Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1859-02-24
80 farmer,
Agricultural Colleges.


We arc sorry to see the New England Fer
meN devoting considerable space to disparagc-
'nent of the idea of establishing Agricultural
Colleges, for the Free education OF young men,
for Agricultural and Mechanical pursuits. 1t
is the only paper we have seen which takes such
" view of the subject. The Boston Journal, re-
ferring to Mr.. Morrill's bill which has now
innlly passed both Houses, says;
There is nothing more important to the COM
ing generations Of our country than a thorough
scentifc agricultural education. In the pres
INT day, with our abundance Of land waiting to
be occupied and cultivated, we are in no danger
VI running short in production of the necessl-
fics of life, and for years to come, perhaps, we
shall not only have an abundance, but also the
space. But as our lands are worn out and our
population increases, this state Of things will
change, and the time will come whan we shall
want more than twelve bushels of wheat to the
mere TO supply our own wants. Our present
mode of cultivation tends to lessen in
stead OF increase the quantity per acre. Half of
the once fertile fields of Virginia are so worn
out as' to be literally worthless without the aid
Of scientific management. The yield of wheat
"
diminishing every year, and even in New Eng
land our agricultural success is nothing to boast
Of when compared with the result of the Eng
lish culture. When free trade in corn was es-
Sablishcd in England the prospect for English
farmers was most discouraging, but by the aid
Of science they have overcome all difficulties,
and are most successful competitors with our
cheap and virgin lands BY the aid of science
ico1 tha of hat 10
thirty-fx bushels per acre against ten to twelve
bushels in the country, and 50 of every edible
which sustans the life Of man or beast. How
long We can go on satisfied to tread the road our
fathers trod, scraping instead Of cultivating-
impoverishing instead of enriching the SOILS
n question which timo will answer, and we
think not in the very distant future
Entertaining these views, nothing has given
us more pleasure than to SEQ the steady pro-
gress WHICH has been made to attempt to APP
propriate portion of the public lands
to the purposes of agricultural education
Trough all the turmoil Of slavery, tariff, free
trade, revenue and appropriations. this subject
has not been lost sight of, and to the credit Of
I'LL parties, be it said, it has thus far met with
NO serious opposition, except from the cotton
growers. The question before the country,
which swallow up the time and attention OF
Congress, are each and all of great Importance,
but no one, or even all of them, in our estima
ton, so far as the prosperity and welfare of tho
future Is concerned, will claim precedence OF
this. The bill before Congress, which has pas
'sed the House, and more recently the Senate,
end which only now wants the concurrence Of
the house IN seme not very important amend
ments made by the Senate, provides that pub
Inc lands shall be appropriated to each State il
the proportion of 10000 acres for each Senator
and Representative, the proceeds of which arc
to be invested in stocks bearing not less THAI,
five per cent. interest to constitute fund
The interest of which shall be inviolably
appropriated, by each State which may tax,
and claim he'benefit of the endowment for thu
support and maintenance of at least one college
where the leading objectshall be, without exclud
ing other scientific or classical studies, to teacl
such branches of learning as are related to az
-riculture and the mechanic arts, in such man
ner as the Legislatures of the States may respec
lively prescribe,"in order to promote the liberia
and practical education Of the industrial classe
in'the'several pursuits and professions in life
This distribution would be worth to Massa
chusetts some 1890, Conforming a nucIeu
which would lead to the establishment of an in
stitution worthy of the State, through whicl
may be introduced all the improvements alread
made in agriculture and the mechanic arts il
Europe, with such additions as may and Ger
tainly will be added from time to time b,
Yankee ingenuity, science and skill.
Whatever else the present Congress may d
or leave undonc, VIC trust it Will pass this meas
nre, and thus leave upon the statute book on
imperisbable monument of far-seeing patriot
ism,