1883.] THE PARMER AND HIS FAMILY, 183 



only in name, from the lack of patronage. But you have an ex- 

 cellent agricultural school in your midst, almost unique, and within 

 easy reach are the agricultural colleges of other States. These 

 institutions the farmers of the present day cannot afford to neg- 

 lect. Specially deserving the support and patronage of farmers, 

 and peculiarly pleasant and profitable places for the sons of farmers 

 to study, they are not exclusively for the education of farmers, by 

 any means. Think of the many occupations closely related to 

 agriculture, to follow which with intelligence those engaging in 

 them need to be well acquainted with all farming interests. 



It is the height of folly to object to agricultural colleges and 

 schools because among their graduates are found some who never 

 engage in farming. This is a direct benefit to agriculture, in 

 scattering through all the varied pursuits of life men who know 

 what agriculture is and what it needs. 



The numerous classical colleges and professional schools have 

 been expressly founded and directed to educate men away from the 

 farm — turn them into other pursuits — and so thoroughly have they 

 done this work, that among their graduates few will be found to 

 acknowledge having any interest in agriculture, or any acquaint- 

 ance with it. On the contrary, the agricultural colleges, although 

 not founded solely to make farmers, certainly do educate towards 

 the farm, and wherever you find one of their graduates, whatever 

 may be ftis employment or position, you are sure to find a friend 

 of farmers and all farming. And let me say that, next to the 

 right bearing of farmers themselves, the thing most needed by 

 agriculture to-day, to raise it to the place it ought to hold in the 

 estimation of all, is the true friendship and active sympathy with 

 our great farming interests, of those who are engaged in other 

 pursuits. 



When the question is raised how farmers are to provide them- 

 selves and their children with any considerable part of the education 

 indicated, a new field for discussion is opened, manifestly too wide 

 to be gone over in this paper. Only a few hints can be given. 

 The farmers of the present generation can do much toward making 

 up for the lack of opportunities in the past by availing themselves 

 of those of the present. They should first work less and read and 

 think more. It pays to "hire hands" and save a head, on a farm. 

 Make time, too, by a free use of the best labor-saving implements, 

 and devote the time saved to reading more of the agricultural and 



