228 THE PHILADELPHIA FLORIST. " [Dec'r 



<r> cannot satisfy him that he will be as successful with a plan the reason r@) 

 of which he does not clearly understand. The groundwork on which ^jj 

 it is based has not been fairly represented, and his mind is not satisfied \ 

 on the matter. In the question of thorough draining, for example, 

 the benefits of which are extolled by many agricultural writers, but 

 the scientific principles on which these depend are not set forth so as 

 to afford convincing evidence ; and the farmer who deplores the parch- 

 ed state of his land during the summer season, cannot understand why 

 draining away the surplus water could benefit it. Yet such is the fact; 

 thorough draining, by rendering the soil pervious to air and the peri- 

 odical rains, preserves the texture of the soil and prevents that incrus- 

 tation consequent on the rapid evaporation by the sun's rays, which is 

 so common on land which is wet below. Agricultural journals can 

 never afford that knowledge of first principles which is so necessary ; 

 the information generally contained in them is of a casual nature, 

 easily lost sight of, even if attended to. What we want is a well di- 

 gested system of rural tactics, placed in the hands of those designed to 

 live by the plough — a system based upon strictly scientific principles, 

 adapted to practice and to the peculiarities of each section of this vast 

 agricultural field, and to each class of agriculturists in that field ; that 

 system to be illustrated by actual practice in model farms, in several 

 localities in each State of the Union. With such an organization no- 

 thing need be feared respecting the capabilities of American agricul- 

 ture ; the soil is ready for the intelligent operator, but intelligence is 

 requisite to preserve its proper condition. 



We hope to see a system of Agricultural training set on foot,which 

 after teaching the young farmer the composition of soils, will take 

 him into the field and show him the existence and characteristic of 

 each component part ; which while it explains the changes and modi- 

 fications of the geological structure of the earth, will point out in 

 nature the results of these changes. While it teaches him the com- 

 position and action of the different gases affecting vegetation, will 

 make him familiar with their physical characters, not only explain- 

 ing but proving the changes they undergo and effect in soils, and 

 manures. Then at length the farmer would begin to value his posi- 

 tion, which is by no means an unimportant one ; and his importance 

 as a citizen would be acknowledged at other times, as well as on 

 "election day," when as B. P. Johnston tritely expressed it, "he was 

 a very important man." 



There has been much talk about Agriculture lately in connection 



with legislation. In fact it is believed that Congress will legislate 



in behalf of the Agricultural interest by a Bureau or something 



L else in that way. We are even now waiting for the action of the ( 



q- 1 United States Agricultural Society lately organized; we hope it will( 



i^9V sdQ& 



