Address. 1 ' 



but promote that of myriads present, and to eome. Now, let us realize 

 that the opportunity of the New England farmer has arrived. The whole 

 world is clamorous for scientific labor. We arc living, and shall continue 

 to live, closer lives. Competition is to be sharper in all departments of in- 

 dustry; the lessons of the past are more searching; and more exact. The 

 line of demarkation between the cultivated and the uncultivated farmer, will 

 become broader, and as men get rich by the skillful direction of the labor 

 of others, rather than by that of their own hands, the uneducated farmers 

 will have to do the drudgery, the poor pay work, and be employed by 

 those who have learned to think, and can make their head-work direct the 

 hand-work of the less favored. If, as I firmly believe, it is to be the mis- 

 sion of the New England farmers to go forth as scientific teachers and 

 restore, not only the once fertile lands of the West, but rejuvenate the 

 soils of the East, it is time to unfold our arms and prepare for the respon- 

 sibilities thrust upon us. 



The whole country, and our state especially, is aroused to the necessity 

 of having institutions, especially adapted to the higher branches of in- 

 struction for farmers' sous, and we must not only avail ourselves of these 

 advantages, but be clamorous for more. There is no reason why in our 

 common schools, sciences which are the foundations of agricultural knowl- 

 edge and practice should not be taught, why our girls as well as our boys 

 should not learn the elements of a science by which, perhaps, they may yet 

 rise to fame and fortune. Some one has said that God never made a man 

 who was safe to be trusted out of sight of a woman, and certainly we are 

 all the happier for keeping them in view and there is no reason why the 

 coming woman, who is described as bright-eyed, full-chested, broad- shoul- 

 dered, large-souled, intellectual being, able to walk, able to eat, and of 

 course able to talk, will not assist in the management of the farms, and 

 eventually usurp the business of raising small fruits for market, also vege- 

 tables, and flowers, and occasionally give such attention to raising stock as 

 is not deemed unseemly by ladies of the best breeding abroad. And if 

 these high considerations that I have set before you do not win your sym- 

 pathies, let me assure you that education in your calling is the true road to 

 riches. It is only by the ignorant that active capital acquired by their 

 industry is unemployed in their business, and among the great advantages 

 of scientific agriculture will be that of investing in it the monied capital 

 which will be as productive as in other pursuits, and much more safely 

 employed than if embarked in hazardous enterprises or doubtful invest- 



