of Science to Acjricidhire, 153 



assigned one of the royal palaces, provides a still more complete 

 course of education of a similar kind. In Bavaria^ in Prussia, in 

 Lombardy, and in the Tuscan territory, the respective govern- 

 ments have evinced an equal solicitude for the same end ; and 

 even Ireland has in this respect taken the start of ourselves by the 

 foundation of a school of agriculture. 



In these and similar institutions theory goes hand in hand with 

 experience, and the practical management of a farm alternates 

 with, and illustrates the lectures of the professors. It is there- 

 fore the more a matter for surprise, as well as of regret, that in 

 this country, where the demands of a rapidly increasing popu- 

 lation ou2fht to tax to the utmost the skill and invention of hus- 

 bandmen, the student in agriculture finds himself often com- 

 pelled, from the want of similar provisions of a public nature, 

 to serve his apprenticeship in the art in parts of the country 

 offering no facilities whatsoever for the acquisition of scientific 

 knowledge. 



Should, however, as it may be hoped will happen, this glaring 

 deficiency in our provisions for national instruction be hereafter sup- 

 plied, we must not flatter ourselves that by its ineans the great body 

 of those actively engaged in agriculture will acquire the leisure and 

 science necessary for solving those many intricate problems that lie 

 on the very threshold of agricultural chemistry. To determine, 

 for example, in what precise manner the several artificial manures 

 operate upon the crops ; by what agency and under what cir- 

 cumstances the latter are enabled to decompose them, and how 

 far one of them admits of being substituted for another, are tasks, 

 each of which demands, not only a profound acquaintance with 

 modern chemistry, but likewise a devotion of time and of attention 

 not often compatible with active occupations. And whilst the 

 wealthier agriculturist would be discouraged from the prosecution 

 of such experiments by the above considerations, men of moderate 

 means may also be precluded from undertaking them by the 

 pecuniary sacrifices with which they would be necessarily attended. 

 Considering, therefore, the great national importance of many of 

 these inquiries; the immense increase in the produce of the 

 country that would accrue from any discover}, however incon- 

 siderable, in the principles of husbandry; and the difficulty of 

 meeting in any one individual with that union of science, perse- 

 verance, capital, and devotion, both of time and money, which 

 such experiments involve ; the supplying means for carrying them 

 into effect would seem to be precisely one of those objects, which 

 should engage the attention of societies of men combined together 

 with a view to the advancement of agriculture. 



It is on these grounds that I think much advantage would be 



