•1850. 



GENESEE FARMER 



the ignorance of a young digger, on this point, 

 excusable- 

 Mr. Watts appears to derive peculiar pleasure in 

 calling me a "yovngstei:^^ I liope my follies will 

 cease with my youth, and wisdom increase with my 

 ye;M?, that in n-.y old age I may not propagate base- 

 lej-fi and visicnar)- theories unworthy even the young 

 aii-.t ino.vp-erienced. But, I have learne<i even in my 

 youth net to form opinlona hastily and without due 

 r'-'l'cctiiji, and especially not to publish illy matured 

 tl.t; ries lo the world. This Mr. Watts has yet to 

 ItEiin. I have learned also, that W'hen my opinions 

 are piblishcd, they arc common property, and to 

 bear v.'ith good nature all comments, whether favor- 

 able or otherwise: this Mr. Watts has to learn in 

 his o!d age, 



Jlr. Watts concludes by saying that he will 

 " kave me uith the potato rot.''' I am willing to be 

 left in the contemplation of this terrible disease, its 

 cause and its -consequences to the human family : 

 but I am sorry to leave Mr. Watts cultivating weeds 

 z.uA grass, in the vain hope of raising pears, forgetting 

 . that "what a man soweth, that shall he also reap." 



AGEICHLTURAL EDUCATION. 



At IK) period in the history of our country has 

 Agricultural Education absorbed so large a share of 

 attention as at the present time ; the press throughout 

 its entire extent teeming with articles in reference to 

 it. This bespeaks the approach of a more enlight- 

 ened epoch to the Agriculturist ; and when the in- 

 stitutions anticipated shall be established, we may 

 confidently expect, that the community of Farmers 

 will be elevated to that exalted position, to which 

 they are entitled by the nobleness of their vocation. 



That Agricultural Colleges will be founded at no 

 distant day, cannot be reasonably doubted — many 

 circumstances inducing the belief. It is highly 

 probable that the subject will be taken into con- 

 sideration during the next session of Congress, but 

 no efficient aid need be anticipated from that quarter. 

 The objection that will be urged by the members of 

 Congress, to an appropriation of Government funds 

 for Agricultural Education, will be the great dearth 

 in the Public Treasury-, occasioned by the effectual 

 drainage resulting from a protracted session, exorbi- 

 tant mileage, foreign war, fcc, fce. Thus, while 

 they are liberally helping themselves, and annually 

 expending large amounts in superfluous military 

 preparations, and in sustainiug an expensive institu- 

 tion for giving instruction in the horrid art of human 

 butchery : the great interests of Agriculture are 

 neglected, upon the condition of which depends that 

 of the naiion. Farmers should look into these mat- 

 ters, and when the promotion of their purposes is 

 prevented by the cry of government poverty, they 

 should inquire into the cause of that poverty. 



Certainly no course of Legislation can be more 

 ju.licious, than tliat which insures prosperity to that 

 class of citizens that furnis tlie reliable support of 

 our boasted institutions. Republican France seems 

 to be cons<;ious of this fact, and in the organization 

 of her tv.-enty Agricultural Schools, she is adopting 

 the most effectual means to nourish and sustain the 

 divine plant of liberty- 



Though we do net look with any hope to the Con- 

 gressional decisions relative to this matter, still an 

 agitation of the subject may be productive of some 

 good- The brightest signs of the times are seen in 



tlie Empire State, and her Chief Magistrate has won 

 a laurel, that will cause his name ever to be embalmed 

 in the annals of Agriculture, The honor is ascribed 

 to him, of being the first individual in the Union, 

 who gave an official recommendation for the estab- 

 lishment of an Agricultural College, and that recom- 

 mendation is meeting with a hearty response ; and 

 we are sanguine in the belief that New-York will 

 lead the van in this important system of Education. 



The means for obtaining that practical knowledge 

 requisite for the Farmer, is at present very limited, 

 the common College education, requiring four years 

 of classical study, being wholly inapplicable to his 

 wants. Therefore, institutions of a different nature 

 must be organized ; and why the Public Treasury. 

 that has ever been accessible to the educational wan'.s 

 of the few, should be sealed against the neceJ-sities 

 of the many, is a matter of no small moment. But 

 while we would censure Legislators, we would not 

 permit the Farmers to escape unnoticed, who if any- 

 thing, have been more in fault, for not demanding 

 their rights — which, instead of doing, they have 

 denied the very existence of, by condemning Agricul- 

 tural Education. But thanks, that " a change has 

 come over the spirit of their dream," and that that 

 semi-civilized notion, long cherished, is fast becom- 

 ing obsolete. And we express it as our firm convic- 

 tion, that the time will arrive when an illiterate ti'k'r of 

 the soil will be numbered among the things that were. 



What a mistaken idea, that ignorance and Agri- 

 culture are fit companions ! As reasonably might we 

 assert that the rising of the sun would rivet the 

 clouds of darkness to the earth. Tliera is no voca- 

 tion to which science more effectually lends its aid, 

 and no one should be more intimately acquainted with 

 the laws of nature, than he whoso daily employment 

 brings him into commtmion with her. The Farmer, 

 then, should become thoroughly educated, that he 

 may understand the delicate operations of vcgetab'e 

 and animal life, so as to be able to render that time:y 

 and efficient assistance that will insure a perfect de- 

 velopment of every part, and that he maybe qualified 

 te enjoy the beauties by which he is surrounded. 

 For the enlightened mind is at home in t' e.Held. and 

 every object that meets the sight awak train of 



thought of transcendent sublimity. ,- 'her tlie 



minute insect, the delicate blade of grass ^ -^'e ex- 

 panded wild flower blushing in the simplicit ■!, un- 

 aflected nature, attracts his notice, he perce. ~f > on 

 each the impress of Deity, blending together most 

 beautifully tlie functions of every part, for the con 

 summation of the object to be attained. 



Then, in view of the two-fold desirable result pro- 

 duced by an Agricultural Educatiou, and the admitted 

 point, that the advance and elevation of this ncbln 

 art is dependent upon such education, it becomes the 

 duty of all Agricultural .lournals to lend their power- 

 ful influence towards strengthening the feeling nov/ 

 striving for the ascendancy. Gcnnaiitown, Pa.., 1 84?. 



Wood-Houses. — There is no convenience stttaf lnJ 

 to a. farm establishment of more importance thau the 

 wood-hoeise. It need not be an expensive structure, 

 although both convenience and economy require that 

 its size, and the materials of which it is formed, should 

 be'adapted to the size and circumstances of the family. 

 As a general thing, it should be a. wood-house and 

 nothing lessnor more. No tools or fanning imple- 

 ments should be housed there, for these require a 

 separate place. 



