Anniversary Address. 431 



truly, and partly because of this error, for it roused the 

 attention of other scientists and set them thinking, working, 

 and experimenting, and controverting, these teachings of 

 Leibig very soon had an important and most beneficial 

 influence on the whole agricultural practice of the country. 

 The manufacture of artificial manures was begun, and when 

 it became known that by the use of a few hundredweights 

 per acre of concentrated manure, better crops could be grown 

 than by many tons weight of farm yard dung, the demand 

 for these rapidly increased, developing as we know it has 

 done, into one of the more important industries of the 

 country. 



I do not propose to go into any detail regarding 

 the many important discoveries which have been made 

 since Leibig's day in further elucidation of the principles 

 which govern animal and vegetable nutrition ; such would 

 be out of place, besides being unnecessary for my purpose. 

 I cannot however forbear mentioning the peculiar indebted- 

 ness of agriculture to Sir J. B. Lawes and Dr. Gilbert, for 

 their long continued, most laborious, carefully conducted, 

 wide embracing researches and field experiments at 

 Rothampsted. Of these Dr. Voelcker says " there is not 

 one of Messrs Lawes and Gilbert's invaluable contributions 

 to scientific agriculture which has not had a more or less 

 direct influence upon the progress of British agriculture." 

 It is something to be proud of that these, admittedly the 

 foremost and most reliable experiments ever conducted, have 

 been carried on in this country, and by the enterprise and 

 at the sole cost of a British farming proprietor. 



Through the researches of these and other eminent 

 naturalists and scientists, both in this country and on the 

 continent, many of whom have made and are making the 

 needs of agriculture their special study and life's work, the 

 best every day husbandry is no w being carried on according 

 to truly rational and scientific principles. The great 

 majority of farmers may not be able to give a correct reason 

 for this and the other thing of the procedure they follow, 

 never perhaps having troubled their heads about it, but all 



