84 KXACT AND EXPERIMENTAL AGRICULTURE. 



dered as one of the exact sciences ; and we shall never know 

 whether our progress in it is forward or retrograde, until we 

 have done with guessing. I have myself been so frequently 

 and egregiously deceived by the misstatements of men, who 

 certainly did not mean to deceive, that I have long since deter- 

 mined to believe no statement, which a man has not verified by 

 actual and exact observation, and then I am as willing to give 

 my confidence as any man. I could give some of the instances 

 to which I refer, but some of my friends, who are accustomed to 

 draw a long bow, would recognize the likeness, and I should be 

 sorry to give them as much pain as they have occasioned me 

 disappointment. 



But, you say, it is troublesome to be so exact. The trouble 

 is not great where the habit is once formed ; and is very much 

 more than compensated by the satisfaction experienced in doing 

 it. Land can be measured with considerable correctness with- 

 out the trouble of a surveyor's instruments. The time occupied 

 in planting, cultivating and gathering a crop can easily be taken 

 account of The manure cart can be measured, and then an 

 account kept of the number of loads carried out. The seed 

 can easily be measured. All vegetable crops, all grain crops 

 are very quickly measured. Hay can easily be estimated in the 

 cock or in the load, and the number of loads determined ; or the 

 size of a mow ascertained, and the amount of hay contained in it 

 very nearly calculated. Then again, the amount of food con- 

 sumed by different animals for a week at a time, at different 

 seasons, can be ascertained with very little trouble ; and a cal- 

 culation of the whole amount required for them be made from 

 these premises. The quality of the milk of a cow can easily 

 be decided by setting a portion of it for cream in a glass vessel, 

 and comparing it with others in the same way and under the 

 same circumstances ; or the milk of a particular animal can be 

 placed by itself for a period of time, and her actual produce 

 determined. All dairy produce is easily ascertained. The 

 debit and credit sides of your sheepfold too, and of your pig-sty, 

 where let me tell you exactness is specially important, are 

 •asily kept. All these things ought to be done ; and, I say 



