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354 



TIIli: ILLIISrOIS FA^RMEH. 



pulses from the primary school. { 



"Every one should plant a tree," Said 

 one who knew, not only for the materi- 

 al gain produced by its growth, but, 

 also, the moral effects of such a labor. 

 Who has planted and nurtured a tree 

 that has not himself improved by the 

 association? It is a new object of love, 

 and our sympathies in being grown with 

 its growth and strengthen with its in- 

 creasing vigor. When can we form such 

 friendships with the world of beauty as 

 when tho faculties are expanding and 

 our love becking new objects for its 

 earnest embrace':' Where shall that ex- 

 pansion take place — that real education 

 — better than at school? Let the teacher 

 plant a tree and kind memories will 

 cling to him in many young hearts 

 through the influence of its association. 

 Let the pupil plant a tree. It is an 

 epoch in his life — a starting point of 

 his usefulness, to which he will revert 

 with pleasure long after he has ceased 

 to enjoy its shade. Trees, flowers and 

 shrubs should be an inseparable inci- 

 dent of school yard beauty. The con- 

 templation of the impressible hours of 

 childhood must be beneficial; for 



"Some •' Bis lose all thiDgB l>ut the luve of beanty, 

 And by tbat love they are re.Ieemiible." 



Habits of close observation are es- 

 sential to the agriculturist. Earth, air 

 and sky present curious and wonderful 

 phenomena to the accurate observer. 

 The fall of an apple, the swinging of a 

 chandelier, the sore hands of a milk- 

 maid, gave celebrity to the names of 

 Newton, Gallileo and Jenner, and con- 

 tributed to the world's science invaluable 

 truths. Little things, to observing and 

 reflecting minds, often lead the way to 

 grand discoveries. 



To the naturalist, the familiar forms 

 of vegetation, of animal life and of in- 

 organized matter are known, and his 

 quick eye detects new forms and 

 features whenever they are met. He 

 traces the relations of things and his 

 conclusions are the results of mature de- 

 liberation ^nd sober judgment. Such a 

 man is always willing to be a learner, 

 and docs not hesitate to contribute his 

 share of knowledge to the common 

 stock. Such, to a great extent, should 

 cveiy agriculturist be. But how direct 

 such observations at school? 



Every school can have a magnifying 

 glass and a microscope. Every boy and 

 girl can learn to use them in discovering 

 the myriad forms of beauty and fitness, 

 found, where, to ignorant uncultivated 

 minds, they would never be supposed to 

 exist. A bee's sting, a snake's fang, a 

 spider's web, an insect's eye, a sprig of 

 moss, a human hair are a few of the ten 

 thousand objects that fill us with wonder 

 and admiration. If such means are af- 

 forded for acquiring knowledge, child- 

 ren will need no stimulus to avail them- 



selves of it. The food, habits and 

 modes of reproduction of the various 

 insect pests may thus be brought under 

 inspection, and experiments be made for 

 their destruction or prevention. In this 

 direction there is great opportunity for 

 investigation. Who shall tell us the 

 cause and cure of the potato rot? 

 Many experiments have been made and 

 are now making for this end. Some 

 have arrived at conclusions, but the di- 

 versity of opinion yet, on these subjects, 

 shows that the investigations and 

 experiments must not be relinquished, 

 as the object is not generally supposed 

 to be attained. The chinch bug, the 

 weevil, the fly, the tree borers, grass- 

 hoppers and locusts should be familiar 

 acquaintances in the schoolroom. The 

 interest attaching to these forms of in- 

 sect life, at times so destructive to the 

 labors and hopes of the husbandman- 

 would make them subjects of observa- 

 tion, and thus demonstrate the advant- 

 age of "agriculture as connected with 

 schools." 



