THE SCIENCE OF AGRICULTURE.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 1003, 8 July 1879, Page 1 (Supplement)

THE SCIENCE OF AGRICULTURE.

The term science, as applied to agriculture, has ahvays been more or less a bugbear to those engaged in the practical work of cultivating the soil. Farmers generally swear by the old proverb that "an ounce of practice is worth a pound of theory." We are not inclined altogether to controvert the wisdom of such a proverb, for it is undoubtedly true that successful practice is infinitely to be preferred to barren theory. But we are not willing to allow these wholesale believers of the good old sayings to " run away with the harrows," under the impression that they hold the whole truth. We admit that the expression " science " has come to be looked upon as a recondite term, is somewhat ambiguous, but a little explanation should remove the prejudice, and cause agriculturists to regard science as the handmaid of practice—at least, of rational practice—in the management of the soil. Strictly defined, science is to know, to have a true and correct knowledge of matter and things, to act and deal with certainty with or upon any subject. Of all the known arts, there is no one which can be more fully developed and improved by a knowledge of all the varied branches of natural science than agriculture. All of us know what chemistry has already done in promoting a more rational system of agriculture than prevailed in the past century, and the valuable discoveries that are yet to be made in this branch of science cannot be foreseen or estimated. If not actually necessary to the practical farmer, a knowledge of botany, geology, mineralogy, mechanics, veterinary science, etc., is most desirable for those who wish to intelligently cultivate the soil, and to take part in the rearing and breeding of live stock. It is possible and true that there are good practical farmers who have a very slight and imperfect knowledge of the sciences indicated. There are men of observant habits, who base their operations on the recorded experience of others, and do not rely altogether on their own limited knowledge. But even men of this stamp, who have been respected as first-class farmers in one particular soil and climate, make serious and expensive mistakes when called upon to undertake the management of land under different circumstances. The writer of this article had an intimate friend who was successful in no ordinary degree as a farmer in one county of Scotland, but on his removal to another farm in a different

part, with quite another class of soil, he for some years fai'ed to make his mark as a first-class farmer. In the first place, during a tenure of twentyone years he was in the constant habit of periodically applying lime as a manure, with most singular advantage, during the rotation. He continued for some time in his new farm the same system, but with no good results, and he was only reasoned out of his prejudice in favor of lime by a practical experiment extending over a field of thirty acres. Each alternate ridge was left without any application of lime; and at the succeeding harvest, and through the remaining years of a sixcourse rotation, not one shade of difference could be noted between the ridges over the whole field. The reason was, that the soil on his first farm was nearly devoid of calcareous matter, but on his second there was a sufficiency, if not a redundancy of lime as a constituent. He then gave up this inefficient practice, and saved a goodly sum, which he found could be better expended in other manures which the soil really required. Another illustration of the necessity for knowledge or science : A ,young farmer of considerable enthusiasm in favor of deep culture, was, on his first entrance to the practical management of the soil, guilty of a mistake, the lamentable results of which were apparent for years after. A field of old lea was being ploughed, and instead of being contented with the ordinary depth, he ordered the ploughmen to go an or two deeper, which was done to his. satisfaction. The crop of . oats, was afterwards drilled in ; the seed sown was of the best and choicest; the soil was in excellent condition; and yet the crop was a failure at harvest. And why ? Because in his desire for deep culture he ignored the risk of bringing up the seeds of weed which had been long ago buried out of the reach of the air and light necessary for vegetation. The crop was destroyed by an unexpected crop of wild oats; and these being much earlier ripe than the cultivated oats, dropped their seeds in millions, and the field for years afterwards was cursed by this result of ignorance. He at that time was not aware of the vitality of the wild oat —a vitality which he afterwards witnessed under similar circumstances. A thousand instances of a similar kind could be given to show the absolute necessity for a combination of science witli practice. While writing on this subject, we have come across the report of an address by Mr. S. Davenport, read at a meeting of the Agricultural Society of South Australia, and we cannot better express our ideas on, the subject. We quote a few Qf his, remarks :

