No. 112.] 473 



Far more agreeable, and in every way desirable, are the 

 victories that we gain upon our farms; for in each victory 

 our neighbors participate, and no one suffers the pangs of de- 

 feat. If by any means we can discover a process by which 

 we can make " two blades of grass grow where but one grew 

 before," how soon we communicate this knowleclge to the 

 public ! ' Thus there grows up in the mind feelings of high honor; 

 and the most successful man among us becomes the most beloved. 

 Few farmers take out patents to secure the monopoly of any in- 

 vention, though most of the improvements ;^U agricultural imple 

 ments are either made directly or at the suggestion of farnrers. 



It would be but reasonable to suppose that a profession like 

 agriculture, which is at once the "most useful, most healthful 

 and most natural employment T)f man," would require great skill 

 and knowledge to its successful pursuit. So it is in fact ; and 

 that a highly cultivated mind in every branch of knowledge can 

 prove its superiority here, is shown by abundant examples of men, 

 who, having devoted many years to what are called the learned 

 jjrofessions, have afterwards turned their attention to farming:, 

 and l)ccome models worthy of imitation ; not because they under- 

 stood the art of holding the plow as well as men who had never 

 done anything else, bnt because they have brought science to 

 direct their labors. 



WHiy should not a farmer receive a complete education in lite- 

 ratuie and science, as well as in the art of farming? 



Before men study law or divinity, or physic, (hey go to college, 

 or to some Ifigh school, and then having by a general course of 

 study expanded their minds, and stored up a largesu])ply of facts, 

 they hegin the study of what may be properly called the ./rMhey 

 are to follow for life. 



Tliis notion, that fanners rcfiuire an education in something 

 besides the mere use of tools on the farm, is uuw taking deep 

 root ill tiie public mind ; ;iiul G(jveruurs are beginning to talk of 

 an Jl^ricultural Cvftcgc in (heir messages. There is a growing 

 feelinu, that the present institutions of harning, upon whicli the 

 State lias lavibhed millions of money, are entirely inadequate to 



