Year: 1872

to solve the intricacies of science and prob.


lens Of the universe, or control the social


and political world. Little bare-footed,


freckled-faced, bright.eyed boys! they are


now in their negative stage of existence,


aud hardly more need be done with them


than to feed them well and let them grow.


A little further on in life, when they have


outgrown their child-natures somewhat they


want something more than air, sunlight and


food; yet, they want these not the less.


They begin to improve in personal appear


ance, and to become more careful and


thoughtful. Their inquisitiveness if not quite


as apparent, is still as strong if not stronger


than ever. Their eager, observing eyes no


tice everything about them, and they do not


hesitate to inquire of their nature and uses


As their age and knowledge of the world


increases, they become more aud more desir.


GUS Of being further informed, and the more


studious ones eagerly read everything that


comes in their way. But as they usually


have but little time for this, and as their


daily life brings them constantly in contact


with natural objects, the attention of the


more reflective class of boys is directed to


their nature and uses Their curiosity and


love Of outdoor scenes, if their attention is


not wholly chained to the everyday duties of


carrying on the farm, lead them to observe


the stones, minerals, animals, birds and plants


of their vicinity, and little by little to learn


the relation they bear to agriculture and 9TH
er vocatiens. Now here comes in the value
of knowledge of the natural and kindred
sciences, and an opportunity for its acquisi-
tion through the medium of papers, journals
and elementary works upon them. If par
ents, usually, were competent to give at this
period instruction on the different topics that
present themselves to the inquiring minds of
their children, how much better would their
duty to the latter be performed, and how
much stronger would be the tic of affection
which should exist between them


Now permit me to present for your con.
slderation some Of the reasons why these SCI
ences are the most suitable branches of hu-
man knowledge for farmers sons to study,
and why they will best enable them to gil to
perfection their future sphere of action-be
it on the farm, in the workshop, or 10 the
study.


In the first place, they can be studied more
advantageously upon the farm and greater
attainments will be made in them than in
any other. For persons living upon the farm
are constantly surrounded by an almost in
exhnustible supply of natural objects and,
move where they will about the fields and
forests, at every step they will see illustrated
the principles learned from their books, if |
they are fortunate enough to be possessed of
them. Thus they are constantly enabled TO
reduce to practice their scientific knowledge,
and, as old ideas are being continually re-
vived and new ones acquired, each leisure |
moment becomes source of continuous
pleasure and improvement. And the ease
with which an interesting cabinet of speci-
mems may be collected upon the farm or in
the immediate neighborhood, enables them to
pursue their studies during the long winter
evenings with pleasure and profit. Further
more, as young persons, especially farmers
boys, will make greater progress in acquiring
knowledge when theideas are introduced to the
mind through the medium of the observing
faculties they will make more progress in
these physical studies than in those of more
metaphysical cast which exercise the reflec-
tion in greater degree.


Secondly, these studies will best fit farmers
sons for the sphere they will occupy in after
life. Phrenologists claim that the mind
consists Of various faculties, each of which
has corresponding organ in the brain, which
may be increased or diminished in strength
according as it is exercised or disused. The
study Of the natural sciences will exercise
the observing faculties-indviduali form,
size, weight, color, &C., more than any 9TH
ers, excepting, perhaps, memory and compar-
ison. Now these are just the organs that
should be developed in the crania of farm
ers, for agriculture like mechanics is based
upon observation and experiment; and the
success of farmers in their calling depends in
a great measure on the exercise of close OBJ
servation and discriminating judgment.
These pleasing studies pursued by farmers
boys at an early age will cultivate habits of
close observation which will be invaluable to
them in after life. Further these sciences
lie at the base of the art of tiling the soil,
and the time is coming when the agricultur-
ist who is not possessed Of at least the ee-
ments of these sciences, will be behind the
age in which he lives. Zoology, botany
geology and chemistry have been termed the
corner-stones of agriculture, by some one
Pursuing the metaphor We may affirm that
entomology, ornithOlogy, &C., are scarcely
less important stones in its foundation.
Through the labors of Humbolt, Agassiz,
Gould, Gray, Davy, Faraday, Johnston,
Liebig, and host of their brother SCIENTISTS
what an immense amount Of benefit has &C,
crued to agriculturists as we'll as to artists
and Manufacturers And how much is yearly
being done for farmers by hundreds of eager
students of the natural sciences


1t is not necessary or advisable that farm
ers' sons should thoroughly master these
sciences, but knowledge of the chief prin-
cipleS will be almost indispensable to them,
even though they eschew farm pursuits and