AORlCtTLtftfRAL SCHOOLS.—fHE PEACOCK, 
4 ? 
especially sheep, to consume a part of the vegeta¬ 
tion, as the benefits to the ground is scarcely dimin¬ 
ished, if consumed in the field, and sheep have a 
cleansing effect, by eating nearly every particle of 
weeds and obnoxious plants. 
R. L, Allen, 
Buffalo , March , 1843. 
For the American Agriculturists 
Near Lotkport, Illinois > Feby. 11th , 1843. 
Sir: Having occasionally seen your agricultu¬ 
ral paper in this state* and noticed your invitation 
to correspondents, I am induced to say a few words 
to you on affairs in this quarter of the Union, The 
country around us is mostly rolling prairie, and fur¬ 
nishes, I believe, as fine a natural soil as the SUn 
ever shone on. It is highly productive, and ma¬ 
tures almost every kind of crop which is cultivated. 
It is also admirably adapted for cattle, horses, sheep, 
and swine; and I am satisfied we can raise them 
as cheap as can be done in any part of the world, 
where labor is fairly paid ; for they are subject to 
few diseases, food is furnished in great abundance 
at the cheapest rates, and the climate is not 
severe. 
Everything seems to be favorable to our pros¬ 
perity, so far as nature is concerned, but the mis¬ 
erable condition of the currency, and the debts of 
our state seem to blight our best prospects. Could 
we enjoy a stable, wise system of things in the 
state and general government, we should reap a 
fair return for our labor. We are trying to do 
something by way of getting out of our difficulties, 
by turning over our canal, and the lands appropri¬ 
ated to it for the purpose of completing it in such 
way as that it can be made available. If we suc¬ 
ceed in this, we shall have brighter prospects so far 
as the canal route is concerned, and we hope for 
such a gradual amelioration of things, as will soon 
afford us a sufficient currency, and a sound state of 
trade. 
But to the subject of agriculture. We are en¬ 
deavoring to procure good breeds of animals, and 
wish all the information on the subject we can get 
from every source. Some of our enterprising farm¬ 
ers have procured valuable ones, among whom I 
may mention our public-spirited commissioner, 
Wm. Gooding, Esq., who brought a number of 
choice Berkshires from Buffalo; and Mr. James 
Murray, whose sheep management you described 
in your September paper, and who, in addition to 
his fine flock of Cheviots, brought on two very val¬ 
uable Paular Merino bucks last fall, for the purpose 
of improving the quality of their wool. Such spir¬ 
ited movements, generally followed up through the 
state, would soon give us as productive an agricultu¬ 
ral district as the United States afford. 
There is a great deficiency in our farmers not 
taking more agricultural papers. Could every one 
be induced to do this, we should soon have a great 
advancement in everything pertaining to our inter¬ 
est. We should then be advised of the improve¬ 
ments going forward in the world, and know what 
to adopt, and what to reject; and it is probable 
every man who owned a quarter section of land, 
would be benefited to ten, perhaps fifty times the 
amount of his subscription. There is no excuse 
for this indifference to their best interest, but the 
excessive scarcity of money, and this rather aggra¬ 
vates than excuses the neglect, as every farmer 
would by this means get money, instead of spend¬ 
ing it. I am very respectfullv yoUrs, 
T. L. C. 
A. B. Allen, Esq., New York . 
For the American Agriculturist-. 
AGRICULTURAL SCHOOLS. 
A. B. Allen, Esq.— Sir : What has become of 
our agricultural schools and colleges ? I suppose 
you will answer we have never had any. Well 
then, what has become of the many suggestions 
and plans which have appeared in our agricultural 
papers, able and well-written articles, setting forth 
the importance of stick institutions in these United 
States ? Were the writers all visionary men— 
having been humbugged themselves, and then in 
their turn, humbugging others? Or is it a sober 
truth, that the sons of the farmers should be edu¬ 
cated to their profession, as well as other young 
men to theirs ? 
We may talk and write Upon the science of 
chemistry, analyzing soils, rotation of crops, plow¬ 
ing in all sorts of vegetation for manure, use of 
lime, ashes, salt, charcoal, and Various other fertil¬ 
izers, all of which is well in its place, and does a 
vast deal toward leading the mind to investigate 
for itself. Yet, after all, the reason of the why and 
wherefore of the action of these things lies far be¬ 
yond the reach of the mass of the farming commu¬ 
nity ; whereas, were there but a single individual 
in each county in the State of New York, thorough¬ 
ly educated, with a paid salary to go about among 
the farmers, lecturing and instructing them, it 
would prove like leaven, leavening the whole lump. 
If we are not to have the Smithsonian bequest, to 
do something with on a respectable and national 
scale, let an individual state establish a small 
school. This may be done at a profit on the out¬ 
lay, for while the cattle are breeding, the stock 
growing, the crops vegetating and maturing, the 
experiments are being carried on in all these 
operations, as well as the more minute, under cov¬ 
er, in rainy or stormy days, as well as evenings. 
Are there no men of fortune and leisure to be found, 
who are willing to take hold of this thing ? 
S. 
New York , April 6t,h , 1843. 
Our correspondent, it will be seen, is rather se¬ 
vere upon the peacock, and per contra, we will 
say, that when well fatted, and not over a year 
old, we have found them delicious food. Peahens 
were considered a great luxury on the tables of the 
Romans. 
For the American Agriculturist. 
THE PEACOCK. 
The most showy and magnificent bird of the 
farm-yard is the Peacock—but it is a bird for orna- 
