NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



Publialu-d every Saturday, by THOMAS W. SHK.PARi:), Rostrs' Biiildin-, Con.=;rtss Street, Boston ; at S'J,.')0 per ami, in advance, or $ii,OU at the clr.se nl Ih. y( ai 



Vol. I. 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 1822. 



No. 9. 





CONSIDERATIONS 



ON THE NECESSITt OF ESTABLISHTNC AN 



AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE, 



and liaviiig more of the children of wealthy citizen? 

 educated i'or the 



PROFESSION OF FARMING. 



{Cuncliidcd from p. 58.) 



\Vlt;it the precise construction, orgiinization, 

 and disci jiline of the agrictiitural co'i!e2;e ongUt 

 to be, 1 shall not at present presume to define. 

 They ou<?ht to be well digestetl in the outset, 

 hut whatever may be the wisdom engaged in it, 

 like all other institutions, time only can bring it 

 to perfection. Experience must teach what 

 iviM finally make it what it ought to be, to an- 

 swer all its intended purposes. The outlines of 

 it only can now be attenii)teil. 



As usual, its concerns will be committed to a 

 board of trustees. Its (acuity will consist of a 

 president and profes.=ors of the several branches 

 to be taught, the chief of which will be one for 

 the theory and another for the practice of agri- 

 culture, besides others for such appendant bran- 

 ches as may be judged necessary, particularly 

 chemistry and bolaii}'. What the business of 

 each is to be may be easily conceived, except 

 that of the professor of pracdciil (igricidtiirc, who 

 is to be literally what (he title imports, an<l 

 whose duties it may not be amiss more minutely 

 to consider, as it is he who is to make him, who 

 is previously or simultaneously instructed in the 

 necessary scientific parts, the perfect practical 

 farmer. 



Much will depend on the choice of (his pro- 

 fessor. He should himself understand all thai 

 relates to the theory, and besides have been so 

 far engaged in the actual practice of farming as 

 to be thoroughly acquainted with all the methods 

 already successfully adopted. He must be ca- 

 pable of makmg ail prescribed experiments in 

 the best manner, and of stating true compari- 

 sons between their results and the customary 

 practice : He must know how to make all the 

 arrangements for the work to be done, and direct 

 every part of it to its proper end, so as to pro- 

 duce the best and greatest eftects with the lea^'t 

 Joss of time. On this faculty more dep»'nds 

 than is generally conceived; for it is ;■. well 

 known fact that by skilful managejnent one 

 person will obtain much more irom ins laborers 

 than another, although both may in other res- 

 pects understand their business equally well. 



This professor will of cour-e have tlie super- 

 intemlence and direction of the labor of the stu- 

 dents in the field. What will be required of 

 I them there next demands consideration. It has 

 already been observed that they must learn to 

 I work ; and this is to be an essential object of the 

 institution, for without knowing how to perform, 

 with their own hands, every kind of work be- 

 longing to the profession they intend to pursue, 

 they never can become sufliciently acquainted 

 with it or qualified to conduct it to advantage. 



It will be readily perceived that to such an in- 

 stitution must belong a farm of sufficient extent 

 and variety of soil for all the practice and ex- 

 I periments that may be required to carry its 

 views iDto the completest eliect ; and this farm 



is to be made not only instructire, but, if pos- 

 sible, profitable also. For certain regularly al- 

 lottfil portions of (ime, the students are to be 

 employed on it and practice every species of 

 work that may be recpiisite ; such as plowing, 

 harrowing, sowing, planting, reaping, hay-mak- 

 ing, threshing and preparing every thing for 

 market; and they are to be practically iu'^tnict- 

 ed in the selection, qualities, management and 

 vahie of cattle ; in short in every thing with 

 which a farmer ought to be thoroughly acquaint- 

 ed, and which he ought to be able to do. 



Instead of giving formal lectures, this profes- 

 sor, who must constantly attend his classes while 

 thus engaged, will, during (he progress of their 

 work, explain to them the best manner in which 

 every thing is (o be done, the reason of it, and 

 the errors that are or may be committed in it ; 

 on all which, the students will be required to 

 make notes and comments at their hours of re- 

 laxation, and undergo examinations at stated 

 times. And as hired laborers will besides be 

 necessary, the very best should be selected to 

 give examples of the most proper manner of 

 perl'orming every branch of business, and of the 

 (ime in which i{ can and ought to be done. 



The knowledge of gardening, inoculating, 

 grafting, and the best manner of propagating 

 fruit trees and shrubberies, will also be taught 

 by engaging the students in the same way in ac- 

 tual practice. 



