94 STATK POMOLOGICA.L SOCIETY. 



in such articles is abated and mncli of the benefit is often lost be- 

 cause inore or less of the terms used are not understood. Agri- 

 cultural writers are sometimes blamed for emploN'ing phrases that 

 the common [)eople are not familiar with. I do not think there is 

 just cause for censure. It seems to me tliat as a rule agricultural 

 teachers make the endeavor to be plain and simple in their language, 

 not to make a show of wisdom by talking in long words and foreign- 

 phrases, but simply to impart needed instruction. Yet there are dif- 

 ficulties in the way greater than would seem at first thought. There 

 are many scientific subjects which cannot be treated at all without 

 the use of more or less technical terms, and others where the use of 

 common names in preference to scientific would lead to confusion 

 and perhaps to serious errors. To illustrate : A writer might speak, 

 of chickweed and think there was not the least danger of being mis- 

 understood, but to one person here in Maine this would mean one 

 plant and to another another, while if he had lived in the Middle 

 States very likely the name would stand with him for yet a third, 

 for, in all, not less than eight species are called by this word. If, 

 on the other hand, he says /Stellaria media^ we know exactly what 

 he means, or it he speaks of Cerastium viscosum, there can be no- 

 mistake, for in botany one plant and one alone is given a certain 

 name, while in common language the same name is often applied to 

 several. These are familiar examples and errors in the case cited 

 might be of little consequence, but the same confusion is likely to 

 occur in matters of far greater importance. 



We take it for granted that all candid ones will agree at once that 

 some knowledge of chemistry would be an excellent thing for the 

 farmer, that an acquaintance with the elements of natural history in 

 its several departments might also be a convenience now and then, 

 that some familiarit}' with physics and the allied sciences might like- 

 wise prove useful from time to time. Allowed that a knowledge of 

 these sciences, if not absolutely essential to financial success in the 

 business of agriculture, is, nevertheless, a good and desirable pos-^ 

 session, the question now arises, is such an acquirement practicable, 

 indeed, hardl}' possible, for the average farmer who is passing his 

 youth or has alread}' passed it with no other advantages than the 

 district school affords? We admit that onl3' ten years ago the effort 

 would have been somewhat discouraging, but the case is different 

 now : all the new attractions of life are not for city people ; the 

 country shares in some of the good things- the last few^ years have- 



