SECRETARY'S REPORT. 55 



corn crops there was very interesting. From one hundred to 

 one hundred and thirteen bushels of corn to the acre were raised 

 in many instances, and in one case sixteen acres were raised 

 without manure, averaging one hundred bushels to the acre, 

 and costing ten cents per bushel. The luxuriant growth of 

 such corn was well described. The potato crop in Berkshire 

 had been successful the last season, three hundred and eighty 

 bushels to the acre having been raised on large tracts of land. 

 Mr. Perkins recommended, very justly, the raising of oats and 

 barley, mixed, for fodder. 



Dr. Hartwell followed Mr. Perkins, in an interesting account 

 of his method of raising corn. He would plant his corn three 

 with forty cart-loads of manure to the acre. He could raise 

 manured feet apart in hills, making 3,555 hills to the acre ; and he 

 in this way eighty bushels of corn to the acre, at a cost of $15. 

 He found it easy to raise fifty bushels of oats to the acre, and 

 hay at the rate of three tons per acre. 



The lecture of Professor Agassiz, in the evening, was upon 

 the work performed by glaciers in preparing the soil of temper- 

 ate regions for cultivation. He commenced, however, by 

 discussing the plan of an agricultural college, and the impor- 

 tance of agricultural education. He would aim at the highest 

 science as the foundation of practical knowledge. It was not 

 to be expected that the philosopher, who devotes himself to the 

 work of exploring the secrets of nature, could also take part in 

 farm labor. He must be so educated as to establish the princi- 

 ples on which such labor can be profitably conducted, and raise 

 the mind to the highest contemplation. He enlarged upon the 

 necessity which rests upon us as a people to lay the foundation 

 of our greatness upon sound learning ; else we may be Cartiia- 

 genians by nature, and enjoy a Carthagenian fate. He recom- 

 mended the attachment of the agricultural college in this State 

 to Harvard University. The enjoyment of the libraries, 

 museums, lectures, &c., of that institution, he considered of 

 immense advantage to the student who is exploring the sciences 

 which belong to the work of cultivating the earth. To illustrate 

 how intimate the connection may be between science and prac- 

 tical labor, and how the former may lead the mind of him who 

 is engaged with the latter on to deeper interest in his work, he 



