86 
PROFESSOR NORTON ON AN AGRICULTURAL SCHOOL. 
think the springs might be placed on the sides 
of the box, leaving just room enough for the vibra- 
tion, between the bottom of the bed and axle. 
[There is a method of hanging them behind the 
axletrees, which brings the bod}" quite as low as if 
placed almost directly on them; but the plan is not 
quite so strong as that represented in the cut.] To 
prevent any unpleasantness from concussion down 
upon the axle, when heavy loaded, use gutta-percha 
stops. 
Treatment of Rose Bushes. — If soapsuds were 
used instead of water to mix with the cow dung, it 
would be all the better. Soapsuds, by the by, 
and no matter how strong or dirty, is one of the 
best manures for grapevines ever used. It is good 
to put on roots or leaves. 
An Attempt at Housekeeping. — I have known a 
great many of that same, within 50 years past, 
and, from the nature of the present style of fash- 
ionable education now in operation for American 
housekeepers, I guess there will be a great many 
more attempts in the next 50 years to come, and I 
don't believe that some of them will ever be any- 
thing else but attempts. And what is the worst of 
it, many a similar spoiled dinner, like the one here 
related, will produce spoiled tempers. In truth, 
those "latter-day saints" of mothers, do not do 
their duty toward American daughters who are 
destined to become wives to American farmers. 
Anecdotes of Animals. — Really, boys, these two 
stories, of the mouse, and " Yellow Ned," from the 
prolific pen of our excellent friend, E. S., are worth 
a whole year's subscription to_the Agriculturist. 
If you have not read them, or if you have forgotten 
them, do turn back and read again. They are 
both instructive and amusing. 
Agricultural Chemistry, No. 8. — These articles, 
as they progress, seem to increase in value. At 
first, I did not view them with any great degree of 
interest, particularly for the boys ; but really the 
present number is not only very interesting to 
them, but may be read with much profit by some 
of us who were boys a long time ago. How 
exceedingly plain the description of the several 
substances here named is given. I hope Mr. 
McKinstry will go on with a long catalogue in 
the same style. It is the most interesting " agri- 
cultural chemistry" that I have ever read. 
Reviewer. 
m 
PROFESSOR NORTON'S REMARKS ON THE ESTAB- 
LISHMENT OF AN AGRICULTURAL SCHOOL BY 
THE STATE OF NEW YORK. 
At a discussion which took place at the State 
Rooms, in Albany, on the 4th of January, relative 
to that part of the late message of the Governor, 
recommending the establishment of an Agricultural 
School, Professor John P. Norton, of Yale Col- 
lege, rose in compliance with a request of the Chair- 
man. He expressed his great satisfaction at seeing 
the interest evinced on this subject, by those who 
desire to advance the cause of agriculture in the 
state of New York. There is hope that when such 
a state makes a decided movement — whatever in- 
stitution may be established under its auspices will 
answer public expectation. 
Mere theory, he said, was not the true test of the 
usefulness of such an establishment. It must be 
on a liberal scale, or its good would be imperfectly 
felt. Among all the European agricultural schools, 
and he had seen most of them, there were but two 
or three which were not on an exceedingly limited 
plan; even with them but few men, that could 
really be called men of science, were connected. 
One of the principal points to be regarded, is, 
that the theoretical teacher be able also to impart 
practical instruction. The school should unite 
practice and theory — that the scholar, however en- 
listed in the theory, may bring it to the test of ex- 
perience, and see whether it is consistent, or at va- 
riance, with the actual results produced. This is 
one of the strongest reasons why government 
should control such a school ; since it could afford 
the necessary means to fully develope at once both 
theory and practice, in any department of agricul- 
tural science. > 
Professor N. would not wish chemistry brought 
forward too prominently in such an institution — 
but would place all the various forms of knowledge 
on an equal footing, having all so adjusted and so 
arranged, that we should not have, as is now too 
often the case, a long series of experiments, produc- 
ing no decisive satisfactory results, for the reason 
that they are made in different regions, on different 
soils, in different climates, in accordance with no fixed 
rules, and with want of scientific knowledge. Such 
experiments are often worse than useless, leading 
but to confusion. He alluded to the different theo- 
ries of distinguished authors, the true test as to the 
economical value of which hai been, after all, the 
experiments of practical men. It was, for instance, 
at one time said, that the potato contained neither 
the substances necessary for the fattening of stock 
nor for the formation of muscle, but this had been 
found an error. Scientific men had made great 
mistakes, even Liebig, in reference to several points, 
and had done much harm through a lack of prac- 
tical knowledge. 
The union of the scientific and the practical, in 
such an institution, should be complete. The man 
at its head should be well versed in all the scientific 
discoveries of the day, competent to seize upon 
whatever new propositions presented themselves, 
and to subject them to the ordeal of experience. 
In that way the most decisive results would be ob- 
tained. 
He hoped that in the establishment of this insti- 
tution, a very prominent place would be given to 
such scientific investigations as would tend to a 
thorough examination of questions concerning 
which theoretical men were at issue. The want of 
these, and of the proper men to carry them out, are 
the reason for the failure of so many agricultural 
schools. Farmers would soon lose their confidence 
in any school which could not afford them reliable 
information on these matters. The state of New 
York, the leading state in the Union, should pursue 
a policy which would lead to the permanency of 
the undertakings that are commenced. 
There is always to be a struggle with crude and 
imperfect notions. He had been astonished to hear 
last winter at one of the meetings held in the capi- 
tal, the assertion made — that in such an agricultu- 
ral school as was then proposed, a scholar could 
be made a thorough analytical chemist by the study 
of some six weeks or two months. His experi- 
ence in various laboratories, had taught him that 
