6 MR. moseley's address. 



those, who attempt to administer it. A musical instrument may 

 be made to give forth excellent melody, but it is not every one, 

 who makes the attempt, can get it out. 



The art or science of agriculture, if examined, will be found 

 to be as far removed from certainty as the law. That is, there 

 is not any settled opinion as to the means of producing the best 

 results. Agriculture, in its highest state of improvement, must 

 be the result of long experience. The great utility, therefore, 

 of agricultural societies, is, that they call forth to public observ- 

 ation the experience and practice of those, who have been most 

 successfully engaged. Yet it is not a little surprising that agri- 

 culture, which was coexistent with man, which has passed through 

 all the successive ages and generations of men, which has had 

 the knowledge of this long experience reflected upon it, is yet, 

 probably, in its infancy, and involved in much uncertainty. 



I will illustrate this idea of its uncertainty by taking the culti- 

 vation of corn. One would naturally suppose, that the long 

 experience among us in the cultivation of corn, would have set- 

 tled down in establishing in the minds of all men, some fixed and 

 settled rules as to every part of its cultivation. Yet we find thaj 

 such is not the fact. I begin with the planting of corn. It is 

 not yet well settled, whether the moon has an influence upon 

 vegetation. Some plant without regard to the moon, and some 

 are very careful to plant only in certain stages of the moon. 

 Some recommend soaking and even sprouting the corn before it 

 is planted, others think it does as well without. Some advise 

 planting in hills, while others think a better crop is produced by 

 planting in rows. Some place the manure over the corn, some 

 place the corn over the manure, while others spread the manure 

 over the ground. With respect to hoeing the corn, some think 

 the corn should be hoed while very young, to destroy the weeds, 

 yet others prefer the corn should remain and the weeds grow up 

 till they get to some height. The reason assigned is, that the 

 corn is less liable to be destroyed by birds, squirrels and worms. 

 Some are of opinion that no hill should be made about the corn, 

 while others deem the hilling the corn to be attended with much 

 benefit. Some practise taking the suckers from the corn, while 



