Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1871 [PAGE 301]

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293 be accomplished. The scientific man, in explaininglhe rules of practice, suggests a new line of inquiry, and then we have to go to experimenting to modify our rules of practice. Now, it seems to me that this confusion of terms—using the term science to mean practice, and practice to mean science—mixing them all up—ronly retards our progress. Let the farmer perfect, by means of experiments, the rules of his art, so that he has some good data^ and then he can put a more pertinent question to the scientific men for the purpose of getting an explanation of the why and wherefore he proceeds. It seems that this distinction is a broad one; it is a distinction that we must make, if we would have progress in the art we are seeking to cultivate. Mr. Welch—I appreciate the truth of those remarks in general, sir; but agriculture is a very complex term. It covers a large period of operations; and while the gentleman's remarks are true in some of their branches, it seems to me that their truth may be questioned as to others. For instance, as in stock-breeding. Now, all knowledge of stockbreeding, as studied by the student, is, or ought to be, founded upon progress in physiology and anatomy; and a knowledge of zoology is very important as a foundation for progress in stock-breeding. It is true, the art was in advance of science, and that the science has been established by the constant observation of different experimenters in stock-breeding; but when a fact is fairly set down and agreed upon by the various experimenters, it becomes a fact in science. There is now, therefore, a science which has to be studied carefully by those who intend, or want, to be scholars in stock-breeding. Antecedent is necessary to practice in stock-breeding; and it seems to me that the progress in the subject has been largely due to the gentleman's well known progress in the science of zoology. Now, there is another branch in farming. It is well known that the farmer has now many enemies to encounter. One of these is the innumerable hosts of destructive insects that help themselves to his products ; and it is utterly impossible that he should intelligibly engage in the extermination- of these enemies, unless he knows their habits; and the only way under Heaven by which he can know their habits, is by a full and perfect understanding of the science that gives those habits. And the gentleman has been engaged in the study of that science for a great many years. But I verily believe, after having inquired particularly into his whole practice, that he has given exceedingly valuable instruction before he gave any sort of practice in it. I