, 1860-01-23

Agricultural Instruction In Illinois,
At Tho late meeting Of the Illinois Horticuk
tural Society, Mr. Chase. Chairman Of the Cout-
mittee on. the consideration Of the President 5
Address, offered the following report:
Your Committee to whom WIS referred the
Presidents Address, would respectfully report
That most Of the several interesting topics
treated of in that document hnye been under
discussion in the regular course Of proceedings
OF your body. There il one, however, which,
from It's Importance, demands especial attention
at our hands, We refer to the subject Of 1Iogti-
cultural Education for the youth Of our State,
30 part Of that excellent Address has impressed
yuur COMMITTEES with more favor, or given them
higher essimate Of The forecast and wisdom Of
its author. !;
We view horticulture as branch Of agricul.
ture. and in speaking Of tue latter shall include
the former. In this calling about three-lourths
Of the People Of our State are engaged. Other
branches at business ha.e schools in which
course Of preparation. The trimming received
by those who cuter the learned professions is
given in richly endowed and abfy conducted in4
stitutions- Then they are not only qualified to
till their posts with honor, but VIC xGe tlen id
after life 1akln, the lead Of men more wortlIy
und more talented, though less favored in their
youth by educational advantages. The work.
shop, tue manufactorJ. and the Office ara
schools in which are taught the theory as well
as the practice Of manufactures auu commerce.
Persons following these nrocasions are naturally
drawn together in cities and villages where thu
want Of commercial col!cscs, mechanics insti:
tutes aud academies Of science Is felt, and whera
they are appreciated aud fostere.i. ln then, the
knowledge Of the past is treasured, anasbv thei
transmitted. They are the repository of every
new fact elected or improvement made, aud
through them the requirement of that knowl-
edge il rendered easy
With farmers it IS otherwise. Their BUSH
ness anu habits Of life render them solitary
Scattered over q wide extent Of territory, eacl,
one is forced to pursue his own plans in his
own way, knowing little what his fellows have
done, except through the Intervention Of the
agricultural press. We therefore find the til
ier@ Of The soil lamentabls ignorant in the great
first principles which uuderlic the science md
Practice Of agriculture. Farming in the Vest
including particularly that elegant and import
ant branch. Horticulture is, to great cxteut|
system Of disastrous experiments, bused on
underlined and often falsely assumed premises
1t avail little that We, year by year, expeud;
time and money in experiments, ii our cli;dre9
must 90 over the same tedious processes altcf
as, being none the wiser for what we have donei
Some method Of TRANSMISSION mist be devised.
The child should stand On the.. shoulders at his
father, sweeping wider field Of vision; for 50
every generation, rising in the light Of lis pre-:
decessos, eau start where the Inst Ieft otf, and
thus in process Of time attain q summit front
Which the whole field of science can be viewed.
To place the children on this vantage ground
it Is only necessary to teach them the reliable
r.s"iks of the experiments Of the past. i single
result may have cost the labor Of i generation
and set can be learned in Il day. The possess,
ion Of knowledge stimulates inquiry. Children
placed ri the top Of the knowledge Of tteif
time are especially stimulated to a..d new facts
rs they take their places in active life; and thus
BY systematic advancement VIC may gain accrS1
one by one to The secrets Of nature until she
shall Cease TO be au une xplained mystery.
knowledge imparts delight. 4 secret learned,
fact gained ATTACHES its possessor to the study
Investigated. The iIliterate farmer merely stsys
aud vegetables, while the educ Ated man IL cnanl-
orcd of his profession aud follows it with II zeal
stronger than the attractions Of commercial
pursuits or the honors Of public life.
We regard this subject as worthy the asteu:
t'on Of our ablcst and best citizens, and, there;
fore. ask the adoption OF the following resour
tons:
E:tsoir<d, That a Committee of fire b. ap:
pointed to call Convention Of the people Of
this Stale, 10 conccr, measures for the cstab-
Iishment of u permanent system OF i Asriculiurl
Instruction on n practical and economical basis.
Eeo[eeJ. That said Committee be also in
strueted 10 lay before such Convention facts and
statistics on the subject.
R&ofr4d, That said Committee be further IN:
structed to confer with the Executive Board Of
the State Agricultural Society At their next meet
ing, with view 10 securing the cooperation OF
That Society.
Ali winch is respectfully submitted.
C. +. EuAsE, Chairman.