330 Duty of Educated Men [June, 



success in such an undertaking are utterly fallacious," Agricola 

 (" which is, being interpreted," a farmer,) lays down the fact 

 that such an education is vnnecessary. " We," he says, " do not 

 expect any physician to be so far an adept in practical chemistry 

 as to manufacture his own medicines, though his business consists 

 in the application of those medicines." True, we do not; but let 

 us look to that country which yearly accomplishes more than any 

 other, for the advancement of science — to Germany. The candi- 

 date for M. D. must there, work through a course of chemical 

 analysis, and also spend a year with an apothecary preparing and 

 compounding medicines. He must prepare an extensive herbari- 

 um, &c. (Prof. Horsford's letters from Germany, Alb. Cultivator, 

 June, 1846.) Agricola, in carrying out his position, remarks; 

 '• They (farmers) are capable under proper direction, of preparing 

 manures in the very most approved manner, though they may be 

 ignorant of the reasons," &c. True, they may; but how shall 

 proper methods find way to the ignorant ? How shall they burst 

 the barriers of prejudice ? How shall the farmer know they are 

 proper methods ? And if he does not know, how will he do ? 

 And who is to stand by to give " proper directions," to " tell 

 how ?" Did all the art of agriculture, like that of making horse- 

 nails, consist of a few simple operations, to perform which an 

 hour's instruction and a week's practice would suffice, then there 

 might be no money profit in making the farmer more than a mere 

 human automaton; lout since the agriculturist's practice is so va- 

 rious, so extremely various, while so many substances are applied 

 as fertilizers, so many kinds of plants are grown, so many differ- 

 ent soils are worked, so many processes are employed, and so 

 great a number of all these liable to be modified by adventitious 

 circumstances; how great a capacity of mind, and what extensive 

 acquirements are necessary to properly control them. Your cor- 

 respondent tells " how easily, and with what a powerful influence 

 educated men might be engaged every day, in breaking down 

 those prejudices which are among our farming population the 

 greatest hindrances to improvement. They might rapidly intro- 

 duce the practice of reading agricultural papers and books, things 

 which, unfortunately a vast number of our farmers are afraid of, 

 and therefore need stimulating, in order to overcome their preju- 

 dice." But as it is easier to destroy the embryo than the great 

 oak, so would it be easier to give the minds of the youth presenti- 

 ments in favor of sound practice, by the early instillment of 

 proper views, than when in after years their minds have received 

 a lasting bias, to attempt the education of matured prejudices. 

 And how shall uneducated farmers be won over to the reading of 

 agricultural information, when on every page are introduced sci- 

 entific terms and principles, to know which, is not only impossible, 



