22 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
his wants—has decreed, that in the cultivation of the 
soil, which contributes so largely to his support and 
happiness, man is forever to follow only the dictates of 
instinct, and not the lights of reflection and reason. No. 
Our mental faculties are the noblest part of our crea¬ 
tion; they give us command over the beasts of the field 
and the fowls of the air; they enable us to comprehend 
and know God as the Author of our existence, and the 
giver of our bounties; and it is the improvement of 
them only that can make us acceptable in the sight of 
Him, who is himself both omnipotent and omniscient. 
The brute may perish, and the works of our hands 
crumble by time, and be lost in the lapse of ages; but 
the immortal mind, enlightened by the study of the past, 
and looking with hope to the future, stretches forth her 
sleepless energies to understand creation as it is, and 
ultimately take home with her the sublime pleasure 
that the acquisition of knowledge has imparted. Can¬ 
not then the mind be made to operate upon the stub¬ 
born soil, to make her more abundantly yield her in¬ 
crease? Most assuredly it can; if we but call to our 
aid all the light which science has shed, and is shed¬ 
ding, and diligently and systematically apply it, our call- 
ling will not lag behind other avocations in the steady 
march in improvement. 
When we take a view of the works of Deity, we are 
lost in astonishment at the comprehensiveness of the 
mind that conceived, the power that created, and as far 
as we can follow them, the beautiful and exact laws 
that regulate and control the whole machinery of ani¬ 
mate and inanimate nature. We see order, the first 
law, the great law that governs equally the movements 
of the world, or the formation of the most insignificant 
msect. If we go farther, we see it is given to finite 
man, when he makes one branch of the works of the 
Almighty a subject of study and reflection; if he first 
looks back and sees how far others have gone, com¬ 
pares their ideas with his own; takes constant advan¬ 
tage of the thousand arguments that nature is beauti¬ 
fully and daily unfolding to his view—if he arranges his 
materials and gives a systematic operation to all his 
movements and thoughts, persevering in his plan, and 
never doubting of ultimate success,—we see him at last 
bring order out of confusion, and what Avas before 
slighted because it was not understood, now becomes of 
importance as we are made acquainted with its uses. 
It is to labors like these, that Ave are indebted for our 
knowledge of astronomy, chemistry, geology, botany, 
languages, &c. &c. and all the advances in the sciences 
and arts that contribute so much to the happiness and 
intelligence of civilized man. But to an uncultivated 
intellect, that does not avail itself of the labors of the 
past; Avhere the mind has not been expanded by read¬ 
ing and reflection; whose notions are of one kind to¬ 
day, of another kind to-morrow; where conjecture sup¬ 
plies the place of arranged facts, and prejudice is a bar 
to a just elucidation of the lavra of reason and nature ; 
where all is crude, confused and mixed up—the good 
Avith the bad, the useful Avith the useless, sense with 
nonsense, and reason Avith folly—and united, too, as they 
are, Avith a boastful desire to give opinions to theAvorld, 
as the emanation of reason, and the clear results of a 
long experience; what else must follow, but that dark¬ 
ness will continue to cover the land, and gross darkness 
the people. These last observations apply with a pe¬ 
culiar force to the past and present state of our farming 
operations. Although we have cultivated the earth for 
thousands of years, we have yet no arranged system of 
action, and the beautiful law of order, which God has 
stamped upon this as one of his Avorks, Ave do not yet 
understand; for a ve have not yet learned to reason from 
cause to effect. To be sure we soav in spring and reap 
in autumn, and gather into barns to supply our wants, 
and those of our flocks. But did not our father Jacob 
do so? did not the patient Job do so? and likewise 
Boaz, the kind-heated husband of Ruth, at least five 
thousand years ago? And Avhat has been done for the 
advancement of agriculture, between these generations 
and ours? It is a fact, gentlemen, that something like 
improvement in farming has taken place only within 
the last fifty years. It commenced in England and Scot¬ 
land, and these countries have for some time experienc¬ 
ed the benefits of AA-hat they call their improved hus¬ 
bandry. Within that time they have doubled their pro-, 
ducts, but in one important point they have a manifest 
advantage over us; that is, they can employ three hands 
as cheaply as Ave can one, and have their board in the 
bargain. Still, although much has been done there to 
increase the products of the earth, yet, in my humble 
conception, radically and permanently.to improve, they 
must adopt another and better plan, and instead of rais¬ 
ing farmers by instinct, they must be reared by educa¬ 
tion. Instead of a man of any age turning farmer, and 
at once ignorantly triumphing in his success, and boast¬ 
ing of his knowledge, he must be taught by a dear- 
bought experience, that he has undertaken a business 
he does not understand, because he cannot compete 
Avith one Avho in early youth has had his mind expand¬ 
ed by both scientific and practical culture. 
