Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1845-04-16
AGRICULTURAL.
AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION
From the Southern Cultiuator,

icuIed and despised in times past, aIt
much as it is held in contemp, in parts o
the South even now, still the day is fas
approaching when those who have thus
acted will rue their folly. Even, though
we may incur the risk OF being laughed a
yet we lake the liberty of saying lhat,.da1
by day, the value of mere bones and mus
Gle, as a mechanical agent, is becoming
less and less, and ere long mere bones and
muscles will become worthless as to any
profitable use that shall beguided by The
light Of this very book learning SO much
despised. One reason why the South is SO
far behind the other sections ofthe Unionis
because we have not long ago understood
and appreciated this important truth abou,
The decreasing value of mere bone and
muscle. In New York, for example, all
this was comprehended long ago, and as
consequence, their Agricultural Institute
is regular college for teaching system
of Agriculture, suiled 10 that soil and eli.
mate. There, the student learns alflh
facts in Chemistry, Geology, and Botany.
so far as they are Immediately useful in
Agriculture. He is taught how to prepare
and drain soils, how to collect, store away
aud preserve provender grain, fruit, &C.,
how to feed, and take care of, aud improve
slock; how 10 take care Of orchards, vine
yards, gardens, &c., how to prepare and
apply manures to the best advantage, and
indeed every thing that is necessary TO
make man accomplished in both the
practice and the science of Agriculture.
Even in lhe adjoining State of Tennes.
see, they are ahead of US in this matter of
Agricultural Education. On the first of
January last, an Agricultural College was
opened in that Stale, with between forty
and fifty students, and our latest informa.
ton about il is, that The number will be as
large as can be accomm odaled. We have
now before US catalogue Of the students,
including young men from The States If
Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, Missou-
ri and Kentucky; not one from Georgia.
In this connection we copy from the
Globe newspaper, an article showing what
the National Agricultural Society is doing
and proposes,o to do, for Agricultural Educa-
ton. Let the reader con it over carefully
and very seriously and then ask himself
if it be not his duty to bestir hinlselfa and
do something for Agricultural Education
in the South-iu Georgia especially-so
that the light Of science may be brought
10 the aid and direction of the bone and
muscle Of this section of the country, ere
the advances made elsewhere shall make
his efforts vain aud prohtless.
How is this to be done? you ask. Very
easily indeed The tilers Of the ground
are a part of The State so numerous and
importan, thai, without them, The State
could not exist. They have only there
fore, 10 have proper notion flheir i'm
portance, and to assert their rights as men
ought, TO demand that ia our system OF
education, so far as il is supported by the
State, due regard shall be paid 10 the in
teres,s oflheir profession, and that The funds
OF the State shall not be applied almost ex-
clusively as heretofore, to the preparation
of young men for The study Of The learned
professions, so called-lwo Of which q,
least, If not already, will soon be, at the
present rate ofincrease, filled up by star
valion point. The planters pay by far The
larger part or the public taxes, and they
ought to see that these taxes are expended
in like proportion for their benefit. ln a
word, they should demand lhatthe system
of education in The State University shall
include Professorship Of Agricultural
Chemistry and Geology-and demanding
thisas their right, they should see that their
agents in the Legislature provide the means
Of sustaining such professorship.