14 



RESULTS OF EXPERIMENTS ON P51A0T1CAL AGRICULTURE. [AppendtXj 



a two-fold advantage. In the first place, that important practical benefits to 

 the agriculture of certain districts would be derived from them, and secondly, 

 that interesting and important light would be thrown by them on many parts 

 of agricultural theory. It is by experiment that all the remarkable results - 

 theoretical as well as practical — of modern chemistry have been arrived at ; 

 but by experiments cautiously made, frequently repeated, and logically reason- 

 ed from. The proceedings of the practical farmer are a continued course of ex- 

 perimental trials, and to convert him into an experimental philosopher, and to 

 lead him to philosophical results, it is necessaiy only that his experiments 

 should be made loit/i a constant rcferemx to weight and ineasurc, and should be 

 repeated nnder varied and .:*arefully noted conditions — and that he should be 

 taught to draw from then no conclusions more general than they really 

 justify. 



The following results of experiments made during the past summer confirm 

 all my anticipations. Though necessarily somewhat limited, and local in their 

 nature, they, nevertheless, present on the whole a beautiful illustration of what 

 we have yet to expect from a continuation of such experimental researches, con- 

 ducted in so skilful a manner. I need not especially commend the experiments 

 of Ml-. Fleming : for I can scarcely, I think, render a better service to practical 

 agriculture than by placing alT of them in the hands of practical men, and ear- 

 nestly commending them to their careful consideration and imitation. 



I. Experiments made near Aske Hall, on the property of the Earl of Zet- 

 land, on lots of half an acre each. 