We have all seen the absolute necessity that the law¬ 
yer, the physician, the manufacturer, and the artizan, 
should go through a regular course of study, reflection 
and practice, to fit them for the proper discharge of 
their respective duties. Think you that in the noble 
science of farming—for science I will call it—less of 
education, study and reflection are necessary ? No, gen¬ 
tlemen. Depend upon it, if we are to place husbandry 
upon a stable basis—if we wish to see this broad and 
fertile land covered with the habitations of plenty, and 
containing a happy and prosperous people, we must 
give an early direction to the human mind, to enable it 
to comprehend and fully grasp the subject. We must 
come back to elementary principles, and ascertain the 
different ingredients of which the earth is composed; 
we must understand their structure, combination, and 
uses, and what acts upon each with most effect for the 
benefit of man. These are studies sufficient to engage 
the undivided attention from early life to its close; and 
even if Ave should fail in our first attempts, still we 
would ultimately place husbandry upon so firm a basis, 
that nothing would be wanting to secure the full fruition 
of our labor, but the smiles of a beneficent Providence. 
To accomplish these desirable objects, a young man 
must first have a good school education; he must then 
be taught chemistry, geology, and botany; have a knoAV- 
ledge of mathematics, and perhaps mineralogy, with so 
much of entomology as is necessary to guard against 
the mischievous effects of insects. These are some of 
the hand-maids to the knowledge of agriculture, which, 
to insure success, must be carefully cultivated. 
To lay the foundation in early life for an agricultural 
edcuation, what would be so useful as an agricultural 
school, where not only these, but many other collateral 
branches would be taught, and from which, if a young 
man graduated, it Avould prepare him not only for use¬ 
fulness in life, but accomplish him as a man of science 
and a gentleman. It would open his mind to view agri¬ 
culture in a different light from the generality of farmers. 
He would understand hoAV cause operated to produce ef¬ 
fect, and how he could give most efficiency to his labors. 
