THE CULTIVATOR. 
215 
three successive births, although the sire of all the sub¬ 
sequent progeny was a thorough bred Arab horse. This 
is a well authenticated fact, and correct portraits of the 
mare, the hybrid, and the three foals which the mare af¬ 
terwards had by the horse, the latter showing the stripes 
of the quagga, are preserved.* 
The influence of one black sheep, though it may never 
have any progeny, is often noticed in causing black 
lambs. Shepherds who have kept black dogs with their 
sheep, have observed the same effect. The nervous in¬ 
fluence of animals in a state of pregnancy, shows itself 
very conspicuously in the effects of fright on the off¬ 
spring. Many cases of this kind might be cited in the 
human species, as well as in our domestic animals. 
AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE IN TENNESSEE. 
In the March number of the Cultivator we mentioned 
that a charter had been obtained for an Agricultural 
College near Nashville, Tennessee. It gives us pleasure 
to be now able to state that considerable progress has 
already been made towards fitting the institution for the 
reception of students, and that it is expected to be opened 
by the first of January next. It has received the name 
“ Franklin College,” and is located at “ Elm Crag,” 
the residence of T. Fanning, Esq. editor of the Tennes¬ 
see Agriculturist. We have received from Mr. Fanning 
a pamphlet containing the outlines of the system of edu¬ 
cation which it is intended to pursue. We are happy to 
see that our friends have commenced the work in good 
earnest, and hope their success may be all they have an¬ 
ticipated. The “ outlines” seem to us to be based on the 
right principles. It is true,' as here stated, that £c no 
word has been more vaguely used than the term educa¬ 
tion,” but we trust the time is at hand when proper edu¬ 
cation will be considered the cultivation of those physi¬ 
cal, intellectual, and moral powers of man, by the har¬ 
monious exercise of which his own happiness, and that 
of his species, is promoted. 
We would call attention to the following extracts 
from the pamphlet referred to : 
ec In conformity with the ancient maxim, that £ in a 
sound body alone can a sound mind exist,’ we regard 
Physical Education as the firm basis of all useful 
training. As a broad, deep and solid foundation is essen¬ 
tial to the stability and safety of an edifice, we esteem 
proper Physical culture as the ground work of the high¬ 
est intellectual and moral attainments. Not that size and 
mere physical force are always sure criteria from which 
to infer the greatest strength of mind, but that the full 
development of the physical man is important to the 
greatest mental and moral energy. Believing these are 
plain principles in nature, the truth of which no intelli¬ 
gent mind will controvert, we proceed to detail the plan 
which we propose adopting for the accomplishment of 
this important improvement, in the system which we 
present for consideration. 
Notwithstanding the strong prejudices against manual 
labor, as connected with the education of the young, we 
believe and trust they can all be removed, and that phy¬ 
sical education will, at no very distant day, become 
one of the most agreeable parts of juvenile training. 
Experience and observation have and do demonstrate the 
great truth, that exercises in the way of sports are the 
engrossing employments of youth; and this clearly 
proves that physical exercises are disagreeable only 
from association. Parents as well as youths must be 
convinced that physical labor is at least as important as 
mental, before it will be appreciated. 
The objects of the trustees may be more clearly seen 
by carefully studying the following propositions: 
1. Physical Education is essential to good health, a vig¬ 
orous constitution and a sound mind. 
2. It was designed by the Creator as a blessing to man. 
He was made to “ till the earth,” and was placed in the 
garden of Eden to “ dress and keep it.” 
3. Labor has been honored by the best of men in all 
ages, should be honored now, and the young should be 
taught to regard it as respectable and highly important 
to their well being. 
4. While manual labor affords exercise of body, it of¬ 
fers recreation and variety to the mind. 
5. It will enable youth to acquire knowledge of agri¬ 
culture, horticulture and the mechanic arts, which will 
be very useful to them through life. 
6. Labor, in an institution of learning, will supply the 
place of idle and vicious sports, and will be the surest 
preventive of dissipation. 
7. Students, by devoting a portion of their time to phy¬ 
sical culture, can apply themselves more clearly to books, 
and can think more intensely on all subjects. 
8. Physical Education gives energy of character, and 
habits which will enable their possessor to succeed with 
more certainty in every avocation of life. 
A full discussion of these propositions we deem unne¬ 
cessary, for they are self-evident, and only require the 
intelligent to see them to be satisfied of their truth. 
All learned and reflecting men admit there is a strong 
tendency to deterioration in the human family, and that 
idleness, from whatever cause produced, is productive of 
sloth, feeble muscular powers, defective intellects, and 
the consequent depreciation of all the powers. 
There are two extremes in society which we have but 
little hope of materially benefitting by the system we 
propose. The very degraded and the very opulent, too 
generally view labor as a punishment, and therefore will 
be loath to adopt any industrious avocation. It is a lamen¬ 
table truth, that not one man in fifty, brought up in luxu¬ 
ry and idleness, ever becomes educated, is successful in 
business, or is even capable of retaining the estate in¬ 
herited. Hence the doctrine of one of our profoundest 
statesmen, that generally in three generations property, 
and often respectability, passed from families. Not one 
in a hundred who does not understand the means of ac¬ 
cumulating wealth by industry, is competent to take 
charge of it. 
But objections are strenuously urged against labor as 
connected with education. It is said “ Manual Labor 
Schools have been attempted and failed.” This is true, 
and we add it was but just that they should have failed. 
When labor is performed as a degradation it cannot but 
be objectionable. 
The evils are two, but both can be corrected. 
1st. The character of the employments were such as 
to forbid success. The hard labor of the cornfield, with¬ 
out science to direct, is truly uninteresting. It is our ob¬ 
ject to have such improvements and operations in the 
farm, garden, nursery and workshops, as will, in them¬ 
selves, be interestng to youth. The importance of eve¬ 
ry performance will be fully explained by those amply 
qualified, and we doubt not by the proper classification 
of students, and division of labor, commendable emula¬ 
tion may be excited, and students thereby will become as 
much interested in physical as mental labor. 
2d. The character and qualifications of those who con¬ 
ducted the physical operations in the manual labor 
schools with which we have been conversant, were such 
as to forever preclude success. Men without education 
have been employed, as a kind of overseers, to drive 
boys to their labor as slaves. To remedy this glaring 
outrage, we contemplate having all the physical labor 
conducted by professors, tutors and officers, of the insti¬ 
tution, or gentlemen eminently qualified, and no student 
will be asked to perform service, in which the teachers 
shall not diligently employ their time. 
On this plan the farm and garden will afford the best 
facilities for the study of geology, chemistry, botany, 
tillage, the care of crops, the propagation of fruits and 
ornamental shrubs; while the workshop will constitute 
an excellent laboratory for the study of natural philoso¬ 
phy. And it is not to be forgotten, that all men, whether 
lawyers, physicians, preachers, merchants, or others, 
will be much benefited through life by a practical know¬ 
ledge of agriculture, horticulture, and the Mechanic 
arts.” 
Rust in Wheat.— Mr. Wiliam Messic, in a com¬ 
munication published in the Northern Planter, says:— 
e£ Wheat sown on land where gypsum is used freely, is cer¬ 
tainly more apt rust, than where it has not been used.’* 
Does observation of others corroborate this ?” 
TSee Matu.uiist'c. library. Mammalia, vol. 12, p 342, &c 
