158 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



Some are naturally timid and passive, others are naturally arro- 

 gant and ambitious. Heuce in early periods when men were 

 both ignorant and superstitious, it was easy to bring about this 

 state of society. Now, I say to the farmer if you \\ ish not to feel 

 degraded — if you wish to associate freely with the statesman, the 

 lawyer, the doctor and the minister, you have but to will it. You 

 have ample time and opportunity to educate yourselves and 

 become intelligent, and put yourselves on an equality with profes- 

 sional men. Your opportunity is equal with theirs ; there is no 

 necessity for distinction in society beyond what arises from merit 

 and demerit. If a man is virtuous, industrious and seeks every 

 opportunity to improve the talents given him, he may be the peer 

 of any man. 



And now, brother farmers, in order to make the cultivation of 

 the soil more pleasant and more profitable, we must learn to do it 

 scientifically. The farmer must be a scientific man, he must 

 understand first principles, he must understand the nature and 

 properties of different soils and of what they are composed, so 

 also, of all the fertilizers we use — and must constantly experiment. 

 He should have a knowledge of chemistry and geology, and under- 

 stand the terms made use of in treating them ; we should read, 

 study, reflect, and keep a daily record of all business connected 

 with our operations on the farm, as well as off the farm; take 

 an agricultural newspaper any how, and as many others as you 

 please, and read them, take an active part in the business of the 

 town and parish ; apply the best talents and energy to your busi- 

 ness, and you can then say to yourselves that you have done the 

 best and all that can be done. 



God never made an indpendent. man, 



It would destroy the order of bis general plan. 



Let us live together — and help one another. 



The President. It appears to the chair that enough salient 

 points have been presented to elicit an animated discussion, and it 

 is hoped gentlemen will give free expression to their views. 



Col. Swett. The statement was made that fifteen bushels of 

 Indian corn are generally considered to be equal to a ton of good 

 hay. I suppose that such is the common impression among 

 farmers. I formerly thought so myself, but some of us in Oxford 

 County have found out that it is a mistake ; I will call on Mr. 

 Thayer of South Paris, to state his experience. • 



Mr. Thayer. I was brought up on a farm where it was not so 

 easy to raise corn as in some other places, and we naturally came 



