No. 7. 



Asricultural Address. 



219 



■the skill and industry of man. I am well 

 aware of the aversion entertained — and very 

 properly entertained — by practical farmers, 

 in relation to what is denominated book- 

 farming, — or those merely speculative sys- 

 tems of culture, which are not based upon 

 experience and careful observation. That 

 is not the kind of knowledge wliich I de- 

 sire to advocate. I have no faith in abstrac- 

 tions — either in ag-ricultural or political sci- 

 ence. My trust is in good practical common 

 sense; and I profess to be a decided Utilita- 

 rian, in' all that concerns the every day pur- 

 suits of man in society : but I hold that a 

 correct knowledge of the objects of our 

 care — of the agents with which we have to 

 do, and of the principles which control their 

 operations — is among the most useful of our 

 attainments. To be intelligent operatives, 

 we must not only understand what we are 

 about, but we should also have just concep- 

 tions of the objects about us. It must be 

 obvious, I think, to every reflecting mind, 

 that no one can be a truly enlightened agri- 

 culturist, who is wholly ignorant of the na- 

 ture and chemical properties of the earths 

 which enter into the composition of the soil ; 

 who knows nothing of those laws of organic 

 life which affect the well-being of domestic 

 animals, and regulate the developement of 

 those features which give value to particu- 

 lar breeds of stock, or who can wander, con- 

 tentedly, year after year, among the plants 

 which occupy his land, without attempting 

 to comprehend the characters which distin- 

 guish the useful from the worthless, — un- 

 mindful of the encroachments, and uncon- 

 scious even of the presence, of the most 

 pernicious intruders. It may be tliought, by 

 some, that the knowledge here implied, is 

 too much to expect ff*om the practical farm- 

 er: but I apprehend this is entirely a mis- 

 take — arising from a misconception of the 

 subject, and a proneness to magnify what is 

 ■<iot understood. The supposed difficulties, 

 instead of being insurmountable, will be 

 found either to vanish on a nearer view, or 

 to present topics of lively interest to the in- 

 quiring mind, when it comes to grapple 

 with them. Why should the agriculturist 

 alone, be deemed incapable of investigating 

 the principles involved in his pursuit, or of 

 rightfully comprehending the objects of hi 

 peculiar care"? It is justly expected of 

 every accomplished artizan, that he should 

 understand the philosophij of his business — 

 as well as be expert in its manipulations: 

 and I can perceive no good reison why the 

 agriculturist should not become familiar 

 with all that concerns his noble profession. 

 The means of information are now within 

 the reach of every one. The cheap litera- 



ture of the day has furnished us, on the 

 most reasonable terms, with all that is 

 known respecting the Geology of Agricul- 

 ture — the management of stock, and the 

 culture of useful plants. The recent publi- 

 cations of Liebig, Johnston, and others, pre- 

 sent us with the most accurate scientific 

 views of the various processes in husbandry; 

 and the Farmer'' s Encyclopedia is a real 

 treasury of practical information, — wherein 

 the experience of all ages and countries is 

 carefully posted up, to the present day, and 

 admirably arranged for convenient reference. 

 In addition to these, we have the many val- 

 able periodicals devoted to our profession, 

 in which the experiments and opinions of 

 intelligent contemporaries are regularly 

 spread before us. If any one is inclmed to 

 discredit the statements in these works, or 

 thinks he is better informed than the writers, 

 let him show his superior attainments, not 

 by a contemptuous disregard of the views of 

 otiiers, but by exposing their defects and 

 rectifying their errors. It is in this way 

 that all true knowledge is promoted. Real 

 knowledge in any department, consists of 

 facts well ascertained, and rightly under- 

 stood; or, in other words, in a correct per- 

 ception of objects, and of the true theory, 

 or explanation of the phenomena pertaining 

 to them : and it is only to be acquired by 

 persevering efforts. A fact not understood, 

 is of little value to the possessor. It is the 

 explanation belonging to it, which gives' it 

 importance. It is idle, therefore, to declare 

 against all theory — in agriculture, or in any 

 other pursuit: for theory is but the exposi- 

 tion of^ causes in operation — the mere inter- 

 pretation of facts, — and it is impossible for 

 a thinking being not to theorize, to some 

 extent, upon every process passing in his 

 view. He may be mistaken in his opinions, 

 — for we are all prone to hasty conclusions; 

 but he cannot observe without thinking, i. e. 

 without theorizing : and happy is the man 

 whose careful observations have enabled 

 him to seize upon the true theory of the 

 phenomena around him. 



While I would thus urge upon agricul- 

 rists — and especially upon the younger class, 

 the importance of a correct knowledge of all 

 that belongs to the profession, I shall limit 

 what I have now to say, to a few cursory 

 remarks on the propriety of being accurately 

 acquainted with the history and character 

 of those plants — whether valuable or perni- 

 cious — which come under the daily notice 

 of the farmer. Without derogating in the 

 slightest degree from the importance of the 

 other departments of Natural History, it 

 may be safely affirmed, that the vegetable 

 creation presents an eminent claim to the 



