328 [ Assembly 



and each supports the vegetation of a distinct climate." And as to 

 different latitudes, it has justly been observed, that " the sun does not 

 shine upon two degrees on the surface of this globe the vegetation of 

 which is identical, for every latitude has a Flora of its own. 



If a part of this savours of what some decry as " book farming," 

 yet its foundation stones are observation and experience, and while I 

 am willing to concede that books alone cannot make good farmers, 

 and that mistakes are sometimes committed by scientific men in the 

 analysis of soils and plants, which cause much disappointment, yet 

 books frequently aid practice, and suggest improvements the most 

 valuable. Especially is this done by agricultural newspapers, with 

 wliich our enterprising country more and more abounds, improving, too, 

 in quality, as science is more readily applied to advance the arts. In- 

 deed, the whole press, with all its wide spread influence, is, and can 

 be made still more, a liberal patron to agriculture, no less than manu- 

 factures and commerce, by spreading to all points of the compass, the 

 news of every remarkable product, every useful invention, every rare 

 voyage ; and many a heart can be tiius stimulated to further and suc- 

 cessful exertion in these great pursuits. 



Agricultural schools, connected with model farms, possess, like^^^se, 

 one advantage over all other teaching, to the few able to attend them. 

 They unite experiment wilh theory ; and each is thus enabled at once 

 to reciprocate benefits, and pour floods of light over the other, in de- 

 veloping the mysteries of nature. May, therefore, the great and un- 

 flagging interest, which has been exhibited by this Institute in be- 

 half of such a school, associated with such a farm, be crowned with 

 the success it so richly deserves. The general government, too, hav- 

 ing at last organized a Home or Interior Depaitment, will not be just 

 to the expectations long entertained by the public, unless the promo- 

 tion of agriculture should be made one of .its chief objects, and the 

 patent office relieved from one of its recent and well performed, but 

 anomalous labours. 



Passing from the means of further progress in agriculture to those 

 in manufactures, it is manifest that greater prospects of improvement 

 would be presented hereafter in them, if it was not that so much 



