FARMERS' INSTITUTES. 77 



its efforts by establisliing pattern farms in different and convenient parts 

 of the state." The recital of the things which might be done on these 

 pattern farms would do credit to many an experiment station of the 

 present day. "When the pecuniary affairs of the society become ade- 

 quate, it will highly contribute to the interest of agriculture if, at the ex- 

 pense of the society, some ingenious person or persons were sent to 

 Europe for the purpose of agricultural inquiries. It would be well, too, 

 if a few young persons, of promising abilities, were sent thither, to 

 be instructed in the arts of husbandry, the breeding of cattle, etc., and 

 to gain a practical knowledge on all subjects connected with this inter- 

 esting, delightful and important business, on which the existence, 

 wealth and permanent prosperity of our country so much depend." This 

 report made to the society is most entertaining and wise. Its fate is 

 recorded in a single laconic sentence by Bordley: "The application 

 was rejected; by liushandmcn who were principally to be benefited." 



Farmers' College, at College Hill, Ohio, six miles from Cincinnati, 

 seems to have been the first American agricultural institution of learn- 

 ing to attract wide attention. The institution started as a private 

 literary academy in 1833. Mr. F. G. Car}^, its founder, taking four pupils 

 into his own family. "The enterprise meeting with favor," runs an ac- 

 count published by the institution in 1853, "a small detached building- 

 was erected, and with the increased demand for additional accommoda- 

 tions, other, and more commodious, were from year to year provided. 

 The first academic ^-ear closed with twenty-eight pupils; the second 

 with forty; the third with fifty-eight; and so on, steadily increasing 

 every year during the existence of the academy. For several years the 

 catalogue exhibited an average of more than one hundred pupils; many 

 of them well advanced in the classics and higher mathematics." It was 

 known as Pleasant Hill Academy. 



In the winter of 1816-7, the institution was enlarged and reorganized 

 under the name of "Farmers' College." The institution was not de- 

 signed at this time to be a technical agricultural college, but to offer a 

 general training with particular application to practical affairs. The 

 catalogue announces the following faculty: 



F. G. Cary, A. M., President, and Professor of Moral Philosophy and 

 Rhetoric, and Superintendent of Buildings, Grounds and Finance. 



R. H. Bishop, D. D., Professor of History and Political Economy. 



J. W. Scott, D. D., Professor of Chemistry and its Application to Agri- 

 culture. 



John Silsby, A. M., Professor of Mathematics, Natural Philosophy and 

 Astronomy. 



J. G. Wilson, A. B., Instructor in the Ancient and Modern Languages. 



G. S. Ormsby, Teacher of Preparatory Course. 



"It will be seen by an examination of the above course," says the 

 announcement in the second annual catalogue, 1848, "that, in its parts 

 and as a whole, it is highly practical; and that it is arranged to meet 

 the wants of a large class of young men who wish to become teachers, 

 or efficient business men, who have not the time, money or inclination 

 to take the long classical course which is made requisite to secure the 

 honors of any of the regular colleges." A three years' course was given 

 in the college proper." 



A second reorganization was began in 1852, for the purpose of provid- 

 ing "the means of educating in practical agriculture and horticulture, 



