Address. 1 3 



In the report of the committee, which accompanied the act of incorpo- 

 ration, passed by the Legislature of 18G3, occurs this somewhat remarka- 

 ble sentence, which has proved to be almost prophetic : " There can be 

 but one serious impediment in the way of making a true, professional, ag- 

 ricultural school in this State prosper, and that is a want of interest in it 

 among the agricultural population." 



To one who understands fully the greatness of the preparatory work 

 which has been done at Amherst, and the advantages there offered for 

 practical training, scientific instruction and original investigation, the utter 

 indifference in regard to their college manifested by most of the 75,000 

 farmers of Massachusetts is truly astounding. It calls to mind the almost 

 incredible fact in the history of the South Sea Islands, that, in 1797, thirty 

 nine English missionaries, with every needed appliance for teaching Chris- 

 tianity, and the arts of civilized life, began their earnest and devoted labors 

 for the elevation of the native population, but did not succeed in making a 

 single convert during the first sixteen years. 



It was the belief among the pioneers in the missionary work that, if 

 men could but see the advantages to be derived from Christian civilization, 

 they would be readily accept it ; but experience has demonstrated that ef- 

 forts for the improvement of a people are most wisely directed to the men- 

 tal and moral culture of the young. 



It is, therefore, obvious that while much benefit may result from public 

 meetings for the discussion of practical questions, and from the publication 

 of agricultural documents, which in the form of books and periodicals are 

 now spread broadcast over the country, yet the real want of the times is 

 thoroughly educated farmers — men who combine exact science with prof- 

 itable practice. We have workers enough, writers enough, and talkers in 

 excess. Let us have the three in one. Let us have men prepared for this 

 profession by years of study, during which they shall not only become fa- 

 miliar with all the most important knowledge pertaining to the subject, but 

 shall acquire by thorough discipline, that ability for close observation and 

 accurate experiment, which is indispensable to any considerable progress. 

 This is the needed remedy for that crudeness and superficiality and frequent 

 worthlessness of agricultural literature of which we are all the constant 

 victims. 



But just here we are met by the popular notion that much culture is in- 

 compatible with manual labor, and that the farmer who sends his son to 

 college for education, will find that as he increases in intelligence, he will 

 decrease in industry, professional zeal and capacity for successful farm 

 management, 



