No. 6. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 379 



luoi-e prosperous and inlcrrsliii}; life. By moans of these scientific 

 helps we are making progress such as the world has never seen in all 

 I he centuries llial have preceded us, and the development of science 

 applied to agricultural pursuits, accounts for what we have accom- 

 .plishcd in the last 50 years. 



And now, if we are to continue to progress in the future, what 

 must we do? The same principle that has controlled in all the past, 

 is going to control in all the future. Our advancement is going to be 

 just in proportion as we ourselves know more of the needs with 

 which we deal, ^^'e Avill be depending in the future, as we have been 

 in the past, upon the development of scientific knowledge for pro- 

 gress in our art. It follows, therefore, that we as teachers of agri 

 culture, as leaders in agricultural progress, must be informed. 



This brings me to the particular thought that I want to present to 

 the lecturers, to the directors of the local institutes, to the State 

 Board and to all of us to-day. We must be students of science. 

 We must be familiar with the sciences that relate to our calling 

 or else we are unfit, and shall be unfit for the position that we 

 occupy as teachers of others, and the moment we cease to be 

 students of the science of agriculture, we had better resign our posi- 

 tions and leave our places to those who are willing to study and 

 inform themselves as to wiiat is needed in the agricultural world. 

 And so I am thankful to have the opportunity to-day of speaking 

 to the teachers of agriculture, and to the leaders of agricultural 

 thought in Pennsylvania, for it is upon these leaders that the 

 burden of the future must come, and it is to the leaders that the 

 great- public must look f oi- suggestion and help. If agriculture is 

 to progress, it will be because you progress, and because in an un- 

 selfish and devoted wav vou are willing to bestow the results of 

 your labors, along scientific lines, for the benefit of your fellow- 

 men. 



Whilst in some states the Farmers' Institute work has scarcely 

 started, in some not at all, nevertheless, the movement has assumed 

 great proportions. Last year over 2,700 Institutes were held, and 

 over 800,000 peojde assembled in institute halls in the United States. 

 In this work have been engaged some of the most capable men the 

 country has. Indeed it has come to this, as you well know in Penn- 

 sylvania, that no common lecturer can stand before an audience, 

 acceptably, in this State. He must have studied the subject that he 

 professes to teach, and must be able to present it in a forceful, in- 

 teresting and applicable way. 



And now. you want to know what tlie Department of Agriculture 

 at W^asliington proposes to do for the assistance of those who are 

 engaged in institute w-ork. In a general way, I can say that the De- 

 partment proposes ''to keep school." It has recognized in the 



