NEW ENGLAND FARMER, 



Jan. 



persons, they used to throw themselves intention- 

 ally in his way, just as the mess-tins were being 

 cleaned out on the dirt-heap outside the ship. 

 The dog would immediately run at them, and 

 they would just fly a few yards ; the dog then 

 made another run, and again they would appear 

 to escape him but by an inch, and so on, until 

 they had tempted and provoked him to the shore, 

 a considerable distance off". Then the ravens 

 would make a direct flight for the ship, and had 

 generally done good execution before the morti- 

 fied-Iooking dog detected the imposition that 

 had been practised upon him, and rushed back 

 again." 



AGKICULTUIIE A STUDY FOR OUB COM- 

 MON SCHOOLS. 



That a knowledge of Agricultural Chemistry is 

 important to the tiller of the soil, that he may pros- 

 ecute his calling understandingly and with the 

 highest success, is too plain to admit of argument, 

 but whether it may be profitably and successfully 

 taught in our common schools, and whether it 

 should be a branch of study in them, is an inquiry 

 that may startle some of the friends of these 

 good old institutions, who would look upon such 

 a proposal as an innovation upon those time-hon- 

 ored studies of Reading, Spelling, Writing, Arith- 

 metic, Grammar and Geography. As a general 

 rule, we do not approve of the introduction of the 

 higher branches into our district schools, believ- 

 ing that it would have a tendency to divert atten- 

 tion from those primary studies which appropri- 

 ately belong to them. But when we consider that 

 so large a population gain all their education in 

 these schools, and that so many of the pupils be- 

 come tillers of the soil, shall not a brief space be 

 allotted for this instruction in the principles of 

 their future calling ? The disinclination which 

 is felt among the farmers to reading articles in 

 our journals which relate to agricultural chemis- 

 tiy arises from their ignorance of its fli-st princi- 



files. If they do not understand the terms and 

 aws of the science, reasoning founded upon them 

 will always appear loose and confused, and it is 

 only by implanting them early in the mind with 

 the other rudiments of knowledge, that they may 

 become familiar as tha alphabet, and may be ready 

 for use when needed. 



It is true that our teachers as a class are now 

 preparing to instruct in this department, and un- 

 acquainted as they are with it, they cannot bring 

 forward those ready and common illustrations 

 which not only assist the pupil, but secure his at- 

 tention, and interest him in the study. Though 

 teachers may not be required to pass an examin- 

 ation in this branch, yet let it be known that in 

 winter schools, in our rural districts at least, it 

 may be desired as a branch of study, and the sup- 

 ply will answer to the demand ; teachers well 

 qualified in other respects, will not hesitate to de- 

 vote sufficient time to acquire a knowledge of 

 this study. The greater ease of managing a 

 school kept busy by some interesting study will 

 fully compensate for all the extra trouble. 



Happily we have not to wait for the prepara- 

 tion of a book adapted to the capacity of this 

 class of scholars, and at the same time strictly 

 correct ani complete in its scientific detail. The 

 "Catechism of Agricultural Chemistry and Geolo- 



gy" by the late Prof. Johnston, of Edinburgh, 

 was dedicated to "the school-masters and teachers 

 of Great Lritaiu and Ireland," and luis been ex- 

 tensively introduced into the schools of tlio Unit- 

 ed Kingdom. To the late Prof. Norton, of Yale 

 College, wc are indebted for an American edition, 

 with an introduction prepared by him. The Su- 

 perintendent of common schools in the State of 

 New York recommends it highly for the use in all 

 their schools. From long acquaintance with the 

 work and from the interest we know is excited by 

 its study, we most cordially advise all to form 

 classes in it and and give it a trial, being well as- 

 sured of the result. As it is a small book, the cost 

 is trifling, and the time required of little moment, 

 but as the author here exhibits the happy faculty 

 both of condensing and symplifying without weak- 

 ening or detracting from the subject, the treatise 

 is very complete. The fii'st three questions and 

 answers will give an idea of the whole. 



Q. — What is Agriculture. 



A. — Agricultui'e is the art of culiivating the 

 soil. 



Q. — What is the object of the farmer in cultiva- 

 ting the soil. 



A. — The object of the farmer in cultivating the 

 soil is to raise the largest crops, at the smallest 

 cost, and with the least injury to the land. 



Q. — What ought the farmer esiJeciaUy to hiow, 

 in order that he may attain this object? 



A. — The farmer ought especially to know the 

 nature of the crops he raises, of the land on which 

 they grow, and of the manures which he applies 

 to the land. 



Crops, soils, manures, the rearing and feeding 

 of animals, and the management of the dairy, 

 make up the volume. Teachers who would pre- 

 pare themselves for instruction in it, would find 

 the more extended treatises by the same author, 

 viz., "Johnston's Elements" and "Johnston's Lec- 

 tures," most valuable aids, as also "Norton's Ele- 

 ments of Scientific Agriculture," a prize essay of 

 the New York State Agricultural Society. — Home- 

 stead. 



For tJie Neip England Farmer. 

 KURAIi ECONOMY. 



Mr. Editor : — The day is rainy, and I have 

 searched, as I always do on rainy days, for some 

 essay or dissertation upon subjects connected with 

 agriculture — some article giving the fundamental 

 principles of action or of operation. I have 

 looked through one volume of Skinner's Old 

 American Faimer, and have found some interest- 

 ing things — but I fail among them all, and among 

 all other books and publications which I have 

 looked through again and again, with the same 

 object in vieAV, to find any essay or dissertation 

 treating agriculture as Foster treats decision of 

 character, analyzing it, and enunciating its com- 

 ponent parts, end presenting facts which one may 

 study without weariness, and still learn some- 

 thing new ; study which will teach him how one 

 operation depends upon another in the great sys- 

 tem of husbandry and of Rural Economy. There 

 is, sir, a Rural Economy as well as a political 

 Economy. 



How is it to be analyzed ? 



How is it to be elucidated ? 



