SECRETARY'S REPORT, 249 



Agricultural Education. 



By education, in its largest acceptation, is understood the devel- 

 opment or drawing forth of the powers of the mind, — strengthening 

 it by exercise, bestowing upon it the habit of learning, and the 

 power of acquiring knowledge. This is of infinitely greater impor- 

 tance than any amount of information which may be obtained. 

 Knowledge is of greater or less value as the case may be, but teach- 

 ableness, or that attitude of mind needful for the ready reception of 

 knowledge, is beyond all price. 



Education should commence in youth, while the mind is disen- 

 gaged, impressive and supple, and that course of mental discipline 

 is the best, let the particular studies pursued be what they may, 

 which in incidental and necessary connexion with learning what may 

 prove useful in later life, shall best develope the powers of the mind 

 and secure the ability to learn. 



Wlien we speak of education in reference to any particular busi- 

 ness or pursuit in life, it is used in a secondary and more limited 

 sense ; and by agricultural education is understood the special train- 

 ing needful for the skillful and profitable performance of the duties 

 and labors of a farmer. And in considering this, it naturally 

 divides itself into two parts, unlike in themselves, but equally neces- 

 sary, and both indispensible. And the first is tho acquirement of 

 skill in the practical performance of the multifarious labors of the 

 farm : such as the plowing of land, the sowing of seed, the harvesting 

 of crops &c, &c. This is to be gained only upon the farm, by 

 seeing the labors performed, and by the actual performance 

 of them. No more may a man expect to be a successful farmer 

 in this country, without practical dexterity and handicraft expe- 

 rience, than he might expect to be a successful shoemaker with- 

 out practice in making shoes. But this alone is far from constitu- 

 ting agricultural education ; even in the loose language of common 

 conversation, we do not speak of a man as having been educated to be 

 a carpenter, or a blacksmith, but rather as having served an appren- 



