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highest sense, the improver and henefactor of his 

 race. Let us k)ok at this matter for a few min- 

 utes in a familiar manner. Let us ask ourselves 

 the question, What is Agriculture.^ and try to 

 answer it as brief!}' and accurately as we can. 

 Agriculture, it may be said, is the art of cultivat- 

 ing the soil for raising crops for the sustentation 

 of man and animals. Now, who that reflects on 

 what is involved in this short answer, can come 

 to the conclusion that any man, provided he has 

 powerful muscles, can make a farmer ? 



The first thing that might strike the attention 

 of a reflecting person, in the above definition, is 

 the little word "50//;" a term expressing not a 

 simple, but an extremely complicated substance, 

 comprising a variety of materials, in different 

 chemical and mechanical conditions. In travel- 

 ing through any considerable area of country, 

 you pass over a diversified surface, composed of 

 dift'erent soils, from the disintegration and com- 

 mingling of the various underlying rocks, differ- 

 ing in some instances very widely from each 

 other in chemical composition, and mechanical 

 and hygrometric properties. To acquire what 

 may be termed only a practical knowledge of 

 soils, a life of observation and farm-experience is 

 required ; and if we desire a minute and accurate 



