154 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
May. 
AN AGRICULTURAL SCHOOL. 
Mr. Tucker —I was travelling through one of the 
best agricultural districts in the state cf New-York in 
the month of July, when the fields were waving with 
the ripening grain, and all nature decked in smiling 
green, promised to crown the labors of the husbandman, 
with an abundant harvest. 
At the public house where I stopped for the night, 
the conversation turned upon the subject of agriculture. 
I remarked to the landlord, who appeared to be a i very 
intelligent gentleman, that the farms I had passed du¬ 
ring the afternoon, appeared to be under a good state of 
cultivation, and that the general appearance, in relation 
to improvements, buildings, stock, &c., &c., indicated 
as much thriftiness and advancement, and I thought 
even more, than any section of the state I had previous¬ 
ly visited. 
He replied that this was the general remark of stran¬ 
gers, and that it was supposed to be in advance of any 
other section of the state; that a very great improve¬ 
ment had been effected within a few years, and it was 
believed on all hands, that it had been caused by the 
example of the agricultural school in the neighbor¬ 
hood. 
It being the first intimation I had received, that an 
institution of that kind had been organized in that 
section, or even in the slate, I was induced to make 
some inquiry, and received a long and interesting ac¬ 
count of its management, so much so that I resolved to 
visit it the next day. 
Accordingly in the morning, I drove a short distance 
and arrived at the agricultural school, and introduced 
myself to the principal, and spent most of the day about 
the establishment. 
I found it to be a private enterprise. It had been or¬ 
ganized about five years; the whole establishment be¬ 
ing owned by its principal, who was a well educated, 
scientific, and practical farmer. 
The farm contained two hundred acres, all of which, 
except one large lot containing 60 acres, was farmed in 
the very best manner by the proprietor; the dwelling- 
house was large, and the arrangements admirable, be¬ 
ing sufficient to accommodate the family of the propri¬ 
etor, and thirty students. 
The building occupied as a school room, was neat and 
convenient, and well adapted to the purposes for which 
it was constructed, containing, in addition to study and 
lecture rooms, a spacious laboratory, and all the neces¬ 
sary chemical and philosophical apparatus for analy¬ 
zing all the various soils. 
1 In another room, I observed a large and well select¬ 
ed library, containing, in addition to all the best works 
on agriculture, the standard works on literature and 
general science; also most of the agricultural periodi¬ 
cals published in this country and Europe; together 
with a complete set of the back vols. of the Cultivator 
and Genesee Farmer, and a well arranged, and some¬ 
what extensive geological and mineralogical cabinet. 
Near the school room, was a building for storing 
farming implements and tools, all of which were clean 
and in good order, each pupil being required to keep 
the tools used by him in their proper places. 
A field of sixty acres lay adjoining the school-house, 
which was divided by three alleys running through the 
whole, each alley being wide enough to drive a team 
along; the whole being then subdivided by narrow 
walks crossing the alleys at right angles, into plats, con¬ 
taining from a quarter to a half acre each. 
Each student is permitted to till what land he chooses, 
(not to exceed three acres) of this field, and pays a 
stipulated rent for the same, and is taxed a certain 
amount per week for board and tuition, and is charged 
by the hour for a team, whenever it is found necessary 
to use one; and has the privilege of paying three- 
fourths of his board and tuition, and all his rent and 
team hire, in grain, vegetables, &c., &c., raised on his 
rented land, at a stated price. 
Two professors, paid by the principal, have charge 
of the indoor studies, consisting of all the branches 
usually taught in academies, and all that appertains to 
agriculture; and the proprietor, as Professor of Agricul¬ 
ture, directs the out-door operations. 
A certain number of hours each day, are spent in the 
school-room, and an allotted time in the field, with the 
principal, studying practical agriculture; the balance 
of the day is spent in study, work, or such amusements 
as are deemed proper by the principal. 
The proprietor occupied enough of the ground plat¬ 
ted, to raise a sample of all kinds of grain, roots, and 
vegetables, for the purpose of instructing the students as 
to the manner and time of preparing the ground for 
planting and sowing each, and the method of tilling 
and managing while growing, harvesting, &c. 
While cultivating the sample plat, all the students 
work together; for this labor, they are not paid, but it 
requires only a trifle of the whole time* 
In this plat may be seen a small piece of winter 
wheat, spring wheat, rye, oats, barley, buckwheat, flax, 
peas, beans, corn, red-clover for hay and seed; clo¬ 
ver to plow under for wheat, timothy grass, for hay 
and for seed; potatoes, turneps, and a little of every¬ 
thing. 
For instance, when the proper time arrived to pre¬ 
pare the ground for onions, all assisted in preparing a 
small piece for the proprietor; there all learn how and 
when to prepare for their own crop; the same in plant¬ 
ing, weeding, gathering, &c. 
A nursery, consisting of the different kinds of ,ruit 
trees, is attached to the establishment; each pupil is in¬ 
structed in the manner of raising every variety of fruit 
trees, from the seed to a bearing tree; including 
grafting, budding, pruning, and the best manage¬ 
ment of trees while in a bearing state, as well as the 
preventive and cure of all the diseases to which they 
are liable. 
A well arranged flower garden, managed by the pu¬ 
pils, is included in the arrangement, and all are here in¬ 
structed in ornamental gardening. 
The farm is stocked with a specimen of the different 
breeds—including horses, cattle, sheep, swine, &c.; 
thus enabling the pupil to judge of the comparative 
merits of each. 
Instructions for raising, training and feeding horses 
are given; also for raising, keeping, fattening, butcher¬ 
ing and packing cattle, sheep, and swine; and the best 
method of preparing wool for market. 
Convenient barns and out-buildings, for all the dif¬ 
ferent kinds of stock are well arranged and kept in 
good order, including most admirable fixtures for poul¬ 
try and bees. 
Among the various articles of interest in the ware- 
room, I noticed several beautiful samples of maple, 
beet, and corn-stalk sugar, manufactured by the pupils. 
It was a pleasing and noble sight, to see thirty young 
men leave the school-room, all at once, and step into 
the tool-house, each changing their shoes for a pair of 
thick boots, and their coats for a frock, and taking a 
hoe in their right hand, form in double file, in front of 
the building; the proprietor who had stood waiting, 
stepped in front, and at the word, all marched in regu¬ 
lar order to their out-door labor, or lecture; every 
scholar exhibiting a healthy and robust appearance. 
I was informed that some of the students were sons 
of the most wealthy men in the state; and that others 
had entered the institution without any means; but had 
rented and tilled the more land, and had raised produce 
sufficient to pay the whole of their expenses, including 
clothing. 
All the produce, not consumed on the farm, was mar 
keted in a neighboring city. 
Each pupil kept a regular entry of all the business 
transactions between himself and the principal, and set¬ 
tled every six months, which answered the double pur¬ 
pose of adjusting the pecuniary transactions between the 
pupils and principal, and also to teach them correct bu¬ 
siness habits. 
This institution appeared to me to be better calcula¬ 
ted to impart a thorough and useful education, and at 
the same time a theoretical and practical knowledge of 
agriculture , than any establishment I had ever visited. 
