424 MASS. BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



try in this Commonwealth, and in this section of the comitry 

 to a considerable extent, have had the benefit of scientific edu- 

 cation and scientific improvement, agriculture, in this respect, 

 has been almost entirely neglected. If, then, it is conceded 

 that there is a necessity for agricultural education, and for im- 

 provement in it, we are to inquire, who are to be the teachers ? 

 What are the means to be employed ? and, who are the men 

 or individuals in the community to be taught ? 



It would seem proper that we should avail ourselves, so far 

 as possible, of the means which exist. We should use what 

 we possess, if it be efficient, rather than attempt to create 

 more than is absolutely necessary. Now, if we have institu- 

 tions that to any considerable extent can be made available for 

 these purposes, for the present, — even though they should be 

 inadequate for the future, — I apprehend it vvould be regarded 

 proper, on all hands, that we should use those institutions and 

 those means. 



In some countries, science may be in the possession of a few 

 individuals in the community, and may be used in such a way 

 as to control and give direction to the manual labors of other 

 men. But in this country, science is not in that way to be 

 applied. We have no masters controlling large bodies of labor- 

 ing men. But if we are to educate the farmers of this Com- 

 monwealth, it must be by educating the great mass of them. 

 The majority must in some way be reached. It will not do to 

 give to certain individuals the science, with the expectation that 

 certain others are to apply that science without knowing some- 

 thing of the reasons which exist for its application. 



We are, then, to carry the knowledge to the great mass of 

 the people. And the question is, how is it to be done ? If we 

 educate a few men, it may happen, and very likely will hap- 

 pen, that from the nature of their pursuits, they will be unable 

 to approach and communicate with the mass, so as to make 

 their knowledge available in this department of industry. 



It is not more than twenty years since, that we had two 

 classes of teachers in our public schools. And it is not too 

 much to say that they entirely failed. The one class was com- 

 posed of young men sent out from our colleges into the interior 



