218 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



Special Features op the Course. The prominence given to 

 the Naturajl Sciences, and the practical element associated with 

 the studies, render the first two years exceedingly valuable, as 

 the groundwork of whatever more specific department may be 

 pursued. Those who complete the course in Agriculture will 

 have attained a good knowledge of Mathematics, French, German 

 and English Literature, besides the studies in Natural Science 

 that have a direct bearing upon agriculture. The study of Botany 

 extends through nearly a year, commencing early in the Spring 

 and extending late in the Autumn. General Chemistry and Physics 

 continue through a whole year. Under Agricultural Chemistry 

 will be considered composition of soils, relations of air and moist- 

 ure to vegetable growth, chemistry of farm processes, methods of 

 improving soils, fertilizers, and other topics which properly come 

 under this department. This course, slightly modified so as better 

 to adapt it to those wishing a thorough, practical education for 

 other employments, is called the course in Science and Literature. 

 This includes mental and moral science, logic and more of general 

 literature. The student in Civil Engineering having laid a good 

 foundation of general culture in literary studies, modern lan- 

 guages, mathematics and natural science, in his Junior year enters 

 upon his engineering studies, embracing the theory and practice 

 of constructing roads, railroads, bridges, canals, dams and other 

 structures, and has thorough instruction and practice in mechani- 

 cal and topographical drawing. The afternoons are devoted to 

 field work and drawing. With the same instruction in general 

 studies, those who take the course in Mechanical Engineering 

 study the elements of mechanism, machineiy and mill work, steam 

 engines, water wheels, estimates and specifications for machinery. 

 They are instructed to draw working plans from descriptions, 

 models and inspection of machinery, as well as to design machines. 

 The course in Chemistry includes general, analytical and agricul- 

 tural chemistry. Under analytical chemistry is comprised the 

 qualitative and quantitative analysis of minerals, alloys, earths, 

 fertilizers and farm products. The students devote three hours a 

 day to laboratory practice. 



Labor, It is a peculiarity of the college, that it makes provis- 

 ion for labor, thus combining practice with theory, manual labor 

 with scientific culture. Students in this institution are required 



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to labor a certain portion of each day, not exceeding three hours, 



