C. F. ADAMS'S ADDRESS. 441 



the flowery kingdom ; and the spice countries still continue to 

 enjoy their natural monopoly of " Sabean odors," where accord- 

 ing to the poet, 



" gentle galea 

 Fanning their odoriferous wings, dispense 

 Native perfumes, and whisper whence they stole 

 Those balmy spoils." 



Bat although for these reasons it may be doubted whether the 

 attempt to transfer breeds of cows from abroad may be attended 

 with success in perpetuating their good quahties here, yet I 

 should be far from expressing the opinion that it will be 

 productive of no incidental good. The great moral lever of 

 the world is agitation, and when a considerable number of ac- 

 tive minds are strained in a direction towards improvement, no 

 matter what the thing itself may be that they take hold of, 

 the chances are that some substantial good will ultimately come 

 out of it. 



I had intended to say something of the progress already 

 made in reclaiming meadow lands, and to urge increased atten- 

 tention to the thorough draining of uplands, but the passage of 

 time warns me to be brief. When I compare what is done in 

 America and called good farming, with the accounts that come 

 to us from older countries of what is done there, my conclusion 

 is, that we have a great deal to learn. The question then nat- 

 urally arises. Where and from whom are we to get our lessons I 

 To this I confidently reply, that it is the duty of the State to- 

 do something to promote agricultural education. Neither in 

 this respect do I mean to talk vaguely about benefits which 

 cannot be distinctly appreciated. Our farming, as a generaF 

 thing, is carried on with little system, and less science. Let 

 us for a moment test this by a comparison with the German, 

 which I suppose to be the most thorough to be found any- 

 where. At Breslau, in Prussian Silesia, in the year 1847, an 

 examination was instituted of those young persons who wished 

 to qualify themselves for the management of lands. Among 

 other things, they were taken to a field, and a fresh parcel of 

 soil being dug up, they were asked the following questions, as 

 to soils. 



66 



