ALLIANCE OF SCIENCE WITH PRACTICE 361 



Stephens, Dr. Lindley, and John Chahners Morton, as Editor of 

 the Agricultural Gazette did excellent service. The school-master 

 was abroad, and the foundation of Cirencester Agricultural College 

 in 1845 was a sign of the times. The need for agricultural 

 statistics, which had long been severely felt, had been emphasised by 

 Sir dames (then Mr.) Cakd in 1850-1. But it was not till 1866_that 

 the wa nt wa s supphed. Attempts had been frequently made to 

 obtain statistical information, but without success. Fear of 

 increased taxation closed the mouths of landowners and farmers. 

 In 1855 a House of Lords Committee recommended the compulsory 

 collection of statistics through the agency of the Poor-Law officials. 

 Eleven years later (1866) the Agri cultu ralReturns of Great Britain 

 for the fi rst time supphed an accurate account of the acreage, the 

 cropping, and the hve-stock of the country. 



The new^alHance of science with jDractice bore rich and immediate 

 fruit. Science helped practical farming in ways as varied as they 

 were uinumerable. Chemists, geologists, physiologists, entomolo- 

 gists, botanists, zoologists, veterinaries, bacteriologists, architects, 

 mechanics, engineers, surveyors, statisticians, lessened the risks and 

 multiphed the resources of the farmer. Steam and machinery 

 diminished his toil and reduced his expenses. His laud was neither 

 left idle nor its fertihty exhausted. Improved implements rendered 

 his labour cheaper, quicker, surer, and more effective. New means 

 of transport and mcreased facihties of communication brought new 

 markets to his door. Commodious and convenient buildings re- 

 placed tumble-doAvii barns and draughty sheds. Veterinary skill 

 saved the lives of valuable animals. The general level of agriculture 

 rose^ rapidly: to^^rds that which^ only model farms had attained in 

 the preyipusjDeriod. Sound roads, weU-j^^angedhoiaesteads, heavj'" 

 crops, weU--b red stoc k, skiUgdTafniers, and high farming chaiacter- 

 ised the era which ad opte d t^he Royal Agricultural Society's rule of 

 Practice wdth Science. Cut off from their old resource of increasing 

 production by adding to the cultivated area, deprived of the aid of 

 Protection, agriculturists were compelled to adopt imj)roved methods. 

 The age of farmmg by extension of area had ended ; that of 

 fanvmg by intension of capital had J^egun. 



To trace out in full detail one single point in which science has 

 helped farmers would be the work of a separate volume. Selection 

 and outhne are all that is possible. Probably the most strildng con- 

 tributions which, during the period under review, were made to the 



