New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1870-06-29
THE COLLEGES.
CORNELL UNIVERSITY
DIR. LoRISG ON PRACTICAL AcRrcuLr

| VI
| the substance:
The address began with sketch Of early apricultur,
and early agricultural literature The remarkable fact
that Lord Bacon burned ali his agricultural books he
cause, as he said they contained principles was re-
ferred to indicating the wants Of the times in which
he lived and the mpcrfecton Of agriculture at that dav
This want are cndeavoring to supply. both In books
work, by discovering and applying ust those prpci
plies which Bacon demanded. The books which he had
such the writings Of Cato, Colnca varro Fitz Her
bert sser were mere record Of facts brought undo,
their observation And The agriculture Of England was
especially rude Wheat rarely cultivated and rarely
eaten by the poorer classes Rye OATS and harley ,r
the prevailing crops Farmyard manure exposed 10 the
dssoying influences Of the RAIN and carclessly appd
deemed the only fertilizer. Cultivation yas per
formed almost entirely by manual labor; and The farmer
constructed his rude and heavy implements Cattle
very imperfect untlrifty ard slow in arriving a,
maturity; and Winter 20 rs 10 barely sustain
! life. Fresh meat luxury. No hOcd crops
or edible vegetables cultivated Neither Indian
corn nor potatoes, nor squashes carrots nor cab
bages, turnips, known I'M England The arabic
land and pasture did not amount more than half the
area Of the kingdom. Heath, swamp, and warren
abounded There were no hcdgcrows to be fccn. Deer
free in the American forest, wandered there by
thousands. Wild boars wolves foxes tie Wild bull tn,
badger, wildcats, fcnCages, bstards, cranes,
the kingdom. Seventy years after Bacon burned HE
books the whole quantity wheat, rye barley oats and
beans annually grown TN then 100000 quarters
and Of wheat less than 2CCO,OC0 There was 10 70
tatOn OF crops. II after tlis, about the begin
ming of the 18th century, that Improvements he
gan. Scientific investigation became fashionable, as well
important, useful and in high esteem. new impulse
was given to agriculture New fertilizers, yegeta-
bles new implements into That mental actIy
ity which applied 10 political economy and 10 all
natural sciences, applied 10 agriculture; and while
but little improvement made IN social and civil con
dition, the industry and skill applied to the land rapidly
improved. When Lord Bacon set his seal OF dsaproba
ton the agricultural Investigation which preceded M
times he gave signal for new methods iu this he did
in many other departments of science and the ants
And the special privilege which we ENJOY over MN aho
his agricultural friends system Of inquiry and anal
yss which has already gore far toward giving Us de
mite laws TO guide our pursuit.
For this purpose various modes have been adopted,
all interesting and important, and all indicating
the high value set by the most liberal minds on the great
industry of farming. and the laws which govern IT,
These the Society, the Board, the Club ana The COL
lege Societies began TO De organized early IN tho
Eighteenth Cenury-nearly thirty then existing III
France Agriculture began long 10 be taught IN tho
Swedish, Danish, and German universities. In Italy
Denmark. Switzerland, France England, every branch
Of agriculture was encouraged by the Government and
tie only obstacle i'm the way Of rapid advancement IN
agricultural information during the last century In
Europe was the Indifference of the popular mind, ana
its devotion to tradition rather than the results OF care
full investigation Book farming" had no charms for tho
common people, who looked with distFtst and
jealousy while the educated explorer endcavored 10 ec-
vae their calling enlighten theTminds and relieve TIC
heavy burdens of labor.
