C. T. JACKSON'S ADDRESS. 445 



chemical principles of his art, and to enable him to understand 

 and apply the results of analytic investigations in his prac- 

 tical operations. His defective knowledge often stands in 

 the way of successful improvements, and he is obliged to re- 

 strict his operations to the mere following of specific directions, 

 instead of having all the latitude that chemical principles would 

 allow. It is not to be expected that old farmers will go to 

 school again to learn the principles of the modern sciences ap- 

 plicable to agriculture. Some, whose taste leads them to scien- 

 tific reading, will doubtless endeavor to keep up with the pro- 

 gress of science, and inform themselves of what is going on. 

 A few only will be found, whose opportunities will enable them 

 to become proficient in the chemistry of agriculture, so as to 

 make a safe and practical use of the information they may ob- 

 tain from books on chemistry. 



An improvement, once introduced, may often be practically 

 adopted and followed by those who do not understand the prin- 

 ciples on which it depends, so that one enterprising man may 

 not unfrequently do much good in his neighborhood by in- 

 structing, by experimental labors, his brother farmers. 



To the rising generation, the young men who will ere long 

 occupy your places, we must look for students in agricultural 

 chemistry. They should be taught thoroughly all those prin- 

 ciples of science that can be rendered available in agriculture. 

 For them, agricultural schools should be established on a liberal 

 scale, and every opportunity that could be desired for learning 

 the sciences of chemistry, mineralogy, geology, botany, zool- 

 ogy, and the principles and practice of surveying, with the 

 application of those sciences to the business of practical farm- 

 ing. 



While we have good and liberally endowed colleges for the 

 education of young men for the other professions, it is to be 

 regretted that no institutions exist in our country for education 

 of young farmers in the sciences applicable to rational and prac- 

 tical agriculture. This deficiency, I trust, will ere long be sup- 

 plied by the establishment of agricultural schools, upon a basis 

 commensurate with the magnitude and importance of the sub- 

 ject. 



