No. 85.] 41 



up, but he is often a lender, and stands by the side of the professional 

 man not only in wealth and respectability, but likewise in intelli- 

 gence. Education with him is not now as isolated as formerly, and 

 feeling its benefits, he is desirous not only to extend it in its fulness 

 to his posterity, but by his munificence to scatter it wide as his coun- 

 try. 



Gentlemen, we will not stop here further to expatiate on the effects 

 of the improvements in farming in the last few years. You have 

 doubtless all heard of the labors of Liebig, of Johnston, of Daubeney, 

 of Dumas, in the cause of agricultural science. 



Their works have gone through many editions, which is a strong 

 evidence that their labors in that department have been eminently 

 successful. Some of our young men have been stimulated to avail 

 themselves of their knowledge, and I know two of them, Messrs. Hors- 

 ford and Norton, and there are probably others, who have gone to 

 Europe to place themselves under the instruction of these agricultu- 

 ral chemists. 



I honor them for their resolution and enterprise, and from what I 

 know of their talents, I have the fullest assurance to believe they will 

 return to us richly laden with the fruits of their study and observa- 

 tion. 



But let me not forget to mention Henry Colman, who is now 

 making an agricultural survey through the best portions of Europe, 

 examining the different modes of culture, comparing them with our 

 own, and by means of his reports, now in the course of publication, 

 disseminating the information he obtains for the benefit of our farm- 

 ing community. The lights of other countries are thus shed back 

 upon our own, and we can have the advantage of the knowledge 

 they have acquired. There are many more branches of this subject 

 into whose detail, and their bearing upon agriculture, we would enter 

 with pleasure, but it would render the discussion too elaborate for the 

 occasion. 



Suffice it to say that this society would rejoice to be the means of 

 introducing into our common schools, elementary views of agricultural 

 chemistry, and with the assistance of our able and gifted superin- 

 tendent, we have now a fair prospect of succeeding. Did we dare to 

 look higher, and had we the means, we would found an agricultural 

 school and experimental farm, which would bear a comparison with 

 any similar establishment in Europe. 



