Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1845-10-30


dering that the mere vapor of heated water should
liz that iron. What care we for his thoughts
VIVA, has all this do with the peopng the interior
Of America or the navigation Of the Mississippi,
the Nile, the Niger, or the Gangesl What il there
is some little vim in hot wafer, what has that to do
with the shores OF Lakes and Rivers in the antrod-
den wilderness Shall Rail Roads exist because
pot lids rattle Yes my friends. the spirit OF the
kettle has rivalled its brother Of the magnet; it
has looked into the bowels OF the earth aud decreed
that coal beds lying there in its hitherto inaccess-
BILE depths shall remain no longer, but shall liit
themselves (not be lifted bu, iii themseyes) TO the
surface among men; it has turned splndles, thrown
shutiIes, aud sent forth TO naked millions the luxu-
ry Of clothing it has invited industry to the mar
gin Of every lake and river II has again moved up
continents still nearer together, and made ferries
across oceans 1t has unlocked the noble horse
from the whippe-tee and has called out string to-
eethcT your whole caravan load il with the cargo
of a ship or the provisions Of army for |, the
spirit Of steam can draw it
What is past of Commerce and Manufactures is
future to Agriculture, for great division Of the
wants or the industry Of Man has appealed to sci
ence in vain Like causes will produce like ef-
fec,s such things as have happened will occur
again.
When speak Of the future progress OF ngricul-
ture. ! am perfectly willing to confess that expect
results every way as brilliant those which have
been mentioned. But let me not be misunder-
stood. |, is not by any one sudden Millerite as
cension that Agriculture is to be elevated ii was
not so with the Magnet or the Steam Engine
They we're the growth Of centuries and are pIoba-
bly, destined TO grow for centuries TO come. Ii is
seldom that great advances in human knowledge
are Of that sudden kind. Inspiration itself was
sometimes gradual. The young Jewish Prophet,
you remember. was three times called and three
times answered here am L. Shall Agriculture
expect more favorl Wha, mean is. that Agri-
culture is now called Science has already been
applied with energy to Commerce and Manufac-
lures, including the Mechanic arts, aud the time
has come for the same thing to be done in this
third aud last, aud greatest division Of human in
dustry. need not labor to prove this. You have
heard it, seen it, felt it, that for the last twenty-five
years Agriculture and Science have been calling
aloud for each other, and the votaries of one and
of both have that these twain were hereafter
TO be one
But what is this problem Of which we are speak.
ing-what is expected of Scencel What is TO
happen to Agriculture. Am sufficiently expIic-
ii; ifnoi, it is easy TO become So.
Let us take for example field of that noblest Of
all plants, Indian Corn. Who is there that has not
looked on such field admired il as a whole, and
on closer scrutiny found some one stem or cluster
of stalks with IFS treble and quadruple burthen (!
Such person has the problem before him. Let
science tell me Ill the which make that
plant differ from its fellows, and the problem, so
far one variety is concerned, is solved. Let me
know all those causes and know them accurately
and thoroughly, and | will have field of maize
like that one hill Give my neighbors the same
knowledge, and their fields shall be like mine
This is simple question and Just such questions
be put about all the other products Of the earth
But there is work to be done before the answers
can be given. Slowly, steadily but believe sure
ly these answers will be given. The responses,
indeed, are already coming and the younger por-
ton Of this audience will few years hence give a
far better account of this matter than we can give
to-day.
But if science has heretofore been silent, why
expect her to speak nowl Why expect from the
future more than we have received from the past Z
answer that the tools have not been ready. The
implements with which science will work have
been in progress Of preparation This is an enter
tainment TO which chemistry was invited The
world has been waiting till she took her seat among
the sciences. Chemistry, without whose help the
problem of the corn-feld never could be solved,
and by whose assistance that same question will
be answered, has but yesterday come among u.s.
but she is now here. Chemistry, since she left the
dark and secret chambers of her parent alchemy,
has given to the world such series of brilliant
wonders as it never saw before. What corner OF
the useful arts is not marked by the touch of her
/ handl
What region ofthe earth is not full Of her labor
But Chemistry herself brilliant as she is, must be
allowed 10 do things in her own orders and the yo-
tares of medicine aud agriculture have clearly seen,
and sighed when they saw it, that their turn was
destined TO be last. In other words, that animal
and vegetable chemistry would require of The sci
ence the maturity of her strength, and the arms and
munitions taken in many precious victory.
| lhe reason OF this is, lhht new ullncul'y mere
presents itself; whether in medicine or agriculture
whether dealing with plants or animals, there is
present at your experiment, new and inscrutable
agent, the principle Of life. Something you can.
not see, touch or define; spirit that laughs al
crucibles and retorts, and mocks at your analysis
When asked what life is, we can indeed cover oul
ignorance up in words-we can christen il anew
| and those who wish thus 10 amuse themselves are