450 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



Oct. 



that agriculture ought not to be introduced, as a 

 study, into our common schools, must be "null and 

 void, and of no force -whatever." 



The true view in relation to this question of the 

 purpose for which common schools have been es- 

 tablished, and are still maintained, seems to be 

 this — that enlightened legislators established them, 

 and intelligent parents and educationists maintain 

 them, in order that the children of the State — each 

 young and rising generation — might have an op- 

 portunity of acquiring all the knowledge, and of 

 being trained in all the habits of correct and vig- 

 orous thinking or judging, which might in any 

 way, prepare them to fulfil well and worthily all 

 the duties and offices which they might be called 

 upon to perform, as individuals, citizens, and 

 members of society generally, in after life. Many 

 or most schools may, indeed, come short of this 

 high and comprehensive design, but nevertheless, 

 this is the end and object of their creation ; and 

 consequently every study may, with perfect pro- 

 priety, be introduced into a common school, which 

 has any tendency or power, by its increasing 

 knowledge or invigorating mind, to fit and pre- 

 pare the young for the worthy discharge of the du- 

 ties, offices, responsibilities and transactions or 

 business of adult life. It is a maxim generally ac- 

 knowledged as true, and of authority, that chil- 

 dren should learn, when young, what will enable 

 them to execute well what they will have to do 

 when men and women. And as a knowledge of 

 soils, manures, the growth of vegetables and other 

 things embraced in agriculture, must be useful to 

 almost all, there seems to be no reason why this 

 should not be studied in schools, which would not 

 as obviously exclude a good many other studies 

 which are now among the customary studies of the 

 best schools. All men and women have gardens 

 of some kind, if no more, and would not a knowl- 

 edge of this and other branches of agriculture be 

 of far more practical value in adult life, than a 

 knowledge of botany, chemistry, astronomy, alge- 

 bra, geometry, trigonometry, and some other 

 branches of learning generally pursued in schools ? 

 As it might be too great a tax upon the patience 

 of the readers of this journal to take up time and 

 space to review and refute in detail all the consid- 

 erations used by Mr. G. to enforce his objections 

 to the introduction of agriculture, as a study, into 

 our common schools, I will name, at present, on- 

 ly one of the several things which might be urged 

 in reply to the statements made by him in the ar- 

 ticle under notice. There is, then, one thing im- 

 plied or taken for granted in all of the objections 

 urged by Mr. G., which, as it is an erroneous sup- 

 position, vitiates the whole of his rather surpris- 

 ing plea. This mistake, running throughout the 

 remarks of Mr. G., is this — that if agriculture is 

 to be introduced as a study into our schools, it 

 must be a study obligatory upon all who attend 

 these schools, or, in other words, a compulsory, 

 and not, like botany, chemistry, algebra, 8cc., a 

 voluntary or elective study, which only those are 

 to engage in who may wish to do so, or who may 

 be desired to do so by their jjarents or guardians. 

 Almost all the studies attended to in our schools, 

 are elective or voluntary, not compulsory, and why 

 Mr. G. should have taken up the supposition that 

 agriculture, if introduced at all, is to be a study 

 obhgatory on all, seems difficvdt to be accounted 

 for. It might, indeed, be easily accounted for in 



a lawyer who was employed to do his utmost in 

 making out a case, or in one who was so thorough- 

 ly prejudiced and one-sided as to be utterly blind- 

 ed to the truth and the reality of things, but we 

 cannot allow ourselves to place Mr. G. in either 

 of these positions. But however this supposition 

 came to be entertained, it runs through all that 

 iilr. G. has written on the subject, and renders all 

 his objections of little, or rather of no force what- 

 ever. The question of the expediency of introduc- 

 ing agriculture as a study in schools is, therefore, 

 now open for discussion. Who will speak in favor 

 of it ? More Anon. 



EXTRACTS AND KEPLIES. 



LICE ON FOWLS. 



I wish to inquire of you where the black sul- 

 phur of which you speak in the Farmer, as a rem- 

 edy for lice on poultry, can be purchased ? I have 

 tried to obtain it at several different places, but 

 without success. Ey an early reply you will much 

 oblige your subscriber, f. f. s. 



Needham, Aug., 1862. 



Remarks. — The article which we published 

 was taken, we think, from an English paper. On 

 inquiry we learn that the word "black" should be 

 lac, that is, the millc of sulphur. It is called lac 

 sulphur because it is washed in alcohol, which 

 takes away a large amount of the sulphur odor. 

 See remedies for lice on fowls in the article below. 



I wish to inquire through your valuable paper, 



1. What is a safe cure for lice on fowls ? 



2. Are you acquainted with a book called "The 

 Manual of Agriculture," and if so, would you ad- 

 vise one with a small farm to buy it ? 



3. What is the best food, except honey, to feed 

 bees with, and also, what is the best way to feed 

 them ? 



By answering the above you will oblige a new 

 subscriber. p. 



Beverly, Aug., 1862. 



Remarks. — Lice on Fowls. — Keep everything 

 perfectly clean, and keep them in perfect condi- 

 tion so far as feed will do it. Oil the roosts once 

 a month with any soft, clean oil that has no salt 

 in it. Occasionally rub a little under their 

 wings, on the top of their heads, but in very small 

 quantity. Provide plenty of wood ashes for them 

 to roll in. 



2. Buy the "Manual of Agriculture," by all 

 means, and become master of all the facts it pre- 

 sents. 



3. Food for Bees. — Next to our honey. West 

 India is the best. It can be bought for about 

 $1,50 per gallon. The best way to feed bees is in 

 little troughs directly over their comb — but you 

 cannot do it in common hives. Put straws into 

 a saucer and turn honey into it and set it under 

 the hive, and see that robbers do not come for it. 

 Torrey's Maine State Hive has all the accommo- 

 dation for feeding bees, without their being visit- 

 ed by neighboring swarms. 



