CEREALS. 311 



many here given, with such principles as have already been established 

 by his own deductions. 



Scientific or theoretic farming has been brought into disrepute too 

 by the efforts of amateur farmers with no practical experience, 

 which generally end in failures. Science will teach many things of 

 yital importance to the farmer, but, if applied improperly, it can effect 

 no good result. In agriculture little, and seemingly unimportant dis- 

 coveries are valuable. Nothing is to be dispised which may lead to a 

 rational and true theory of agriculture; this can only lead to successful 

 practice. Practice, founded on sound principles, can be taught only 

 by a knowledge of the manner in which the elements of soil affect each 

 other and vegetation. This knowledge cannot be obtained without 

 the application of theoretic opinions. The opinions of merely scientific 

 men may be wholly theoretical; but, what is science ? 



Sir Humphrey Davy says, "Refined common sense, the substitution 

 of rational practice for unsound prejudice." 



In no department of human industry is there so great a demand for 

 the union of theory and practice as in agriculture. -The book farmer 

 and the practical farmer must now shake hands. They must harmonize 

 their differences and cease taunting each other. They have been too 

 long wrestling and trying to get each other down, at arms' length, but 

 hi the close embrace necessary for a throw they find they can stand 

 longer. So it should be ; theory and practice should and do mutually 

 support each other. 



The theoretic farmer and the practical farmer aim at one object. The 

 latter is employing certain means to affect certain ends; the former un- 

 folding the laws of nature which limit and control the operations which 

 are performed to effect that end. Theory may teach a rational and suc- 

 cessful practice; this last may lead to a rational theory But without a 

 knowledge of the laws of nature, and the action of certain elements of 

 the soil which can only be obtained by study, the practical application 

 of science to agriculture is but the delirous dream of fanatical enthu - 

 siasts. 



The different cereals will now be taken up in the order in which they 

 are named. The cereals, we may premise, are all annuals; that is, they 

 grow and mature their seeds in one season, and then die; and, to per- 

 petuate them, they must be planted once every year. 



