PRESIDENT HITCHCOCK'S ADDRESS. 159 



past course of study, I hope I may be allowed to dwell with 

 more attention, than upon the other relations of agriculture. 



There are three sciences in particular, from which it has been 

 supposed agriculture might derive important benefit, viz. : 

 Botany, Geology, and Chemistry. The first describes the or- 

 ganization and functions of plants ; shows us what curious ves- 

 sels they contain for receiving, digesting, and assimilating their 

 food ; and points out their germination, development, and fruc- 

 tification, and the effects of climate, altitude, and latitude upon 

 their production. Geology points us to the origin and general 

 character of soils; shows us what formations are most favorable 

 to particular crops; and discovers mineral manures. Chemistry 

 ascertains what are the ingredients of which plants are com- 

 posed ; shows us whence those ingredients are derived ; tells us 

 the composition of the soil and the atmosphere ; describes the 

 agency of light, heat, and electricity upon vegetation ; traces 

 out the various transmutations through which the nutriment 

 passes during the growth of the plant ; explains the action of 

 the various manures, organic and mineral, and suggests the ap- 

 plication of new substances to the soil. 



It is obvious now, that these points of inquiry open before 

 the scientific man a wide and most interesting field. And 

 within a few years past, most diligently has it been explored. 

 Fifteen years ago, and the works of Davy and Chaptal were 

 about all that had much interest or authority on these subjects. 

 But since that time some of the ablest chemists, geologists, and 

 botanists of Europe and America, have been most actively and 

 successfully employed in these researches; and as the result, 

 we have the able and original works of Johnston, Liebig, Dau- 

 beny, Dumas, Boussingault, and Mulder, in Europe, and of 

 Dana, Gray, and Draper, in this pountry, in addition to the 

 large amount of matter presented in various geological reports, 

 and the publication of a quarterly journal of agriculture, by 

 Professors Emmons and Price, as well as several smaller agricul- 

 tural papers of great merit. As a consequence, the science of 

 agriculture has advanced most rapidly. Even a review of its 

 progress is more than I can attempt on this occasion. But I ask 

 your patience while I briefly notice the most important points 



