o/( 



you v/ish to produce: ttis you will find ready furnished, and in an in- 

 telligible form, in almost any modern work on agricultural chemistiy. 

 ^ext, it is necessary to know the chemical constituents of your soil, 

 for if the constituents requiied for any particular plant are not in the 

 soil, you sow your seed in vain. For want of this knowledge much 

 labor is often thrown away, even in the attempt to enrich the soil, for 

 the manure which will enrich a soil deficient in one constituent, would 

 positively injure another soil having this constituent in excess. To culr 

 tivate the soil and to undertake the raising of crops, without a knowl- 

 edge of the chemical qualities of the various soils, is but a chance ope- 

 ration. It may succeed, especially in our new and rich soils, which, 

 fortunately, for the present, have generally a rich supply of most of the 

 elements necessary to the growth of any class of vegetables ; but even 

 with these soils, much is lost by ignorance of the chemical properties 

 of the soil. Should a man undertake the occupation of a dyer of cloth, 

 and without a knowledge of the chemical qualities of the materials of 

 his dyes, their effect upon each other, or the combined result, shoiild, 

 for the purpose of producing a particular color, throw all his coloring 

 materials into one kettle, thrust in his cloth, and trust to chance for his 

 color, he might, it is true, produce a color, but it is also true, it might 

 not be the color he sought to obtain. And if farmers will act upon 

 the same principle, they must not be surprised, if, when they sow wheat, 

 they should reap chess. Such is the perfection of chemical science at 

 this day, that almost every practical farmer might easily qualify him- 

 self for a chemical analysis of his soil. But if they think themselves 

 too old to begin, let them at least give to their sons an opportunity for 

 acquiring this knowledge. Let it be made a part of their education. 

 The State, with a wise forethought, has liberally provided the meansj 

 by providing for the establishment of an agricultural school. 



And if the importance of any branch of education is to be determined 

 by the good Ukely to be accomplished, this school, if properly patron- 

 ized and properly conducted, may yet rival, if it does not surpass, the 

 Univereity itself. 



I did intend to have discussed some other topics, but I have uncon- 

 sciously been led into greater polixity than I intended. I did wish to 

 have touched upon the various prejudices against labor, which prevail 

 and have become fashionable in some parts of our Republic, and tosc>me 