At this time the establishment Of boards OF agriculture
commenced and there be doubt that the labor OF
Sir John Sinclair founder Of such orgauZat0n
titles him 10 the respect and gratitude Of all ters OF
the soil To the establishment Of the English Board.
than any other movement Of that day, England
is indebted for the present high and prosperous state ~
her agriculture. 1t through It's influence that Sir
| Humphry Davy was led TO investigate the elements OF
the soil and To apply science OF chemistry the inn
provement Of agriculture. 1t this very information
which Arthur Young declared to be the great want OF tho
day. indeed the introduction Of scientific agrcu-
ture opening the path which has since been zealousy
! trod, and erecting monument 10 the wisdom which
guided the Board OF Agriculture in its selection of the
great philosopher its guide in agricultural inyesuga-
ton
All these efforts have had immediate reference to tho
practical business of the farm. The most poetca ana
imaginative writer's have always kept the fanyard and
the frrow in view The most elaborate scientific invest-
CATIONS the nature of the SOIL the qualities Of plants
the structure OF misunderstanding, botany physiology
have all been subjected TO that hardest of all tests, the
details of agricultural life. The knowledge which science
has already unfoded belongs TO the farmer II he VIII
And now comes the college The best agricultural col
lege is that which sends forth from It's walls band OF
successful cultlVators aull.LS ali ui4e Il5 l '"'
because they familiar wth her laws. Let such col
a
the theory or the student VIII receive tS slliP 10
actual value college in which the experiments OF me
laboratory will be put 10 the 1na test acoegt ID Whc
ali the best culture OF the school will be nodded and
directed give cultivated population, devoted I'd
tbe land with an understanding OF its mysteries and de
voted social and civil life, with proper ana rened
conception of their dutesgiye us college Ike TINS,
and we shall have accomplished an educational work,
| which will have influence wherever land l. divided
among freemen, and cultivated by an intelligent yeo-
It is to be hoped the time will arrive when it will
he unnecessary defend agricultural college any
where in country. That tme however mas NOT YET
arrived one of the most earnest ana eNclteu cOno-
yerses now going on in that State, which some OF us
perhaps too partially and Undy claim 10 be the most en-
iightrned community in the world, Il between tlO>t VINO
believe i'm ntegen agriculture they do In the apli-
cation the best science 10 the mechanical aIts and
those who consider agriculture rude ana Pilinl' DC
cupaton requiring but little wisdom and based rIon
! those traditions ana customs which one nan NlhId
generation of transmit to another b.l he No
viii guide agricultural college mo su'c,I II li
ton need have fear that his light VIII De ma Nuet
a bushel;" his candle would iame rom .S,iS no, ~
top in the country, Deneath WHOSE Si''tl ~
| farmer and gardener, and lover OF ahd ana ahi-
mails, find shelter and repGse: 10 uiM b nl'ar
a explorers into the mysteries OF nature mlsnt ohs
their gifts And If there those VINO eleNe tal nc
great minds of this and all time would hnd no nom, on
such spot let them remember thal Tor Sucn Puhild
AS that TO which this institution would be devoted lan2td
those wise and thoughtful statesmen ana PhaniiIo
psts who while they toed Tor mans e'il anu s "a it
Yatou forgot not his most substantial proSeIllyi s'
them remember that 1t has Dteh iouhd eSer ~
ize churches and schools nan 10 nS , @ t pnest forms
system OF agriculture and raise II ot OF ln nded
~ labor: let them remember that the DIVISION ~ ,e"nIe
estates and the modes Of farming adoBe ~ ay Ter
are as indicative of their social conditiV ncuher
ehutenoS d prb an institution in this country shouI
stand am intelligent, nquirine; ~, aud ntiv Am the
eli Nomination which the profoundest student eS
nn,r for their benefit anu 90 H. ,,,, tbev arr 10 be
taught. ,ctic,l farmer has already done mueh, no
ma ap denv We indeed, look back WIN % s1,iJ
U tbe time when the practical NINA ~ ,' ,,i,sLcd
hold ~ the most SncSessI1 me t owe To the past gen
crotions of working farmers ~ i ,,J ,tts I'M the
80 i,',r,v,mcut of fruits. ana gItl.s "a names
| th,Vl