36 MR. Oliver's address. 



century well observes, "is a science, which, when viewed in 

 all its branches, and to their fullest extent, is not only the 

 most important and the most difficult in rural economies, but 

 in the circle of sciences." 



Nay, it is both a difficult science and a difficult art, for it 

 comprises as a science, a knowledge of the animal, vegetable 

 and mineral kingdoms ; a knowledge of the chemical constitu- 

 ents of soils, and of atmospheric phenomena, of every sort ; 

 and a knowledge of the mechanical agents necessary in agri- 

 cultural manipulations, — and as an art, it implies a knowledge of 

 the proper method of selecting and laying out of lands, and 

 of their management and improvement ; a knowledge of the 

 best modes of culture ; a knowledge of the economy of live 

 stock ; of the best method of raising vegetables, and of man- 

 aging a dairy, and of entering the market with his merchan- 

 dize, whether as a wholesale or retail product. 



If then science reveal to you new implements of husband- 

 ry, professing to save labor and to increase product, try them, 

 so far as they may be applicable to your exigencies, and 

 see if they be true to their profession. You are not called 

 upon to believe in every thing new, any more than you should 

 believe in every thing because it is old. Try what you think 

 may be useful to you, and let your neighbors do the same. Let 

 the good be put to good use, and reject the bad. In the 

 course of my experience as a manufacturer for a few years 

 past, my attention has been frequently called to many articles 

 of machinery, either wholly new in their construction, or in- 

 tended to be applied to exisiting machinery to correct and im- 

 prove its operation ; — to increase product with the same amount 

 of labor, and by so doing, to cheapen the cost of the manufac- 

 tured article. Whatever, after proper examination and discuss- 

 ion and counselling with the experienced men that assist me, 

 seemed to have claim to a trial, received it. If it passed the 

 ordeal, it was adopted ; if it failed, it was rejected. You will 

 find your account in doing the same, whether in reference to 

 a new farming implement, or to new modes of ushig old ones ; 

 to a new method of preparing your compost of manure and of 

 applying it to your grounds, or to new modes of planting, sow- 



