A Few Popular Facts About Diffusion. 31 



tries ; with forecasts as to what would probably even- 

 tuate in this colony; or with hypothetical comparisons 

 of the various methods of sugar extra6tion in vogue in 

 British Guiana. 



Now, Mr. Lubbock, in treading on such uncertain 

 ground, has himself cautioned you as to the usually 

 deceptive chara6ler of paper calculations, and from this 

 point of view alone, I hope to find room for my remarks 

 to-day ; for whereas others have prophesied, I trust to 

 be able to show in what manner their prophesies have 

 been fulfilled ; where they have only been in a position to 

 indulge in theory, I purpose to deal with a6lual praftice 

 and its accompanying results. 



It should add to the interest attached to the present 

 paper if I remind you that our experiences had for the 

 most part to be encountered, and our difficulties over- 

 come, by our own unaided efforts. There was no tread- 

 ing in the footsteps of other experimenters. By virtue 

 of circumstances we were in a great measure necessarily 

 left to our own resources, and perhaps it is best so to 

 be left. Whilst there is safety in a multitude of 

 councillors, it has also to be remembered that " too many 

 cooks spoil the broth." As in the fable, so in everyday 

 business matters, if you listen too much to outsiders you 

 will never get over the bridge. You will be unduly 

 swayed this way by reports from Louisiana ; you will 

 be drawn aside that way by accounts from the Sandwich 

 Islands ; and you will find yourself dumbfoundered by 

 " fa6ls" from Java. 



Now gentlemen, I do not wish for a moment todetra6l 

 from the full value of operations in foreign countries. 

 Far from it. I only earnestly wish we could, to our own 



