152 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



blessed Avith a son I should have used my most earnest efforts 

 to have him a o-raduate of the Massachusetts Agricultural 

 College. 



It has been the regret of my life that I could not have had 

 the training that is given the bo3^s at Amherst. I have re- 

 joiced in the opportunity and the privilege of paying the 

 bills of two daughters while getting a classical education at 

 college. I believe in a college education, not only for our 

 sons, but for our daughters, and I know from something of a 

 personal knowledge of the Agricultural College and its 

 work, and of the other colleges in the State, that the work 

 done is as thorough and as efficient in every department as 

 in any college that we have in the State of Massachusetts. 

 So I want to say, brother farmers, do not raise any question, 

 I beg of you, implying that the Agricultural College fails in 

 its purpose because every l)oy who enjoys the advantages of 

 that institution does not feel that he is called to make farm- 

 ing his life work. He may be better prepared through other 

 tastes and instincts and love for other occu[)ations to pursue 

 other callings, but nothing that he will learn at the Agricult- 

 ural College will ever come amiss to him, I assure you, 

 whatever m(iy be his choice. 



Mr. T. S. Gold (secretary of the Connecticut Board of 

 Agriculture) . Mr. Chairman, being much interested in this 

 subject, I have come to the conclusion to deny the truth of 

 the inference that is drawn from the fact that all our boys 

 who go to agricultural colleges do not go back upon the 

 farm. The interests of agriculture are broader than the 

 farms themselves. The whole community rejoices in the 

 success of agriculture. Our daily supplies of food, our 

 means of life, come from the success of agriculture in every 

 employment and calling in life, and although these institu- 

 tions are designed especially to help agriculture, it is a low 

 appreciation of their value when you confine the result of 

 their work to helping the agricultural classes. Let us un- 

 derstand how we rise or fall together as a body and as a 

 State. The knowledge of the principles of agriculture on 

 the part of our lawyers, clergymen, physicians, manufact- 

 urers, merchants and commercial men everywhere, and our 

 gentlemen of leisure, if you please, is just as valuable to the 



