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be something to say in favour of such, a training for farming 

 in England, where the system of agriculture is highly 

 artificial, and a knowledge of chemistry, rotation of crops, 

 etc., is essential ; but in America, where agriculture is of a 

 more simple character, the time and money so spent, even 

 if the tuition is good, would be more or less thrown away, 

 and at the end of twelve months less would be known 

 about the real work of the farm than if a pupil had com- 

 menced to plouo^h, and plant, and attend to stock under the 

 watchful eye of an experienced practical farmer. If this 

 course be gone through at all, it should follow a practical 

 training on a farm, and then it should rather bo at one of 

 the numerous agfricultural colleges founded by the respec- 

 tive States or Provinces in which they are situated, and 

 which are usually ably conducted by efficient professors, 

 than at private establishments started as mere speculations. 



Both of the above plans, however, entail a heavy annual 

 outlay for board and other serious items incidental to living 

 in town, whilst the pupil's labour is in the meantime un- 

 productive, and he neither acquires habits of self-reliance 

 nor becomes self-supporting; nor is it, we believe, desirable 

 that young men should associate in large numbers either 

 on farms or in the so-called colleges of those whose chief 

 income is derived from taking papils ; they would be under 

 a more healthy influence and better control when placed 

 singly under the care of a practical farmer, whose income 

 was derived from the profits of his farm, and where the 

 best opportunities are offered for practical instruction and 

 future advancement, with the imposed obligation to work, 

 which would ensure regular habits of industry. 



We believe that the preliminary training we recommend 

 is based upon right principles, and would prove of real and 

 lasting benefit to the pupil, making him self-reliant and 

 independent, and enabling him to do well in any depart- 

 ment of agriculture, and in any State in which he may 

 settle. We purpose, therefore, to follow in the future the 

 system we have adopted in the past. It would be easy, 

 perhaps, for us to send out more young men than we do, if 

 we felt at liberty to offer a less laborious life to sons, even 

 though at a greater cost to their parents ; but this, we are 



