30 Agricultural Address. 
elevate his occupation in popular respect to the dignity of a pro- 
fession. And all these events prepared the collective mind for 
that movement in this state, which for the last dozen years, has 
brought science into large contributions to the agricultural interest, 
and which is probably destined not to cease till it has advanced 
this great interest, yet in its infancy, to its most mature results. 
******* 
The claims of agriculture, and of education, are coextensive. 
The greater the appliances of mind to any department of physical 
labor, the greater the results. Misdirected animal force is worse 
than fruitless. It is an irreparable waste of strength, with an 
utterly inadequate compensation. But mind, well-trained and in- 
formed mind, can control physical energies quite as it pleases, and 
never ought its power of control to be so availing as in the busi- 
ness of husbandry. Along with the naturally sound judgment 
which his business cultivates, the farmer needs a good education 
as well as the lawyer, the physician, or the clergyman. The 
times demand this, on considerations quite distinct from mere agri- 
cultural skill. The affairs of state, and the intimate relations of 
agriculture to them, require that our legislators be selected more 
from the intelligent body of our yeomanry. The trade of politics, 
as conducted by hungry office-seekers, would perhaps be some- 
what modified and directed more to general good, if its business 
should once be managed by intelligent and pure-minded farmers. 
But without lingering upon the sad reflection here started, let 
me insist, before closing this topic, on the positive connexion be- 
tween the farmer's education and his position, in respect to in- 
fluence and usefulness, and ordinarily in respect to wealth. Im- 
material is it whether the education I speak of be acquired in the 
schools or in the chimney-corner-:-provided the thing itself is ac- 
quired — the man who has it, wields in social life a power that is 
far out of the reach of him who has it not. Though it be a 
knowledge of things, as well as of books, the knowledge of either 
is gained only by habits of severe application. And as such 
habits are more likely to be secured by the discipline of the schools, 
every farmer looking to the elevation of the profession of agricul- 
