Address. 1 ' 



taken to reduce the necessary expenses of the students to the lowest prac- 

 ticable point. In short, every exertion has been made to establish a true 

 professional school, fitted to educate in the best manner the leaders of our 

 agricutural population. All this has been accomplished, but the principal 

 work yet remains to be done. There can be no complete and satisfactory 

 success until cordial co-operation of the farmers themselves has been assured. 



The danger concerning the College is not that it will lack students, for it 

 is full ; or, appreciative friends, for their number is large and constantly in 

 creasing ; or, necessary funds for its maintenance, for it is well endowed. 

 But the difficulty is to preserve its peculiar agricultural character, upon its 

 present, economical basis. Unless the farmers will feel more responsibility 

 iu the matter, and make more effort to educate for their profession young 

 men of enterprise and ability, and send to the Legislature, representatives 

 and senators who shall be willing to carry out with wise liberality the plans 

 which have been adopted, it will be impossible to retain the tuition at its 

 present low rate, (which is not one quarter of the usual charges at institu- 

 tions affording similar advantages,) or to give to agriculture that special 

 prominence in the course, which it now has. It should be remembered that 

 there will always be many influential members of the Legislature, from 

 various professions and localities, who will know little and care less about 

 the College, and unless the 'class, fur whom the State has established it 

 rally around it and give it their hearty support, they will inevitably lose 

 those valuable privileges which are now so freely offered them. Already 

 the Secretaries of the Boards of Education and Agriculture are instructed 

 to inquire and report to the next Legislature whether the College can be 

 made self-supporting. The educated men interested in other schools and 

 colleges are jealous of this new rival, and will not permit appropriations 

 from the state treasury for its benefit, unless they are earnestly demanded 

 and wisely improved by the people. 



The farmers then ought to rejoice in the fact that they have a college 

 for the education of their sons, and they ought to bestow its advantages, 

 also, upon their daughters. They should not regard their most talented 

 children as too good for the profession of their fathers, but should afford 

 them every facility for the best possible preparation to honor and to elevate 

 it. They should resist all attempts to reduce the standard of agricultural 

 education and clearly understand that, if nine years are required to qualifv 

 a lawyer, minister or physician for his duties, no farmer can reasonably 

 claim to be thoroughly instructed in his profession, and (it to enjoy full (qual- 

 ity with other educated men, who has devoted less than lour years to the 

 acquisition of discipline and knowledge, They should take care to be well 



