miscellaneous Addresses . 
2 59 
of them shall be pursued simultaneously, though with an energy 
proportionate somewhat to the relative and varying importance 
of each. Little variation would be necessary if the whole body 
of farmers were directed by unerring judgment and controlled by 
one will, for in that case there would be such a division of labor 
as would meet the demands of society, and also yield the best 
returns. 
But as it is, the great community of farmers is only an aggrega¬ 
tion of individuals, each acting on his own responsibility and in* 
terest on the largest immediate advantage. It not unfrequently 
happens that one branch of industry is overdone to the serious 
neglect of others, and in the end to the injury, if not ruin of those 
who have suffered themselves to be led astray. Our experience 
in growing sorghum, hops, and worst of all, wheat, offers glaring 
illustrations of this. There are also symptoms of a tobacco mania 
in some quarters from which it is to be hoped the country at large 
will be spared. There must be diversity, at least as it regards the 
great leading branches of agriculture, and in each of these branches, 
there must be such diversity as will insure the farmer against 
those overwhelming misfortunes which are liable to follow the 
staking of everything upon the issue of a single experiment, and 
such proportion in diversity as will insure the most remunerative 
returns for his labor and the capital invested ; in short, the farmer 
must not only not abandon his fortune to hap-hazard, but he must 
intelligently look over the whole field of industry, and calculate the 
probabilities of deficient production or over production in its sev¬ 
eral branches with some degree of correctness. What I said last 
year concerning the great importance of stock raising, both as being 
profitable in itself and essential to keeping up the fertility of the 
soil, was true, in my opinion, every word of it; and although I 
have not the most satisfactory evidence that my declarations then 
were instrumental in reforming the practice of many if indeed any 
of the farmers of Dane countv, I am induced to reiterate them 
with emphasis, since in these matters, as well as in morals, line 
upon line, and precept upon precept, are the only means of effect¬ 
ing salutary changes. 
We have a very respectable showing already in the department 
of stock raising, numerically considered. But even in this respect, 
