ESSAY 



ON 



AGRICULTURE AS A SCIENCE- 



I HAVE often lamented, that Agriculture, far from being 

 considered as a science, and treated as such, was reduced 

 merely to a measure of practice, and left in the hands of 

 persons little qualified to advance the theoretical know- 

 ledge of this useful branch of learning, and little disposed 

 to improve its practice, by changing the usages to which 

 they were most obstinately attached, or even to admit that 

 their practices were capable of receiving improvement. 



This earliest, and most necessary of all sciences, ought, 

 as I think, to be considered as consisting of three separate 

 departments, distinct from each other; the THEORETICAL, 

 — the EXPERIMENTAL,— and the practical. 



The First, and Second, are at present quite absorbed 

 by the Third, without any prospect of emerging in their 

 proper and distinct characters. 



I shall endeavour to describe the qualities which I con- 

 ceive the dormant personages representing these several 

 departments ought to possess, and their respective offices. 



The THEORIST should be well acquainted with natural 

 history in general, as well as with that of the several vege- 

 B 



