Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1855-10-24

3. which has 50 siguaIly marked its mod

=
- progress
- r own WASHINGTON, a practical farmer,
phQloved his occupation SO wen that he re-
luo61phy tore himself from it for time, to
voe the highest honors of nation, used his
elorP to establish boards of agriculture in
thie 3ountry. In letter to William Strick-
h4& of England. he says: Il have en-
d6epred. both in public and private charac-
III D encourage the establishment of boards |
q 1kriculture in this country, but hitherto in
vsins And in speaking of the National
Bond Of Agriculture, in Great Britain, he
says II have considered it as one of the
v2st valuable institutions of modern times
ifsscst be productive. Of great advantages to
the nation, and to mankind in general"
Is not the great want of American agricul-
turp some such organised system as at present
exists in England, France, and Scotland ?
Our Government has established military and
naval schools, which work WELL and which
are sustained directly from the national treasu-
ry. What would our armies and nayies accom-
plish without the toll of the farmer? Let us
then have agricultural schools of high char
acter, with model farms attached for the pur-
pose of making experiments, thus combining
the .sbook learning" with the practice of the
art. know the idea of experimental farming
is often sneered at, but why should it be? Is
not vast amount of that knowledge of which
we boast SO loudly. the direct result of exper-
H. kol L..
never would have made that splendid discov-
cry which has immortalised his name, and
which will hand it down 81 till the last syllable
of recorded time" The discovery of the
age-one tina. viii confer greater benefits up
on mankind than all the blood bought victor
les that stand out so conspicuously on the
page of history, is that of Peruvian guano
Providence has in this favored the farmer with
substance by which he is enabled by use of
but little more in weight than the seed with
which he sows the land, to restore the most
worn out fields to the production of their palm
lest days. Fifteen years ago, viz: in 1910,
few tons of guano were introduced into
England. which we're used by way of expert
ment Now the consumption has increased to
IO0, 900 tons annually, and the Royal Agri-
cultnral Society has offered a premium of
41000 for the discovery of manure equal to
guano in strength, which can be manufactured
and sold in large quantities at $25 per ton.
have referred to this for the purpose of re,a-
ting an incident. As far back as 1924, thirty
one years ago. John S. Skinner. pioneer in
agricultural science, obtained two barrels of
genuine guano from the coast of Peru. He
placed this guano in the possession of few
friends, who neglected st, and that was the
end of it. Had there been in existence at
that time, National Industrial University,
! with such an experimental farm attached as
the 1900 acres at Grignon, the inestimable
value of this fertiliser would haze been ascer-
tanned years before it was. And is it an over
estimate to say, that had the discovery then
been made, the gain to the country would
have equalled our national expenditures from
| that day to this?
| But brighter day is dawning. History
has shown that agriculture as an art, when
unaided by science, made but little progress
in a thousand years. Experience might ac-
cumulate facts, but no principle of general
application could be established. A manure
beneficial in one place was often found worth
less in another, because rule could be Civ
en- for its use-no reason for its failure. Here
agricultural chemistry steps in and gives its
invaluable aid to the intelligent farmer.
When student at college, our President, on
one occasion, in addressing our class, made
this remark: g Young gentlemen, the man
among you who knows the most Greek and
has the most Grace, will make the best preach
er" This rule will hold good in farming as we'll
as in preaching. Every farmer has his Greek
| in his bones, and muscles and sinews-his
Grace, agricultural grace, he must find in chem
istry. 1t is this science alone which determines
the nature and quality of the elements of the
soil. and also the composition of the various
manures. thus adapting the one to the other
without loss. The constituents of plants and
the substances necessary to their existance,
ARE also disclosed by chemistry. But for the
teaching of this science we must have agri-
.cultural schools and model farms. Pennsyl
/ vania, our own honored State, has taken !
noble step for the advancement of agriculture
The labors of Watts and Woodward, Elwyn
and Gowen have not been in vain. The
Farmers High School of Pennsylvania" ha'
been incorporated by our Legislature, ant
Al lfr.ro