260 



FARMERS' REGISTER. 



[No. 5 



which the cultivator of the soil couid pursue, yet, 

 that any certain infallible rules and modes oi' pro- 

 cedure, can at this early stage of the business be 

 pointed out as applicable to all future years, 1 do 

 not believe. But there must be a starting point, 

 and we must be guided by the best light now be- 

 fore us. It is with great diirulcnce 1 enter on the 

 subject to belaid before the committee of Con- 

 gress, being aware (hat I may dilfer in sentiment, 

 practice, and opinion from other more experienced 

 cultivators, and that it may be found expedient 

 hereafter to relin(|uish present and adopt new mea- 

 sures. But when intelligence shall be received 

 and laid before the committee from various sec- 

 tions of the United Slates, I feel confident that 

 the committee will find matter to report favorably 

 on the culture of silk in this country. 

 Respectfully yours, 



Daniel Stebbiks. 

 To the honorable Chairman of the 



Cominiitee on Agriculture, Washington City. 



P. S.— There are in this place, two large silk 

 factories doing a profitable business. 



From tlie Fiaulilin raimer. 

 BOOKS ON AGUICULTURE, ("OR SCHOOL COYS. 



We have thought the cause of agricultural im- 

 provement would be greatly promoted by the pub- 

 lication of a series of elementary books on agri- 

 culture, designed for the use of' the schoolboy. 

 Why should not our children have facilities for the 

 acquisition of knowledge applicable to this pursuit 

 as well as on less useful ones? If education is 

 designed to fit us to engage in the practical duties 

 of life, why is it that the most important of all 

 earthly subjects, and one which occupies the la- 

 bors of a vast majority of our people, is not the 

 leading object of the schoolboy's education? We 

 have elementary books on every other subject; 

 we have schools wherein are taught the rudi- 

 ments of every science, schools of law, medicine, 

 divinity, of fighting, dancing, and of every thing 

 but of agriculture. There is something wrong in 

 the national practice on this subject. We ought 

 to give to the most important subjects, the highest 

 degree of attention — we must graduate various 

 branches of education, by the standard of their 

 relativ^e importance, and give to those having the 

 nearest relation to our most important interests, 

 the greatest share of favor. We ought to have 

 the principles of husbandry taught in every com- 

 mon school and a chair of agriculture endowed in 

 every college. And we think the first step to the 

 introduction of this new branch of education is. to 

 have the necessary elementary school books. We 

 have many men in our country, eminently capa- 

 ble of compiling such works and adapting; them 

 precisely to the capacity of the schoolboy. And 

 he who would prepare a set of works on agricul- 

 ture for the use of schools, such as would give to 

 the boys of the country destined for the pursuits 

 of husbandry, a thorough knowledge of the prin- 

 ciples and the outlines of the practice of agricul- 

 ture, would do more for the general good and for 

 his own literary liime, than in any other walk of 

 science or learning. Let it not be supposed that 



we decry other branches of science or learning.. 

 We are in ftivor of all ; and especially those 

 which contribute useful aids in the practical labors 

 of lifli. We would render all subservient to njan's 

 use ; and it is only in this view that they should 

 be appreciated. Eut it is admitted on all hands, 

 that agriculture is the most universal, the most 

 dignified, the most congenial, virtuous and pro- 

 ductive pursuit of mankind — the substratum of 

 all other pursuits — the life and soul of commerce 

 and manufiictures — the mother of the arts and 

 sciences — the basis of civilization ; and we insist, 

 it is not seeking too much when we seek to give 

 to her own child, the husbandman, a higher grade 

 of education. Whatever description of know- 

 ledge, relates nearly or remotely, to the multifa- 

 rious labors of the agriculturist, should be an ob- . 

 ject of his study and constitute a portion of his 

 exercises at the primary school and the college, 

 and employ his refiections in all the riper years of 

 after life. One of the most absurd and mischiev- 

 ous errors of the day, is that of the lather, who 

 gives to the son destined for a fiirmer, an educa- 

 tion inlerior to that he bestows upon the one des- 

 tined for a profession. The husbandman deserves 

 a better educafion than a lawyer, or a doctor; be- 

 cause his occupation requires the exercise of more 

 knowledge ; but it is loo generally the case, that 

 he is only allowed some snatched intervals be- 

 tween the crops, "to learn to read, write and ci- 

 pher" — and this is deemed education enough lor 

 a farmer! Oh, what a wretched, misei'able error 

 is thi.s — what a foe to the improvement and digni- 

 ty of the class! It ought, it must be banished, and 

 the practice which results from it abolished, and a 

 wiser and better one substituted. Now, however 

 the remark may seem to censure the general opi- 

 nion and practice on this subject, and although we 

 may be even ridiculed by many liirmers them- 

 selves, for the apparent ultraism of the sentiment, 

 we are bold to declare, nevertheless, that the 

 farmer has need of a better education, and he ac- 

 tually more olten requires the aid of more va- 

 rious branches of science, in his ramified opera- 

 tions, than the member oi' any profession ; and we 

 sincerely believe, that if any discrimination should 

 be made in the education of two sons, one des- 

 tined for a farmer and the other for a profession, it 

 should be in favor of the former. Let us not be 

 misunderstood — the boy destined for a profession 

 or trade, should be thoroughly educated in all 

 branches pertaining to his distinct calling ; while 

 the boy intended for a farmer, should be thorough- 

 ly instructed in all the principles to which the in- 

 telligent and scientific agriculturist stands indebt- 

 ed for the successful result of his labors. We 

 could easily show that these principles are drawn 

 fi-om a wider range of sciences, than are necessa- 

 ry to be considted by one destined for any of the 

 so-styled learned professions ; and consequently it 

 would be shown, that the husbandman needs a 

 more extended education. A young man prepar- 

 ing for the bar, is ready to enter upon his legal 

 studies, on attaining some smat'ering of Latin (or 

 it may be Greek ;) and many do not even go thus 

 far, before taking up Blackstone. A short course 

 of reading elementary works on the principles and 

 practice of law, and the student enters on the 

 practical field of his profession. The physician 

 requires more preparation to qualify him for prac- 

 tice. He too, learns the dead languages and stu- 



