WEST OXFORD SOCIETY. <j^ 



jectures, which have no claim of being reg-arded even as hypothe- 

 ses. It is such a use of words without knowledge, — v\ere rhetorical 

 breaths that has brought odium upon " book fanning." Farmers, 

 however, should beware in their haste in denouncing "book farm- 

 ing," not to do it indiscriminately, for the real value of true science 

 being acknowledged, has been the occasion for pretenders and 

 charlatans to undertake the palming off of " science, flxlsely so 

 called." Knowledge is power ; and books that are books, will aid 

 the seeker of it, in getting possession of this pearl of great price. 



Everj^ farmer should, therefore, seek to make himself thoroughly 

 acquainted with the art of his vocation, — to bo an artistic, rather 

 than a " scientific" farmer. It is not essential to good, successful 

 and profitable farming that the farmer should have a thorough 

 knowledge of all the departments of science connected with his 

 employment, for, if it were so, then good fai^ming would be an im- 

 possibility. It would be just as reasonable to maintain that every 

 child should be taught anatomy and physiology in order to enjoy 

 good health, as to claim that the husbandman should have all knowl- 

 edge in order to be a good farmer. In both cases there are certain 

 rules to be observed and practiced, which maybe used or employed 

 as successfully by one, ignorant of science, as by another who is 

 master of it. Common intelligence, with an ordinary education, 

 with discriminating judgment, or, to sum up in one phrase, good 

 common sense, is requisite and necessary to all tillers of the soil. 

 All beyond, is desirable, but neither absolutely essential nor neces- 

 sary to success. Art, theoretical, practical, and mixed, with theory, 

 hypothesis, and empiricism, are all essential in the development of 

 knowledge. But art, according to the views here presented, is of 

 the first and chief importance to every practical man, whether 

 farmer or artisan. ^ 



Having thus to some extent indicated the difierence between 

 theoretical and practical farraing,^ — between art and science, I would 

 now invite your attention to some considerations on stock and 

 stock breeding and feeding— and especially in regard to cattle and 

 sheep,, already the leading branch of husbandry in the State. 



The art of breeding with reference to special and specific points 

 can hardly be traced much beyond the time of Colling and Bake- 

 well. Down to their time the quality of both cattle and sheep were 

 very much wdiat the country made them. The cow was valued as 

 a calf and milk producing animal, and the bull for the specific qual- 

 ity mentioned by Job ; and when degraded to an ox, took his place 



