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a liome; not one of the highest style in furniture, in ornaments, 

 and decorations and table appointments, not the foolish aping 

 of fashion and wealth — but a home of comfort, of peace, of good 

 breeding, good manners, of love and hospitality. 



He is intelligent ; he reads ; he thinks ; and if sometimes he 

 reads less he thinks and observes the more. He is intelligent 

 enough to investigate — if not with the accuracy and thoroughness 

 of the scientific man, yet with the sound common-sense of the 

 practical man — new theories and new suggestions connected with 

 farm and garden, and to accept and use every new discovery of 

 science, so far as applicable or useful in his calling. He does not 

 trouble himself much, perhaps, with philosophical speculations ; 

 he may not give much attention to the various theories of evolution, 

 but he does believe in heredity, that " blood will tell," and in " the 

 survival of the fittest ; " and if the fittest will not survive without 

 help he will make it survive. He believes in making the fittest 

 calf and colt, the fittest plant and vegetable and fruit survive, and 

 with almost Spartan indifference and coolness he will get rid of all 

 inferior and defective animals and plants and fruits. 



He believes in agriculture as a science and as an art. "With the 

 science he does not claim to be familiar, but he will not presume to 

 rail against scientific deductions and teachings — against the facts 

 of science — but will test them by his own good sense, by careful 

 observation and experience, and by a practical, actual application. 

 He believes in availing himself, as far as possible, of every aid 

 within his reach. He sees with his own eyes what great advance- 

 ment has been made in farming, and recognizes the important part 

 science has had in effecting it. 



To the Agricultural College is the agriculture of the Common- 

 wealth greatly indebted. By it a great stimulus has been given 

 to agricultural pursuits and agriculture and its related studies, 

 among our young men particularly ; nor is the number limited, by 

 any means, to its students and graduates. It has largely tended 

 to place, indeed it has placed, the farmer and the business of 

 farming abreast with what have been called the learned profes- 

 sions, with every occupation that calls for intelligent and educated 

 men. It has showed to the people that good farming makes a 

 draft on brains, as well as on muscle, and that the draft is quite 

 as likely to be honored as in mercantile, professional, mechanical, 

 or scientific life. It has showed to young men, or has greatly 

 helped to show them, that the field for gratifying a high and hon- 

 orable ambition is as promising here in agriculture as elsewhere, 

 and that the way is as open and iiviting to him as elsewhere, to 



