Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1879-09-24

science from practice than in separating the
blood from the body. They know that the
blood is the life,' and that science is the life
of practice.
Farmers arenot, unfortunately, accustomed
to exactness in their methods. Nature is so
bountiful that in a rude way we manage to
live without so much PARTICULARLY" and
consequently we are tempted TO despise it.
But no man has ever really applied exact
knowledge TO the work of the farm without
seeing the advantage that is derived from
its use. And he only needs to reflect for
moment to see that IL is the scientific knowl-
edge of the inventor and mechanic that has
given him his varied and accurately working
implements by which farm-labor is so much
reduced and the products OF the farm so
greatly cheapened in cost. If he is man
of sense, he at least suspects that the same
kind of knowledge that originates these
machines would work great and beneficial
change when applied to the management OF
the land itself. It is not the science in agri-
good farmers. 1t is those crude mis-state-
ments of selfstyled practical men, who direct
this thing aud that thing TO be done, which
when done proves useless or injurious. The
editors who rail most at science are the ones
who fill their columns with directions for do
ing this and that; with remedies for SPAWN,
horn-ail aud bots; who advise the planting
of iax-seed in potato bills to keep off the
"bugs," or the carrying horse-chestnut in
the pocket to cure the rheumatism; who
recommend "Grafton mineral fertilizers"
"silicated phosphates," branching corn"
and an infinite list of frauds and humbugs
that take the money out of their readers
pockets with no return. This is the stuff
which we have called "bob-tailed SCIENCE"
and which finds its greatest market with
those who affect to despise real knowledge.
One thing, however, needs to be under
stood in connection with this matter. With
out preliminary, ore lementary, knowledge,
such as should be impaired in all common
schools, advanced knowledge cannot be ac-
Qulrtu. Inc udu WIN has ucNei ltdin tu
arithmetic can never be skilled weigher or
measurer The man who has never learned
the structure and relations of plants can
never understand how varieties are improved
and the improvement maintained, or how
fruit trees are propagated or grown. He is
liable to be deceived by every fraudulent ad-
vertisement of impossible seeds or plants,
and he is the very fellow to whom the peddler
will sell pear trees grated on oaks to make
them hardy" Certain things are possible
and other things impossible. Without knowl-
edge no one can distinguish between them
That knowledge constitutes the science p"
which so many are afraid of. They should
save their fear for the real dangers, the traps
put in their way by the " bob-tail scientists
who are all the time after their money with
quack fertilizers, bogus plants and seeds,
preposterous cures for diseases of man and
beast, insect killers, patent rights, ETC., etc.
they need the real knowledge to protect
them from the unreal, from the Science,
falsely so-called." The best extinguisher of
this false science is the instruction of the
youth in our schools in the elements of that
which is true.