8 Science and the Farmer. [Jan., 



him, painting his fields and woods with their thousand hues, and 

 rendering his outward world a scene of beauty? And how does 

 the seed germinate, and the tender leaf unfold itself? and in what 

 order are the several parts of the flower developed? How is the 

 blossom impregnated and the fruit formed? What will injure 

 and what will improve each plant? How may plants be improved 

 by ingrafting, by innoculation, by crossing? How may new varie- 

 ties be obtained, and old ones be made better? Can the farmer be 

 content to leave questions such as these unanswered? 



But vegetable physiology alone should not satisfy him. He has 

 in his charge, and appropriated to his use, some of the noblest ani- 

 mals upon the earth. They are his companions through life, and by 

 their labor, or the products of their bodies, contribute largely to his 

 happiness and comfort. He should make himself acquainted with 

 the structure and use of their various organs. He should know how 

 often their hearts beat, and how often they breathe in a state of 

 health, that he may judge how far, at any time, they deviate from the 

 healthy standard. He should know the absolute and relative posi- 

 tion of all the organs, that he may the better determine the seat of 

 disease, and with more certainty apply his remedies. He should 

 know how the f\it is deposited; how the bones are formed, and how 

 the muscles ; and what food or treatment will contribute to the rapid 

 growth of each ; and then the knowledge of different races, and 

 their curious histories, and their several peculiarities, is all highly 

 important to the breeder of stock. The farmer should have a 

 knowledge of the diseases of his animals, and of the proper reme- 

 dies, and should be able to perform all the more common surgical 

 operations. Many a fine animal has been slaughtered, because its 

 owner could not set a bone, or bandage a wound. 



The farmer should carefully observe the habits of animals, birds 

 and insects. Who else has so good an opportunity as he to do this? 

 He should especially study the habits and nature of insects that are 

 injurious to vegetation, that he may be the better able to defend his 

 crops from their ravages. He can scarcely be expected to be famil- 

 iar with the whole subject of entomology ; but he should carefully 

 study those insects that are found in his own premises, and note 

 •with accuracy the result of his observations for the benefit of him- 

 self and neighbors. 



The farmer should understand the general principles of mechan- 

 ics, and particularly those that relate to the structure and use of ag- 



