188 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



April 



ferent policy. From a statement of his views, 

 in a late number of his paper, we copy the fol- 

 lowing : — 



"The principles and practices of our normal 

 schools and teachers' institutes, form the most 

 rational and feasible basis for the commence- 

 ment of the proposed agricultural college. 

 This will include the two essentials of economic 

 possibility and popular regard. In such an in- 

 stitution the machinery is not expensive nor 

 the idea forbidding to common minds. It 

 would also accommodate the exigencies of 

 farm life, by allowing such boys to attend dur- 

 ing the leisure season of winter, as could not 

 well be spared during the summer; and in 

 this way they Avould be like the bees which fly 

 to and fro between the hive and pasture, 

 bringing in the honey they gather and inciting 

 others to a like adventure. Neither would 

 this temporary attendance conflict with the 

 higher privilege of such boys as could spend 

 the entire year at the institution, for whom a 

 more thorough course could be provided. 



Let the boys feel that they are to enjoy facili- 

 ties for learning how to become successful 

 farmers, and do not frighten them by a grim 

 ghow of Latin, Greek and mathematics. Or- 

 ganize your agricultural college upon this basis 

 according to the means in hand, and Id it 

 groio according to its desert, instead of wait- 

 mg for the splendid university to appear in all 

 its unapproachable glory." 



In connection with this the Country Gentle- 

 man alludes to the suggestions of the late 

 Henry Colman, in reference to agricultural 

 education. To secure 1st, "the thorough in- 

 doctrination of the pupil in natural science, 

 and in mechanical philosophy, so far as it can 

 be made to bear upon agriculture," — and, 2d, 

 a farm which should aflTord him "an example 

 of the best management, and the best practices 

 in husbandry," Mr. Colman recommends 

 that the students should lodge and board with 

 the farmer or others in the neighborhood, and 

 that, 



"One or two instructors should be em- 

 ployed constantly ibr teaching the main 

 branches of education, and a competent I'armer 

 should be employed to manage the agi-icultural 

 department, and to give the necessary practi- 

 cal instruction. Beyond this, no resident in- 

 struciors would be reciuired, — but regular and 

 full courses of lectures and experiments in 

 geology, mineralogy, botany, comparative anat- 

 omy, the veterinary art, and chemistry, by 

 competent professors in these sciences, who 

 might 1k! employed for those objects annually, 

 without the necessity and expense of constant 

 residence, — as is now frequ(!ntly done at oin- 

 medical schools. In this way, the best talents 



in the community might be commanded, and 

 at a reasonable expense." 



With regard to instruction, he also throws 

 out, as worthy of consideration, the idea of lo- 

 cation near some established college which 

 might afford additional facilities for scientific 

 lectures or collections. 



DELEGATES TO SOCIETIES. 



At the late meeting of the Massachusetts 



Board of Agriculture, delegates to visit the 



Fairs of the various societies of the State wei'e 



assigned as follows : — 



Essex Society — Mr. Ward of Munson. 

 Middlesex — Mr. Thompson of Nantucket. 

 Middlesex South — Dr. Luring of Salem. 

 Middlesex North — Mr. Birnie of Springfield. 

 Worcester — Mr. Saltonstall of Newton. 

 Worcester West — Mr. Smith of Sunderland. 

 Worcester South — Mr. Davis of Plymouth. 

 Worcester Soidheast — Mr. Porter of Hatfield. 

 Worcester North — Mr. Hyde of Lee. 

 Ha7npshire, Hamden and Franklin — Mr. Billings of 



Lunenljurg. 

 Hampshire — Mr. Sanderson of Pliillipston. 

 Highland — Mr. Slndc of Somerset. 

 Hampden — Mr. Clcmc-nt of Dracut. 

 Hampden East — Mr. Johnson of Framingham. 

 Franklin — Mr. Sto.kbridge of Hadley. 

 Berkshire — Mr. Bull of Concord. 

 Hoiisatonic- — Mr. King of Barnstable. 

 Hoosac Valley — Mr. Cleavcland of Tisbury. 

 Norfolk — Mr. Knowlton of Upton. 

 Bristol — Mr. Cole of Williamstown. 

 Bristol Central — Mr. Watkins of Hinsdale. 

 Plynwuth — Mr. Hubbard of Brimfield. 

 Barnstable — Mr. Thatcher of Lee. 

 yantuckct—Mx:. Ward of Shrewsbury. 

 Martha's Vineyard — Mr. Sewall of Medfield. 



Rhode Island. — At a meeting of the Rhode 

 Island Society for the Encouragement of Do- 

 mestic Industry, at Providence, Feb. Gth, W. 

 Sprague was elected President; Joseph II. 

 Bourn, Cyrus B. Manchester, and Obadiah 

 Brown, Vice Presidents ; ^V'. R. Staples, Provi- 

 dence, Secretary and Tri'asurer. A general 

 exhibition, cattle show and fair during the year 

 was decided upon. 



For the New England Farmer. 

 THE WOOL TARIFF. 



The intimations which for the last few weeks 

 have been coming from Washington, in rela- 

 tion to new propositions for changes in the tar- 

 ilf upon wool and woolens, iiave been received 

 l)y the farmers of the countiy with well ground- 

 ed apprehension and alarm. The i)ith ol' these 

 new r(!conuucndations is embodied in the fol- 

 lowing sentimce. "No protection upon the 

 raw materials of wool, coal and iron, init to 

 award tlie protection of the government to 

 those industries which require much skilled 

 labor and large capital." In concise English, 



