36 



guano, or something else, and when they have already made the expe 

 ment once and failed. A great many suggestions which are made 

 chemists are tried by the farmers with failure. I do not wonder that th 

 fail. And, after all, they say, this science does not answer. We wot 

 better follow our fathers. That is to some extent true. 



The first object of an agricultural school, as I understand it, is to coll( 

 together the experience of the best ^armers in Europe or in the world, a 

 to make that experience the basis of their operation. For, after all, t 

 principles of science although certain, if we understood them, yet are i 

 well enough understood now to be in all cases applied with certainty to t 

 growth of plants. We acknowledge that. And, therefore, I would pl< 

 first in the advantages of an agricultural school, the getting together all t 

 experience, the important experience which farmers have had on the si 

 ject of farming, and testing it on the farm connected with the school, a 

 then, if it proves good there, to recommend it to the public generally. 



But as we are now situated, one farmer takes one method and anotl 

 another ; and it is difficult to ascertain what is best, what is correct. A 

 that is one of the advantages of these Societies ; that they serve to coll< 

 these scattered rays, to bring them together to a focus, and to make c 

 what is the best result of this experience. But, after all, we must have 1 

 sciences taught in such a school, and we may hope to get a great deal 

 advantage from it. For no man will deny that the plants which are rais 

 upon a farm grow according to the principles of botany and physiology, 

 far as those principles are understood. 



Now botanists and physiologists have learned some things about h 

 plants grow, what they require for food, what is the best mode for them 

 thrive. There is a great deal more to learn, and we want these schools 

 find it out. 



The chemist, too, can tell us something about the composition of the si 

 He tells us that often a crop fails because there is not half per cent o 

 certain ingredient. There are a great many other things which may 

 told in future. We may hope a great deal from the application of a gr 

 variety of the principles of science. 



Bur, sir, I say that this business of raising plants, as men who conduc 

 farm do it, is a very complicated affair and a very delicate one. I h< 

 been a lecturer on chemistry for twenty years. I do not now lecture on 

 I have tried a great many experiments during that time. But I do 

 know of any experiments so delicate as the farmer is trying every we< 

 I do not know any so difficult. The experiments of the laboratory are i 

 to be compared with them. Will not a knowledge of the principles 

 chemistry help a man in his agricultural pursuit? Knowledge is not p 

 feet yet. Will not such an acquaintance guide him somewhat ? You ha 

 half a dozen sciences which are concerned in the operations of a far 

 There is the science of meteorology, the condition of the atmosphe 

 the state of the weather, storms, sunshine, temperature ; all tru 

 things have to be taken into the account. There is to be a delics 



