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conteiiii)til)le inudicuin, and would dcuiand vours 

 of patient study and careful observation of an 

 active business life to ac(juire. The «;reat ({ues- 

 tion is, bow, in the present state of society and 

 its educational ai)pliances, a knowledj;e of scien- 

 tific and practical agriculture can be best ob- 

 tained ? 



It has often occurred to nie that in this, as in 

 most other matters, the best plan is to begin at 

 tlie beginning, by imparting a knowledge to the 

 pupils of common country schools of the founda- 

 tion principles of good husbandry. The extent 

 of the information that could thus be given would 

 necessarily be restricted, but it need not on that 

 account be otherwise than sound and practical. 

 We have already several little text-books suited 

 for such a purpose, and teachers without the ex- 

 penditure of much time and money, might pre- 

 pare themselves for the work, which would cer- 

 tainly tend to raise their professional status in 

 the country, by increasing their respect and 

 usefulness. The matter contained in Johnston! s 

 Catechism of Agricultura' Chemistry and Geology, 

 and Stephens Catechism of Practical Agriculture, 

 modified and adapted to American wants, would, 

 if carefully gone through in a country school, 

 impart a considerable amount of sound and use- 



