238 STATE BOARD OF AGEICULTURE. 



within the past twenty years than in the half century preceding ; we have here 

 and there a farmers' chib ; county district, and State agricultural societies with 

 their fairs are very generally organized ; we have subordinate, State, and 

 national granges ; our Department of Agriculture at Washington ; State Boards 

 of Agriculture in many of the States, and in quite a number of the States Agri- 

 cultural Colleges, to the appreciation and support of which the farmers of the 

 country are coming forward as they have not heretofore, and in this State we 

 have inaugurated Farmers' Institutes, the number of which we hope to see 

 hereafter increased, and from which we expect great advantages to accrue. 



With these few opening remarks, I have the honor and pleasure of introducing 

 to this audience President Abbot, of the Michigan State Agricultural College, 

 who will now address you. 



Secretary E. G. Baird gave an address on the ''Farmer's Home." See lec- 

 tures and addresses at the close of this record of the Institutes. 



After an essay on "Farm Buildings" by E. C. Warner, the manuscript of 

 Avhich has not been furnished us, Mr. Burke Spencer read the following paper on 



''the application of KXOWLEL'GE. 



>} 



That the pursuit of agriculture was originally intended by our creator as the 

 principal pursuit of man needs no argument of mine to establish. That the 

 material wealth of the world lies hidden in tlie bosom of the earth, and that the 

 farmer is the humble instrument in calling it forth and presenting it in useful 

 forms to his fellow men, is equally plain. 



A class of men to whom is committed so important a work as the feeding and 

 clothing of earth's countless thousands ought to have every advantage that skill, 

 science, and learning can bestow. In a country like ours, where large educa- 

 tional advantages are presented to all ; and the farmers usually being the pro- 

 prietors of the estates upon which they labor, they ought to be the most intelli- 

 gent, prosperous, and hap2iy people upon earth. Yet we have reason to believe 

 there are instances where this is not the case. A business may present the 

 largest inducements and pay the largest profits to intelligent and experienced 

 workmen where ignorant and bad managers Avould signally fail. Since slave 

 labor has been abolished and the genial influences of our agricultural schools 

 and colleges are being felt throughout our land, agriculture has become highly 

 respectable, and at the same time is considered a healthy and profitable pursuit. 



The opinion once prevailed to some extent that a son who was expected to 

 follow tlie pursuit of agriculture required but a very limited education. If he 

 could read, write, add, multipl}^, and subtract, it was thought to be a large 

 investment in knowledge and amply sufficient for his future occupation. We 

 think these limited views very erroneous. We believe we should educate a 

 young man as thoroughly for his j^rofession as a farmer as we would for the bar 

 or any of the so-called learned professions. And young men thus educated, 

 disciplined and jirepared for their business will rank in usefulness, intelligence, 

 and ability with those of any other pursuit. 



As there may be some difference of oj^inion in regard to what studies are 

 really necessary for a youth that exjiects to be a farmer, we will say in the first 

 place he should have a good English education, in order that he may express 

 his views clearly and concisely, and in such a manner that it would be imjjossi- 

 ble for any one to attach any other meaning to his language than that which he 

 intends to convey. Then the knowledge he may gain he can impart to other& 



