Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1865-01-14
AGRICULTURAL CoLLEars.-An old farmer

AGRICULTURAL COLLEGES.-An old farmer
writes to the Atlantic Monthly as follows:
1.-TWO words are beginning to be coupled in
the newspapers and to float about in the air,
whose juxtaposition is the cause of many
demure chuckle among the rural population.
Agricultural College, Separately the words
command all respect; united they are a living
refutation of the well-known axiom that the
whole is equal to all its parts. On the con.
trary, so far are our farmers from believing
this, that, while they acknowledge each part
to be very important and serious fact, they
look upon the whole as the flimsiest of falla-
cies.
"'Gov'ment is goin' to build an Agricultu-
raj College. Farmin' an larnin', marry an
set up house-keepin'. Guess Uncle Sam'll
now m then Agricultural College! Yes,
sir Well, sir, if you'll show me man, sir,
that's graduate, that'll ever be seen with
hoe in his hand, I'll give him leave to know
nv brains out with it! Yes, sir! An it'll
be the best use ne can put it to, sir. He'll
do less mischief that way'n any other Agri-
cultural College Edicated farmers Yes,
sir, I've seen 'em. Got grist up in TOpsell.
Jint stock farm. The best talent in Essex
countys been carryin' on farm, an they've
sunk a thousan' dollars, sir, Already. That's
what call Sinkin' Fund, sir. That's to be-
gin with. Jones is an edicated farmer. He
made his cider last fall on scientific princi-
pies Well, sir, could put an apple in my
mouth an swim down Merrimac river, an
have better cider'n that all the way. Edica-
ted farmin' IS a very pooty thing, if man
can be to the expense ont; but when it
comes to gettin' Twin farmin' 8 farmin'.
, Agricultural College! Yes, sir, farmin' s a
- flo asI oil -
light an runnin' to stones. But this here
college stuff is the poorest kind O. top dres-
sim you can give it Learnin' 8 good thing.
I've nothin' agin' learnin', but 'ta'n't the best
use you can make ont to pillow it in. The
only way to promote the agricultural inter-
ests of Essex county, sir, is to keep the farm
ers Just as they are. Greek an Latin ant
State prison Offenses, but they're sure death
to pork m potaters. Minute you edcate the
farmers, they'll be as uneasy as a toad under
harrow. What kind of hand would Doc
tor Hall or Squire Smith make to come an
take a farm alongside o. me ? ,"
l am inclined to the opinion that the old
farmer is not much out of the way in his ideas
of the practical character of the college bred
agriculturist. Educated farmers are unfortu-
natelY, in nine cases out of ten, mere thorists.
They can talk and write on the chemistry of
will expatiate most learnedly on the phos-
pilates, and tell you how easy it is to convert
the litter about your premises into a rich
compost, and thereby save hundreds of dol
lars per year, adding thus much to your
profits; but put them on farm, be it twenty
acres or two hundred, and they cannot work
out profit of one per cent on the capital
invested. In nine cases out Of ten they will
run through fortune in applying their theo-
ries. "Wat yer call yer speshl fertilizers an
yer compos, may be all right, fur wat know !;
but give me dung to get out a good crop
from my sile," said a neighbor of mine to
one of these professors
HOME TYRANTs.-For his rule over his fami
ly and for his conduct to wife and children,
subjects over whom his power is morarchi-
cal, any one who watches the world must
think with trembling of the account which
many man will have to render. For in our
society there is no law TO control the king of
the Preside. He is master of property, hap
piness, life almost. He is free to punish, to
make happy or unhappy, TO ruin or to torture.
| He NAV kill wife gradually, and be no more
questioned than the grand seignior who browns
| a slave at midnight. He may make slaves
and hypocrites of his children, or friends and
| freemen; or drive them into revolt and en-.
nifty against the natural laws Of love. Ihaye
heard politicians and coffee-house wiseacres
talking over the newspaper, and railing at
the Tyranny of the emperor, and wondered
how these, who are monarchs too in their
way, govern their own dominions at home,
where each man rules absolute. When the
annals of each little reign are shown the Su.
preme Master under whom we hold sover
eighty, histories will be laid bare of house
hold tyrants cruel as Amurath, savage as Ne
TO, and reckless and dissolute as Charles
THoekerau