1862. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



99 



Dr. LORING, of Salem, being called upon, said 

 that he came as a learner, not as a teacher. He 

 remarked that the proper basis for agricul- 

 tural education in New England was the intro- 

 duction into our schools of some elementary work 

 on agriculture, and this Avould tend to make it at- 

 tractive to the rising generation. "VVe have done 

 much in New England by books, periodicals, &c., 

 and they should not be lost sight of. And we 

 should not forget what the Commonwealth, and 

 what agricultural societies have done. lie com- 

 mended the Agricultural iManual, published by the 

 recommendation of the Massachusetts Agricultural 

 Board, and said it contained much matter for flir- 

 mers in a desirable form. lie was not prepared to 

 advocate agricultural colleges, yet they may be 

 serviceable in England, where capitalists require 

 l)ailiffs to superintend their farms. Our farming 

 organization is so different from that of Europe, 

 that such large institutions would be of doubtful 

 utility with us, at present, at least. He spoke of 

 the importance of learning from books, as farmers 

 were slow to give and transmit traditionally their 

 experience, and related some facts in illustration. 

 He impressed the idea that agriculture need not 

 be drudgery, and that it can be made superior to 

 all vocations, required much thinking, and was 

 more diiRcult to pursue than the various mechan- 

 ical trades. 



Mr. White, Secretary of the State Board of 

 Education, being called upon, said he did not feel 

 competent to speak vipon the practical part of farm- 

 ing, though interested in general education. He 

 related the anecdote of a painter, who, when asked 

 what he mixed with liis colors to make them so 

 superior, replied "Brains !" And, said the speak- 

 er, this is what we should mix with manure ! Ed- 

 ucation underlies all that is important in life, and 

 introduces real wealth. Broad forms decrease with 

 wealth and population, and men narrow their 

 bounds, and by the aid of science, cultivate down- 

 wards — into the earth. Scratcliing the soil will 

 not do ; we must go deep and mix brains with oiu- 

 operations. He thought all the great business op- 

 erations of life should be begun early to be well 

 understood, and to secure success, and of course 

 farming was included. Every man owns land or 

 expects to, as all have an interest in it. The in- 

 troduction of agriculture into our schools as a study 

 — besides being useful otherwise — would have a 

 religious bearing and influence. Farming is a re- 

 ligious occupation — one of obvious dependence 

 upon God ; and the tillers of the soil should be 

 the best educated, as with them lay the broadeit 

 field, on which and with whom he hoped to ead 

 his days. 



Mr. Flint, Secretary of the Board of Agricul- 

 ture, being invited to speak, said he had given the 

 subject much thought, and that it was no less im- 



portant than broad. The practical question is, 

 what is the best way to educate ? Newspapers 

 and Societies had done very much. lie was not 

 opposed to an agricultural college, at a proper time, 

 but we must begin at the beginning. The gi-eat 

 utility of expensive manual labor schools and col- 

 leges in Europe was doubtful, and by some, these 

 institutions had been pronounced failures. The 

 agricultural colleges of this country are yet exper- 

 iments. For a further expression of his views, 

 Mr. Flint read from a report of a committee to 

 the State Agricultm-al Board, published in the 

 Massachusetts Agricultural report of 1859, page 

 130; also from the Ohio Fanner, showing the 

 importance of the introduction of agricultin-e into 

 our schools, the plcasme its vaned subjects would 

 give, the ftiilures it would prevent, »ic. This 

 would be beginning at the foundation. 



Mr. Northrop, Agent of the INIassachusetts 

 Board of Education, being called upon, said agri- 

 culture should be taught early. In our schools 

 we should not give books so much as things and 

 facts. There was a growing thii-st for knowledge, 

 as stated by His Excellency the Governor, and we 

 should teach children to reflect. They should see 

 and feel the natural objects of their studies as much 

 as possible. Plato used to say he regi-etted the 

 art of writing ; and we might almost regret the 

 art of printing. Books were the ai-t of man — na- 

 ture the art of God. Farming was good educa- 

 tion for the mind, and best to develop the imagin- 

 ation. 



Mr. Dewitt, of Agawam, had some views rath- 

 er counter to the previous speakers. He thought 

 the Agricultural Manual, if introduced into our 

 schools to be taught to boys under 16 years of age, 

 would fail in five years. In seminaries and with 

 older children, it might perhaps be of more use. 



INIr. White replied that he had reference to 

 higher classes. 



ISlr. Davis, of Plymouth, had read the Manual 

 carefully, and thought that all persons might be 

 enlightened by it. He illustrated the importance 

 of education in farming, by stating some facts 

 about the growth of timothy grass with its bulbous 

 root. He spoke also of the large mammoth agricul- 

 tural institution recommended by Dr. Hitchcock, 

 with more professors than Harvard College, but 

 said it would not do. Let us teach agriculture in 

 our ordinary schools, and rise by gradation, and 

 by and by we may attain to a county school, such 

 as has been by some recommended. 



Mr. Sears, of Yarmouth, said he did not think 

 the scholars were too young in our common schools 

 to study agriculture, and he would have it there 

 taught. Young boys have more ideas of life than 

 we imagine. 



Mr. Capen, of Boston, spoke generally and ear- 

 nestly upon the subject, alluding, among many 



