No. 4.] AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION. 375 



papers, a notice calling the attention of the friends of agri- 

 culture to the subject. 



At the next meeting of the Board, Jan. 12, 1853, Dr. 

 Hitchcock, having been requested at a previous meeting to 

 present his views on some topic connected with the improve- 

 ment of agriculture, read the following paper on ' ' Farmers' 

 Institutes : " — 



Since the last time I attended a meeting of the Agricultural 

 Board, I have had an opportunity of witnessing the operation 

 of a Teachers' Institute, under the admirable management of 

 the Secretary of Education, and I was impressed with the great 

 and salutary influence which such a system must exert upon 

 the cause of education in Massachusetts. But another thought 

 has occurred to me. Why should we not have Farmers' Insti- 

 tutes, as well as Teachers' Institutes. We have agricultural 

 chemists, scientific farmers, practical farmers, botanists, vege- 

 table and animal physiologists, geologists, meteorologists, abun- 

 dantly qualified, and, I doubt not, willing to go into the different 

 districts of the State, and instruct the farmers there in their 

 several departments. During the winter months, I presume 

 that multitudes of farmers, with their families, would assemble 

 for this purpose ; nor can I doubt that their hospitality would 

 be quite as generous as are experienced by the strangers who 

 attend the Teachers' Institutes. By such a system the follow- 

 ing objects would be accomplished. 



1. A vast amount of knowledge concerning the principles 

 of agriculture could be imparted to the farmers in every part 

 of the State. It would, in fact, form an ambulatory agricul- 

 tural school, where the young, especially, would learn very 

 rapidly from the best masters. 



2. It would give an opportunity to men well qualified, after 

 looking at the chemical and geological constitution of the soil, 

 to make suggestions to the farmers of the different districts as 

 to improved modes of culture. 



3. It would furnish a good mode of communicating intelli- 

 gence to the farmers of discoveries and improvements in agri- 

 culture, of distributing new varieties of seeds, and making 

 known new and improved breeds of domestic animals. 



■4. It would probably bring to light new manures in different 

 parts of the State by the researches of the lecturers, and of the 

 farmers after they were put upon the track. 



