120 Agricultural Education. 
class of farmers, who depend mostly upon the common schools for 
the education of their children; and it is upon this class that our 
prosperity to a considerable extent depends. They are the most 
numerous and independent class; they are not so wealthy as to 
be likely to imbibe extravagant aristocratic principles; neither 
are they so poor as to be dependent. The amount of property 
owned by them, would probably average from three to eight thou- 
sand dollars, and would meet a division among their children of 
from five to twelve hundred dollars. Can it be supposed that this 
prudent class of farmers would send their sons to an institution 
established by the state, and lose their labor during the summer, 
besides paying the expense to acquire an education, which would 
leave them, on arriving at the proper age, to commence for them- 
selves almost entirely without means to commence with? Most 
certainly not. And their numbers are such that it would be im- 
possible, if they were ever so willing. But if the study of agri- 
culture was introduced into our primary schools, they would avail 
themselves of this advantage. 
If we wish to make a lasting and general improvement in the 
education of the farmers of our state, we must begin Mith the 
young while in the common schools. And it is to them and to 
those who are to follow them, that we must look for the great and 
lasting benefits of this plan of education. Those who act only 
for themselves, and those on the stage with them, act from very 
limited views. Who planted the trees, the fruit of which we ate 
while children? Certainly those who went before us; let us then 
plant for those who are to come after us. The same rule applies 
to education; those who went before us prepared the means for 
our education, according to the best means they possessed. And 
we should prepare not only for those under our immediate care, 
but those who are to come after us, according to the best means 
we possess. 
By introducing the study of agriculture into the common schools, 
we should produce more scientific men than in a single institution, 
because we should include in the study so much the greater num- 
ber, and of course the more who possessed the right kind of talent 
and inclination. There is probably no science which stands so 
much in need of practical illustration, as that of agriculture. By 
this course of working on the farm during the summer, and 
attending the study during the winter, they would go hand in 
hand together. And by reaching the greater number of pupils, 
and greater variety of soils, would be preferable to any single lo- 
cation. 
It is believed that most of those who have turned their atten- 
tion to agricultural science, have not been practical men; and the 
practical men who have attempted to apply the principles, have 
