606 

 The poet finds — 



" Tongues in trees, books in the running brooks, 

 Sermons in stones, and good in overytliing." 



So shall we ; and so far as a just knowledge of Nature's lawB ia a 

 practical benefit, they should be understood and heeded. Experience 

 teaches that some soils are adapted to wheat, others to grass, others to 

 oat8, corn, (fee. There are reasons for this adaptation ; and these seve- 

 ral soils respectively contain just those elements of productiveness that 

 suit the particular crop. By analyzing a soil wg learn its constituent 

 elements ; and if, for instance, it js found to lack those which make it a 

 good wheat soil, the needed fertilizers can be added. This ia the prin- 

 ciple which runs tkrough the entire system of scientific farming. The 

 main object is to find out the elements required by the soil, and to sup- 

 ply them. An impoverished soil must receive back what it has been 

 deprived of. Every farmer who carries his manure upon his fields, 

 puts in practice this same principle of compensation which agricultu- 

 i-al chemistry recognizes. If, says an able agricultural writer, you detect 

 a superabundance of acidity or any injuring element in the soil, make 

 use of counter agents; if any fertilizing quality is needed, supply the 

 deficiency by manures. " It is thus, by studying Nature, and imitating 

 her process, by labor applied with knowledge, that her riches are to b« 

 extracted." It is adopting the golden mean, " To keep the end in view, 

 and follow Nature." 



It is estimated that 33|- per cent, of all agricultural labor does no 

 good whatever, and is therefore worse than thrown away. When we 

 consider that there is but one right way of doing a thing, and innume- 

 rable wrong ones, we must conclude that the estimate is not so far from 

 truth, In throwing out these suggestions, I am forced to acknowledge 

 my ignorance of practical farming. Yet, in view of the chances to 

 improve by the application of science to this great business of life, we 

 most earnestly recommend to our farmers to bring to their aid all that 

 our best agricultural writers and our best farmers teach. There are 

 many agricultural books and papers of great merit within the reach of 

 all, and it is my pride and pleasure to say that our own State has two 

 as excellent agricultural journals as any in the United States. No gocxi 

 farmer should be without them. 



The mind should aid the hands in the due performance of the farm- 

 er's labor. Observation and reflection are absolutely necessary to agri- 



