170 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
June, 
completes the list. It is only by studying the reports 
of the investigations that have emanated from it,—only 
by considering the long and toilsome preparation of 
head and hand, endured by those»^orking here, in fit¬ 
ting themselves to stand upon the outposts of knowledge, 
and conquer for her new possessions from the sway of 
mystery and darkness,—only by watching them, day 
after day, laboriously accumulating facts and elimina¬ 
ting truth by processes as tedious and complicated as 
those which serve to separate the glancing metal from 
the unsightly ore, that we can appreciate the scientific 
department. It has been, since its foundation, under 
the control of Dr. E. Wolff, a gentleman combining 
in a high degree the qualifications that are demanded 
by his position. He is at present assisted by Dr. Ritt- 
hausen, and several young gentlemen. 
The investigations carried on here have had especial 
reference to the production of milk, of flesh {mutton,) 
and of manure under various circumstances. A very 
great number of analyses have necessarily been per¬ 
formed, and have been so executed as to command the 
confidence of all capable of judging of their value. 
In a following communication I shall give some of the 
results obtained here, and will at present, with your 
permission, occupy a little space in urging the estab¬ 
lishment of similar “Experiment Stations” in the 
United States. 
It would not be difficult to name several gentlemen 
of wealttj, owning fine farms, fine cattle and other live 
stock, accustomed to farming in a liberal and enter¬ 
prising manner, who thus have just the “Station” where 
experiments could be most advantageously prosecuted. 
An annual outlay of a few thousand dollars, would 
support series of investigations, which, if conducted by, 
men of proper ability, could not. fail to be highly pro¬ 
fitable. State Ag. Societies here may find a field ol 
labor, yielding results not second to any of thpse that 
now follow their useful efforts. 
The Transactions of the N. Y. Ag Society, for exam¬ 
ple, contain many valuable papers, but very few of' 
them bear the stamp of remarkable excellence ; very 
few of them have announced important principles. 
With facts they are replete ; but they do not present 
many subjects in so varied aspects, do not so exhaust 
observation that a generalizing mind can deduce from 
them statements of universal application. 
What agriculture most needs, is the establishment 
of its doctrines —not the proposition of fancies, or of 
facts which hold good for this or that township, but 
the evolution of a general theory , applicable every¬ 
where. Engineering is a matter of certainty; navi¬ 
gation could not exist without a scientific basis, and 
agriculture can only get out of its teens by taking hold 
of all the dim lines of fact and following them out to 
where they converge to splendid foci, standing in which 
one can look back and see harmony where otherwise 
only confusion and contradiction would appear. If ag¬ 
riculture would do manly things, it must think manly 
thoughts. If it would accomplish great results, it must 
find the centers of power. A child that turns the valves 
of an engine, can control safely the railway train that 
an army of elephants could not check without disaster. 
The basis of doctrine will not rapidly unfold itself. It 
must be unfolded. If agriculturists would know, they 
must inquire. The knowledge they need belongs not 
to revelation, but to science ; and it must be sought 
for as the philosopher seeks other scientific truth. 
When farmers contribute to the carrying on of investi¬ 
gations having for an object the discovery of the laws 
of culture and vegetable growth, and conducted by 
minds that bring to their task the requisite vigor, skill 
and knowledge, then light will flood in, where now is 
only obscurity. When Ag. Societies make Experiment 
Stations their care and pride, they will more fully and 
legitimately approach the accomplishment of their 
end, the perfection of agriculture. 
The discovery of new truth and the diffusion of that 
already learned, maybe most appropriately carried on 
together. He that is so, thoroughly acquainted with 
all that is known with reference to every topic as to be 
able to investigate the unknown; he who stands so 
advanced upon the outposts that he can look into what 
lies beyond, is of all the most capable of instructing 
others. The doctrine of Agassiz, that the teacher 
and investigator should be one, is most true. . He who 
would teach, must command respect by an ability to 
impart more than the people can find in books. He 
who makes researches, should teach in order to keep 
before his mind the deficiencies of present knowledge. 
While appeals to Legislatures have been made in 
vain for the endowment of agricultural schools—while 
the means of agricultural instruction are comparatively 
nothing, and 'of accurate experimental investigation 
absolutely wanting, it remains to private or corporate 
enterprise to open the way; and this is no unsafe ad¬ 
venture ; but, with no need of extravagant outlay, will 
bring an ample return. The active minds of Europe 
are united in their expressions of admiration and as¬ 
tonishment at American progress, but here the means 
of genuine advancement in agricultural knowledge are 
vastly superior to our own. How long shall this be ? 
S. W. Johnson. 
We hope the suggestions of Mr. Johnson will re¬ 
ceive, as they merit, the attention of the officers of our 
State Agricultural Associations, and of the enlightened 
and liberal friends of agricultural improvement. We 
have as a people, talked much about agricultural edu¬ 
cation, but as yet have done little to promote its ad¬ 
vancement, and absolutely nothing towards developing 
the true principles of the science of agriculture. We 
had hoped and still hope, that our State Agricultural 
Society would take the lead in devising and carrying 
into effect some feasible plan for the promotion of Ag¬ 
ricultural Science. An institution, like the one de¬ 
scribed by our correspondent, where science and prac¬ 
tice should go hand in hand—where the results of the 
laboratory should be tested by exact experiments on 
the farm—where the multitude of questions that are 
constantly arising iu the minds of intelligent farmers, 
with regard to the adaptation of manures to particular 
crops and soils, the best manner of feeding animals, &c. 
&e., should be decided by the investigations of chem¬ 
istry and actual experiment, could not fail to be of im¬ 
mense practical advantage to every farmer. 
