194 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER, 



JAlVlIA»y a, 1833. 



of trust, or, to say the least, great nefrlect iu Lini 

 not to do it. It often i)roves a great disadvantage 

 to a farmer, when he has one or two men in his 

 service, and is engaged in a piece of labor, to 

 have one of his tools in this, and another in that 

 neiglihor's hands; he scarcely liuows where to 

 look for them— borrowed of him, pei'haps six, or 

 seven months before, and carried a mile or two 

 out of his way ; and which is not an uncommon 

 case. On this branch of the subject I shall only 

 observe farther, that a man ought to lend to every 

 neighbor, worthy of his confidence, whenever he 

 requests the favor, if he can spare the article 

 desired, and to borrow of no man, but when 

 pressed by urgent necessity. 



I have observed, that bad fences, and unruly 

 cattle, are often the causes of contention between 

 neighbors, and to these fences wc add one or two 

 more, viz. a difference in religious, and in political 

 sentiments. In regard to the former, it is the 

 jn-ivilege and duty of every man to determine for 

 himself. And no man who lives "soberly, 

 righteously, and godly," can be a bad neighbor, 

 under whatever denomination of christians, he 

 chooses to be considered. To despise such a man. 



incentive to virtue : It follows as a corollary, that 

 whatever tends to encourage industry, in the most 

 numerous class of our population, by extending 

 to it the efficient aids of science and literature, 

 and thereby rendering its employments respecta- 

 ble and inviting, and its gains more certain, has 

 an important influence in promoting the public 

 welfare. Three-fourths of our productive labor is 

 the contribution of agriculture. This is, as it 

 were, the liody, while the other avocations may 

 be likened to the members ; to which this gives 

 health, strength and character. If this flourishes, 

 the state prospers ; and the shock which Avithers 

 its prospects is simultaneously felt, whh the force 

 of the electric spark, to the remotest extremities 

 of the body politic. Look to the old continent, 

 and cast your eyes over the new one : Where 

 agriculture is in a high state of improvement, 

 commerce and tlic arts flourish ; and civil and re- 



said, and said truly, that great cities are great 

 political sores upon the body politic. And history 

 as well as experience admonishes us, that the ten- 

 dency oi" professional and connnercial wealth, is 

 to generate that extravagance in the style of liv- 

 auJ those artificial distinctions m society, 

 which, if not incompatible with, are often dan- 

 gerous to civil liberty. We nmst rely upon the 

 virtue of the country, and upon the steady habits 

 and iatelligence of its yeomam-y, to counteract 

 this ijfluence. I would neither awaken jealou- 

 sies, nor excite prejudices ; yet I am persuaded, 

 that it would conduce to the public weal, if each 

 lats of our population was represented, in our 

 coincils, in proportion to their respective num- 

 boi<. But this will not be the case while the 

 present disparity in acquired knowledge exists 

 bcween the professional and laboring classes. 

 Avarding to the first the most honest aud jiatriot- 



ligious freedom are seen to abound iu proportiun ic iutentious, either their habits, their associations. 



to the intelligence and industi-y which distinguish 

 its agricultural population. 



Wc must sow the seed before we can gather 

 the harvest. We must plant the tree if we would 

 enjoy the fruits. We nmst invest our capital ere 



dnot feel interested in his welfiire, and not to Pve receive the interest. And we must instruct 



treat him with all the love and kindness due to a 

 neighbor, although he calls himself a Baptist, or a 

 Soeinian, or an Episcopalian, indicates a narrow 

 and contracted mind. And the same observation 

 may be applied in regard to the [lolitical senti- 

 ments of your neighbor ; and who, so long as he 

 continues a quiet and |)eaceable subject of the 

 government under which you both live, deserves 

 your respect, and love, and candor ; although he 

 ■does not engage in the interests of the party 

 which you think proper to patronize and espouse. 

 I only adil that these subjects deserve li degree of 

 attention, however trifling they may be considered 

 by some : not only, as they may respect the hap- 

 piness of the present neighborhood in which you 

 !ivc ; but as they may affect those who knay come 

 after us : for, prejudices aud opinion ofttn descend 

 to the third, and even to the fourth gentration. 



From the Daibj AlbcLij Argns. 

 A SCHOOL OP AGRICUL.TURE. SO. m. 



•• W'f. arc ropublicans, when wc endeavor to imbke Ihe minds 

 of our children with Ihc love of science, and wilhkuch kuowl- 

 edf as may be likely, in malurer life, to make lam useful in 

 the" stations they are called to occupy ; and '»''♦" "e •f"'''' 

