PLAN OF AN AGRICULTURAL INSTITUTION. 245 



managed farm. Such an appendage as this to a school of prac 

 tical instruction, where the pupils might see and have explained 

 to them the very best modes of husbandry, must be of the 

 highest benefit. To these should be added an experimental 

 farm. This need not be extensive, and it might be connected 

 with the model farm ; indeed, the model farm might itself be, to 

 a degree, an experimental farm. It may be said that the pre 

 miums offered by agricultural societies, for various experiments 

 in husbandry, are sufficient to meet the public wants in this 

 case. I admit that they have in this way rendered immense 

 benefits to the public ; but there are still wanted various trials 

 and tests of soils, manures, grasses, plants, implements, modes of 

 cultivation, modes of feeding, breeding, dairying, and on the 

 effects of temperature, moisture, heat, frost, light, and electricity, 



which common farmers can scarcely be expected to undertake, 

 or, if undertaken, to follow out with that exactness which is 

 most desirable, in order to render the results of such experiments 

 worthy of confidence, and lessons for general application. 



Connected with the whole should be most extensive gardens, 



first, for purposes of botanical instruction, giving the pupils 

 an opportunity of becoming acquainted with all the principal 

 plants, grasses, forest-trees, fruit-trees, and weeds, which enter 

 into their cultivation, to the advantage or injury of the farmer : 

 and next, for making them thoroughly acquainted (a knowl 

 edge highly important to them) with the cultivation of all the 

 varieties of vegetables and fruits which may be required for 

 use, profit, or luxury. 



Such is the basis on which I should be glad to see an institu 

 tion for agricultural education rising up in every one of the 

 United States, where the condition of society renders it t3xpe- 

 dient, and the population is dense enough to sustain it. The 

 expensive plan on which it is proposed here to establish and 

 conduct such institutions, would be quite unsuited to the state 

 of manners and the condition of things in the United States. 

 In their economical arrangements, Ireland has set us an excellent 

 example. With us, they might be made in a great measure 

 self-supporting. The plan proposed for such an institution, 

 some few years since, by the late lamented Judge Buel, who 

 had the subject much at heart, involved an expenditure of one 



