354 BOARD OF AaRICULTlTRE. 



hand-in-haucl with those who are leading- the way, and all learn 

 something. We shall now go home feeling better. 



Prof. Brackett. Let me add one word to what I have said. I 

 did not come here as a teacher, by any means. I fully recognize 

 the wisdom of the members of this Board ; it must be, in the 

 nature of things, superior, having been tested by the experience of 

 BO many years. I am glad, however, that one of the gentlemen 

 lately speaking, recognizes the spirit of harmony and the disposi- 

 tion to work together that should ever exist between scientific 

 experimenters and practical farmers. My object was to say some- 

 thing that should enable the farmer to appreciate his relation to 

 other men, and assist him to understand that there are certain 

 inevitable laws that must be followed in order to succeed in the 

 highest sense of the word. It was not for me to talk to you of 

 the details of farming, which every one of you know better than I 

 about. I purposely avoided that, and endeavored to take a broader 

 view, and show our relations to the rest of the world and to science 

 generally. Now, I know these young men will carry off' some 

 ideas, and grow and develop, physically, morally and intellectually 

 into a rounded and complete manhood. 



Now, as to a single misapprehension, I tried an experiment this 

 evening and received an answer — shall I say " Yes " or " No ?" 

 It will depend upon the interpretation which you put upon my 

 language. I tried the experiment if you would agree with me ; 

 and I recognize a president of an agricultural society who dis- 

 agrees with me. He has failed, permit me to say, (and I only 

 mention him simply as an illustration, of the failure of the experi- 

 ment,) because he has not appreciated the conditions of the case. 

 Now I will put the question so that he will understand it. He 

 says, "consume your hay upon your farm, and there is no danger 

 of its running out." I say the Almighty has so ordered this uni- 

 verse that it cannot be done. Some of that hay will go into the 

 large cities. It is not safe to reason from a general principle to a 

 specific fact. I do not care whether it is hay, or grain, or potatoes 

 that is taken from a farm, something must replace it or the farm 

 will run down. It has been so in all history, and it will be so 

 here. 



Now as to my friend on the other side, [Mr. Bartlett,] who 

 seems to have the impression that I was preaching Millerism, I 

 cannot but recognize the fact, that if we spend our whole time in 

 perfecting our fruits and cattle, we shall be perfected. I do not 



