OUR PRODUCING INDUSTRIES. 65 



natural laws over which he has little control. How absolutely 

 essential it is, then, that he should be thoroughly versed in all 

 those great underlying principles which relate to the soil, its 

 combinations, its chemical and mechanical changes, the processes 

 by which plant-food is created and carried away, the laws 

 which relate to and govern the ^ life, growth and perfection of 

 the animals and plants of the farm, — be qualified by training 

 and discipline to think out, discover and systematize the great 

 truths of his profession, and thus to wring success out of cir- 

 cumstances which would dishearten the ignorant, as well as a 

 most thorough practical knowledge of all the minutiae of the 

 pursuit and acquaintance with the principles of business, which 

 will enable him to meet on equal ground all tlie sharp competi- 

 tions of this competing age. 



When the men who own and superintend the working of the 

 soil of Massachusetts shall be thus disciplined and educated ; 

 when they adopt a system of cultivation which inures to its 

 gradual improvement, concentrate their energies and intelli- 

 gence on the production of such special articles as their location 

 demands, then, and only then, will they reap the benefits that 

 may be derived from the home market of our dense and increas- 

 ing population, and complaints of agriculture as an occupation 

 cease, and we shall occupy the position, by universal consent, 

 which is ours by virtue of our intrinsic importance to the Com- 

 monwealth. 



9* 



