ANALYSIS OF INDIAN CORN. 547 



In the meantime, however, a friend of Professor Jackson, of Boston, (whose 

 name is a guaranty for the accuracy and soundness of the research,) having 

 called his attention to the patriotic offer of Mr. Colt, has consented, as we 

 have been informed, to make the analysis — not in any consideration of the sum 

 named, liberal as that was, on the part of an individual, no more interested than 

 others, but, as it is but just to say, in a high public spirit to render service to the 

 cause of Agriculture and of Science. It will presently be seen that Professor 

 Henry says the work of a complete analysis will require much labor, and cannot 

 be completed under a year or two ; and we may mention that, on application on 

 this subject to Professor Norton, than whom there need be no better judge, doubt- 

 ful if he could for some time command leisure to undertake it, he thought it 

 could not be expected to be properly done for less than $500. This may give 

 some idea of the labor and care to be bestowed on what men like ourselves, 

 not possessing the science and apparatus for such investigations, are apt to look 

 on as mere trifles. Such investigations are, or ought to be, provided and well 

 paid for by Institutions and Societies that hold in trust the money of the public 

 for the benefit of the public, and ought not to be a tax on individuals, however 

 able and liberal. Such men have always calls enough upon their generosity from 

 quarters that have no claim on public institutions. We rejoice, however, now 

 to see that the Smithsonian Institute will, as soon as may be, take this, and 

 doubtless other analogous matters in hand ; and we only express the public 

 voice when we say that what has the sanction of the really learned Secretary 

 of that institution, the public will believe in. The American Institute, with its 

 thousands in stocks, and all other such Institutes, far from hesitating and holding 

 back, and talkiyig on such occasions, ought to be constantly on the look-out 

 for opportunities like these to benefit great public interests of which it 

 professes to have supervision. But seeing now that the Smithsonian Institute, 

 or the Patent Office, will undertake to have this laborious and tedious analysis 

 thoroughly made, do we go out of the way to suggest that it Avould be but fair 

 to relinquish all claim on the liberality of individuals either for contributions in 

 money, or yet greater contributions in labor and in precious time, which is but 

 too often the only capital of men competent to push such inquiries to reliable 

 results ? 



How much better would the thousands laid up in " 5 per cent, stocks," be 

 employed in eliciting from such men, and from skillful mechanicians, analyses, 

 dissertations and inventions calculated to economize and render more efficient the 

 labor and the means employed in all our industrial pursuits, and in importing at 

 once drawings, models, seeds, grains, fruits, machines — in a word, whatever 

 may be discovered abroad, or whatever the wants of Industry suggest as neededj 

 and which may possibly be discovered at home under the stimulus, not of picay- 

 une medals and blank diplomas, to be filled up to order, but liberal rewards for 

 the time and labor bestowed by men who have nothing else to depend on ? 

 Suppose, for instance, instead of merely providing a show-ground for the adver- 

 tisement and display of highly polished hats and boots, and specimen saddlery 

 and cutlery, and overgrown bullocks, and huge carrots and turnips, none of 

 which display any new principle, "or add a mite to the stock of knowledge 

 connected with the arts of Agriculture or Manufactures, they were to offer 

 to Professor Johnston, of world-wide renown, some adequate inducement to 

 come over and deliver a short course of Lectures on the application of Science 

 to Agriculture, which might be published and disseminated throughout thecoun- 



(10-27) 



