GEOGRAPHY OF PLANTS. 521 



lands, Prussia excepted, foils for below the actual demands of the age and of 

 the profession. There are, however, many hundreds of young farmers who 

 have received an academic or collegiate education, and have, by self-instruction 

 based thereon, (which is, indeed, the only education truly valuable, for the 

 academy and the college but teach how to learn,) made themselves masters of 

 the general principles of their art. Ori these devolve the duty to aid their , 

 brothers by putting them forward on the track of improvement. To all such 

 we would hold out words of invitation to come forward and engage in this 

 useful and honorable work. A wide field is open to all willing laborers, who, 

 with observing faculties, trained by knowledge of the elements of natural and 

 physical science to note the phenomena occurring around them daily, can with 

 judgment record and report the results of their observations to those who, 

 by condensing and tabulating, shall make their multifarious notes available 

 for the instruction of their fellows. 



" Whatever is individual and peculiar in our country must be studied by ourselves ; we 

 cannot expect the savans of Europe to make the investigation for us. Many practical ques- 

 tions in American agriculture demand answers, and success cannot be expected without the 

 union of science with practical experience." 



The climate of the United States is a peculiar one, marked by extremes of 

 heat and cold, of wet and dry. It is as essential to study its characteristics as 

 it is to determine the properties of our various soils. A want of meteorological 

 knowledge and consequent want of adaptation of our industry to the laws of 

 climate, both general and local, is a frequent source of loss to the farmer. A 

 system of observations is efficiently carried on by the Smithsonian Institution, 

 at Washington, D. C, aided by numerous correspondents in almost every 

 State and Territory, through which it is hoped the climate of the United 

 States will yet be as thoroughly understood as its geology and its geography. 

 This kind of information is one of the essential elements on which to found a 

 system of scientific agriculture adapted to the various local climates of the dif- 

 ferent portions of our extended country. The degree of beat and cold and 

 moisture in various localities, and the usual periods of their occurrence, to- 

 gether with their effects upon different agricultural productions, are of incalcu- 

 lable importance in aiding research into the laws by which the growth of such 

 products is regulated, and will enable the farmer to judge with some degree of 

 certainty whether any given article can be profitably cultivated. Many wide 

 sections of our country are, however, left without an observer, and we are in 

 ignorance of the peculiar climate of districts almost in our midst. The amount 

 of rain wbich falls along the sea-shore of New Jersey, from Cape May to 

 Sandy Hook, and in the interior, midway between the river and the ocean, has 

 never been observed or reported, nor do we know the mean tempei'ature of any 

 place throughout this entire region for any season. That it differs from the 

 climate of southeastern Pennsylvania is apparent, but wherein, and to what 

 degree, has not been determined. The foregoing is but one of many regions 

 that might be named whei'ein observations might be profitably instituted. To 

 aid in this good work should be the desire of every educated farmer. He may 

 enter upon a series of observations on the weather Avith proper instruments at 

 command, in A^'hich employment he will find not only pleasure, but positive 

 benefit from the knowledge acquired and the habits of method and close atten- 

 tion the practice will induce. 



There is a wide field open to all, and in which the skilful and persevering 

 may calculate upon success. In the efforts at improving our fruits, grains, and 

 vegetables many will find both pleasure and profit. This field is but partially 

 occupied, and is one in which there is ample room for many experimenters, who, 

 if they bring an ordinary amount of attention and knowledge of plants and 

 their physiology, will be certain to reap a harvest. Those who propose to ex- 

 periment in the improvement of wheat by sclectiou and cultivation may consult 