From mathematics, the science which contemplates what¬ 
ever is capable of being numbered or measured, it would 
lead him to a correct knowledge of practical mechanics, 
the application of the principles of poAver and land men¬ 
suration. From chemistry, the science which enables us 
to discover the peculiar properties of all natural bodies, 
either in their simple or compound state, he would 
learn to analyse the different kinds of soil, ascertain 
Avherein they differ—what combinations are the most 
useful, and, if possible, in Avhat the principles of fertili¬ 
ty consist, and Avhat must be added or taken away to 
make barren or degenerate land more productive. The 
doctrine of manures cannot be understood without a 
knoAvledge of chemistry; and it is a subject so extensive 
in its application to farming purposes, that it must be 
the A, B, C, of the farmer’s education. Geology, and, 
if necessary, mineralogy, would teach him to discrimi¬ 
nate between the different kinds of substances the earth 
is composed of, t aml give him a correct knowledge, not 
only of what the surface of the soil consists, butwhatis 
buried beneath it. Botany, the science of plants, or that 
part of natural history that relates to vegetables, Avould 
teach him to ascertain their different uses—discrimi¬ 
nate the exhausting plants from those that are less so— 
the locations most favorable to their groAVth—the sea¬ 
sons for their production and reproduction—their laws 
of generation—the alternation that ought to be observed 
for the best development of their powers, so that what¬ 
ever plant Avas cultivated, it Avould be the best and most 
valuable of its kind. These are some few of the stu¬ 
dies, upon AA r hich Ave have entered someAvhat into detail, 
that should be taught in such an institution. The mind, 
hoAvever, Avould not only be regulated and instructed, 
but habits established quite as useful to the full deve¬ 
lopment of the bodily powers. Would nothing, think 
you, be gained by instilling principles of virtue, of regu¬ 
larity and order—by forming habits of industry, teach¬ 
ing a correct moral deportment, and discountenancing 
idleness and vice ? Permit me here to particularize and 
point out in a single instance the benefits that would 
follow the adoption of one simple rule—that is, keeping 
farm accounts—entering the debtor and creditor account 
of the farm, and making out an exact statement of its 
profit and loss. Or you may go farther, that of each 
lot and each animal. If you ask what special benefit 
would flow from thq f practice, I ansAver, you can at once 
calculate the relative value of your farm, either in whole 
or part—the expenses of its cultivation,—the annual cost 
of your household—the profit on each lot or animal, and 
as a general result determine whether you are gaining 
money or losing it. If making, to continue; if losing, 
to quit before bankruptcy follows. Besides you may 
graduate your family expenses by it, and at one glance 
you may ascertain your exact standing in a pecuniary 
point of vieAV in the community. Why does a merchant 
keep his accounts but to regulate his business by strik¬ 
ing his balances ? Ought not the farmer to be equally 
particular ? The time will come when he too will make 
his regular daily entries as necessary to the successful 
prosecution of his business. 
We have dAvelt on this one item, simply as an eluci¬ 
dation of the general argument in favor of education; 
but suppose, to quote the language I have used on a 
former occasion, a State Agricultural School, under a 
proper course of instruction, to contain tAvo hundred 
students, and a course of studies to last three years. It 
Avould send each year,.after the termination of the third, 
nearly seventy young men, so educated into the diffe¬ 
rent sections of our state. Their knowledge of theoreti¬ 
cal and practical farming would be generally diffused ; 
and continue this number for many successive years, it 
would give thousands of the best farmers, scattering 
them through every portion of the state. And here let 
me ask, who is so much of a skeptic as not to believe, 
that agricultural knowledge would be increased by so 
great an accession; and, in consequence, agricultural 
products be prodigiously multiplied? But, this is not 
all; our school Avould not only send her missionaries of 
intelligence and industry through this state, but all her 
operations—so far as competent professors could dis¬ 
charge their duty of instructing or experimenting—of 
collecting, comparing and examining all that was most 
familiar or rare—ornamental, useful, or profitable, in 
each of their peculiar departments—in a short time we 
would have a farm and collection, which would vie in 
extent and appearance, and much exceed in usefulness, 
the far-famed gardens of London or Paris. Probably 
at no time in the history of our state, could an agricub 
ral school be founded under as favorable auspices for 
ultimate success, as at present. By the establishment 
of agricultural journals, a taste for that kind of reading 
has been created; our citizens are alive to farther im¬ 
provements, for they have heretofore felt the want of 
them. The efforts made and making to give a more 
thorough school education to our population—the abili¬ 
ty of our citizens to contribute whatever may be re¬ 
quired to carry the object into effect—the easy trans¬ 
mission of produce through every portion of our state 
by our rivers, roads, canals and rail-ways—the facility 
of communication with New-York, one of the best mar¬ 
kets in the world, all are so many aids to the successful 
completion of the plan. 
