406 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pul). Doc. 



to that evangel of humanity, — may its name be exalted ! — 

 so faithfully and perseveringly proclaimed from its head- 

 quarters on Milk Street ; its business phase alone falls 

 within the limits of this paper. 



Sympathy, magnanimity, generosity have room for their 

 exercise even in dealing with dumb creatures, and the brutes 

 appreciate it. While the seml)lance of these qualities, be- 

 gotten of the greed of gain, would doul)tless be spurious, 

 and so of questionable merit, their genuine counterparts 

 have not only a moral but a money value. If the causes 

 of failure among unsuccessful farmers could l)e fully set 

 forth, there is no doubt but the absence or decadence of the 

 humane virtues would occupy a prominent })lace. I have 

 seen in a farmers' institute, not many years ago, an effort to 

 inculcate more of this spirit of kindliness towards domestic 

 creatures met with a bantering levity little short of ridicule. 

 If this be possible among })rogressive agriculturists, what 

 can be expected from the less intelligent and thoughtless? 



The curriculum of the primary school, evQU, if wisely 

 planned, will provide for those acquisitions and virtues which 

 lie at the very foundation of successful husl^andry ; and it is 

 the more important as being the seed-time of principles 

 and predilections which, in determining quality, rank all 

 sul)sequent cultivation. 



Such work, well begun in childhood, broadens and deepens 

 in advancing years. Every lesson may be em})hasized by a 

 new presentation and enforced by generalizations only re- 

 vealed to the outlook from a higher stand-point. Trees and 

 shrubs which have been examined and admired as individual 

 objects may be analyzed and grouped according to species 

 and genus, their })arts studied, their wood com])ared as to 

 texture, properties and uses, their fruits considered in rela- 

 tion to health, luxury and profit. And so of all cro})s and 

 all products, most of the objects and many of the industries 

 in this realm, an accjuaintance with whicli^ in detail, would 

 be rich in resources for recreation and instruction. 



There is a point of contact for the pul)lic school and the 

 sruild of husbandmen in the auricultural fair, — a contact 

 prolific of advantage to l)()tli. This advantage, either by 

 accident or desisiu, has to some extent ])een recognized. 



