LECTURES AND ESSAYS READ AT INSTITUTES. 243 



who shows that his bushiess is favorable to mental culture and as fair a road 

 as any to political eminence, such a man does moi*e to encourage the profes- 

 sion than all other causes combined." I can only incidentally allude to the 

 saving, proper care, and application of everything that will add to the fertil- 

 ity of the soil — the arrangement of fields and buildings so as to utilize labor 

 and blend convenience in use with harmony in arrangement. Premises to be 

 kept neat and trim — especial attention to be given to the grounds about build- 

 ings, obeying the apostolic injunction, "let everything be done decently and 

 in order." 



Time will only permit me to refer to the economy of a good vegetable 

 garden, and a good supply of small fruit. I have not called your attention, 

 my friends, to any remarkable discoveries, to any new facts in relation to your 

 calling. I have only reiterated what you have known and felt since you first 

 gave thought to this subject; but in farming, as in religion, it is well often, 

 indeed there is great need of stirring up our pure minds by way of remem- 

 brance. So I emphasize these simple, every day facts that have to do very 

 intimately with the farmer's life and home, for it is not by great and splendid 

 particular improvements that the interests of agriculture are best subserved ; but 

 by general and gradual changes. Most is done for agriculture when every farmer 

 is incited to small attentions and incidental improvements, such as proceed 

 from the constant application of a few plain and common-sense principles, 

 the basis of a sound and true economy. We have too many farmers who 

 are always looking for great things, always trying to do great things. Csesar 

 was a magnificent general. His plans and victories were colossal; but his suc- 

 cess, history informs us, was largely due to the fact that he gave careful atten- 

 tion to the small and unexpected details which other generals never thought 

 of. And I believe our farming generals are men of this type — men who are 

 not above the details, who look after the little things, who are economical in 

 a wise and judicious sense. 



INSECTICIDES. 



BY PKOF. A. J. COOK. 



[Delivered at Caro and Otsego Institutes.] 



Any substance to be used against injurious insects must be inexpensive, effi- 

 cient, safe, and convenient of application. Where the foliage of our plants or 

 our fruits are eaten by insects in any of their stages, the arsenites — Paris 

 green and London purple — are almost always efficient, and leave little to be 

 desired in case it is safe to use them. In such cases white arsenic — arsenious 

 acid — should never be used. It is quite soluble in the soil, and is much 

 more apt to be mistaken for some harmless substance than either Paris green 

 London Purple, and so its use is attended with danger. These articles are to 

 be recommended as a specific against insects that defoliate our fruit or shade 

 and ornamental trees. On fruit, too, if the same is not to be used till some 

 weeks after the poison is applied, as in case of its use to destroy the codling 

 moth larva, it is safe to use these arsenical poisons. In case of such vege- 

 tables as cabbages, where the poison is so apt to gain a lodgment, where even 



