No. 4.] AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION. 335 



Two literary institutions, one at Beverly, and one at By- 

 field, are designed in some measure to connect agricultural 

 or mechanical labor with literary education and improvement. 

 They are in this matter as yet in embryo. The latter has 

 ample means in a valuable landed estate contiguous to the 

 school. The former has purchased a valuable estate, and de- 

 sign to apply to the government of the state for aid. Some 

 capital is found necessary in the outset; but I have a strong 

 persuasion, that the introduction of the cultivation of silk in 

 such seminaries where favorably situated, without materially 

 interfering with the literary improvement of the pupils, may 

 do much, under skilful management, towards defraying all the 

 necessary expenses of the establishment. The education which 

 is the fruit of our own honest industry is of vastly more value 

 to the character and self-respect of its favored subject, than 

 that, which is the gift either of public or private charity.^ 



The Essex Agricultural Society was requested in 1840 to 

 advertise a contemplated course of study at the Teachers' 

 Seminary, in Andover, Essex County. This was done 

 under the head of " Agricultural Seminary," as follows : — 



We have been requested to present the following notice of 

 a course of study contemplated in the Teachers' Seminary, at 

 the South Parish in Andover. It so fully harmonizes with the 

 views expressed in the foregoing essay (Science of Agriculture, 

 by Dr. A. Nichols), and is so well calculated to meet what we 

 consider the present wants of the community, that we cheer- 

 fully recommend the institution to those, who are desirous of 

 educating their sons to be intelligent and independent farmers. 

 At a time when the most distinguished men in our country feel 

 it their highest honor, that they are farmers; and, when all 

 the learned professions, so called, are over-stocked, it becomes 

 us, farmers, to consider what is the best manner of educating 

 our sons. 



Arrangements have been made to introduce scientific agri- 

 culture as a regular branch of study; one of the teachers has 

 been engaged, during the past winter, in investigating agri- 

 cultural chemistry, with a view to give instruction on the sub- 

 ject, and to prepare a text book for the use of the students. 



» First Report on the Agriculture of Massachusetts, 1837, p. 91. By Rev. 

 Henry Colman. Boston, 1838. 



