28 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



cultural studies. Whatever the avocation in life, no girl or 

 boy will sutler harm from elementary knowledge in these 

 practical subjects. Austria spends annually $4,000,000 for 

 the encouragement of agriculture and Germany $2,850,000. 

 The amount annually appropriated by the United States 

 government for this purpose is about $3,000,000, to which 

 must be added a vast sum appropriated by States and be- 

 queathed by individuals. 



When, through the influence of boards of agriculture, this 

 instruction in the elements of agriculture shall have been 

 introduced in our public schools, there will be more students 

 apply for admission in our agricultural colleges than in the 

 past, and more will receive an honorable admittance to the 

 business of husbandry, the foundation of all other indus- 

 tries, and, when intelligently managed, the highest industrial 

 occupation open to mankind. The agricultural colleges of 

 the country are capable of great things in advancing the 

 interests of agriculture through the means of practical 

 education. 



The industrial classes which should receive the advantages 

 of these institutions form a vast army, compared with the 

 few that will ever avail themselves of the classical and liter- 

 ary colleges. It is therefore, my friends, of the greatest 

 importance that } r ou and I use every eftbrt, even at this 

 late day, to increase the usefulness and patronage of these 

 institutions, and recommend them to farmers' sons and 

 daughters. It was the intention of those who assisted in 

 providing the means for establishing these schools that 

 the education furnished should be of a practical nature, as 

 related to the work of the farm and the shop. While they 

 were expected to be something more than trade schools, 

 they were not expected to be classed with the literary col- 

 leges of the land. There is abundant evidence that there 



S3 



is honor in serving the great class of common people who 

 are fitting for the industrial pursuits of life by training the 

 intellect and the hand at the same time, taking the boys and 

 o ; irls from the common schools and fitting them for the most 

 skilful performance of life's work and for becoming useful 

 and honorable citizens, — in short, giving them a practical 