Another means of inciting the powers 

 of observation in children is the forma- 

 tion of a school cabinet of curious and 

 interesting things, by the contributions 

 of the pupils themselves. Such a col- 

 lection might not be of very great value 

 intrinsically, but its chief excellence 

 Avould be in the inducement it would 

 offer for increased zeal in the observa- 

 tion of things which otherwise might 

 escape their notice. Collections of 

 minerals, fossils and shells might be 

 made. Bees, bugs, butterflies and other 

 varieties of insects, with reptiles of dif- 

 ferent kinds, could easily be secured 

 and arranged. A simple collection of 

 flowers or the arrangement of leav..'S ac- 

 cording to size, shape and formation, 

 Avould add much to the benefit of the 

 whole. A little vial of chloroform 

 would be sufficient to capture and kill a 

 multitude of insects and reptiles scien- 

 tifically, which doubtless would be much 

 more agreeable to them than if taken 

 and preserved the old way. 



Neatness and order constitute two of 

 the prominent peculiarities of the model 

 farm, and the farm itself, in these par- 

 ticulars, is but the embodiment of the 

 model farmer's cultivated mind. The 

 teacher can impart these qualities by 

 the systematic arrangement of every- 

 thing in his domain. He should "have 

 a place for everything," and be very 

 careful to "have everything in its 

 place.'' Cleanliness and tidiness should 

 be exhibited in every apartment and de- 

 partment in and about. In this Way, 

 also, can agriculture find a valuable 

 auxiliary in its connection with the 

 schools. 



Habits of punctuality and regularity 

 should distinguish the agriculturist in an 

 especial manner. "Time and tide wait 



for no man,'' and, failing to learn the 

 value of this sentiment, many a man 

 has lost his crop and his credit by his 

 neglect to "make hay during sunshine." 

 The duties of the farm, the garden and 

 the orchard are chiefly of the kind that 

 demand constant and regular attention. 

 Plowing, sowing and reaping, planting, 

 pruning and budding must be done, each 

 in its season. To take advantage of 

 the seasons in order to facilitate agricul- 

 tural operations, requires some meteoro- 

 logical knowledge. To acquire this, 

 time, systematic observation and reflec- 

 tion are necessary. As punctuality and 

 regularity are essential in the proper 

 management of a school, perhaps agri- 

 culture may derive something valuable 

 from the connection in this respect. 



If each school be furnished with a 

 thermometer, barometer and a vane, to 

 say nothing of a more extended assort- 

 ment of instruments, the habit of punc- 

 tual and regular observation and regis- 

 tration might be acquired which, aside 

 from the knowledge obtained by forming 

 a meteorological table, would be» invalu- 

 able. Habits thus acquired would 

 never be lost, for the tastes thus formed 

 would be a constant stimulus for the ac- 

 quisition of new food for mental diges- 

 tion. 



Habits of observation cultivate gentle 

 and humane dispositions. We are told 

 that a "merciful man is merciful to his 

 beast," and in no class do we see a 

 greater physical, to say nothing of the 

 moral advantage of cultivating a loving 

 disposition towards all living things than 

 among those who till the ground. The 

 agriculturist, especially, should cherish 

 the humane sentiment, for no one has 

 his patience more severely tried than he, 

 and to no one does kindness and forbear- 

 ance bring so rich a reward; for those 

 who treat their hirelings xind their cattle 

 with consideration are more than repaid 

 by the additional labor performed, and 

 also in the improved character and ap- 

 pearance of the animal themselves. 

 Domestic animals frequently reflect the 

 character of their masters, und, other 

 things being equal, he is the most suc- 

 cessful farmer whose stock is gentle and 

 kind, and is thus easily managed. 

 These, it is true, are not the far-famed 

 "humanities'' of the schools; neverthe- 

 less the schools may contribute much to 

 inculcate them. 



No child will injure that in which he 

 takes pleasure. Do the birds build in 

 the trees in the school house yard? If 

 they do not, they ought to, and a group 

 of curious children should be instructed 

 to observe their instincts, to notice their 

 habits and to love their songs. Love 

 begets confidence — even birds know 

 this; and the sweet influence of such 

 society is worth volumes on benevolence. 

 By cultivating a taste for such compan- 



