Theory of Agriculture. [Jan., 



THEORY OF AGRICULTURE. 



The formulas by which men express their beliefs, are 

 not regarded by enlightened minds with indifference, or as 

 useless. It may be, that they are often erroneous ; and it may 

 be, too, that if not erroneous in the main, they contain errors 

 of minor importance. Still, few are found at the present day 

 who on this account are willing to discard theory, or formulas 

 of belief, as we have here termed them. Indeed it is impossi- 

 ble to throw those formulas entirely aside, and rest solely upon 

 matter of fact expressions, and stand substantially upon a 

 creedless foundation. We may indeed go farther and say that 

 it is impossible for us to think without becoming theorists, or 

 framing substantially for ourselves crude formulas at least ; 

 and we say, also, that to such a result all our thinking should 

 tend, and the more distinct and clear our theoretical views the 

 better ; and farthermore, if our reflections do not end in some- 

 thing of the kind, they are decidedly defective, and we are in 

 danger of losing those benefits which might accrue to our- 

 selves by stating in brief and comprehensive terms, what we 

 are authorized to believe on the one hand, and what we are 

 bound to deny on the other. It is true, and this we by no 

 means would forget, that what we have here prescribed, may 

 not be possible in some cases, on account of the paucity of our 

 facts ; or the data in our possession or within our reach may 

 be quite insufficient to warrant such a statement of our beliefs, 

 and give them an intelligible expression. Still, our aim should 

 be to reach this end, and this should be the object of our in- 

 vestigations. 



We have said that men rarely think without theorizing also ; 

 and though many agriculturists (the class for whom our re- 

 marks are now intended), may deny it in words and even 

 speak disparagingly of theory, still these very men when 

 closely scanned will be often found to be theorists of the worst 



