32 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



We think we must first look to the elevation of the common school 

 where every hoy is expected to lay the foundation for all his future 

 success in life. It is a fact, that any boy can acquire sufficient 

 knowledge of arithmetic, grammar, geography and penmanship in 

 the common school, at the present day, to prepare him to pursue 

 any special branch of study to fit him to be a scientific farmer. 

 Now how shall he know something of chemistry? In almost every 

 town, there is a high school, or academy, at least, one term in a 

 year; and for the want of something better, let the young man at- 

 tend to the study of the elements of chemistry for one term only, 

 if not convenient to remain longer, and he can after that, be his own 

 teacher if he will. 



The intelligent and successful farmer must be a constant learner. 

 The lawyer, who lays aside his books, is soon out of practice ; the 

 physician, who is not posted up in every new improvement, will 

 soon be outstripped by his competitor ; and so will the shrewd 

 farmer at the present day find it equally necessary to catch at every 

 new mode of cultivation, every new implement of real value, and 

 new principle advanced. 



With this spirit of inquiry he becomes a reader, and a thinker. 

 He is thereby stimulated to exertion. 



But farmers want models before them. 



It is said, that the late Professor Cleveland, when he entered on 

 his duties as professor at Bowdoin College, did not know one mineral 

 from another. A small box of rocks picked up by him, and sent to 

 a neighboring college to be labelled, was the first and probably the 

 only direct instruction on the science from teachers which he ever 

 received, yet he acquired a world wide renown in that science. The 

 reason is this. He had made a bcgbuiing in the science, and then 

 could pursue it alone. 



Many a farmer will express a wish to become acquainted with 

 chemistry. lie buys a work on that subject, but it is all a sealed 

 book to him, and he throws it down in disgust. Now he needed a 

 little instruction from some friend in order to give him a start, and 

 then the whole difficulty is overcome. We need good models in 

 everything. A model farmer influences all around him. If we had 

 good teachers in everything, we should all be better scholars. 



The practical farmer is in a scientific and practical school when 

 he frequents the farmer's club. 