 them to ' love Uieir neighbors as themselves.' "-\7Vic Good 

 Oberliv..* \ 



As indolence is the parent of vice, sols mdus- 

 Iry the incentive to virtue. Aud as knoiledgc is 

 power, it is of the first hnport;uice tliattfcse who 

 are the depositories of power, should posless this 



" Ifote. "The good Oberhn." There never Was, per- 

 haps, a more happy illustration of the advantages of Iducation 

 and science in pro"motiug agricultural and moral impi ivcmeut, 

 than was produced by the labors of this worthy phiti ithropist 

 and Christian. When he assumed the pastoral ch rsfe of a 

 itstrict in the mountains of Alsace, he found a pe( jle who 

 could neither read nor write ; who had no trade, no ools, no 

 agriculture, few comforts, and no access by roads to i ore cul- 

 tivated districts. By indefatigable industry, and untiring 

 patience, Oberlin surmomited all these difficulties, an- render- 

 ed his district the wonder and admiration of all. He irocured 

 books and tools — taught his parishioners to read and t work — 

 to improve their dwellings and tlieir lands' — to constr cl roads 

 and to plant trees, which latter he inculcated as a religious 

 duty. He established, probably, the first infant schoo in about 

 nyO. "Education," says his biographer, " was nev :r in aiiy 

 other place made so general, nor, in many useful resp ;cts, car- 

 ried so far, as by this extraordinary and most exemj ary pas- 

 tor." Oberlin's useful labors excited the notice and a Imiration 

 of the capital. Louis XVHI. sent him the ribbon of the legion 

 of honor, and the Royal Agricultural Society voted him a gold 

 medal. The quotation at the head of this article exhibits the 

 g^round-work of his wonderful improvements. He died in 1826. 



our youth, if we would profit by the labors of 

 their manhood. That the agriculture of one 

 country, of one county, of one district, and of 

 one fann, is rendered far more productive than 

 that of another cotmtry, county, district or farm, 

 6?/ the superior inklli^^^nnrc, skiil and {ndtistry of 

 those who till its soil, is a irtith which needs no 

 proof. The first impulse to improvement in the 

 agriculture of Dtitchess, was given by the txara- 

 ple of a few men of science aud enterprise ; aud 

 the highly cultivated counties of Pennsylvania 

 owe much of their im]>rovemcnt and prospejifty 

 to a naturalist and a civilian, whose great aim/(viis 

 to render science subservient to the comforts/nnd 

 profits of labor. Good example is always Salu- 

 tary, but especiiilly iu htishanilry, where it exerts 

 an extended influence, iu consequence of its nc 

 cessarily falling under the observation iit' nnui 

 who are interested in adopting it. I do not fiattr 

 myself that the whole body of yeoinaniy coull 

 participate, directly, iu the benefits of im agricu- 

 tiual school. But a hundred pupils, with tb 

 nmtual and practical instructions which it wnul 

 give, and animaterl with the laudable ambitio 

 which it would infuse, to excel in their busines, 

 aud m usefulness to society — I say, a huntU'ti 

 such youug men, sent annually into diflcrent set 

 tions of the state, would not fail to produce a 

 effect highly salutary to all. Moreover, if, as 

 verily believe, such a school should become po) 

 ular, aud its benefits apparent, others would I 

 established upon its model, to the extent of tl 

 public wants. Could the agriculture of the gtal 

 be made to approximate, in its improvements, i 

 that of oiu- best cultivated county, the gain to i 

 wealth and prosperity would be immense. An 

 if an agricultural school should but partially e 

 feet this object, the outlay for its establishmei 

 would be more than repaid by the increased revt 

 uues of our canals alone. 



But there is another advantage which thi 

 school proftii-ses to the state, which is worthy < 

 serious consideration ; I mean, that resulting 1 

 our political institutions, from the dift'usion of th 

 higher branches of knowledge among that ])0) 

 tion of our population who, from their number.' 

 are emphatically its guardians. Mr. Jefferson ha 



0- their interests, do not always qualify tbein, or 

 letve them at liberty, to consult the best interests 

 of a cotiunuuity, of which they form but an in- 

 CQisiderable portion. The majority can alone be 

 farly represented by its own members, whose 

 ftMJiugs and interests are identified ; and the more 

 inelligence and virtue there is in this majorit} , 

 th- more wisdom and liberality there will he in 

 till acts of our public councils. Not that I would 

 ru.ke farmers all orators ; but I would endue them 

 will a talent no less useful — that of thinking and 

 juigiug correctly. Our talkers too often couipro- 

 111 themselves upon ex ^nr/e facts, aud become 

 acocates to sustain their own errors. While it is 

 tl; ])rofound thinkers, who hear both sides of an 

 agument before they publi.sh their opinions, that 

 lAi are to rely iqion as impartial umpires. 



It results iiom the consideration which I have 

 gireu to this subject — 



That an tigricullural school will tend greatly to 

 promote improvemeuts in husbandry, and to aug- 

 iiHiit its products ; 



That the laboring classes are entitled to an- 

 equivalent fiom the bounty of tlie state, for the 

 colleges it has endowed, for the benefit of the 

 learned professions ; 



That the instruction which it will di.spense, in 

 chemistry, mechanics and the natural sciences — 

 iu literature — in practical farming and gardening, 

 and in rural economy generally — will ha\e a be- 

 nign influence iu enlarging the sphere of useful 

 knowledge — in encouraging industry — iu prosper- 

 ing all branches of business, and in augmenting 

 the resources of the state ; 



That its moral aud political influence will be 

 salutary ; and that the expense of its establish- 

 ment will be amply remunerated, by the increase 

 of revenues, to say nothing of the enhanced value 

 which it is calculated to confer on real estate. 



(The foregoing considerations are respectfully 

 submitted, as the honest opinions of one who e.\- 

 pects not the remotest benefit from their adoption, 

 but in common with his fellow citizens. I will 

 hut add, in conclusion, my ardent hope, that some 

 other pen may be employed more forcibly to illus- 

 trate the advantages of an institution which I 

 have but imperfectly sketched. 



Dec. 2d, 1832. B. 



Nothing can exceed the folly of those who 

 wish to live beyond tlieir incomes, and wish to 

 maintain an appearance without the means of 

 doing it. 



