MISCELLANEOUS ADDRESSES. 
219 
upon a knowledge that a rotation from one crop to another is 
essential to the successful growth of any. 
It is a fact within the knowledge of every observing man, that 
the average product per acre of wheat everywhere throughout the 
United States has diminished in quantity, and the grain itself has 
degenerated in quality. Acquired knowledge of the science of 
agriculture, improved skill in the use of that knowledge, and the 
greater experience in the application of both ; the ingenuity of the 
mechanic coming to our aid to supply us with such instruments as 
almost superceded the drudgery of labor; notwithstanding all 
these, wheat, the great leading crop of the country, has fallen off. 
Why is this, in a period when the same efforts of science and 
industry in England have increased their crop nearly live bushels 
to the acre ? It is because, while they not only study to know 
what crops, and what rotation of those crops are best adapted to 
their soil, they pursue that rotation with a determination of pur¬ 
pose with which no accident or exigency is allowed to interfere. 
While the growth of the various root crops enters largely into 
their system of cultivation, it is because experience has taught them 
that it is an essential item in a proper course of rotation, and con¬ 
duces to the growth of wheat. Now, while the root crop may or 
may not be congenial to your soil and climate, or may or may not 
oonduce to the maintenance of your wheat crop, it is well that 
you should learn the lesson of experience. And I here take occa¬ 
sion to suggest that moisture is the prominent characteristic of 
England,,and that there is no part of the United States so dotted 
with lakes and traversed by rivers as the State of Minnesota, and, 
therefore, perhaps, no part of it is so well adapted to the growth of 
wheat 
There is a fitness of things in the rotation of crops which com¬ 
mends it to our judgment. It is adapted to our necessities. We 
must have bread because it is the staff of life; we must have meat, 
because it is essential to the growth and strength of man; we 
must have gardens and fruits to furnish the enjoyments of life and 
the comforts of health. The wheat crop supplies our bread; corn 
enables us to make our meat; rye, oats and grass to feed the 
animals which supply our labor; and, therefore, it is a part of 
God’s plan of creation that these crops should alternate, and that 
