THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



a 



their belief that the subjects already 

 taught at the University, which must form 

 a part of every independent school of agri- 

 culture, can be so arranged as to meet all 

 the requirements of the school of agricul- 

 ture, without impairing their value to the 

 general student; and report that the Board 

 pledged themselves so to arrange them. 

 To show that the course of instruction 

 would be a full one, permit me to read the 

 synopsis which forms a part of the report 

 of the committee. 



Synopsis of /Subjects to be embraced in 

 a course of Agricultural Lectures. 



I. HISTORY OF AGRICULTURE. 



1. Its origin. 



2. " Progress. 



3. " Condition among ancients. 



4. Modern improvements. 



5. Condition in different countries. 



6. Relative condition in the States of 



this Union. 



7. Special history in Virginia. 



8. Relation to the State. 



9. Literature. 



10. History of staple crops in Virginia. 



11. Laws, especially interesting to Far- 



mers. 



a. of enclosures; b. of trespass on 

 land; c. of roads; d. estrays ; e. of 

 runaways; f. of streams; g. of land 

 titles; h. of statute of frauds ; %. of 

 bailment; j. of commons; k. of 

 landlords and tenants. 



II. SCIENCE OF AGRICULTURE. 



1. Soils. 



a. Formation ; b. Classification ; c. 

 Topography ; cL Elements of fertil- 

 ity ; e. Renovation. 



2. Causes affecting vegetation, indepen- 



dent of soils. 



a. Climate; b Heat; c. Light; d. 

 Electricity ; e. Moisture ; f. Atmos- 

 phere. 



1. Hygrometry; 2. Meteorology; 

 3". Composition of Atmosphere ; 

 4. Elements supplied by it to 

 animal and vegetable life. 



3. Mechanics of Agriculture. 



a. Law of mechanical forces and 

 powers ; b. Hydrodynamics ; c. 

 Principles of draught ; d. Strength 

 and durability of timbers; e. Lev- 



elling; /. Draining; g. Irrigation; 



h. Construction of roads and bridges.; 



■i. do. of farm implements ; y. House 



building. 



1. Residences; 2. Barns ; 3. Ne- 

 gro quarters. 



4. Rotation of crops, theory and prac- 



tice. 



5. Manures. 1. Analysis. 



a. Classification ; b. Composition ; 

 c. Comparative value. 



6. Botany of Agriculture. 



a. Principles of botanical classifica- 

 tion ; b. Agricultural plants ; c. Edi- 

 ble vegetables ; d. Fruits ; e. Pesti- 

 ferous weeds ; /. Timber trees. 



7. Stock breeding. 



a. History of breeds. 



1. Horses; 2. Cows; 3. Hogs; 

 4. Sheep ; 5. Poultry. 



b. Principles of cross breeding. 



8. Labor-saving machines. Value of. 



9. Insects injurious to agriculture. 



10. Mineralogy and geology. 



11. Comparative anatomy and vegetable 



physiology. 



12. The veterinary art. 



13. Chemistry, analytical and agricultu- 



ral. 



III. PRACTICE OF AGRICULTURE. 



1. Preparation of the soil. 



a. Trenching; b. Subsoiling ; c. 

 Spading; d. Ploughing. 



2. Methods of culture. 



a. of each staple crop; b. occa- 

 sional crops. 



3. Times of seeding, and methods of do., 



thick and thin planting. 



4. Harvesting. Times and methods. 



5. Marketing. 



6. Farm accounts and Dairies. 



7. Overseers. Notice piece in S. P. 



8. Management of slaves. 



9. Economy of labor much needed. 



10. Principles of gearing work-beasts — 



1. horses, 2. oxen. 



11. Comparative value of meadows, pas- 



tures, tilled lands. 



12. Care of tools, etc. 



13. Eradication of shrubs, and clearing 

 forest lands. 



14. Enclosures. 



a. Metal; b. Stone; c. Timber; d. 

 Live. 



15. Manures. 



