ASSOCIATED EFFORT. 13 



the indifference of the popular mind, and its devotion to tradi- 

 tion, rather than to the results of careful investigation. " Book- 

 Farming " had no charms for the common people, who looked 

 on Avith distrust and jealousy, while the educated explorer 

 endeavored to elevate their calling, enlighten their minds, and 

 relieve the heavy burdens of labor. 



There is no doubt that the establishment of Boards of Agri- 

 culture is the most important step that has yet been taken in 

 the work of agricultural improvement, and that the labor of Sir 

 John Sinclair, as the founder of such organizations, entitles him 

 to the respect and gratitude of all tillers of the soil. A century 

 and a half before he began his work, Hartlibb, and more 

 recently Lord Karnes in the " Country Farmer," had pointed 

 out the utility of a board of agriculture ; but it was left to his 

 zeal and untiring effort to call into life that valuable auxiliary 

 to agricultural progress, and the board was created in 1793. To 

 its establishment, more than to any other movement of that day, 

 England is indebted for the present high and prosperous state of 

 her agriculture. It brought men together from all parts of the 

 kingdom, made them acquainted with each others' views, and 

 with the modes of culture prevailing in sections of which they 

 had previously been ignorant. Take away from our present 

 knowledge of agriculture, or indeed of any other practical art 

 of life, all that has been learned from the mere mental stimulus 

 of associated effort, and the attrition of mind upon mind, and 

 there would be a comparatively small amount left. It was 

 through the encouragement of the board of agriculture chiefly 

 that Sir Humphrey Davy was led to investigate the elements of 

 the soil, and to apply the science of chemistry to the improve- 

 ment of agriculture ; and here begins, properly, the real progress 

 of the art ; for without a knowledge of the simple substances of 

 nature, agriculture could not be expected to take the rank of a 

 science. The lectures of Davy before the board of agriculture, 

 from 1802 to 1812, mark an important epoch in the history of 

 modern agriculture. The substance of these lectures was 

 embodied in his " Elements of Agriculture," published in 1813, 

 and translated into German in 1814, and into French in 1829. 

 This work offered the very kind of information which Arthur 

 Young declared to be the great want of the day. It opened to 

 the reflecting farmer new and interesting views of the principles 



