Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1865-05-12
IFrom the n. Y. Com. Advertiser. !
Agricultural Colleges.

This subject attracts considerable attention al
this time, in consequence OF the land grants by
! Congress for this purpose. Every State has 4
distinct policy, but far as we are able to Judge,
all Of them possess but very little knowledge Of
the subject. Very few persons in the United
States have seen an Agricultural College, and
still fewer have attended one either as students
or teachers.
Ii seems to be taken for granted that those
competent TO judge are unanimous in favor Of
such institutions, whereas, any one may learn,
on little inquiry, that the men of science who
have devoted their whole lives 10 the improve
ment Of Agriculture. such Liebig and Stock
hardt, are decidedly against them. An intensely
interesting controversy has just been closed be-
tween Liebig and Weckerlin, President Of the
Agricultural College al Hohenheim IN Wurtem-
berg, in which the advocate Of such academies
was decidedly worsted. Liebig' great argument,
that special agricultural education without pre-
vious thorough university education makes su-
perhcial farmers, stands unrefuted; and his cut
ting sarcasms against so-called practical man.
ayers Of experimental farms told with tremepd
GUS effect. Thaer, the originator of Agricultural
Academies in the last century, had complete
university education. and he hsd great success;
but many now in charge Of such institutions lack
thorough scientific training. They ride hobbies,
and IN their zeal TO produce good annual results
they succeed only IN impoverishing the soil.
Ii appears from late German publications,
that there are 6s Agricultural Colleges and
Schools IN Germany, IN most Of which mechanics
are also taught They are nearly al of them
losing students, and the greater part of them
have propositions pending before them, either &c
merge them into the nearest University or Poly-
technic School Waldap, near Kouigsberg. on
the Baltic. has but 10 students; Eldena Al
flagvit1, near Leipzig, GA; POppelsdorf, near
Bonn on the Rhine. IS; Protkan, IN Silesia.
"a; Honhenheim, 81; Tharaadt, IS: Halle. us:
jena. lis; Gottingen, 81; the last thfee schools
are in close connection with the Universities at
these places.
In Poppelsdorf, tuition is about SIS per
annum. IL has eleven teachers, and the college
costs the State about $4,000 per annum.
Aldena has a farm of l,9ll acres attached +;
Waldau, one Of 1000, and Tharandt, one Of |
1850.
Hohenheim, which has the highes, reputa,ion
has fourteen teachers tuition, including lodr- /
ing, is about 500 per annum. II costs the 4
STATED about $4,000, and hasa large farm and /
very hne buildings Ii is lheathily and beauti-
fully situated, as the writer of this can testify
sf.er frequent visits.
England, ~ Government, has never had an
agricultural college That at Cirencester il a
private academy. DR.. Voelker has charge oft;
IN excellent gentleman
We are not fully informed As to France.
nd would Be obliged &c sny one transmitting as
Information in reference TO It. We may say the
'anse as 10 other countries of Europe Russia,
ne srsanf0rmed, has an imperial institution.
We would advise our legislators to pause be-
ore taking final action, and TO seek information
rom men like tiehig. which mxy be kad next
Winter. DR.. Voelker would also be rood au-