The Portland daily press., 1878-05-22
Theory VI. Practice.

The theory of agriculture is fully as neces.
sary to the expert as the practice of agricul.
ture. In the preparation of the land, for in
stance, theory teaches the nature and proper
conditions of the soil to fit it to receive the
seed, while practice shows how these condi-
tons may best be brought about. Uniting
theory with practice enables US to separate
the true from false in theory to reach the best
results in tillage. Theory relates to specula.
tive agriculture; practice to the results of ex-
periments. One is deductive, the other is in
ductive; one draws differences from certain
premises, the other works step by step, from
cause to effect, proving all as it goes along.
Deduction takes up fact or truth, and ,reas-
oning from analogy, extends what is consid-
cred true to others OF the same class. and ar
rives perhaps at general principle. Begin
ming with general truth, 1t seeks to connect
it with an individual object or class of objects,
equally connected each with the other, or as
nearly so as possible. Induction begins with
sufficient number of individual facts and ex-
tends what is true in them to others of the
same class, thus arriving at general princi-
pie, or principles, or laws. One is perhaps
purely theoretical, the other is practical, or it
may be combination of theory with prac-
tice. Experiment starting with an idea works
it out step by step practically, by patient ex-
pertinent to given end. Thus Franklin, by
experiment, by means Of kite, demonstrated
that electricity may be passed harmlessly from
the clouds, and, thus reasoning from analogy,
concluded correctly that buildings might be
protected by means of rods.
Franklin is also credited with this theoreti-
cal proposition: "Plow deep while slugeards
sleep" On general principles this is Correct Fl.
yet in practice it may not be so. Upon some
soils deep blowing would not only seriously
reduce the outcome, but in many cases it
would so reduce the yield as not only to leave
no profit, but, on the other hand, bring the
farmer in debt, and, at the sa:e time, seri-
ously iDjure the land for years. Hence the
necessity that farmers study and thoroughly
understand the particular requirements of his
soil; and hence again, the truth of the propo-
sition that agriculture must be experimental.
1t must necessarily always be so, and, from
these facts, if from no others, that soils are
not homogeneous, climates are ever varying,
and the conditions attending both must be
ever varying.
One illustration will suffice so tar as imple-
ments are concerned. A pillow of particular
shape and quality OF metal. may be adapted
to use in ordinary soils, yet in particular soils
1t will not work at all. So fresh plowed land.
as a rule, is the best adapted to crops, yet on
many soils it must be properly consolidated
before the best results can be reached. Thus,
however we may theorize, we may not reach
just conclusions therefrom, but must at last
come down to actual experiment, to arrive at
a knowledge of the best results to be obtained
from given proposition.
In this connection it may not be amiss here
to state that experiment, to be of value,
tnould be made to disprove or prove propo-
sition. Take the case of deep or shallow
blowing. First, the necessities of the crop to
pc raised must be considered; next, the ma
lure OF The soil. Then to arrive at a Just ap-
Pleclation OF value, the crop must be tried at
dlHerent depths of blowing, the seed being COW
at one Uniform depth in all. Here, again.
temperature, moisture and other causes must
be taken into account, the farmer arrives AT
results satisfactory to himself. Yet another
individual, on a different soil, and under dic
ferent conditions as to temperature and moist.
ure, may arrive at results almost totally diff.
ferent. Hence the care that should be oh.
served, and the inutility of experiments in
cultivation, SO far as the general public is con-
cerned, unless all the conditions are carefully
observed, proved and stated.
1t would be well if professors of agriculture
at our agricultural colleges would pay more
attention to this proposition in their expert
ments, keeping it constantly IN mind, that
they should repeat experiments year by year,
under fixed conditions to observe if the
results were constant 1t is only by this
means that facts may be arrived at from which
the ordinary farmer may 60 forward and work
understandingly, from given standpoint in
experiments for himself. Nevertheless, the
farmer need not wait for this. He NAV try
simple experiments at light cost to himself
year by year, and in so doing repay the cost
to himself ten fold, bearing in mind that pro-
gressive agriculture is founded always upon
experiment, guided by common sense
Maine Farmer.