JOHN P. NORTON'S ADDRESS. 381 



ment of knowledge ; mnst read, attend lectures, or seek in- 

 struction in some of the many ways now open to them. Some 

 ought to qualify themselves as thorough chemists, competent 

 to analyze soils, manures, (fcc. Such men are now coming fast 

 into request ; a demand is springing up for them, from various 

 parts of the country ; the farmers, in every district where much 

 improvement has been made, want some one permanently among 

 them, who shall be competent to give definite information, to 

 make analyses, and to explain disputed questions. If a portion 

 of the young men, now so eagerly crowding schools of law 

 and medicine, or of those who prefer the paths of mercantile 

 life, would turn their energies in this direction, they would not 

 only be of much greater service to the community, but would 

 greatly better their own prospects ; for they would enter a pro- 

 fession not already overstocked, — one in which, at the present 

 time, industry and ability are very sure of speedy success. 



But while such men are preparing to give instruction, — while 

 the young generation is growing up, — much, very much, may 

 be done by the practical men of the present time. Much has 

 already been done, as may be seen, within the limits of your 

 own society. How much land has been reclaimed, how much 

 has been improved, how many farms exhibit evidences of in- 

 creasing fertility. Then, too, as regards implements and stock, 

 how great is the advance, even within my own recollection. 

 In both of these departments, improvement has, for the last few 

 years, been most rapid ; indeed, it has, in my judgment, far 

 more than kept pace with the improvement of land. We fre- 

 quently see farms, where the stock and implements are better 

 than they were ten years ago, but where the land is far worse. 

 The farmer must now, in my opinion, learn to invest money as 

 freely, or more freely, if he pleases, in benefitting his land, as 

 he has done in purchasing better tools, or better animals. He 

 may get larger crops, by using a new plough, because it breaks 

 up and mellows the soil more thoroughly, but unless he at the 

 same time manures more liberally, the land is constantly grow- 

 ing poorer ; he has only discovered another way of exhausting 

 it ; the new plough adds nothing, — it only furnishes the farmer 

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