Education. 



United States. 



In 1894 the Secretary of the Board of Agriculture (Major Craigie) after 

 investigating the working of the Morill and Hatch Acts in the States by direction of 

 the British Government, states : — 



"The American Government seems willing to face any cost to the community 

 that promises the better to equip the farmer with the knowledge of his business. 

 The authorities seem assured that in indicating methods of profitable production 

 and still more by the careful perfecting of the produce of the vast lands of the 

 Republic in whatever direction of extensive or intensive culture the economic cir- 

 cumstances of the moment may prescribe, they are providing a solid means of advanc- 

 ing the well-being of the nation as a whole." 



The Morill Act of 1862 laid the foundations of superstructures, and created an 

 organisation for the furtherance of agriculture, the value and extent of which are 

 unequalled in any other country. In that year Congress alienated 10,000,000 acres of 

 land to provide funds to establish, endow, and maintain agricultural colleges and 

 experimental farms in every State of the Union. This created an activity and 

 interest in agricultural education and research which developed with extraordinary 

 celerity. In 1885 a Convention was held by those associated with agriculture, when 

 the following resolution was passed : — 



" That the condition and progress of American agriculture require 

 national aid for investigation and experimentation in the several 

 States and Territories." 



The Hatch Act of 1887 was formulated and became law — 



" In order to aid in acquiring and diffusing among the people of the 

 United States useful and practical information on subjects connected 

 with agriculture, and to promote scientific investigation and experi 

 ment respecting the principles and applications of agricultural 

 science." 



In order to render this effective and defray expenses, a sum of £6,000 per 

 annum was voted to each State. In addition large sums are annually voted by the 

 State Legislatures, and these are augmented by private benefactions. With these 

 funds so amply provided, thousands of experiments have been and are being con- 

 ducted in every branch of farm work, as well as in rearing live stock, particularly in 

 regard to co-operative tests. The results of these are distributed to the farming 

 community in the most complete way, and entail a lavish expenditure for printing. 



Dr. True, Director of Experiment Stations, states all this has been accom- 

 plished with splendid results, and he reports "a remarkable awakening of our 

 farmers to the desirability of having more definite information regarding 11 matters 

 connected with their business. The result has been that the stations and this 

 Department have been led to publish a vast amount of information, both old and 

 new, which has been freely distributed to farmers in every State of tlie Union. 

 Nothing like it has ever been seen before. No country has ever attempted so syste- 

 matic and so thorough a distribution of information to its agricultural population, 

 and no masses of farmers have ever so eagerly sought for information as have our 

 own within the past few years. Such an intellectual awakening must have most 

 important results, and there is every indication that it will go on increasing in 

 volume and force until it has thoroughly permeated the entire agricultural 

 popidation." 



He points out the special features responsible for their success as follows :— 



1. The wisest leadership, by well-trained men. 



2. Scientific investigations in agriculture systematically conducted. 



3. The thorough organisation of the agencies for distributing informa- 



tion among the farmers. 



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