218 THE SYSTEM OF FARM- YARD MANURING. 



phenomenon will lead him to reflect upon the cause of 

 it. This is the way to obtain an accurate knowledge of 

 the state and condition of the soil. 



Observation and reflection are the fundamental con- 

 ditions of all progress in natural science ; and agricul- 

 ture presents, in this respect, ample room for discov- 

 eries. What must be the feelings of happiness and 

 contentment of the man who, by skilfully turning to 

 proper account his intimate knowledge of the peculiari- 

 ties of his land, has succeeded, without increased appli- 

 cation of labour or capital, in gaining from it a perma- 

 nent increase of produce ? For such a result is not 

 only a personal advantage to himself, but a most im- 

 portant benefit conferred upon all mankind. 



How paltry and insignificant do all our discoveries 

 and inventions appear, compared to what is in the 

 power of the agriculturist to achieve ! 



All our advances in arts and sciences are of no 

 avail in increasing the conditions of human existence ; 

 and though a small fraction of society may by their 

 means be gainers in material and intellectual enjoyment, 

 the load of misery weighing upon the great mass of the 

 people remains the same. A hungry man cares not for 

 preaching, and a child that is to learn anything at 

 school must not be sent there with an empty stomach. 



Every step in advance, however, 'made by agricul- 

 ture serves to alleviate the sufferings and troubles of 

 mankind, and to make the human mind susceptible and 

 capable of appreciating the good and the beautiful 

 that art and science present to us. Improvements in 

 agriculture constitute the only solid foundation for fur- 

 ther progress in all other branches of knowledge. 



We now proceed to consider the changes brought 

 about in the composition of the soil of a given field by 

 cultivation by the system of farm-yard manuring. The 

 cause to which the restoration of the power of produc- 

 tion in the soil by farm-yard manure is attributable, is 

 the same in the case of all soils, without exception, 

 however widely the rotations may differ, or whatever 

 be the nature of the crops cultivated upon them. 



