162 Scieyifific Agriculture — Its Difficulties. [April, 



purpose, let the history of the past, and the condition of the present, fur- 

 nish the reply. It must appear palpable to the political economist, 

 indeed to every reflecting man, that upon the proper consideration of this 

 subject, and timely action in its behalf, depends the welfare of these 

 States, and the permanent prosperity of this great nation. 



It will not be a half century from this day when the United States 

 will contain a population of eighty millions. Then, as now, from the 

 very nature of our soil and climate, three-fourths of this vast multitude 

 will be engaged in the pursuit of agriculture. 



The question — What shall be the characteristics of this commanding 

 interest? must be regarded as one of paramount importance. Shall the 

 many errors now prevalent in practice, and the consequent and con- 

 stantly accumulating evils, be propagated from generation to generation? 

 Shall the science of agriculture, embracing in its comprehensive range 

 all science, and which in its subjects, bearings, and relations, is literally 

 limitless, continue neglected and unheeded as hitherto ? Some are ready 

 to ask, may we not, amid the diflS cullies and discouragements which have 

 thus far attended the efforts put forth, look with hope and confidence to 

 the progressive spirit of the age — a spirit awakened and sustained by 

 the progress of science as applied to the arts — to accomplish for agri- 

 culture all that is desired ? 



It would seem indeed plausible, that those potent influences which 

 have so revolutionized society, and waked the universal mind from its 

 night of centuries, would be adequate for the accomplishment of the 

 work in question. Let but these influences be successfully brought to 

 bear and the work is done. But can we expect its accomplishment 

 through the means and instrumentalities now employed ? Can science, 

 which is to be the acknowledged remedial agent, pervade society through 

 the slow and uncertain system of percolation, going on through the 

 instrumentality of fairs, agricultural journals, farmers' clubs, or here 

 and there a straggling lecturer ? We answer, emphatically. No. They 

 have their proper mission ; these means have done, and are doing, much. 

 But they stop infinitely short of the object ; they go upon the supposi- 

 tion, that the soil upon which the seed is thus sown, is prepared for its 

 reception, and that all we have to do is to aw^ait the harvest. An expe- 

 rience of over sixty years of unexampled national prosperity should 

 satify us that such hope must continue to prove illusive. No : we might 

 as well expect to "gather grapes oif thorns, or figs off thistles" as to 

 expect to reap a harvest of scientific results from the seeds now sown, 

 the instrumentalities now employed. 



The very declaration, that the farming community, as now educated. 



