108 [Assembly 



much nearer to a perfect education than any system now prac- 

 ticed; for though it can not be said to educate the moral pow- 

 ers directly, it will indirectly exercise a very powerful influence 

 over them. 



But an Agricultural College, even with an experimental farm, 

 will be in danger of doing more harm than good if placed in the 

 hands of improper and incompetent persons. Thus it will be 

 seen that the subject is not without its difficulties ; but, by the 

 exercise of an ordinary degree of foresight, discretion, and wisdom, 

 these will soon vanish. Men of the right kind can surely be 

 found to take charge of the various departments ; men both able 

 and willing to carry out in good faith, the great objects contem- 

 plated in founding such an institution. Such men we already 

 have among us. 



An Agricultural College will unquestionably be a great public 

 good ; but shall we stop at a single institution of this kind 1 By 

 no means. I would have a grand system of Agricultural Colle- 

 ges and experimental farms 3 one in every State of the Union. 

 The peculiar advantages of such a system must be apparent to 

 all, without the necessity of going into detail, which my limited 

 space forbids. A grand series of experiments could thus be made 

 over a vast extent of territory and in a great variety of climate, 

 the results of which should be carefully noted. To make these 

 results available to the public, a periodical should be established 

 devoted exclusively to the interests of these colleges, and through 

 this medium a vast amount of useful and reliable information 

 could be spread over the length and breadth of our land. As a 

 matter of course, there would be lecturers and a series of lectures. 

 These lecturers, who should be practical men, might at intervals 

 visit different localities, and talk with (not declaim to) the farm- 

 ers and others, about those subjects relating to the interests ol 

 ao-riculture. Oral instruction imparted in this way will be found 

 to take root tnd yield fruit, Avhere knowledge communicated in 

 the usual manner will die in the seed leaf. 



Again, the principal officers of these colleges should be consti- 

 tuted a grand central committee, at whose periodical meetings an 

 interchange of opinions and comparison of results might be made 



