HO THE ART OF CULTURE. 



stances which we know to be indispensable to the 

 development of these parts or organs,, or by 

 supplying the conditions necessary to the produc- 

 Jfon of the qualities desired. 



The rules of a rational system of agriculture 

 should enable us, therefore, to give to each plant 

 that which it requires for the attainment of the 

 object in view. 



The special object of agriculture is to obtain an 

 abnormal development and production of certain 

 parts of plants, or of certain vegetable matters, 

 which are employed as food for man and animals, 

 or for the purposes of industry. 



The means employed for effecting these two 

 purposes are very different. Thus the mode of 

 culture, employed for the purpose of procuring fine 

 pliable straw for Florentine hats, is the very oppo- 

 site to that which must be adopted in order to 

 produce a maximum of corn from the same plant. 

 Peculiar methods must be used for the production 

 of nitrogen in the seeds, others for giving strength 

 and solidity to the straw, and others again must be 

 followed when we wish to give such strength and 

 solidity to the straw as will enable it to bear the 

 weight of the ears. 



We must proceed in the culture of plants in pre- 

 cisely the same manner as we do in the fattening 

 of animals. The flesh of the stag and roe, or of 

 wild animals in general, is quite devoid of fat, like 

 the muscular flesh of the Arab ; or it contains only 



