196 FARMERS' INSTITUTES. 



thouglits in learned phrases, yet they know it, for as we have said, nothing can 

 •be accomplished in agricultural undertakings except upon unchangeable 

 principles. He who yields to these will be successful, while he who disregards 

 them will be unsuccessful. And again, that a man enjoying an extensive 

 knowledge of agricultural science is no more successful than the genealityof 

 US, docs not prove that science is useless. This is a hastily drawn conclusion. 

 It merely establislies the fact that he is destitute of genuine scientific attain- 

 ments, or wholly deficient in the energy of mind so necessary to the farmer. 



But, in closing, it seems strange to reflect that it has ever been necessary to 

 say one word in defense of the position taken in our paper to-day. If any man 

 hi creation needs a full knowledge of these principles, the farmer is the one. 



Is it not considered essential to the successful practice of the law that the 

 practitioner devote long years of study to the acquisition of a knowledge of its 

 facts and jirinciples? That the politician and the statesman should possess an 

 intimate acquaintance with the history of his country, the principles of 

 domestic or civil economy or government, and of international law? That the 

 physician should understand the anatomy and physiology of the human system, 

 the pathology of diseases and the nature of medicinal or remedial agents? 

 That the teacher should possess deep, thorough and extensive knowledge of all 

 the facts and principles of mathematical, grammatical, geographical and other 

 sciences of which he is the high priest and expounder? Then, why should not 

 the agriculturist in order to secure the highest success in the practice of his 

 profession, be deeply and thoroughly versed in the minutiae of those sciences- 

 which form the basis of his profession? Why be satisfied with the general 

 principles which govern our pursuits? Why not dip deeply into the delightful 

 fountain of knowledge? ' Even in the dollars and cents view of the matter, 

 perfect knowledge is highest gain, aside from the pleasure and satisfaction 

 which it brings. 



How pleasant and delightful it would be to every farmer to be able to investi- 

 gate and explain the whys and wherefores of all his various operations. Then 

 we would look upon every specimen of life as replete with lessons of infinite 

 wisdom and goodness; and, with moral nature tuned to the same exalted con- 

 ception and practice of moral precepts and principles, how noble, how elevated 

 in the scale of social, political, mental and moral gradation would the farmer 

 appear. Then would we exclaim: Behold this specimen of a perfect farmer! 



Mr. Ball : But for knowing that the writer had been a farmer I should have 

 thought the paper a good dose of taffy, but as it is, it is the result of practical 

 experience. No farmer any more than another can do all that is desirable, but 

 this paper has finely indicated the sources of much that may be done. 



PRACTICAL CULTURE. 



BT MES. T. B. FOX. 

 [Read before the Rochester Farmers' Institute.] 



A truly cultured mind has a pleasing and powerful influence on all with 

 whom it comes in contact. But our ideas are often very vague as to what con- 



