C 24 3 



the necessity of the establishment of just principles of 

 chemistry on the subject. Whoever reasons upon 

 agriculture, is obliged to recur to this science. He 

 feels that it is scarcely possible to advance a step with- 

 out it ; and if he is satisfied with insufficient views, it 

 is not because he prefers them to accurate knowledge, 

 but generally because they are more current. If a 

 person journeying in the night wishes to avoid being 

 led astray by the ignis fatuus, the most secure method 

 is to carry a lamp in his own hand. 



It has been said, and undoubtedly with great 

 truth, that a philosophical chemist would most proba- 

 bly make a very unprofitable business of farming ; and 

 this certainly would be the case, if he were a mere 

 philosophical chemist ; and unless he had served his 

 apprenticeship to the practice of the art, as well as to 

 the theory. But there is reason to believe, that he 

 would be a more successful agriculturist than a per- 

 son equally uninitiated in farming, but ignorant of 

 chemistry altogether ; his science, as far as it went, 

 would be useful to him. But chemistry is not the 

 only kind of knowledge required, it forms a small part 

 of the philosophical basis of agriculture ; but it is an 

 important part, and whenever applied in a proper 

 manner must produce advantages. 



In proportion as science advances all the princi- 

 ples become less complicated, and consequently more 

 useful. And it is then that their application is most 

 advantageously made to the arts. The common la- 

 bourer can never be enlightened by the general doc- 

 trines of philosophy, but he will not refuse to adopt 



