DOMESTIC NOTICES. 



redoubled force when the organization of the 

 Agricultural department is considered. The 

 capital of the greatest, most wealthy, and most 

 powerful State of the Union ; a State, too, moi-e 

 fully alive than any other to the cause of Agri- 

 cultural improvement; the nucleus of the most 

 powerful and influential Agricultural Society of 

 the Union, a society whose annual shows bring 

 together a greater concourse than those of any 

 similar society in the world ; the most desirable 

 and accessible position with regard to the New 

 England States, and on the great lines of com- 

 munication north, south, and west, it presents 

 a combination of advantages that may be pro- 

 perly called unequalled. 



In view of such arguments as these, in view 

 of the often expressed desire of the people of 

 this State for at least the commencement of an 

 institution which should have some special re- 

 ference to the wants of its farming population, 

 the Trustees have decided to go as far during 

 the present season, as their means and the short 

 time available for organization ^vHl allow. 



They, therefore, announce a course of lectures 

 by Prof. John P. Norton, now for some years 

 in charge of the Department of Scientific Agri- 

 culture in Tale College. Prof. Norton will 

 commence his course in the first week of Janua- 

 ry, and continue it during the ensuing three 

 months. This course is designed especially for 

 the practical man, and the subjects are intended 

 to be presented in such a manner as to be per- 

 fectly intelligible to those who have never be- 

 fore attended to such studies. A complete and 

 detailed outline of the general connections be- 

 tween science and practice M'ill be given, and 

 will be fully illustrated by experiments. 



The substances of which the soil, the plant, 

 and the animal consist, will be shown and their 

 properties described. The soil will call atten- 

 tion first, with regard to its composition in dif- 

 ferent localities, its resulting fertility or barren- 

 ness, the means of improving by drainage, the 

 composition and effect of manures applied, and 

 the most economical methods of fertilization. 



To this will succeed the plant, with an ac- 

 count of its structure in various parts, its com- 

 position so far as our crops, common trees, and 

 fruits, are concerned, with the various theories 

 of rotation ; in this part of the course the nu- 

 tritive value of the different crops is dwelt upon 

 at considerable length, and illustrated by very 

 full tables. 



To such statements a notice of the animal 

 economy will naturally succeed, prefaced, how- 

 ever, by two or three lectures on butter and 

 cheese, giving the most authentic theoretical 

 and practical information on all points connected 

 with their manufacture, preseiwation, &c. Af- 

 ter this come the various theories of feeding 

 and fattening animals, with references to num- 

 erous practical examples. 



By such a course the various beautiful theo- 

 retical and most important practical connections, 

 ecn the soil, the plant, and the animal, will 

 inctly brought forward, and impressed 



upon the mind of the hearer. Recitations and 

 conversational meetings will be held in connec- 

 tion with the lectures, for such as choose to at- 

 tend them. 



Prof. James Hall, of the N. T. State Geo- 

 logical Survey, will lecture at the same time on 

 Geology, and so much of Mineralogy as is ne- 

 cessary to the comprehension of his subject. 

 This course will have especial reference to the 

 bearings of Geology and Mineralogy upon agri- 

 culture, and other economical interests. The 

 practical advantages of the connection of geo- 

 logical with agricultural science, will be briefly 

 pointed out in the course by Prof. Norton ; in 

 this course these subjects will be more fully elu- 

 cidated, and the student, aided by the State 

 collection, and the very fine private one of Prof. 

 Hall, will have an opportunity of obtaining such 

 knowledge as will be of much value in after 

 life, whatever may be his profession, and will 

 besides be productive of infinite pleasure, as he 

 may have occasion to visit various sections of 

 of our country. Geological and mineralogical 

 information, when possessed, is always called 

 into frequent action, and gives its possessor 

 weight and influence in any community. 



A course on Entomology, with special refer- 

 ence to the injurious or beneficial action of in- 

 sects on vegetation, may also be expected. This 

 course will be by Dr. Henry Goadby, former- 

 ly of the Royal College of Surgeons, London. 

 This gentleman will be able to illustrate his 

 course by a collection of specimens altogether 

 unrivalled, and exhibited to the class by means 

 of the oxyhydrogen and the compound micros- 

 cope. The advantages to be derived from such 

 a course are entirely obvious, and have, more- 

 over, been hitherto quite unattainable in this 

 country. 



Arrangements are in progress which will 

 enable students to attend a course on Engineer- 

 ing and Surveying, a knowledge of whicli sub- 

 jects would prove highly valuable and also re- 

 munerative to every practical farmer. 



Prof. Cook, Principal of the Albany Academy, 

 will deliver a course of lectures on Elementary 

 Chemistry, to such students of this department 

 as may desire it ,• the course to be both experi- 

 mental and practical. 



It would seem that any practical man must 

 see the advantage of attendance upon such a 

 course as has been dwelt upon in the foi-egoing 

 portion of this circular. Science is brought 

 forward and inculcated, not to supersede prac- 

 tice, but in its aid The information given is 

 upon points which are really of vital importance, 

 a knowledge of which ought to be looked upon 

 as absolutely essential to every farmer. These 

 lectures, too, come at a period of the year when 

 comparatively little is doing on the farm, and 

 may thus be attended without neglecting any 

 material interest. 



The importance to a young man of thus re 

 siding for a time within the atmosphere 

 literary institution, can scarcely be over 

 ted. He comes in contact with others w 



