10 
Introductory Paper . 
tion would increase the agricultural wealth of the Colony ; 
while the lateness of its introduction, and the infre¬ 
quency and slowness with which the first example has 
been followed, afford striking evidence of the difficulty 
with which men can be brought to change their estab¬ 
lished customs, even when obvious circumstances im¬ 
peratively require that such a change should be made. 
From these considerations it is plain that many obsta- . 
cles have to be overcome ; and much time must elapse 
before any great progress can be made in adapting the 
alien habits of Colonial communities, like those of Aus¬ 
tralia, to the peculiarities of their new' situation, so as to 
draw out from it the natural advantages with which it is 
stored. In facilitating and speeding forward the attain¬ 
ment of this important end, the knowledge conveyed 
through the medium of a Scientific Journal upon subjects 
of local interest must be highly beneficial to a young 
colony. The large and comprehensive views of Science 
come naturally in aid of the narrow and merely tentative 
efforts of individual experience. By investigating and 
pointing out the difference between his present and 
former circumstances, it shows the Colonist the necessity 
of changing his mode of operating upon Nature in 
order to elicit her latent resources. And by bringing 
under his notice the plans and contrivances which have 
been used with greatest success in the countries most 
resembling his own, it may do him the valuable service 
of carrying him nearer to his object, though it fail 
in enabling him absolutely to reach it. 
But Agriculture is not the only subject in reference to 
which the diffusion of scientific information might be 
immediately conducive to the advantage of Colonial 
society. Climate, for example, is known to exert a power¬ 
ful control over both the body and the mind of man. 
Whatever, therefore, w T ould serve to throw r light upon 
