646 
SCIENTIFIC SUMMARY. 
AGKICULTURE. 
Practice with Science, is the title of a series of valuable papers on various 
agricultural subjects, which has just been published by Messrs. Longman 
& Co. The present volume is, we believe, but the first instalment of the work, 
and contains articles by the Rev. John Constable, Principal of Cirencester 
College ; Professor Church, Mr. Warrington, and others. Mr. Constable’s 
essay is upon the question of agricultural education, and in it, while he 
suggests the study of the dead languages to those whose aim it is to become 
polished scholars, he condemns it as a means of “ leading out ” the mind of 
those who belong to the middle classes. He objects very strongly to the 
system of theoretical teaching adopted nowadays in most of our agricul- 
tural schools, and though he disapproves of the practical learning which 
results from apprenticeship to farmers, he thinks that in a properly organized 
institution sound theory and practice may be taught together. It may 
take a long time, says Mr. Constable, to remove prejudices ; but if agricultural 
colleges have their lecture system fully illustrated by contiguous, well and 
profitably-managed farms ; if they persistently open their doors to the inspec- 
tion of practical men ; if they invite eminent and successful agriculturists to 
test the practical knowledge of their pupils, by examining them in the details 
of farm-labour ; on the farm' — not in the lecture-room — where the animals 
and crops are before both the pupil and the examiner, then will it be con- 
fessed that such colleges can teach both theoretical and practical agriculture. 
Professor Church’s paper is upon certain experiments made upon the growth 
of wheat, and in it he draws the following conclusions : — 1. The seed-wheat 
of the greatest density produces the densest seed. 2. The seed-wheat of 
the greatest density yields the largest amount of dressed corn. 3. The seed- 
wheat of medium density generally gives the largest number of ears, but the 
ears are poorer than those from the densest wheat. 4. The seed-wheat of 
medium density generally produces the largest number of fruiting plants ; 
and (5) the seed-wheats which sink in water but float in a solution having 
a density of 1 "247 are of very low value, yielding on an average only 34*4 lb. 
of dressed corn for every 100 lb. yielded by the densest seed. The fore- 
going conclusions are based upon several experiments ; and associating them 
with certain statistics stated in his memoir, Mr. Church sums up the results 
of his observations as follows : — 1. An averaoje extra return of about 
thirteen shillings per acre may be obtained by submitting the seed sown to 
the particular process of selection described in ^the present paper. 2. A very 
high standard of density is not required to secure the extra return ; in 
