28 ANNUAL REPORT OF NEW-YORK. 



a remedy. Such remedy in part is to be found here^ in this circle^ 

 at this fair. The tendency of every thing here is to bring out in 

 prominence this grand feature of all our arguments in favor of 

 personal labor — to give it a distinct prominence. 



This great gathering of the farmers of this great State in itself 

 dignifies and elevates the labor of which it is but the exponent. 

 The county societies, in their fairs, their discussions, and their ad- 

 dresses tend to the same point. It is most gratifying to know that 

 the influence of these associations has uniformly had this tenden- 

 cy, and that a great change in this particular is clearly discerni- 

 ble, where these means have been successfully applied. The notion 

 that agricultural pursuits were not suited to mental acquirements 

 — that an educated farmer was likely to be an unsuccessful one, 

 and that if a man knew how to hold his plow and reap his grain, 

 he had all that knowledge which a farmer need to have, is already 

 exploded. The associations of farmers, multiplied as they are in 

 all parts of the land, have done much, very much, to correct this 

 false view, and to give in its place the conviction that farmers of 

 right ought to he and must he educated. When this principle shall 

 be fully carried out, we shall have the dignity of farm labor truly 

 vindicated. 



This question thus necessarily runs into the subject not only of 

 education in our common and higher schools, but of introducing 

 into these schools many of the simple elements of agricultural 

 science, making them, for the sons and daughters of our farmers, 

 the preparatory schools for those higher institutions now being es- 

 tablished in many of the States, and which must find, at no 

 remote period, a support in every free State. Having already ad- 

 verted to the great preponderance of the agricultural class in 

 numbers, it necessarily follows that in all rural districts, the 

 schools are filled with those who are to be engaged in the same 

 business for their lives. There is a large field for agricultural 

 science which may be cultivated to advantage in the common 

 schools. Many text books are at hand, and the farmers of the 

 country have but to make the demand in earnest, and teachers 

 qualified to impart instruction in the science of agriculture will 

 be found to fill up that demand. Ey this means interest will be 

 given to every department of education, and while the mind is 

 impressible and open to right convictions, it will be filled with 



