1856.] Its Defects and Remedies, 11 



rarely practical men. Even chemistry, witli all her vaunted discoveries 

 in the arts, can as yet point to but few practical triumphs. 



AVithout mentioning other expedients for revolutionizing our present 

 defective system of agriculture, we assert with confidence that all relief 

 must come from science, from applied science. The deeply interesting 

 but occult problems found in agriculture cannot be solved, or new prin- 

 ciples developed, without institutions adapted to this numerous class of 

 society. Institutions that shall not be satisfied with mere theory, but 

 shall unite theory and practice, after a most rigid analysis of facts and 

 phenomena, carried forward through numerous experiments, under a great 

 variety of circumstances. The fact has been, that while there is no 

 pursuit in which so many laws of nature must be consulted and under- 

 stood, the general and prevalent feeling has existed that, to be a farmer, 

 the mere rudiments of an English education were all that were neces- 

 sary, and that it would be an improvident waste of time and money to 

 attempt their further enlightenment. We will not stop to controvert so 

 unfounded an opinion. This error has arisen from the fact that agri- 

 culture is both a science and an art, and the class alluded to have never 

 looked upon it in any other light than a very simple art, that can be as 

 easily and successfully imparted from father to son as coopering or black- 

 smithing. As a science little has yet been done ; yet sufficient to show 

 its inestimable value ; and if the inventive genius and talent of our 

 country could be as successfully turned in this direction as it has been 

 in mechanics and machinery, it would be attended with similarly marked 

 and stupendous results. 



It must be obvious then, before agriculture can realize what is desired, 

 we must have institutions where the science shall be thoroughly taught 

 and applied, that its results may be made known. 



The want of such institutions is the true reason why this species of 

 knowledge is not more highly appreciated in our country. Amidst all 

 the efi"orts to popularize science, and build up colleges, there is not in all 

 North America one agricultural college, where a farmer may learn the 

 elements with which he constantly deals, or the laws which govern them. 

 And we affirm without fear of contradiction, if agricultural science shall 

 ever make any advance in our country, it will never be done without 

 such institutions, with all the means and appliances furnished them, 

 of proper teachers, and text books, and laboratories, with extensive 

 apparatus, and a sufficient quantity of ground to test experimentally the 

 principles and doctrines taught. In short, theory and practice must go 

 together, without which all efibrts at improvement must fail. Justice 

 can never be done to the soil until such opportunities shall be given to 



