218 BOARD OP AGRICULTURE. [Jan., 



own, but often deemed unattainable except by those who can com- 

 bine learning with wealth. The term " scientific " rather scares 

 common farmers as though there were some deep mystery involved 

 in it, but if we would remember that the sole office of science is 

 to unfold and explain things, to deal with causes and effects, and 

 that science is only " classified knowledge," or as some one has 

 expressed it, " the sum of known truths pertaining to different sub- 

 jects," we need to have no hesitation about grasping all the agri- 

 cultural science possible. That farmer who has learned enough 

 about the habits of the insects which attack his grains and his 

 fruits so that he can forestall them in their mischief, is to that 

 extent a scientific farmer. If he understands enough about the 

 laws of health to be able to keep his animals thrifty, or to treat 

 them properly in sickness, he is still more a scientific farmer. If 

 lie understands the theory of plant growth, how the roots get their 

 food from the soil, and knows how to economically enrich that soil 

 so that it shall continue productive, that knowledge is scientific 

 knowledge. 



If too, he can clearly explain the exact connection between the 

 " signs " in the almanac, and the weaning of pigs, or the precise 

 relation the position of the moon has to the planting of beans on 

 the earth, I think no one will dispute his claim to be classed among 

 the scientific. 



Scientific farming is only another name for intelligent farming, 

 and no one at this late day will have a single word to utter against 

 intelligence as a necessity in profitable farming. We have heard 

 much said of late about 



SPECIAL FARMING, 



as opposed to general or mixed farming. Special farming accepts 

 the modern ideas concerning the division of labor. He who does 

 one kind of work only all his life may be expected to acquire a 

 degree of skill in that one direction that would be unattainable in 

 one who attempts to do a dozen or fifty kinds. Special farming 

 has its advantages. Our best stock breeders, butter-makers, fruit- 

 growers, vegetable -gardeners, poultry and bee-keepers, are men 

 who each give their best thoughts and efforts to some one of these 

 branches, all of which are but divisions of agriculture, and may 

 be carried on by the same person, but to just that extent, which 

 one becomes thoroughly master of either branch may he expect 