To rationally cultivate plants we need a prior knowledge chiefly of two things—first, what kind of £ood particular plant haa need of ; and, second, whether the soil wq purpose placing it in can supply such fQCS, . . . . Our practice is to put the seed or the plant into the ground, not knowing whether the kinds or the quantities of duly prepared food, essential to the germination and full development of the plant, bo there or not. Our agriculture is in darkness ; and we shall all agree that this, our prevalent practice and position needs a remedy. The manifest remedy is to ally science with agriculture —to first know " the reason why ol[' our operations. What can science do. ijotus'f Very much what a malady physician can do for his patient—discern theillandsi,vpply thecure, and then instruct us how to maintain reestablished health. His professional kna\vi ledge of our organic structure, and of tha effects on the human system of his mineral and vegetable medicines, as well a a, of thq food we eat, tha fluids we drink, and the air we breathe, constitute him a scientific and reliable guide. And so will it result when we apply the light of science to agriculture Science tells us reliable truths of the position of soils, of the structure and; functions of plants; how, why, anc\ what kind of plants will live and thrive oil those soils. It classifies (as you well know) the plant-food after its sources from organic or inorganic matter ; the inorganic matter, like lime to an eggshell, or silica to wheat, being essential to form tho framework of their bodies, and in combination with organic matter to form a sap for the growth of their substance. It asserts that 110 soil is a fertile soil unless it contains at least 3 per cent, of organic matter. It tells us that food-matter may even abound in soils practically barren, simply bee tuse it has not yet been vitalised by sufficient contact with the oxygen of the air; or because it exists in too concentrated a form; or needs other added matter to solve it; or will nourish other kinds of plants, though it starve the kind sought to be raised upon it. He tells us that some soils are barren because they contain an insufficient volume of organic matter, others because they have too much relatively to inorganic matter. To particularise, our almost sole cultivation—wheat: it tells the elementary composition of a grain of wheat, and what substances form the body of the plant, and hence what must be the composition of the soil through which its feeding roots spread for food if that plant is to mature its fruit. And if that soil may be deficient in wheat-growing power, its further knowledge of the composition of manures points out the means of making it fruitful; or if the fertility be there, but its action neutralised by some noxious element, science can unearth and remove that evil. So that by science any soil may be worked to yield good returns, the cost and o: her things concurring. Science adds direct money profit to farming ; and how much mental interest and attractiveness and elevation to farming life are superadded if I, as a farmer, know and take pleasure in ever increasing my knowledge q

the soil 1 cultivate, of the wed I sow, of the mystic expansion into organic life of its apparent shapeless subatunce, of the forma and functions under which the nourishing dements are imbibed and circulated by the yminaf plant, ami how earth, air. and water suhnotpiently matured it? Plant* thus intelligently cultivated b««om« aa members of our family,. sources of daily interest, and form n«w bonds to our dwellings as cur tending 6hu.-< to hold our own and to attract other capitalist to permanent ment of themselves and families in our country as improving practical agriculturists. VVliat wa need, therefore, is the general diffusion of Isnowtedge on soils and ptants, including all that attecfa th»ir well-being, arising from natnra or from human action, ft implies the employment of agricultural chemistry and wide-spread instruction in the elements, at least, ofc vegetable physiology and soils given in the must simple, practi al, and attractive manner.

Mr. Davenport, in his nHte address from which we have quoted, is of opinion that Government should institute a system of agricultural instruction, and cites the example of Great Britian, France, Germany, and other advanced nations to prove what vast and beneficial results have been attained by the assistance of Government irt stteh a direction. The suggestion may not be thrown away on the Government of New Zealand, who have never yet taken the smallest degree of interest in advancing agriculture,. which, together with the pastoral industry, is after all the mainstay of the prosperity of the Colony.