No. 112.] 249 



pensable. Of the two, then, theory and practice, if but one can 

 be had, we must certainly select the latter. But we should have 

 them united. Without the theory, without a system developed 

 upon certain great fundamental truths, our progress must be 

 slow. Our only way, in the absence of such general principles, 

 is to experiment fur ourselves ; and our neighbor must do the 

 same for himself. And, when all this is done, still nothing is es- 

 tablished, no foundation is laid, no principle demonstrated, which 

 shall be of benefit to us under different circumstances, or to the 

 community at large. A farmer, who cultivates one kind of land, 

 writes to a paper that he has adopted a certain mode of culture 

 for a particular kind of crop and has met with success, and hence 

 recommends it to all, as the result of his experience. Another, 

 with soil totally different, is highly in'censed at this, for he has 

 tried the same mode aud failed. He therefore writes and con- 

 tradicts it. Now this strife might go on for ever, unless science 

 steppeti in and settled it, just as she settles it in the case of chess 

 already referred to. She tells us soils are different in their com- 

 position, one requiring for instance lime to produce a wheat crop, 

 and another not needing any such ap])lication. Hence two farms 

 cannot, under ordinary circumstances, be cultivated exactly alike. 

 The only way is to establish general princi}>les by the aid of 

 science, and not trust to individual experience. 



A change is now coming over the minds of farmers. They are 

 bef?iiining to see that a scientific knowledge of the soil, is neces- 

 sary. And as this truth becomes more and more impressed upon 

 then), as they introduce more and more practical results among 

 them, the faruier's ])rogress will be sure. He will become a think- 

 t/i^rjHS well as a working man. His character will grow, as well as 

 theprofitsof his land, lie will be candid, inijuiring, and disposed 

 to leceive the truth. He will not nj»'(t anything, .•-imply because 

 it i& new. And, by this, the i)leasure of the business will be in- 

 creis.d. As we understand, so do we enjoy, just in tliat pro- 

 portion. 'Jhe farmer's life, as it generally is at the i>restnt day, 

 is a mat ter-of- fact business, promising little attraction for a mind 

 whieli loves to search fur truth and seek out knMwled«:e, but 

 wh< u r<innected with ^cien^e, it at once assnmes ne\^ C()l(»rs. It 

 then l)ecomes astudy. a study of interest. Beauty lies all around 