Every (arnier ought to be able to repair his 

 implements when out of order, without sullVriug, 

 on every such occasion, the loss of time and 

 expense to which the sending for the proper 

 mechanic would subject him. A workshop 

 provided with all necessary tools will therefore 

 properly be a part of the establishment. Some 

 fexerciso here will give to all the students an 

 agreeable variety of employment, and to (hose 

 who have a mechanical turn it will be as grat- 

 ifying as useful. Here also ought to be col- 

 lected models of all the best implements of hus- 

 bandry, of \'|hich the respective merits will not 

 only be explained by the proper professor but 

 proved by actual trial. 



Books will be kept in which will be entered 

 in detail, all the transactions of the (arm, and 

 periodical statements of results, with account.^ 

 of [irofit and loss ; and these the professors may 

 make the subjects of uselul and profitable lec- 

 tures. 



I'ublic examinations en theory and practice, 

 and exhibitions of work will be appointed, hon- 

 ors awarded and diplomas given as evidences ot 

 superior merit on a completion of education. 

 And these when justly estimated, as undoubted- 

 ly they will be, must give title to a precedence 

 before those who hold licences for ibilowing 

 any of (he liberal professions. 



Here will also be taught, both by precept 

 and example, that frugality, temperance and eco- 

 nomy, of time as well as of expense, which are 

 equally essential with skill in the profession ibr 

 its successful prosecution ; lessons of the utmost 

 importance to those young gentlemen who may 

 have been contaminated by the customs of ci- 

 ties ; customs, which besides fostering idleness 

 and dissipation, prescribe innumerable costly 



delicacies, as useless to r.duUs as pernicious to 

 children. And it is sincerely to be regretted- 

 that so many of the farmers of our country de- 

 part from a better manner of living for the pur- 

 pose of aping, in an awkward way, the more ir- 

 rational style introduced, partly by necessity, 

 and pardy by a ridiculous vanity, among the in- 

 habitants of cities, liy such frugality and ccon 

 omy will be taught the secret, of possessing, at 

 all times in abundance, the moans of a beltev 

 living than such citizens enjoy ; if by better liv- 

 ing be understood w hat is more according to 

 nature, more highly relished by an unvitiated 

 palate, and more conducive to health, the SHif 

 qua non of every enjoyment. 



It is well known that there are men laboring 

 under an incural)le infirmity, or delicacy of con- 

 stitution, for wh'ch is assigned, as the most pro- 

 bable cause, their having been pampered, when 

 young, will) fashionable dainties. To have the 

 eflects of such practices corrected, as early and 

 as effectually as possible, is therefore, to any 

 such unfortunate individual, a matter of (he 

 highest im|iortance, and to do this will be one, 

 among the many other good oftices of the pro- 

 posed institution. Foreign luxuries will be dis- 

 carded, and the food will be, as it ought to be, 

 with every agriculturalist as far as po>sible, the 

 sole produce of die farm, and that will be made, 

 independent of all other sources, to yield in 

 abiindance, all the prime luxuries of life. 



If cheering or exhilarating beverages arc 

 nccctsnry, and some thing of the kind scetns, 

 from the practice of all ages, to be allowable, 

 if not actually beneficial, while reason does not 

 condemn their use in moderation, we have them 

 of the most inoxious kind and the most grateful 

 variety, v>-ithout resorting to places beyond our 

 own territories for them. Our cider, vvere it 

 not for the unaccountable prejudices of taste, 

 would be deemed superior to the ordinary wines 

 of Europe ; and every family, wiih a little in- 

 struction in the process, could make its own 

 beer of suflicicnt excellence, or it might be had_ 

 from the best brewers by a ready exchange of 

 produce. To send our money abroad for any 

 -uch luxuries cannot then be considered other- 

 wise than as a wanton waste of property and a 

 mistaken apprehension of what is necessary to 

 support true dignify of character. 



A family of miildling size will, in the course 

 of a year, use thirl ij-five dollars worth of colfec, 

 and probably its tea and sugar for suppers will 

 cost as much, making seventy dollars. This is 

 a serious sum to be paid every year for mere 

 Ua-aries by any (armer and especially by new 

 beginners : It is the interest of one thousa7id 

 dollars, for which a little farm might be bought 

 and many a good one rented. But this is only a 

 [Kirt of the useless expenses of our countrymen. 

 Add to it what is laid out for spiritous liquors 

 without taking into the account unnecessary 

 fineries of foreign manufacture, and many other 

 useless items, and the amount will appear still 

 more serious. 



If any thing can be done towards this refor- 

 mation by the agricultural college, thus second- 



1 



