42 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



cultural schools to learn the elements of the sciences, 

 than in sending them to college to learn ABC. 

 Agricultural seminaries should be commenced on a 

 moderate scale — then an imperfection in the plan 

 could be corrected without much loss ; but if begun 

 on an expensive scale, any defects in the plan might 

 occasion great loss, and finally defeat the whole 

 design for a long time. 



Mr. Jenks, of Boston, was in favor of agricultural 

 education in common schools, but this would not 

 supersede agiicultural schools. He said that there 

 should be agricultural schools for training teachers 

 for our common schools, that they might give proper 

 instruction to their pupils. In Ireland there are 

 thirteen schools for this purpose. Mr. Jenks pre- 

 sented statistics showing the claims of the farming 

 interest upon the state — as large sums had been 

 expended in various institutions for the purpose of 

 preparing men for other pursuits, but nothing had 

 been done to educate farmers, and comparatively but 

 a small amount for the encouragement of agiiculture. 

 Hon. M. P. Wilder rejoiced to see the subject taken 

 up in earnest. He considered agriculture as suscepti- 

 ble of improvements as manxifacturcs or the mechanic 

 arts. He thought it was time to begin, and he would 

 cheerfully cooperate with those who feel an interest 

 in the subject. He thought the science of agricul- 

 ture ought to be taught in our common schools ; yet 

 we should have an agricultural institution, and some 

 feasible plan should be prepared and presented to the 

 legislature. 



Mr. Asa G. Sheldon, of "Wilmington, alluded to the 

 improvements that had been made in agriculture for 

 forty years past, and the improved education of 

 females ; but he thought that education which fitted 

 them for good housewives had been neglected. And 

 if an agricultural school was established, he hoped 

 that while the boys were learning how to manage the 

 farm, girls would be taught to manage household 

 affairs. He said that he never knew a farmer to suc- 

 ceed well, unless he had a wife who could manage 

 well. He considered industry in females necessary 

 for their health. The great men of our country had 

 industrious mothers. The suats in this hall arc filled 

 with men whose mothers were accustomed to labor ; 

 but if so great a change takes place m twenty-five 

 years to come as has been made the twenf.y-fiyc 

 years past, as to female education and fashions, not 

 only these seats, but those of Congress, and perhaps 

 even that of the office of President, wiU be filled in tho 

 next century by those born of Irish women. Not 

 one Yankee girl in ten is now educated so as to 

 bo able to manage a farmer's house. The farmer 

 likes music, but if he comes from his field for his 

 dinner, and finds it is not ready, and the fire has 

 gone out under the pot, and the children crying, the 

 Bound of the organ will be a torment to him. 



Mr. Mcrriam suggested that an agricultural school 

 should be established on a farm of three or four hun- 

 dred acres, which should be divided into different 

 departments for farming and gardening, and that dif- 

 ferent breeds of animals should be procured. 



Hon. J. C. Gray thought that those brought up on 



farms had much less need of instruction than others 

 who had paid no attention to the sxibjcct. He thought 

 it was best to begin on a moderate scale, and when 

 the fruits of an agricultural school were seen, there 

 would be no trouble in getting aid. He thought that 

 such an institution might be connected with some of 

 our present literary seminaries. 



Mr. Elmer Brigham, of Westborough, thought, 

 from what had been said, that an agricultural institu- 

 tion was designed for the sons of those who live in 

 cities, but he thought that it shoiild be conducted on 

 economical principles, so that the sons of the labor- 

 ing classes could have an opportunity to get agricul- 

 tural instruction at a small expense. 



Mr. Cole thought the state shoixld provide elemen- 

 tary books on the sciences connected with agriculture 

 for our common schools, and prevent the changes 

 now so common in school books. These elementary 

 studies would give great encouragement to higher 

 agricultural institutions. He thought an agricultural 

 college should be entirely distinct from all other in- 

 stitutions, and the studies should be only those that 

 conduce to agricultural improvement, and of a useful 

 character. 



Rev. Mr. Barry, of Hanover, alluded to the suc- 

 cess of agricultural schools in other countries, and 

 he argued that they would be still more useful in 

 this country, where farmers were owners of the 

 soil. 



Mr. Wilder alluded to the lectures which Professor 

 Johnston is now delivering before the N. Y. State Ag. 

 Society, at Albany, and he hoped that he might be 

 engaged to deliver a course of lectures before these 

 meetings. 



Same subject continued. 



LARGE CROP OF CORN. 



Mr. R. W. Turner, Newton Centre, gives the fol- 

 lowing account of a crop of corn which he raised the 

 past season. There was one acre and one hundred 

 and forty-four rods of land. The produce was four 

 hundred and twenty-four heaping bushels of ears, 

 lie thought that two bushels of ears would make one 

 bushel of shelled corn. He says that this land was 

 once a mud hole. He drained it, sowed it to grass, 

 mowed it two years. He manured one half with 

 compost, spread on ; the other half with green 

 manure in the hill. The corn was as stout where it 

 was manured in the hill. The rows wore three and 

 a half feet apart, and the hills two feet apart. 



CONVENTION OF FOWL BREEDERS. 



The Committee who s>iperintendcd the late fowl 

 exhibition, have given notice that a public meeting 

 will be held, at the RepresentatWes' Hall, on Tues- 

 day evening, February 12th, at 7 o'clock, for the pur- 

 poses of hearing the report of the Committee, and 

 forming a permanent association. It ia hoped that 

 all who take an interest in the promotion of so use- 

 ful an object wUl be present, and aid in the proceed- 

 ings. 



