594 SELECTIONS FROM ADDRESSES. 



energies may be restored. He should also understand the laws 

 of the various chemical changes which take place in manures 

 and soils, and their influence on vegetation, from the germina- 

 tion of the seed, to the maturity of the crop; the nature and 

 remedy of the diseases of animals and vegetables ; the breeding 

 and rearing of stock ; the habits of insects, and how their rav- 

 ages may be prevented. These are indispensable ; but how is 

 he to obtain this knowledge ? They are but slowly and im- 

 perfectly learned by observation and experience ; and we need 

 schools in which they shall be taught. 



But, whether this knowledge shall be acquired in a college, 

 an academy, or a common school, we will not at present stop 

 to inquire ; that it is requisite to the highest success, no en- 

 lightened cultivator of the soil will deny ; for although some 

 men make good farmers vvithout these acquisitions, yet who 

 doubts that they would make far better with them. 



Facts substantiate this reasoning. For instance, at present, 

 the average yield of milk per day, through the year, from a 

 stock of common cows, is not supposed to be more than four 

 quarts. But by the application of science to the selection and 

 improvement of the breed of our milch cows, this quantity has 

 heen in many instances doubled, without additional expense 

 for keeping, a result which in a stock of fifteen cows would 

 add a net profit to their owners, at ten cents per gallon, of more 

 than five hundred dollars per year, of more than five millions 

 of dollars annually to the productive capital of the State. 



An old and experienced farmer of this Commonwealth gives 

 it as the result of his experience, that cows yielding four quarts 

 per day, will pay but little more than the expense of keeping ; 

 all above that is net profit. Hence he considers, that a cow 

 which gives eight quarts per day, yields as large a net profit as 

 four cows giving five quarts each per day, making no allow- 

 ance for the difference of keeping ; and hence the profit on 

 such stock depends on the milk properties of the breed. But 

 the quality of the milk of different cows varies as much as the 

 quantity. A distinguished farmer of Massachusetts, who keeps 

 sixteen cows, churned, separately, the cream on one gallon of 

 milk from each. The quantity of butter varied from three to 

 pight ounces. 



