FARMERS' INSTITUTES. 117 



teacher. Must 3'ou have teachers in your college? Then give them time 

 to study and to think. 



It is unnecessary, perhaps, to remind you that the agricultural class 

 includes more than the farmer himself — it embraces the farmer's wife, 

 the farmer's son, and last, but in no sense least, the farmer's daughter. 

 By this I mean to declare that not only the art of agriculture, but the 

 home with its environment and the proper nurture and training of the 

 children to take their places as workers, as husbands and fathers, as 

 wives and mothers, are involved in the spirit and purpose of the fir;-:t 

 Morrill law. This act of Congress has a most comprehensive relation to 

 the life of the jjeople. The laws of chemistry and ]»hysics that the farrac]- 

 must consider should be recognized by his wife. The principles that per- 

 tain to the feeding of colts and calves are identical with those that are 

 related to the feeding of children. The outlook in literature, philisophy 

 and economics that are so important to the man, are equally important 

 to the woman, who, as a mother, is so potently determiniug the status 

 of our citizenship. 



It is the industrial classes whose liberal and practical education is to be 

 promoted. What a vast responsibility such a scheme of education en- 

 tails! These classes are the seed-bed of the nation's characrer. Here 

 we sow knowledge, interpretation of truth, sentiment and moral purpose 

 in a fertile and responsive soil, each to spring up and grow and fruit 

 after its kind. Here and there some towering growth in industrial effort, 

 in literature, in statesmanship, or even in the art of war shall encourage 

 and inspire us; but we shall accomplish our chief and highest purpose if 

 the life currents of the people who attain no high altitude of intellectual 

 or social distinction shall build into the body of our nation. the enduring 

 and invincible fiber of truth, justice and patriotism. Upon ycui, citizens 

 of this State, has been laid the duty and high privilege of ministering in 

 no common degree to the nourishment and manner of growth of this 

 dominant republic. May this heritage pass from generation to genera- 

 tion as a solemn and cherished trust! 



FARMING IN ORIENTAL COUNTRIES. 



PRES. JAMES B. ANGELL, UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN. 



While farming throughout all nations in the far East is carried on in 

 much the same way, I will speak particularly of farming in China and in 

 Turkey. 



In China agriculture is held in high honor, as is apparent from two 

 'facts: Firsts the Emperor, who is regarded as the Son of Heaven, and 

 who is rarely seen by his subjects, goes in the spring to the Temple of 

 Heaven to ofi'er sacrifices and prayers. On that occasion, with much 

 solemnity, he turns a furrow in recognition of the goodness of heaven in 

 furnishing the cro]is and of the dignity of the farmer's pursuit. Second- 

 ly, in the Chinese classification of people, the scholar is placed first, but 

 the farmer next to him. After the farmer comes the artisan, and still 

 lower in rank the merchant. 



Theoretically the fee of the land is in the Em})eror, but the people 

 occupy as tenants, paying as taxes or rent about one-tenth of the produce. 



