Art and Science ？Diffusion.The sciences， like the arts， may expand in two directions梚n superficies and in height.The superficial expansion of those sciences which are most immediately useful， is most to be desired.There is no method more calculated to accelerate their advancement， than their general diffusion：
the greater the number of those by whom they are cultivated， the greater the probability that they will be enriched by new discoveries.Fewer opportunities will be lost， and greater emulation will be excited in their cultivation.
Suppose a country divided into districts， somewhat similar to the English counties， but more equal in size， say from thirty to forty miles in diameter，梩he following is the system of establishments which ought to be kept up in the central town of each district：？ A professor of medicine.A professor of surgery and midwifery.An hospital.A professor of the veterinary art.A professor of chemistry.A professor of mechanical and experimental philosophy.A professor of botany and experimental horticulture.A professor of the other branches of natural history.An experimental farm.The first advantage resulting from this plan would be the establishment， in each district， of a practitioner skilled in the various branches of the art of healing.An hospital， necessary in itself， would also be further useful by serving as a school for the students of this art.
The veterinary art， or the art of healing as applied to animals， has only within these few years been separately studied in England.The farriers who formerly practised upon our cattle， were generally no better qualified for their duty than the old women whom our ancestors allowed to practise upon themselves.The establishment of a professor of the veterinary art in every district might even be recommended as a matter of economy： the value of the cattle preserved would more than counterbalance the necessary expense.This professorship might， for want of sufficient funds， be united to one of the others.
The connexions of chemistry with domestic and manu&；cturing economy are well knovn.The professor of this science would of course direct his principal attention to the carrying this practical part to its greatest perfection.His lectures would treat of the business of the dairy； the preservation of corn and other agricultural productions； the preservation of provisions of all sorts； the prevention of putrefaction， that subtle enemy of health as well as of corruptible wealth； the proper precautions for guarding against poisons of all sorts， which may so easily be mingled with our provisions， or which may be collected from the vessels in which they are prepared.They would also treat of the various branches of trade梠f the arts of working in metal， of breweries， of the preparation of leather， and the manufactures of soap and candles， &；c.&；c.
Botany， to a certain degree， is necessary in the science of medicine： it supplies a considerable part of the materials employed.
It has a similar connexion with chemistry， and the arts which depend upon it.The combined researches of the botanist and chemist would increase our knowledge of the uses to which vegetable substances might be applied.
It is to them that we must look for the discovery of cheaper and better methods， if such methods are to be found， of giving durability and tenacity to hemp and flax for the manufacture of linens， ropes， and paper； for discoveries respecting the astringent matters applicable to the preparation of leather；and for the invention of new dyes， &；c.； and so on， to infinity.Indeed， it is the botanist who must enable the agriculturist to distinguish the most useful and excellent herbs and grasses， from those which are less useful， or pernicious.
The professor of natural history could also furnish abundance not only of curious but useful information.He would teach the cultivator to distinguish， throughout all the departments of the animal kingdom， his allies from his enemies.He would point out the habits and the different shapes assumed by different insects， and the most efficacious methods of destroying them， and preventing their ravages.It might， however， perhaps appear， were we fully acquainted with the history of all the animals which dwell with us upon the surface of this planet， that there would be found none whose existence was to us a matter of indifference.
I have placed in the last rank the institution of an experimental farm梟ot because its utility would be inferior to all the others， but because its functions may be easily supplied by individual industry.In a country so well replenished with knowledge， wealth， and zeal， as England， there is no district which could not furnish an abundance of experiments in this department.Little more would be necessary than to provide a register into which they might be collected， and in which they might receive the degree of publicity necessary for displaying their utility.Such a register England once possessed in the work of the enlightened and patriotic Arthur Young.Such a register， numerous and excellent as the hints dispersed throughout it were， was far， however from supplying the place， and rendering useless a system of regular and connected researches， in which instruction should constitute the sole object.
