298 WISCONSIN STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
—Logs, horses, and cattle—sheep, goats, and poultry—trees, 
shrubs, fruits, plants, and flowers—the thousand things of 
which these are specimens—each a world of study within it¬ 
self. • , ' 
In all this, book-learning is available. A capacity, and 
taste, for reading, gives access to whatever has already been 
discovered by others. It is the key, or one of the keys, to the 
already solved problems. And not only so. It gives a relish 
and facility for successfully pursuing the unsolved ones. The 
rudiments of science, are available, and highly valuable. Some 
knowledge of botany assists in dealing with the vegetable world 
—with all growing crops. Chemistry assists in the analysis of 
soils, selection, and application of manures, and in numerous 
other ways. The mechanical branches of natural philosophy, 
are ready help in almost everything; but especially in reference 
to implements and machinery. 
The thought recurs that education—cultivated thought—can 
best be combined with agricultural labor, or any labor, on the 
principle of thorough work—that careless, half-performed, slo¬ 
venly work, makes no place for such combination. And tho¬ 
rough work,)again renders sufficient, the smallest quantity of 
ground to each man. And this again, conforms to what must 
occur in a world less inclined to wars, and more devoted to 
the arts of peace than heretofore. Population must increase 
rapidly—more rapidly than in former times—and ere long the 
most valuable of all arts, will be the art of deriving a comfort¬ 
able subsistence from the smallest area of soil. No communi¬ 
ty whose every member possesses this art, can ever be the vie-, 
tim of oppression in any of its forms. Such community will 
be alike independent of crowned kings, money-kings, and land- 
kings. 
But, according to your programme, the awarding of premi¬ 
ums awaits the closing of this address. Considering the deep 
interest necessarily pertaining to that performance, it would be 
no wonder if I am already heard with some impatience. I will 
detain you but a moment longer, Some of you will be success- 
