198 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



greatest perfection, nor the natural sciences relating to the 

 animal or vegetable kingdom, the true knowledge of causes 

 and effects, and the laws of nature, which, we may say, is 

 science applied to agriculture. 



All these difficulties we have had to contend with. Is it 

 any wonder, then, that mistakes have been made ? And these 

 mistakes have not been in the college itself, but, like the tun- 

 nel, in developing how the best work can be done. 



FARM. 



We found last June that the fields of grass were looking 

 in a fair condition, and the corn about the same, and that 

 there was about the usual amount of each harvested in their 

 season. The means at the disposal of the trustees of the 

 college are so limited, that they are unable to make the 

 improvements on the farm which would exhibit to the farm- 

 ers of Massachusetts those evidences of improved and pro- 

 gressive agriculture which they would have a right to expect 

 on a model farm of the State. 



The policy adopted by the trustees in the year 1880, in 

 regard to the farm, was to sell the hay, and also a part of the 

 stock. This course reduces the quantity of manure to be ap- 

 plied to the land, and therefore necessarily impairs its power 

 of production of future crops, unless an equivalent be re- 

 turned in some form to the soil, which, we are informed, 

 has not been done. A long continuance of cropping without 

 manure means sterility. 



We do not mean to censure any one for this, — the circum- 

 stances in which the finances of the college were unf(jrtu- 

 nately found may have rendered it necessary to pursue the 

 course which was adopted, — neither should we expect the 

 farm to pay, as it is termed. A student in chemistry, to 

 acquire even a small amount of knowledge, has to work out 

 under his teacher his problems in the laboratory, which 

 must be thoroughly equipped so as to give the best instruc- 

 tion. Why? Theoretical chemistry seldom makes a chemist: 

 theoretical farming never makes a farmer. The student — 

 after receiving the theoretical knowledge as to raising crops, 

 and the management of every thing pertaining to the farm, 

 which, we think, is well taught here — should be required, 

 as a part of his course of studies, to do all the operations 



