FARMERS' REGISTER— SULPHUR IN TREES. 



149 



To prove by experiment that a doubtful practice 

 is wrong', would be as valuable to agriculture, as 

 if the result should shew that it is right: but on 

 many such points, proof has perhaps been obtained 

 fifty different times, by as many farmers having 

 no comnmnication with each other, and still the 

 results may be unknown to all but the several ex- 

 perimenters. Premiums for experiments, conducted 

 with care and accuracy, and repeated under differ- 

 ent circumstances, until the point in question was 

 clearly settled, could not fail greatly to promote 

 the improvement of agriculture. The advantage 

 derived would not be inconsiderable, even if such 

 premiums had merely the effect of giving publici- 

 ty to the numerous experiments which are made 

 with other views, and which would otherwise ne- 

 ver be known. But we can scarcely doubt that 

 their number could be greatly increased, be direc- 

 ted to the most important objects, and conducted 

 with far more care and attention, when, in addi- 

 tion to the hope of beinghonored with a premium, 

 the experimenter would expect to profit by the la- 

 bors of many others, engaged in similar researches. 

 Agriculture remains in the same situation in 

 which formerly all sciences were, that required ex- 

 periment for their proper investigation. From 

 the time of Aristotle to that of Lord Bacon, philoso- 

 phy made scarcely any progress. During this 

 long period, e\ ery philosopher who reached cele- 

 brity, distinguished himself by pi'oducing some 

 baseless hypothesis, which was received as true, 

 until overthrown by one more plausible, but 

 which was alike destined to yield in its turn. The 

 profound Bacon first pointed out the tedious, but 

 sure road to escape from this labyrinth of error, 

 and Newton by pursuing tliat course, and testing 

 every proposition by experiment, was enabled to 

 2:0 farther than all his predecessors. Since then. 

 The old mode of theorising has given way to actual 

 experiment, in every branch of knov.iedge to 

 which it was applicable, except agriculture, the 

 most important of all; and it is therefore not sur- 

 prising that agriculture has remained almost sta- 

 tionary, while other sciences have advanced with 

 such rapidity, as scarcely to alloAv the Avorld to 

 mark their progress. Agriculturists alone con- 

 tinue to grope through theories, unfounded opin- 

 ions and prejudices. Some one proposes a new 

 theory or system of cultivation — every speculative 

 farmer immediately becomes its advocate or oppo- 

 nent — volumes may be writlen for and against, 

 and perhaps a century spent before it is decided 

 whether the opinion was right or wrong. Such is 

 the course we regularly pursue; and as in every 

 contested point, one party must be wrong, and in 

 consequence, pursue an unprofitable practice, the 

 loss of money, labor and time may exceed a hun- 

 dred times the cost of all the. experiments necessa- 

 ry to remove the difficulty. They who lose most 

 by this improper course, are always the last to see 

 the want of a guide more sure than theory. Far- 

 mers are generally much too easy of belief; they 

 take sides with the feelings of partisans, and whe- 

 ther they support an antiquated prejudice, or the 

 wildest modern hypothesis, are equally sure that 

 they are right. As examples of the chance for 

 success in this method of searching for truth, in 

 England, the merits of TuH's Drill system is 

 scarcely yet settled, and the war between" the Fal- 

 lowists and the Anti-Fallowists, will probablv 

 continue another thirty vears. The advocates for 



rotted and unrotted manure, still contend in this 

 country and in Europe, without appearing to ap- 

 proach a decision, and in this district we are as 

 much divided in comparing the advantages of gra- 

 zing and inclosing, natural and artificial grass, 

 green and dry, for improving the soil, and in esti- 

 mating the value of every other kind of manure 

 within our reach. Yet the knowledge which we 

 seek can only be attained through experiment; 

 and all we now possess was derived from experi- 

 ments, though mostly made by accident, and their 

 results forced on our observation. To such chance 

 discoveries, made at long intervals, and separated 

 by errors and absurdities innumerable, we are in- 

 debted for almost every thing that deserves the 

 name of agricultural knowledge. 



When, in addition to the obstacles already men- 

 tioned, to experiments being made by separate in- 

 dividuals, urged only by zeal for research, we con- 

 sider the time and labor, the unremitting attention 

 and perfect accuracy required, the sacrifice is evi- 

 dently too great to expect from any one unaided 

 farmer. To fix beyond doubt the most inconsi- 

 derable fact, requires many experiments, to be 

 made on different soils, in different seasons, and by 

 different persons. When results are intended to 

 be compared, the slightest difference in the pro- 

 cess may sometimes make a false conclusion appear 

 true. Hence all private experiments are made 

 with so little care as to be scarcely satisfactory to 

 their conductor, and of no value to other persons. 

 Societies by premiun^.s, may affect whatever in this 

 respect is wanting. They can point out the most 

 important subjects for experiments, require atten- 

 tion to every thing which can affect results, and 

 unite the labors of many, for the attainment of a 

 single object. The meiiibers of the society which 

 shall commence this course, can in no other way, 

 draw more honour on themselves, or render more 

 benefit to agriculture. We are ignorant on so ma- 

 ny points in husbandry, that the only difficulty 

 would be in selecting subjects for experiments. 

 However little might be done by a single society, 

 yet every premium conferred would mark some 

 progress towards true knowledge. We doubt 

 whether as much could be said for every score of 

 premiums heretofore bestowed. 

 \_Extract from the 3/mutes.] 



EDJM. RUFrix, Secretary. 



Sulphur iii Trees, 



TO DESTROY ALLIXSECTS PREYIIVG OX THEM. 



From the Atlantic Journal. 



Farmers and gardeners ought to hail with rap- 

 ture a safe, certain, easy and unfiiiling mode of dri- 

 ving away or destroying all the insects, bugs, cat- 

 erpillars, lice, ants, M'hicli prey upon trees and 

 often kill them. 



Numberless have been the means proposed or 

 devised to get rid of these troublesome guests, 

 most of which are dirty, costly, or unavailing. — 

 Our farmers appear to liave given up in despair 

 the hope of preventing the deadly attacks of cur- 

 cidios on the roofs of peach trees, and the fruits of 

 the plumb tree. Yet an efficacious mode is said 

 to have been found several years ago in France 

 perfectly efficacious and applicable to all cases and 

 all trees. The man who discovered it, deserved 

 a splendid reward, yet his name has not even 

 reached us. But we claim the. honor to have been 



