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aged. And the truth is, that this is really the case in most instance*, 

 and must be so if it is to be of any use as an educational institution. 



Under the pressure of these objections, and resulting failures, the 

 &quot; model farm&quot; system on the old plan is rapidly giving way everywhere 

 before that system which, while affording abundant opportunity to the 

 student to become an expert in all kinds of agricultural operations, 

 directs his attention chiefly to the principles upon which a successful 

 practice must be based, and which are applicable everywhere and 

 always. 



We intend that, so far as our resources go, our college farm shall be 

 a model as to the manner of doing things. We intend to have the best 

 of its kind, of every implement, crop, or breed of cattle ; so that 

 the student may find all that he is taught in the lecture room, exempli, 

 fied in practice in the best manner, so far as kind and details are con 

 cerned. But we shall make him distinctly understand, that he is not 

 to copy stupidly the whole of what we have and show him ; any more 

 than a student of medicine should four down the throat of his patient* 

 the whole matcria medica of a drug store. We shall educate his judg 

 ment as to when, where and how to apply the improvements we ex 

 emplify in order to illustrate the principles we teach ; and thus, and 

 thus only, shall we fulfil both the letter and the spirit of the agricul 

 tural grant, intended to &quot;promote the liberal and practical education 

 of the industrial classes, in the several pursuits and professions of life.&quot; 



Neither the letter nor the spirit of that law would be satisfied, were 

 we to return to you your children as mere skilled apprentices to the art 

 of agriculture. It is not, and never can be, the object of such institu 

 tions to teach the millions their trades ; and if they were to attempt 

 such a thing, the millions would not patronize them. They will not 

 pay board for their children for the sake of such instruction as they 

 can obtain by merely imitating the practice of skilled mechanics; be 

 cause they can do better by apprenticing them to the latter, with little 

 or no expense to themselves. 



It is only those who look higher, namely, for an education for their 

 children, that will impose upon themselves such sacrifices; and it is for 

 the benefit of such that the donation can mainly serve directly. Indi 

 rectly, all classes will be benefitted by it; for even those who do not go 

 beyond the imitative process of apprenticeship, will soon fall into the 

 more correct practice of their more successful neighbors. 



A few thoroughly educated farmers in each neighborhood or county, 

 will very soon leaven the entire farming community, and to a much 



