The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1854-11-01

co,,,,,u,e . material bond Of union betwesa the
videlv scot,ered members OF the society mat
would become sso msSaM ~ sssos;assd ,ns,
hers at the great agricultural community; that II
would he ,he farmers intelligence Office; the depos
4, Nv TOO of seeds pants shrubs and trees, Of new
md valuable varieties, for distribution, oil modals
nures minerals, &s, Ia short, central point for
collecting contributions to useful knowledge In sgri
culture and from which to diffuse the same under
the auspices OF the Society,"
One OF the suite of rooms proposed would be
occupied by the secretary and a depository Of the
archives OF the Society; another should be large
hail. tor meetings OF the Society, for the delivery oil
lectures upon subjects connected with agriculture
and for general agricultural depository and mu-
scum and . third might be an agricultural libra
ry or reading room; the whole to consiitute
Farmers exchange building. upon a scale and In
style worthy OF the great objects to which 1t would
be dedicated, and commensurate to the dignity ana
utility of our State Society.
/ ] am happy to be able to report ia this connec
ton, another and striking proof of lioeraiRy OF
the common council of the city OF Richmond -
That enlightened body seeing the great want the
Society, and perceiving in the establishment OF
these rooms a material means of at once advanc-
ing all the objects of the Society and of binding
together the agricultural, mercantile and mechanf
cal interests here in the metropolis OF our State
have la the most commemorate spirit, proffered to
Enlistment OF the proposed rooms. But doubtless
the Society will have to exert its own efforts, and
add also its own meanp in order to accomplish the
object
The idea of Farmers Exchange would, per-
haps find still more useful and fortunate realiza.
ton, could the three great interests of the State
the agricultural, mercantile and mechanically
their united means and efforts, erect in this city
suitable ediice to include Farmers Exchange, a
Merchants Exchange. and Mechanics Hall thus
bringing under one roof and into material union
the organized centres of attraction and Information
of these great interests, whose motto may well be
United we stand divided we fall"
There Is another subject of great interest to the
Society; 1t is that OF the establishment of an
AGRICULTURAL SCHOOL.
1t is one of the most remarkable as it is one of
the most discreditable facts in connection with the
history of the country that there never has existed
one single well organized and usefully conducted
agricultural school within the United States
We often boast and not without Just ground, of
the general intelligence OF our people, of our system
OF common schools, of q tree press and of cheap
prlntipeand other means of educating the mass of
the people. We have high schools too and colleges
and universities. We have schools of law, of medi-
cine, of theology. We have school for the army
and another for the navy. We have mercantile
schools, and schools even OF architecture and OF en-
gin eering In Short we have schools in which the
| student may be thoroughly instructed In all the
brances of literature and OF sciences and learning
necessary to qualify him for entering with advan.
suits OF liie except the pursuit of agriculture
This occupation, in which more than fifteen millions
of our population directly engaged, or upon
which all dependent for subsistence and which
thus directly interests all classes of our people
and upon which our vast material wealth and pros
perity nearly depend this pursuit alone is LETT to
grope It's way amidst ignorance and impiricisn,
and to cost the country more annual loss for the
sheer want of light, aud of knowledge than would
suffice, could such losses be fairly estimated and
be had and applied to the purpose for one single
year to richly endow for all time to come all the
common schools, high schools. colleges and univer.
stiles in the whole country. What portion OF this
immense aggregate loss to agriculture falls upon
our own State and is fairly attributable to the lack
OF education, this enlightened assembly of farmers
will be at no loss TO conjecture How much long
er shall this great defect this reproach of the edu.
cation system of the country be permitted to ey-
ist7 Will not our Virginia farmers, who have at
their first great meeting freely and literally endow.
ed by their private contributions our State Agri
cultural Society, at this their second meeting de
cree the establishment of the first agricultural
school in Virginia One hundred thousand dollars
will effect the object. The general government will
doubtless cede to the State Society the Beona Ar
sena long since disused for any purpose and fast
| Wondering to decay, This would furnish an ad
mlral site for an agricultural school, situated as it
1s, on James River, in the county of Chesterfield
fourteen miles above the city of Richmond and
within iour miles OF the Danville Railroad. The
buildings are ample and by slight alterations and
repairs, might be well adapted to the purposes OF
such school. The school once established and in
successful operation, the legislature would doubt
less come to Its assistance, and at least provide
fund Tor the education of class of State students
In the meantime the school would, with the fund
| furnished, be self supported be capable of
lndt finite expansion to meet the demands of the fu
ture-whllst it would from the beginning exert
most beneficial Influence upon all the best interests
OF agriculture throughout our State.
NO manual labor school, no model farm or expe
rlmentai farm, is here proposed to be established
manual labor either tor profit or the support
OF the pupils is incompatible with study and intel
iectual development, and the time of the student ia
too valuable to be given to mental drudgery
Nor can students and professors be expected TO
PEI US or 10 Keep up any very useful profitable
model farming, or 10 make experiments that will
generally repay the cos. and troubl, in any rea v
useful results, thereby to be obtained for the benefit
| OF practical agriculture.
If ever we are to have model farms In VIRGINIA
| they VIII probably never be found in connection
win schools and colleges, but will come into exis,
| tence under the moulding hands and the directing
minds OF our best agricuurists and if ever we are
| to have en- improving agriculture, based upon expe
riments the broad surface OF the State must be The
held and our best farmers the expefimenters II is
| enough to teach boys what is already known with.
out setting them upon new discoveries In fact 1t
is wise saying that men" Ito say nothing of bows
| need more to be reminded OF what is aIresdy
KNOWN than to be taught some thing" and this
| Is especially true in regard to agriculture
| Our state Society it is hoped, will itself become
the great experimental high school In agriculture
with our best farmers as teachers and professors
| and their own wide and well titled acres eopsti,u
| ting the model and experimental farm !" attached.
| whilst we should place our boys In subordinate
| agricultural schools mental, moral and physical
discipline and training, to quality them to act with
credit to themselves, with usefulness to the State
and to reflect honor upon their profession when
| they shall come to take part In the active and
| practical pursuits of agriculture
The School proposed, therefore should be ORGAN.
ized as others and for instruction more especially
IN all tnose branches OF science aad learning more
Intimately connected with the art of agriculture.
And farm tor exercise ana practice might will be
attached TO the school, means OF illustrating the
application OF theory to practice, and to afford
heaithful bodily exercise, just as the military en-.
campment and martial exercises and practice are
combined with military education to famiarize the
young colder with the practical part of his future
profession of arms
Finally, have another duty to perform,
and l have DONE 1t is to render to a late
valuable, devoted. and most efficient officer
of this Society, that just measure of praise
yet due to him for the part he bore, a wear
ago, in the work of building up your Socie-
ty, for the agency he had in the successful
accomplishment of what had for forty wears
before been in vain attempted to be realiz
ed
My official position enabled me to know.
better than any one else could know, the du
ties and labors performed by each officer of
Il %t1s-< 1a.xk. y a