44 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY'. 



It is to be feared, moveover, that there is a tendency to gauge 

 the value and efficiency of an institute speaker chiefly by his 

 ability to amuso an audience, rather than by his credentials for 

 sound and accurate knowledge. This is partly due to the fact 

 that many audiences of farmers are better satisfied with amuse- 

 ment than with an address Avhich requires close and earnest 

 attention. It is certain, however, that just as Ave now confess 

 the disaster due to the incapacity of religious teachers whose 

 only claim to confidence is a satictified ignorance, so we can be 

 sure that glibness of tongue is not all the qualification which 

 teachers in Agriculture should possess. 



An error may be as effectually presented from the platform as 

 a truth, but it is of vast importance to the hearer whether it be 

 error or truth. A truth expressed in homely phrase is at least 

 harmless and may be beneficial, but an error attractively uttered 

 is always dangerous and may work injury. It is not an exagger- 

 ation to declare that some very grotesque science has been pro- 

 claimed at farm institutes by men who were out of their 

 proper spheres of discussion, and who therefore lacked the exact 

 knowledge necessary to accurate and reliable statements of a 

 scientific character. This evil it is within the power of those 

 who officially conduct public agricultural discussions to greatly 

 remedy. 



We will now consider somewhat briefly the relation of the 

 press to scientific agriculture. What the agricultural editor 

 most sorely needs is not only a conservative mind, but the ability 

 to discriminate between the true and the false, — an ability which 

 does not proceed from a ready and attractive style of writing or 

 from what we in, general term the art of journalism, but from a 

 fund of information. 



The number of agricultural papers, and papers which have an 

 agricultural page, that are offered to the reading public, is legion. 

 To some of these the farmer is greatly indebted. They are con- 

 ducted by competent men, who summarize for the readers the 

 best knowledge and thought that are current. Some of them, 

 however, present an aggregation of fact and theory which is 

 without form or comeliness when viewed in the light of truth. 

 Especially remarkable, and to the informed mind exasperating, 

 is the hash so often found in the agricultural page of the religious 

 newspaper, ])ut tlicre, we suppose, because the editor feels it his 



