1856.] Scientific Agriculture — Its Difficulties, 163 



is capaWe of Treat progress, with no better means of scientific analysis 

 or experiment, with minds entirely uudis -iplined for proper clas.sifica- 

 tion or arrangement of facts, with no knowledge of the first rudiments of 

 science, is simply absurd and ridiculous. Especially must this be the 

 case in relation to a science, as is that of agriculture, the most complex, 

 the most profound, and one into which so many disturbing and modi- 

 fying circumstances enter. How often is it the case that we see two 

 farmers, with the facts which have come under their respective obser- 

 vations, arrive at widely different if not opposite conclusions — perhaps 

 both alike contradictory and absurd. And it is by no means unfrequent 

 for those making pretensions to scientific knowledge, and large experi- 

 ence, to differ materially in practice. 



The conclusion must be obvious, that, to supply the great need, we 

 must have extensive experiments, and analyses, based upon numerous 

 we:l attested facts, conducted by persons thoroughly versed both in 

 theory and practice, mm of science, with time and means to carry on 

 their' investigations, to ascertain the true principles of tillage, and so to 

 elucidate them as to render them easy in general practice. But, say 

 many, p?/^Zic sentiment is not prepared for such a work — we must post- 

 pone it, forsooth, until the physical atrophy, now silently but surely 

 going on, shall impel the people, by a kind of blind necessity, to resort to 

 the proper correctives ; yes, we must wait until our prairies and wild 

 lands shall have been exhausted, as arc now large portions of our eastern 

 States ; in other words until starvation shall stare us in the face, and want 

 clamor at our doors ! We believe that the time to begin this work has come; 

 and that while science, applied to the various arts, is exhibiting such 

 benign influences, and the rattle of machinery, and the rumbling of the 

 rail car, are constantly reminding us of its triumphs, shall not the farmer 

 summon to his aid its potent agoncy. and experience similar beneficial 

 results? Now, these multiplied facilities, furnished by modern science, 

 so far from improving our agriculture, are stimulating industry to the 

 highest pitch, and thereby drawing more rapidly the elements of fertility 

 from the soil, rendering its impoverishment the more speedy and certain. 

 Now, our farmers seem to have taken but additional encouragement 

 from the fact that, after they have plundered and wasted the elements 

 of fertility in the land which they are now cultivating, so that the crops 

 are no longer remunerative, it is only a few hour? ride to a prairie of 

 supposed inexhaustible fertility, and that any quantity of it may be had 

 for two dollars an acre, a less sum than they can realize from the farm 

 now under their unskillful hands. Hence we may see multitudes pulling 

 up stakes and moving west, to pursue the same Vandal course ; to run 



