44G Bureau of Farmers' Institutes. 



Even station bulletins, written by well informed and careful 

 men «nay be misinterpreted by one who has no adequate compre- 

 hension of the significance of such terms, for instance, as protein, 

 carbohydrates, fats. 



This brings us directly to the question, How shall farmers gen- 

 erally become properly educated for their calling ? And I shall 

 first reply : Their special education should begin with some 

 systematic effort, applied to their early training. It is a mistake 

 to suppose that if the fundamentals of correct thinking in agri- 

 cultural science are neglected with the youth he will later in his 

 busy years make good all deficiencies through the hit-or-miss 

 opportunities offered by the station bulletin, institute teachings 

 and similar agencies. A few may purchase books and methodically 

 study with some definite purpose in view, but the majority will 

 not do this. Moreover, it is with the young that we should seek 

 to establish a respect for the laws of the material world and a 

 confidence in the utility of science. We should seek to create what 

 may be called a movement of thought which shall bring the indi- 

 vidual into harmony with his intellectual and material environ- 

 ment. 



When we come to consider the special means for agricultural 

 education your minds doubtless will at once turn to the agri- 

 cultural department of your State college. You naturally in- 

 quire — Have we not provided this college as a place where the 

 future farmers of New York may be given the special training 

 which the times demand ? You have, and I can wish nothing 

 better for your State than that this institution shall be crowded 

 beyond the full measure of its resources with those who seek to 

 study science in its relation to agriculture. 



But is it not time for us to readjust our views concerning the 

 place the agricultural college is to fill in our educational system ? 

 When the Morrill Act of 1802 was passed, men had millenial 

 visions of every farmer hanging a college diploma on the walls 

 of his library which should be the explanation of unheard of 

 triumphs over the soil. But we might as well confess, what we 

 should have known would be the case, that as a direct means of 

 widely educating the rural people the agricultural college is neces- 

 sarily not available. 



First of all, consider the possibilities. President Shurman 

 would be at his wits end if there should go up to him next fall and 

 ask for instruction all the young men of New York who are ready 



