The Arkansas banner., 1844-02-13
GRIcUlTURAL.
From Me American .4gricuituria. A FARMERS EDUCATION.


 We cannot think that the present system of educating the rural population of the country is what it ought to be. There are many things which might be taught in our district schools, which, so far as our information extends seem never to have been thought of; things which may not only be made extremely in- teresting and instructive 10 children, but at the same time prove of great individual ben eft when grown up, and they come 10 act for themselves; and such also as would add large ly to the wealth, strength, and resources of the country. Here is one item, for example apples. We find one person in this vicin- ity growing and shipping these to England, and realising S9 per barrel another selling them in this market from Sp4 to s5 per bar rel; while apples of an inferior kind arc not worth over $ 10 S2, and many are so poor that they could scarcely be given away.
 Now child knows good and poor fruit by it's taste, but there are other points about it to which it is important to direct attention. Suppose, then, any person residing in the school-district who may have paid some lit tie attention to this subject, should take few dozen apples, pears, or any other fruits of the season of various kinds, good, bad, and in- different, and make his way with them to the school-house, call up the children around him, and point our their relative values, and the true reason why one should be cuItiva- ted in preference to the other. He would explain that good apple should be of Il suit able size; regular, even shape with q small stem; smooth, thin skin; rich, juicy, solid l pulp; pleasant flavor, either tart or sweet n smaIl core, and few seeds. In short. that it should possess as much pleasant nutritious substance as possible, combined with the least amount of stem, skn, core, and seed Now this, if a good bearer, would be a superior | apple-worthy of a name, and of propaga- ton. Then, by way of contrast, the chil- drcn should be shown poor apple, and their attention be called to that--not only by al- lowing them to judge of the difference in taste, but also by pointing out the long, large stem; the thick, coarse skin the dry, tough, sour pulp, the large core, and the small H. mount of really nutritious substance in the fruit After this they might be taught to graft, and be instructed upon fruit-trees in general, and the best system of their manage ment Boys from II to l5 years old may learn all this as easily as grown men, and when they come to be grown mp and man. age their own farms the great majority of them would not only have plenty of fruit around them, but that also of a first-rate quality, al- though they might expect 10 foreign market for it. If good fruit were universally culti- vated throughoutthe country, this alone would be adding to its annual wealth several mill ions of dollars. In the same simple manner, the children of every rural district could be <,f ,ba I ip the value of vegetables thata dry, mealy po- tato is not only more agreeable to their own taste, but twice, or perhaps thrice as nutri- tious for their stock-feeding as poor-tlavored watery one may be. How few, if asked, can tell the difference in the value to animals ol sugar-beet and mangel-wurzel, or the sue culent ruta-baga and the coarse, pifhy white turnip. There is as great difference in the nutriment of various kinds of winter squash and pumpkin, and yet scarce any one thinks or speaks of it. The same in the gras- ses; in wheat, rye, barley, oats, and corn in cotton, and, we are not sure, i'll rice and sugar; the different breeds of horses, cattle sheep, swine. and poultry the blow, and in. 1deed-- all agricultural implements. These may be called very homely subjects 10 b7 . sequence in the aggregate to the man and to the ccuntry' We believe that persons may be found in nearly all our school districts, who would be capable of leeturing intelll- gently on the subjects herein mentioned, and [ willing to do 1t gratuitously; and III one hour a day for three months in the year could be given to these, the farmers of our country would greatly increase their stores of knowl- edge in a few years, understand the reasons of their practice better than they now do, and be working to much more profit and adyan- tage.
 When the yonng men had attained ma ture age, they might form themselves ntc classes, and devote their winter evenings tC obtain knowledge of manuree, soils, ane the best method of improving them an, the system of rotation of crops. To thi might be added an acquaintance with the el ementary principles of chemistry, geology botany, and mechanics. IL really seems te us that all the subjects of education which