WEST OXFORD SOCIETY. ^79 



A]^ ADDRESS 



Oetivered before the West Oxford Agricultural Society, at Frye^urg, October 22d, 1857, 



by N. T. True, M. D. 



Mr. President and Gentlemen of the Agricidtural Societ ;: 



I suppose that every farmer present, has come here with the 

 expectation of learning something new to aid him in his arduous 

 calling. . Nor will it be time unprofitably spent during your jubilee, 

 if you learn one really useful idea. While we would encourage 

 every tiller of the soil to bring the products of his industry to your 

 exhibition, yet there is a higher and nobler object to the farmer, far 

 beyond the premiums that he may receive. 



The man who unlearns to-day what he should not have learned 

 yesterday, will be the wiser to-morrow. The man who, to-day, may 

 see a better grade of stock, a new or improved kind of seed, fruit, 

 or implement, or hear new and valuable ideas from his intercourse 

 with his neighbors, will certainly go to his home with higher aspira- 

 tions and more elevated views of his calling. 



It is with this view that I propose to address you on the relations 

 of science to agriculture. 



Now, gentlemen, do not shut your eyes as well as ears, at such a 

 high sounding subject, for you will find it made up of a thousand 

 little subjects that daily present themselves or should present them- 

 selves to your minds, and as you have chosen me to address you, 

 you must patiently hear what I shall have to say, and allow me to 

 lay aside some of the rules of oratory, and in the first person singu- 

 lar, to address you in the second person plural. 



The man who acknowledges no advantacre from his fellow beings is 

 the veriest fool in existence. He is but a hermit in his cell, know- 

 ing no fiivors, enjoying no favors, and bestowing none. A snail 

 may live alone in its shell — a silkworm may weave around itself its 

 own shroud, and leave something by its labors wherewith to benefit 

 man ; but he who acts independently of all progress and of all benefit 



