all: the application will take care of itself. The ap- 

 plication of science lies not alone in its employment 

 in particularities here and there, but quite as much 

 in the type of mind and the philosophy of life that 

 result from it. If we knew our exact rural status — 

 in materials, accomplishments and deficiencies, — we 

 should by that very fact have a different outlook on 

 the rural problem and a surer process of attacking it. 

 We should do little guessing. We should correct 

 many vagaries and many a foolish notion to which 

 we now are all, no doubt, very much given. We 

 should not be obliged to follow blind or self-wise 

 leaders. A substantial body of accumulated fact 

 would set bounds to the agitator. 



The result of survey-work in agriculture should 

 be to tie the community together. Such work would 

 provide a basis for real judgment on the part of every 

 intelligent resident of the neighborhood. One inter- 

 est would be tied up with another. Apple-growing 

 would not be distinct from wheat-growing, or church 

 work from school work, or soil-types from the cream- 

 ery business, or politics from home life. The vicinage 

 would be presented to the citizen as a whole. Noth- 

 ing, in my opinion, would do so much to develop 

 pride of neighborhood, local patriotism, and com- 

 munity common sense as a full and complete knowl- 



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