PREFACE 



The greatest difficulty in the teaching of agricul- 

 ture is to tell what agriculture is. To the scientist. 

 agriculture has been largely an application of the 

 teachings of agricultural chemistry; to the stockman, 

 it is chiefly the raising of animals ; to the horticul- 

 ^ turist, it may be fruit-growing, flower-growing, or 

 a nursery business ; and everyone, since the establish- 

 ment of the agricultural colleges and experiment 

 stations, is certain that it is a science. The fact 

 is, however, that agriculture is pursued primarily 

 | for the gaining of a livelihood, not for the extension 

 knowledge: it is, therefore, a business, not a sci- 



sS 



But at every point, a knowledge of science aids 

 the business. It is on the science side that the 

 ^experimenter is able to help the farmer. On the 

 business side the farmer must rely upon himself ; for 

 *The person who is not a good business man cannot 

 <; Sb.e a good farmer, however much he may know of 

 ""^science. These statements are no disparagement of 

 science, for, in these days, facts of science and scien- 

 tific habits of thought are essential to the best 

 farming: but they are intended to emphasize the 



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