ 1 so good that it would have been a -useless expense tb have had them bound in leather ; nor did I foresee that I should have consulted them so often, otherwise the saving of time in finding passages would have amply repaid the cost of binding. The North Americans have set us the example of cutting and often gilding the edges. What can be the reason that the same plan is not followed here ? Is it mere Toryism ? Every new proposal is sure to be met by many silly objections. Let it be remembered that a deputation of paper-manufacturers waited on Sir K. Peel when he proposed to establish the penny postage, urging that they would suffer great loss, as all persons -would write on note-p»per, instead of on letter-sheets ! It is always easy 1 t<T suggest fancif uj difficulties. A.n eminent publisher remarked to me that booksellers would object to receiving books cut, : m customers would come' into their ■hops and read them over the counter ;' but, surely, a book 1 worthy fading could not be devour^ ia fyuffyurty ajIMW.