MR. gage's address. 



25 



The recent impulse which has been given to the 

 investigation of natural science, may be productive of 

 incalculable good to the farming interest. And all 

 cultivators of the earth should, at least, be thorough- 

 ly skilled in the various chemical properties of differ- 

 ent soils, plants, and manures. Such knowledge, in 

 its application, would prove a mine of wealth. 



The importance of disseminating information a- 

 mong farmers, touching their profession, has been 

 felt in almost all ages, by the most enlightened Gov- 

 ernments. Important works have come down to us, 

 from the ancients, upon this subject. The Royal 

 Society, in England, have given much attention to it. 

 The science of agriculture is, publicly, taught in the 

 Swedish, Danish, and German Universities. Spain 

 invited the great naturalist Linneus to superintend a 

 college founded for the promotion of agriculture. 

 In a new college, in Michigan, a department is to be 

 expressly devoted to this important branch of indus- 

 try. In some of our seminaries of learning, the stu- 

 dents are enabled to defray a part of their expenses 

 by devoting a few hours a day, to gardening, farm- 

 ing, or some mechanical employment ; — thus not only 

 are the expenses of education lessened ; the health 

 promoted; a better practical education gained; but 

 the pupils, as they are scattered through the commu- 

 nity, are prepared to aid in the improvement of the 

 most important of human arts. 



Agricultural surveys, in Great Britain, have been 



attended with the most favorable results ; and the 



farmers of Massachusetts have reason to congratulate 



themselves, that such a survey of the Commonwealth 



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