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knowledge once gained, he was then prepared to receive 
the contributions of geology, and to turn them to profit. 
For geology teaches the true principles of irrigation, and 
determines the distribution of all mineral treasures ; and 
such knowledge must ever have an important bearing 
on the economical labours of the agriculturist. 
Again, geology led to the study of great physical 
laws ; and the contemplation of such laws had ever 
tended to promote the well being of man. They gave 
a dignity and consistency, and a bearing to the minutest 
investigations of nature ; and had always been found, 
and often in a way little expected, to have a bearing on 
the utilities and conveniences of life» 
In alluding to practical questions he must speak with 
great humility, and trusted that he might claim the indul- 
gence of the gentlemen then assembled, who were incom- 
parably better acquainted with such matters than himself. 
There were, however, some hints in the paper they had 
heard that morning, on which he trusted they would 
proceed to act, by the formation of experimental gardens 
on a great scale. In such gardens every variety of seed 
might have a fair trial in combination with every variety 
of soil. Every variety of manure might in turn also 
have its proper trial; and out of the combined results 
some practical conclusions might surely be arrived at. 
And when the first series of results had given them 
experimentally the quantity of produce under given con- 
ditions of cultivation, the experiments might again be 
followed out by ascertaining the successive rates of 
exhaustion by the repetition of the same crops, as well 
as the best succession of crops, to secure permanent 
fertility. These were noble experiments ; and they were 
of a nature not to be expected from the practical farmer. 
