AGRICULTURAL INSTITUTE. 
183 
fully developed. His wool was very fine and filled 
with yolk—the ends perfectly crusted, so that after 
a stormy night, when covered with snow to the 
depth of three or four inches in the morning, he 
would rise and. shake himself as clean and dry, as 
if he had been standing in a hot sun. Every part 
of his body, legs, and head, was covered with 
wool, and it usually took over an hour to shear 
him, as I would always have it done in the most 
perfect manner. 
But the object of my letter is to show how grade 
sheep may be bred with wool sufficiently fine for 
all common purposes. I purchased a number of 
large, long-legged, bare-bellied, coarse-wooled, na¬ 
tive sheep, with large bags and teats, and put them 
to this buck. This half-bred produce attained a 
large size, and averaged 4 lbs. to 4-|- lbs. of wool 
per head, of good quality. They possessed great 
constitution, were excellent mutton, and according 
to my notion, a very useful sheep. I have thought, 
since residing in Louisiana, that a cross of the 
pure Paular Merino, or Rambouillet, with the old 
Spanish sheep of this state, would be an equally 
successful one to that I made so long since at the 
north, as the old natives there in many respects 
resemble those we now term natives here. 
Very respectfully, 
Chas. C. Williams. 
As we have had repeated inquiries addressed 
us as to an Agricultural Institute, where young 
men could be placed for an education, we would 
refer our readers to the following communication 
of the Rev. Mr. Noble on this subject, and for par¬ 
ticulars, as to terms, &c., see his advertisement in 
this paper. We have every confidence that Mr. 
N. will devote himself entirely to his pupils, and 
that they will have all the attention bestowed up¬ 
on them, and receive all the advantages in their 
education promised. As this is the first attempt 
to establish an Agricultural School in this vicinity, 
we trust that he may receive full encourage¬ 
ment in his highly useful and praiseworthy under¬ 
taking. 
For the American Agriculturist. 
AGRICULTURAL INSTITUTE. 
Bridgeport , Conn ., August 1 6th, 1843. 
Dear Sir : The object of the Agricultural Insti¬ 
tute which I am about to establish here, is to fur¬ 
nish a system of education adapted to the wants 
of those youth who may be designed for the pur¬ 
suits of agriculture. It is remarkable that agricul¬ 
ture, on which mankind are dependent for their 
very sustenance, which employs daily “ not less 
than two hundred millions of men, and nine tenths 
of the fixed capital of civilized nations,” should 
have received, comparatively, so little attention 
from the learned and powerful, and that it has yet 
no schools or colleges to investigate and illustrate 
its principles, to advance its interests, to elevate 
its character, and to give it, both as an art and a 
science, its just place among the several depart¬ 
ments of human learning. It is intended that the 
Institute shall provide the means of a complete 
agricultural education. Those only will be re¬ 
ceived into the Institute who have made consid¬ 
erable advancement in the ordinary branches of 
an English education. The full course of instruc¬ 
tion will require from three to four years, and will 
embrace all the natural sciences, with their appli¬ 
cation to Agriculture, the evidences and general 
principles of natural and revealed theology, mathe¬ 
matics, moral philosophy, political economy, rhet¬ 
oric, history, original composition, the drawing 
of various business papers, extemporaneous speak¬ 
ing, and the principles of civil, constitutional, and 
national law. 
It is designed that courses of lectures shall be 
delivered on the different branches of natural 
science, by distinguished professors, and particu¬ 
larly upon chemistry in connexion with its appli¬ 
cation to agriculture. The ancient and modem 
languages will be taught, if desired ; and lessons 
in music, penmanship, and drawing, may be ob¬ 
tained at moderate charges. 
There will be a systematic course of agricultural 
experiments, to test the value! of different modes 
of culture, of the several kinds of manure, and of 
all such products of the farm as may be suited to 
the climate. 
The pupil will have an opportunity of witnes¬ 
sing the various operations of farming, horticul¬ 
ture, and the planting and growing of fruit and 
ornamental trees, with the formation and use of 
the several kinds of manure. He will not be re¬ 
quired to engage in field labor, except perhaps to 
learn the use of agricultural implements; but 
when desired for the purposes of health or econo¬ 
my, he may be employed on the farm, in the gar¬ 
den, or nursery, a given number of hours daily, for 
which a just allowance will be made on the term 
bills. A skilful farmer, gardener, and nurseryman 
will be employed, and the department of each will 
be conducted by system, and with a studious re¬ 
gard both to economy and to scientific principles. 
An advantage it is thought will be found in the 
fact, that the improvements in laying out grounds, 
fencing fields, and erecting suitable buildings for 
the various purposes of a farming establishment, 
will be progressing—affording the pupil, at the 
same time, a source of amusement, and an oppor¬ 
tunity of much valuable instruction. 
My location is well suited for such an institu¬ 
tion. It is on the east bank of the harbor, within 
a few minutes walk of the churches, and yet so 
retired, rural, and beautiful, as to be in every way 
suited for the residence of pupils. Two steam¬ 
boats run each way daily, between this and New 
York, and the Housatonic railroad connects us 
with the interior, Albany, and Boston. Sixty acres 
of land lying in one tract (enough for all the pur¬ 
poses of such an establishment), surround my resi¬ 
dence—presenting from every part of it agreeable 
views, and nearly all under cultivation. I am, if 
not an enthusiast, very fond of the business, both 
of instruction and agriculture. For somej-lfventy 
years I united the teaching of the classics with 
the duties of a parish. Several years since, I retired 
to my present residence, and have been engaged 
chiefly in farming and gardening, and in planting 
