578 SELECTIONS FROM ADDRESSES. 



tainly be justified in hesitating in your belief of my words, and 

 in looking upon me as either an untrustworthy enthusiast, or a 

 designing impostor. There are men of both these classes in 

 this country ; men who are constantly injuring the cause 

 which they claim to serve. But I have held out to you no ex- 

 travagant expectations, have not uttered a word that is not 

 capable of proof, have in short only urged you to the necessity 

 of studying for yourselves. There are courses of instruction 

 now within your reach, where, by means of lectures and books, 

 you can obtain such a general knowledge of this subject, as will 

 enable you to understand much that now seems dark ; to apply 

 many scientific principles in practice ; and to read intelligently, 

 accounts of valuable improvements by scientific means. 



Why should the farmer be the only man in the world who 

 is injured by studying his own business, and using every means 

 in his power to get a better knowledge of it ? Is it not ob- 

 vious that information upon such points as I have so briefly 

 sketched before you would be advantageous ? Why then do 

 we hear the cry against book farming raised, whenever a step 

 in progress is proposed ? It is unworthy of New England ; 

 it is unworthy of the Old Bay State, that state which has al- 

 ways been foremost in every educational movement. Cannot 

 the farmers of Massachusetts bear instruction in the theoretical, 

 as well as the practical part of their profession ? We know 

 that education and intelligence give power, for it is this general 

 education and intelligence, so prevalent among you, that has 

 made the name of Massachusetts known and honored over all 

 the civilized world. I refuse then to believe, that you will be 

 long affected by any objections of this class ; it is in fact easy 

 to see that year by year their force is lessening. 



The farmer will no longer be compelled to find his mental 

 employment in themes apart from his own profession, for in 

 the various problems connected with the phenomena of vege- 

 table and animal growth and nutrition, that occur in the every- 

 day experience of his own fields, he will perceive attractions of 

 a most novel and beautiful kind, sufficient to occupy all of his 

 powers, and exercise his highest faculties. 



I do not profess to say that ycu will ever be able to earn 



