November i, 1881.] 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
475 
poun< 
the < 
shoV 
h.yso, 
ratioi 
make 
if tli 
the 1 
chain 
prise 
level 
rises 
gnrd< 
Of till 
shrill 
and 
the ( 
the ( 
many 
drain 
their 
With the fairy tales of science, and the long result of time, 
instead of acquiring such a practical knowledge of his 
art. On the other hand, he may set such high value 
on practical knowledge as utterly to ignore theory, and 
to content himself entirely with such rule-of-thumb in- 
formation as he may acquire by daily work on a farm, 
so that however correct his knowledge may be, it is 
none the less empirical. Between these two extremes 
there is, it seems to us, a via media preferable to 
either. A well-informed agriculturist should have ac- 
quired a sufficient knowledge of the principles of science 
to enable him not only to understand what improve- 
ments in agriculture have been effected by science in 
the past, but also to form an adequate conception as to 
that information agricull 
cience in the near futuri 
roved agricultural praotici 
nechanicians, and other s 
ulturists themselves win 
uggestions, and thereby 
f the agriculturist is suf 
mve from 
as to im- 
chemists, 
■ances. 
ible to 
ion of 
Biderable saving this woi 
— £13 a year— for tea a 
cost of tea for even a sn 
On an average probably 
sidorably more, and all 
a few tea plants to thos 
use. A few years ago we 
to tea culture in Austra 
soon have the articles r< 
culture became naturalise 
would always be at ham 
the industry on a scale 
cum - 1 ances of the clony 
to render it probable thfl 
success. 
AGRICULTUR 
ASSOCIATION. 
rtant paper on " The 
ects and its Lessons." 
Causes ; (2) Changes 
espondence from Pro- 
Murray, in which the 
."ill probably 
but this 
Mr. F. H. Moore read au imp ( 
Depression of Agriculture: its Ef 
Three points considered were — (1) 
brought about; (3) Remedies. 
(3) Bemedies.-Mtei quoting cor 
lessor Wrightson and Mr. Gilbert 
latter laments the absence of sound 
Moore proceeds to sum up' what, in h 
to enable agriculture to flourish 
seasons, it can be made to answc 
Charges on the Ian 
only reasonable thai 
equal share, Rents 
is a matter that must regulate itself, 
mure economically used, and labour 
encouraged. We must grow such cr 
the most money ; and the fanner win 
must he able to take advantage of cv 
this age of wonderful activity can gi 
Words, he must bo properly educatei 
some length, sketched out the aids o) 
pi u ricidture, which too often the 
fanner prevents his using, and at tin 
properly limited the direct advantage 
expect to derive From scientific teachin 
of the paper is so much to the point on this head that 
we venture to introduce it. 
Seeing how beneficent an influence the technical applica- 
tion of the science's of chemistry, biology, physics, and 
mechanics may exert on the future progress of agricult- 
ure, it may not be out of place to inquire how far 
the well uifonnod agriculturist should be acquainted with 
these subjects. Should he endeavour to become deeply 
versed in these sciences, he would lind himself 
Nourishing a youth Bublime 
e mm. in otner 
. Mr. Moore, at 
science to the art 
ignorance of the 
same time very 
rhich fanners can 
The conclusion 
rehend is all that is necessary. Let 
scientific men fall on good ground 
culturists, and nothing but good can 
in looking upon science, that we 
d do not realise that it is, to use 
Wendell Holmes, " a first-rate piece 
l'S upper chamber, if he has corn- 
got pie] 
has the 
said to 
get fro] 
help to 
volution 
of man 
lie ground floor. 
iod common sense, 
his patient." In i 
rtaiuty that, howev 
iplied sciences in 
icrdture will nevt 
tb 
* the soil by the addition of the best manures 
of winch experimental research and the knowledge of 
the chemist can point out ; after we have tilled it by 
the most effective implements which engineering skill 
can produce for the purpose, and which are as different 
from the rude implements of our forefathers as light is 
from darkness ; after the skill of the botanist has been 
exercised in the selection of nothuig but the best seed 
and the destruction of weeds; after the application of 
the knowledge of the entomologist in the destruction of 
insect pests — after all these tilings the fanner has naught 
to do but to trust that the great controlling influence 
of all — the weather — will be favourable to his work, 
and enable him to reap a good reward for all bis labour 
and expenditure. We cannot warm the perhaps cold 
earth with the telegraph wire, nor can we command 
sunshine by means of the mighty steam engine. Wo 
live in an age of wonderful life, but our agriculture, 
though partaking to a certain extent of this vitality, is 
still the samo slow, anxious profession it was when 
Virgil wrote his " Georgics," when old Tusser penned 
his quaint " Rules of Husbandry," or when Arthur Young 
fought for and taught improved hiisbandary. That we 
have made gigantic strides in agricultural practice since 
those times is undoubtedly true ; but after all, it means 
but little (dse than that we risk a very great deal more 
than did our forefathers to the uncertainties of our very 
uncertain climate. To use a sporting phrase, we lay 
more heavily and at shorter prices in favour of warmth 
and sunshine and " the eorth yielding forth its increase." 
Goethe's expression of "Light, more light," may v« ry 
well bo altered to " Sunshine, more sunshine " for 
our crops in future, and to " Knowledge, more knowledge," 
on all that appertains to the soil, the animal, and the 
plant, for our farmers. With these, British agriculture 
may once again ho remunerativei perhaps even 
prosperous. 
