EDUCATION 193 



investigating our deficiencies. The course is often too 

 ambitious and laid out on too large a scale ; but every 

 tiller of the soil has the opportunity of learning the prin- 

 ciples of his art, and of using to the utmost advantage the 

 materials at his command. In every other department of 

 human knowledge, where practice depends upon science, 

 the shortest road to success is the mastery of general 

 principles ; in other words, theoretical investigation. The 

 truth of this fact, as applied to agriculture, is ignored by 

 the State in England. The art is carried to considerable 

 perfection, but the science is neglected. Our farmers are 

 skilful in the practice of received principles ; they despise 

 the general laws on which those principles depend ; to 

 them agriculture is only a collection of accepted precepts. 

 Science has turned many traditions upside down ; it may 

 have a similar revolution in store for farming. The prin- 

 ciples of scientific agriculture must be explored by men of 

 science, and applied by men of practice ; but a better 

 understanding between the two can only be obtained by 

 education. Every farmer does not require the hio-hest 

 scientific training ; but, even in his isolated experiments, 

 some knowledge of physics, chemistry, botany, or geoloo-y 

 is useful, if it only teaches him what to avoid, and how to 

 apply the results of the work of others. Doctors' boys do 

 not qualify as practitioners by delivering medicines ; nor 

 do tillers of the soil become farmers by learning a tradi- 

 tional round. 



Landlords require education as much as any of the 

 classes which are interested in the cultivation of the soil. 

 They alone have, to some extent, the means of supplying 

 their want. In the future many must manage their own 

 properties. Even if they can afford the luxury of an agent, 

 it seems absurd to surrender to others the practical control 



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