TEACH AS TO FARMING. 17 



illustration of Farming as a Science, I well remember how very 

 general was the prejudice and derision he encountered. But he 

 persevered both in farming and lecturing ; and he has gloriously 

 succeeded. I presume there were many errors in his earlier in- 

 culcations ; there may be some yet, for he is a genius, and genius 

 is too apt to leap hastily to sweeping conclusions from inadequate 

 premises. But, whatever his faults, the root of the matter \vas in 

 him, and his career has proved it. As a Lecturer, an Editor, and 

 a- a Practical Farmer, he is enriching the vocation he has i-hosen 

 and by no means impoverishing himself. Beginning with nothing, 

 he cannot have cleared less than $20,000 in the last six years, and 

 his income must now be at least $5,000 per annum. And this is 

 not all made by merely talking and writing about farming, but in 

 good part by actual work. For example : He last year bought 

 ten acres of naturally good but exhausted and weedy land adjoin- 

 ing him for $250 per acre, pulverized and fertilized it thoroughly 

 to the depth of two j'ivt, planted it with cabbages as close to- 

 gether as they could grow, and by the sale of his first crop paid 

 for the mamnv, labor and land, having the latter all clear at the 

 year's end. and in far better condition than when he bought it. 

 < 'an any enemy of ' Book-Farming 1 beat this? Or is there any 

 of them who would not like to know exactly how this land was 

 fertilized and tilled, even though he should be obliged to read it 

 in a book or periodical ? 



III. Let me next illustrate the importance and advantages of 

 the careful Analysis of Soils : 



A friend bought, one year ago. a small farm which had pre- 

 viously been under decent or ordinary cultivation, but which, it 

 appears, had been for many years mainly fertilized with Gypsum 

 or Plaster of Paris an excellent thing in its place, and which had 

 doubtless done the land good service. But the new farmer's 

 brother is a thorough Chemist, devoting much attention to Agri- 

 culture ; and he was invited to analyze the soil of this farm with 

 a view to its prospective and economical improvement. Careful 

 Analysis showed a signal deficiency of Lime, but a superabund- 

 ance of Sulphur and other ingredients of Plaster. Of course, at 



