Lewistown gazette. [volume] (Lewistown, Pa.) 1843-1944, 1857-08-27
AN ADDRESS
ON THE
Farmers High School of Penn'a,

Agricultural knowledge and science may be
obtained at an expense so moderate as to be
within the means Of those whose occupation
is that of q Farmer:-that whilst youths are
being taught the busines which is to be the
occupation of their after life, they will be
contributing to their own education, by the
labor of their own hands Under the direc-
ton of Professors who will be skilled In the
ait OF farming, and in all those natural sci
ences which pertain ta il, all the manage
ment, business and work of the farm, will
be performed by the pupils:-whilst their
minds are being imbued with the principles
and science of agriculture, their daily occu-
patton will practically be testing the truth Of
what they learn.
1t is the desire of the Board Of Trustees TO
put the public in possession of all informa-
ton respecting the design, present condition,
and future prospects of the Farmers High
School, and TO ask Of them TO take such in
terest In the Institution as its object and
merits demand.
The Board of Trustees in 1856, after
most careful and personal examination Of
several points, in various quarters Of the
State, fixed the location in Centre County,
on the Southern slope of Penn and Nittany
Valleys, within, perhaps, five miles OF the
Geographical Centre of the State, where the
land is limestone, fertile and beautiful. As
n place for practical agriculture, nothing
more favorable could be desired; and it is
sufficiently removed from those intrusions
and annoyances of town or public place,
SO prejudicial to the pursuit of study, or the
security of a we'll managed farm or garden.
Two hundred acres of this land was gem
erously donated to the Institution by Gen.
James Irwin, with the privilege of purchas-
o..t a aF ,
at any time within FIVE years, at sixty dol
lars an acre and in the mean time, to have
possession Of the whole, upon the payment
Of the interest upon the value of the last
mentioned two hun ired acres. The Board
of Trustees took possession of the whole,
and hare appropriated Of it, 10 the eappie and
peach orchards, 2l4 aeres:-to smaller
fruits, 81 acres TO the garden and nursery,
lGf acres; and 20 the campus l23 acres. A
system of record of all the doings on the
farm has been arranged, from which we
extract the following memorandum OF what
has been already done:
OF IMPROVEMENTS ON THE FARM
90 acres have been grubbed and sprouted
$40 rods of fence rows cleared, grubbed,
picked and burnt 81 acres of Wheat sowR
September 1856, now good, put down in clo-
yer; Is acres of corn planted spring Of 1857
$40 rods Of hedge planted in 1856; 260 rods
of hedge in 1857; 325 rods of rail fence; 43.-
600 nursery plants set out, comprising full
assortment of the most desirable nursery
stock; $50 rods Of seed beds Of fruits, hedge
plants, &C.; 1900 plants Of over 100 differ
ent sorts, received as contributions, MANY
of them intended for the arboretum, and now
set In reserve beds, until the ground can be
prepared: GOO apple trees set out in orchard
rines do; $50 pear, standard and dwarf do:
200 cherry; 1000 plants Of nuts, berries, &C.;
1900 grapevines in vineyard; GO avenue ma
Piles; 400 chestnut, larch, oak, pine and 9TH
CT seeding timber trees, collected and to be
planted IN lines, so as to give at sight the
measure and location of every part of the
farm: 500 pine, spruce, fir, &C., TO he plan
ted for sheltering hedge. OF these oil are
doing well beyond expectation, under the "a
voring influences Of q good season, excepting
only small portion Of the contributed
plants, which were injured by delay and ex-
posure.
OF BUILDINGS.
One double-storied barn is finished and
fitted up, and has been in use parts Of two
seasons; it is very capacious and much ad-
Inired for its convenience. The farmers
house is also finished and part Of the out
cellars have been excayated; G000 perch Of
superior building stone, are quarried and on
the grounds; three gangs Of brickmakers
lave been at work for some time. and the
Tnas0ns are about TO commence the walls
The delay oceasioned by uncertainty, up to
the 10Th Of May, as to the amount Of funds
which would be at the disposal of the Trus-
tees, affected all work on the farm aud nur-
series as well as the buildings, though TO
less extent. Work was done with hired
teams and tools, and temporary hands and
thereto ore, under much disadvantage: most of
the ground being new and but imperfeetly
cleared, and yet with many stumps and
roots.
This account might be much enlarged By
detail, but 1t viii serve to communicate an
idea Of what the progress has been.
All this work has been done under the di-
recuon and management Of VIM. G.. War
ing, Esq, practical horticuturist and far.
mer; In whose skill and science the Board
OF trustees have the most entire confidence
n contract has been entered into. for the
erection ot an edihce, calculated for the res
idence Of Professors, lecture halls and dor.
mltorles for students, 10 be built of stone
five stories high, 233 feet in front. with
wIngs, and TO cost ffty-five thousand dol.
lafs- THIS building is already in progress.
and IT is hoped that part of it may be nut
under roof and SO far completed this fall. as
TO enable the Board to make arrangements
and receive few students in the sprino Of
1858. "
The Legislature of Pennsylvania, at its
last session, has fully recognized the pub.
nc appreciation OF this effort to prodnce a
= class OF educated farmers whose practice
"s ,'s'a =. Example may extend into every county
OF the State. 1t has appropriated ffty thon.
sand dollars TO enable the boord of Tsnatoaa
20 carry out their plan twenty-five thousand
ot winch Is payable only upon condition that
like sum shall be raised from some n,ha.
source. There is no other mode Of ra;s;na
this sum than by private contribution oS