Should this school go into operation, and carry out 
the great principles of its founders, the time will, must 
come, when every citizen Avill be proud of it as a state 
institution; when those who have been its friends, will 
gladly come fotvard and claim the honors to Avhich they 
will be entitled, and the present state authorities will 
take a pride to date its commencement as coeval with 
their administration of power; for, besides being a test 
farm systematically managed, its manufacture and col¬ 
lection of the various farm implements, its specimens 
of geology, mineralogy, and botany; the exhibition of 
its animals; the order and regularity of all its opera¬ 
tions in husbandry; the circulation among our farmers 
of useful intelligence collected there, either from prac¬ 
tice or experiment; the aids it Avill give to our agricul¬ 
tural journals, and above all, the young men it Avill 
yearly send out to every portion of our country to vivi¬ 
fy by their intelligence, and fructify by their industry, 
whatever place they settle in; will be so many claims 
to popular favor, for they will be constant and living 
evidences of its great usefulness. 
On motion of Mr. Fry, of Montgomery, 
Resolved, That the thanks of the society be presented 
to the president, Dr. Beekman, for his -very able and 
highly interesting address, and that a copy be request¬ 
ed for publication. 
Mr. A. Walsh, of Rensselaer, from the committee to 
report on the subject of horticulture, and the household 
arts, presented the following report, which was read and 
adopted. 
Horticultural Report. 
The committee appointed to “ inquire into the neces¬ 
sity and importance of an increased attention to Horti¬ 
culture and the Household Arts, as intimately connected 
with the improvement of Agriculture,” beg leave to re¬ 
port— 
That on investigating the subject in pursuance of the 
duty assigned them, they have become deeply impressed 
Avith a sense of its importance; and they regret that the 
necessary degree of brevity will only permit them to 
touch the mere outlines of some of the most prominent 
arguments which present themselves in its favor. 
By the term horticulture, they understand that por¬ 
tion of agriculture which embraces the labors of the 
garden—the cultivation of vegetables, fruits, &c. 
It is strange, as Avell as lamentable, that though this 
appears especially designed, by the Creator, as the first 
and most important employment of man, yet while eve¬ 
ry useful art is improving and perfecting by the light of 
science, this most valuable art should be left to grope in 
darkness—its value remaining unknown and unappreci¬ 
ated. All, therefore, that your committee can do is, to 
endeavor to aAvaken the public mind from the apathy 
under Avhich it sleeps on the subject; to remove the 
strange prejudice which exists against it; and to open 
a Avay for the reception of those spontaneous rays of 
light which present themselves from luminous sources. 
And here, at the outset, your committee feel under 
peculiar embarrassments; for what arguments can be 
offered, to aAvaken to understanding the mind of him 
Avho can discover no profit, or receive no pleasure, from 
a Avell cultivated garden. 
It is in vain that Infinite Wisdom has exerted its ut¬ 
most skill in forming, perfuming and painting flowers to 
decorate his path, and sweeten the toils of life, if the 
same poAver has denied him a mind susceptible of the 
enjoyment. The depravity of public taste, Avith respect 
to gardening, has given currency to a common saying, 
that “ good farmers seldom have good gardens,” but ne¬ 
ver was a sentence more in opposition to the truth. It 
is so completely so, that if Ave look on even a remote 
corner of a farm, and see it Avell fenced and cultivated, 
Ave may almost rest assured that on visiting the dAvell- 
ing of its owner, Ave shall find a neat, tasteful and well 
stocked farm garden. Indeed, so intimately connected 
are the moral and social virtues, with a taste for admir¬ 
ing and improving the beauties of nature, that Ave can 
rarely find one Avithout the other. There is, perhaps, 
no other earthly subject so Avell calculated to awaken 
and expand every faculty of the mind, and fill the soul 
with pleasing admiration, as a garden of culinary plants, 
fruits and floAvers, Avhere art and science have done their 
duty in assisting nature. 
Horticulture, both as an art and as a science, has un¬ 
dergone great improvements, in several countries in Eu¬ 
rope ; and it must be painfully mortifying to an Ameri¬ 
can of patriotic feelings. Avho is acquainted Avith the 
