216 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



that the trustees have ah-eady incurred a debt of $20,000, to 

 meet the deficit. The longer the present system continues, of 

 course the greater this deficit will become ; and apparently it 

 can be extinguished only by a new legislative appropriation, 

 or by private munificence. The present time does not give 

 much encouragement to confidently expect either. The Com- 

 mittee therefore thought it not unworthy of consideration how 

 the expenses of the institution can be safely diminished and 

 the receipts increased. 



The " leading object " of the College is, as its charter 

 declares, "to teach such branches of learning as are related 

 to agriculture and the mechanic arts, in order to promote the 

 liberal and practical education of the industrial classes, in the 

 several pursuits and professions of life." From this it seems 

 that the primary purpose was to give to farmers' sons and 

 others of the industrial class such useful and practical train- 

 ing as would best fit them for their contemplated pursuits in 

 life. Other branches of scientific and even classical study 

 might also be pursued, but apparently they were, in the mind 

 of the legislature, but auxiliary to the main purpose of this 

 particular school. Without saying whether one course of 

 study is more or less important as a general rule in society, 

 this institution was not founded as a classical, a medical, or a 

 theological school, but simply as an agricultural college. 



If retrenchment, therefore, is necessary in any particular 

 department of the institution, it seemed to your Committee 

 deserving of consideration whether it should not commence 

 with the less vital parts of the system, and whether the pro- 

 fessorship of mental, moral and social science, and that of 

 veterinary science, could not be temporarily dispensed with, 

 at least until the institution was on a stronsfer foundation. 



The Committee make this suggestion the less reluctantly, 

 since in their opinion the studies pursued under these instruct- 

 ors are not absolutely necessary to the practical education of 

 the agriculturist, and the time thus spent could be profitably 

 devoted to other pursuits. 



AGRICULTURAL SCHOLARSHIP. 



2. How can the income be increased? One method would 

 be to require every agricultural society in the State, which 



