THE EVOLUTION OF THE FARMER. 21 



through all time until now show that all life has one law, and 

 this law, at first merely assumed, by long-continued observa- 

 tions is now considered settled and part of science — one of the 

 tilings which we know as well as we can know anything in 

 this world; it is a law that has so far run through all time, 

 operates now, and, so far as can be seen or judged, will always 

 operate; it applies alike to the birds of the air, the trees of the 

 forest, the floating microbes about, and to man himself; it is 

 universal, unchanging. 



This law is that the only condition under which any 

 species can maintain itself is by the introduction of a greater 

 number of individuals than existing conditions will sustain — 

 the survival of the fittest, and the death of the unfit. Could 

 this process be checked, the species would degenerate, because 

 individuals of all species greatly differ in the qualities to 

 secure sustenance from their environment; and were all to 

 propagate and transmit their qualities alike, the total result of 

 vigor would be less than if only the strongest survived and 

 left descendants; and it is necessary that the aggregate vigor 

 shall constantly increase in order to cope with increasing 

 difficulties caused by the increasing pressure of population. 



The operation of this law upon man, as distinguished from 

 other forms of life, is modified by the fact that man has 

 reason. As his numbers press upon the means of subsistence, 

 he is able, of his own volition, to add to those means. The 

 races which have least of this quality die. It is evident that 

 the present population of America could not live without 

 better means of obtaining subsistence than the red Indians 

 had, or have been able to acquire. The time will come when 

 existing populations will not be able to subsist without better 

 means than we now have. 



If all tins be true it follows that the weaker farmers will be 

 unable to sustain themselves; the weaker farmers will be those 

 who direct their labor least wisely; these again will be those 

 who know least. It is, therefore, a logical necessity that those 

 farmers who expect to live as such shall adapt themselves to 

 their changed environment by acquiring the information 

 necessary to enable them to sustain themselves under their 

 changed conditions. 



