Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1859-02-18
Agricultural Colleges.

There is nothing more important to
the coming generations of our country
than thorough scientific agricultural ed
ucation. In the present day, with our
of land waiting to be occupied
and cultivated, we are in no danger OF
running short in production OF the nee
essaries of life, and for years to come,
perhaps, we shall not only have an album
dance, but also to spare. But as our
lands are worn out and our population in
creases, this state Of things will change,
and the time will come when we shall
want more than twelve bushels of wheat |
to the acre to supply our own wants.
Our present mode of cultivation tends to
lessen instead of increasing the quantity
per acre. Half of the once fertile fields
of Virginia are so worn out as to be lit
orally worthless without the aid OF sclen-
tiic management. The yield of wheat
and corn in Western New York and
Ohio are diminishing every year, and
even in New England our agricultural
success is nothing to boast of when com
pared with the results of English culture.
When free trade in corn was established
in England the prospect for English far
mers was most discouraging, but by the
aid of science they have overcome all
difficulties, and are most successful com
petitors with our cheap and virgin lands.
By the aid of science they have raised
! the production of wheat to thirty-slx
bushels per acre against ten to twelve
bushels in this country, and so of every
edible which sustainS the life of man or
beast. How long we can 60 on satisfied
to tread the road our fathers trod, scrap
ING instead of cultivating-impoveIishlng
instead of enriching the SOILS ques-
ton which time will answer, and we think
: not in the very distant future.
Entertaining these views, nothing has
/, given US more pleasure than to see the
steady progress which has been made il
the attempt to appropriate portion o
: the public lands to the purposes of agri
cultural education. Through all thu
u turmoil of slavery, tariff, free trade, rev
t enue and appropriations, this subject ha
o not been lost sight of, and to the credi
> of all parties, be it said, it has thus ia
. met with no serious opposition, exceT
{ from the cotton growers. The question
u before the country, which swallow up til
time and attention of Congress, are eac
as and all of great importance, but no on
+, or even all of them, in our estimation, {
so far as the prosperity and welfare of ii
n future is concerned, will claim precedenC
rs of this. The bill before Congress, whiC
n. has passed the House, and more recen
of ly the Senate, and which only now wan
ed the concurrence of the House in son
he not very important amendments made
ed the Senate, provides that public Ian
Oh shall be appropriated to each State
the proportion of 10000 acres for ca
IN Senator and Representative, the procee
lat of which are to be invested in stoc
Dill bearing not less than five per cent. int
10 est, to constitute fund
zen The interest of which shall be inv
oa' lably appropriated, by each State viii
md may take and claim the benefit of t
to endowment for the support and main
er- nance of at least one college, where
cad leading object shall be, without exclud
iuli other scientificor classical studies, to te;
the such branches of learning as are rela
e 1t to agriculture and the mechanic arts
the such manner as the Legislatures of
ROB States may respectively prescribe, in
d of der to promote the liberal and pract
able education of the industrial classes in
several pursuits and professions in lift
This distribution would be worth
Massachusetts some 0,000-form
;. anucleus which would lead to the es
lishment of an institution worthy of
4on- State, through which may be introdu
all the improvements already made
H. agriculture and the mechanic arts in
- Q rope, with such additions as may and
ger tainly will be added from time to TIM
ally, Yankee ingenuity, science and skill.
very Whatever else the present Cong
Re If may do or leave undone, we trust it
pass this measure, and thus leave l
'oi'' the statute book one imperishable M
''her ment of far seeing patriotism.-Bc
re on Journal.
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