SIMON BROWN'S ADDRESS. 659 



How many " brush with hasty step the dew away," nor ever 

 pause to contemplate it as a part of that wisdom which has 

 created and governs all things — nor as the result of the opera- 

 tion of certain laws. The air being filled with vapor, and the 

 earth becoming cooler than the surrounding air, after the sun 

 declines, condenses the moisture into drops, just as the moist- 

 ure is condensed into drops on the outside of the pitcher that 

 is filled with cold water in the hot summer noon. But if it is 

 cloudy, there is no dew. The clouds hang over the earth like 

 an immense blanket, and prevent the heat from escaping, or 

 rather re-transmit to the earth the heat which had been radi- 

 ated from it. The temperature of plants, therefore, does not 

 fall so low as to cause the moisture in the air to become con- 

 densed, and there is no dew. The dew comes, too, when it is 

 most needed; when the heat of the sun, unmitigated by any 

 cloudy screen, greatly increases the general evaporation. 



Instead of a moment, the whole time allowed me to address 

 you, might be occupied on this interesting subject. My desire, 

 however, is not so much to explain as to present it to your 

 minds in such a light as to attract your attention to it hereafter. 



But I will detain you only a moment longer, although I 

 have said nothing of physiology, of heat, electricity, hail, 

 snow or rain; each of which is governed by laws which the 

 farmer should understand, and a knowledge of which would 

 bring a contentment and delight to his mind, far overbalanc- 

 ing any gratification to be realized in the crowded marts of 

 mercantile and commercial life. 



I have not touched upon the principles of irrigation, of 

 draining, ploughing, subsoiling and composting ; I have said 

 nothing of the grasses and grains, of the culture of fruits, vege- 

 tables, and flowers. I have purposely omitted them all, in or- 

 der to take another view of the requirements of the farm. But 

 they are all governed by immutable laws, controlled by infinite 

 wisdom for our good, and demand of us such careful and earn- 

 est investigation as our several circumstances will permit. 



I have not time to speak of the domestic animals which 

 serve us, and without which it would be impossible so to 

 increase the products of the earth as to meet the wants of the 

 increasing population. A partial knowledge of the principles 

 of the growth of each of these, of the elements of which they 

 are composed, and of their comparative value, would so occupy 



