Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1870-03-18

SEVENTH ANNUAL RErOET OF 1lIE TRUSTEES OF
THE MASSACHUSETTS AGECULrusAL COLLEGE
january, 1870 Boston Wright and Pat;en
State Printers.
We ale indebted to President CLARK for the
above The very interesting letter Of President
Angel Of our State agricultural College, lately
published, renders this report particularly in
structiye jus, at this time We wish every citi-
zen of Vermont, but more especially those who
arr disposed to dud fault with the trustees and
faculty Of the L. Y NJ and 5. A. C. might Pc
ruse il with care and lay to heart lie lessons. Il
is devoted very largely 10 an account Of the i'm
proyemeuts upon the real estate that have been
made during tine current year. and to the ac-
acknowledgement cf contributions from various
sources. Sesera, pages are also devoted to the
discussion Of ;he objects and aims Of the iustitu-
ton. We quote as i5lows,-not 50 much 20
show what that Institution is aocomplishing in
comparison with another in which we ought to
feel deeper interest, as to show what their
means are for doing their work; how conf
IDENTIFY they ask the State for more means, and
how readily they confess that despite all their
facilities they are in many respects yet groping
their way in the dark.
No complete sypten Of Agricultural Science
has vet been perfected and intelligent men diff
fer widely ia opinion upon many Of the most I'M
portaut questions which il involves. Neverthe-
less. order Is gradually evolving from the chaos
Of the past anu accurate experiment snd o5serv-
alton are hsrmo1izaC cond cting vews The
necessity of adopting some definite course Of
instruction IN the Agricultural Colleges. now
springing up in all parts Of the country, will
compel their professors roii.lgent research. IN
Ill the wheat Of positive knowledge Is separstei
from the chaff Of mere opinion.
The instruction in a Agriculture and horticul-
rlre not only necessi;a;es the consideration Of
immense number Of topics in the lecture-room,
but demands an extraordinary amount and va
rietv Of means for it, illustration and practical
application
10 nrovide a model farm with suitable Ill
verify of soil aspect and elevation, furnished
furnished with buildings Of the most approved con-
struction with al the modern agricultural inp.e-
,nents and machines and the choicest specimens Of
the best breed Of ANIMAL. s work requiring years
Of effort and very large expenditure OF money.
The proper management OF such aH establishment
for purposes of instruction and experiment must
also be very expensive, as me Ianor must nc pr
formed by young men in process Of education
and most Of the time occupied with their studies
When it Is remembered that dormitories,
bosrling-ho public rooms, scientific appsra-
tus, books and periodicals, are also necessities,
i will not be surprising that DEMONSTRATION must
have for its equipnen; and endowment large
amount Of money.
These very meagre extracts indicate the drifi
Of the argument Of the entire report, which coll
cludes SIS follows
The College wss opened for students Octo- .
hsr "a. 1861 The number in attendance IN /
868 was ninety-six, and in 1869 it increased TO
one hundred and nineteen.
The farm contains 3S4 acres, and IS well
provided with building. stock and implements.
inc total expenditure for real estate, improve
ments and apparatus Cor instruction has been
about e225, 900, and the cash fund for the main
tensuce of the institution j. about eIo0'ooo.
IN order to accommodate the four regular cssses
nj The speeisl students, together with the ON
- N the faculty, additional buildings will be