New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-08-29
EDUCATING FARMERS.
THE AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE CONVENTION.
THEIR ORIGINAL GALA BODY OF EARNEST
REFORMERs IN EDUCATION-REP0RT OF THE
COMMITTEE ON EXPERIMENTS.


ming. Mr.. Flagg, the Secretary OF the Board OF
Trustees Of the Illinois Industrial University ana MI
Miles, the Professor OF Practical Agriculture Oh 'he MINI
igan Agricultural College, conversng together anu yum
pairing their experiments in agriculture, reservoir W P
pare q call, which signed by many gch'ionion "
similar positions and by the Hon. Horace Caproh, o
Commissioner OF Agriculture to bring together thoso
who had had experience In these matters anu oo
,nare results The call was definitely addressed 10
Presidents of Agricultural Colleges. Professors OF Agr
cuIture or other persons the United states or bVsn
Provinces who are engaged or interested III proo.s %
art or science OF agriculture by experiments III 'no ~
or laboratory for the purpose OF organizing cohSus
and cooperating the great work OF advancing c
OF agricultural knowledge and education, especially py
experimentation with similar crops under sim'ai con
fiona at all the Agricultural Colleges Upon caoiui
reading q will be seen that this call was very mited as
70 the class it called and the object Those caeo "eo
those connected with agricultural experiments III hHr
cultural Colleges and theObeOhad reference 10 exper
iments And it plainly appeared In to-days dscus'on'
that 40 far as the original trainers OF the call were cou
ccrned. this limitation was intentional They feared
that IL the call extended, too many othei issues
might be discussed and the object they had at heart DC
neglected
The Agricultural Colleges were called into existence ny
the fiat of the United States Government aud they iouhu
themselves vitazed entities without any distinct con
ceptions of their functions capacities or intent iho
predcament was somewhat like that OF casper hauser
They were provided with all the means OF sensation Dut
had no precedent which to form opinions as TO "h'
they perceived. The new education" was all new
opiv in this country could pure novelty like these col
eges in which from the OF Government scrip down
10 the smallest detail OF management there was every
thing to begin and nothing TO go by stahd chahco VI
success But in different ways and by various paths
they have all moved forward. And now they meet
together TO compare results OF their groupings ior
light system and general principles There were many
points of difference between them, as might naturally DC
supposed but on one point they were all agreed-an
anxiety for the welfare Of their students ana the pro-
gress agricultural science. Ana IL Is lmposslpo W
overlook earnestness with which they nave puSuou
forward these purposes whether one views the "orh
in the light of their experiences in these new nsth
tons which they so navey yet forcbly described, or
from the mere intensity with which they have debated
the business before them here, leaving themselves
scarcey time TO get their meals and spending every mo
ment in discussing the details Of their successes or fa
ures.
The points of difference have been in part alluded to;
such as that general betw the Eastern and western
systems But there many others, and they are all
deep-seated These men have, however, common bond
of sympathy which restra Ms them from anything IKE
violence in debate, although at times 1t seemed that
Prof Miless method OF managing stock keeping each III
dividual in separate pen, might have been usefu APP
piled TO the members of the Convention They all regard
themselves as the pioneers Of new movement; the a
vanced wing the leaders Of the New Education lhey
look like reformers. There arc not many veheiaDle
among them, and large proportion are barely IN
the prime Of life of the most youthful LOOKING Is
Prof Hamilton of Pennsylvania; modest, caini' ana
solemn In his demeanor reminding OF new convert
making his maiden speech at campmeeting, yet Ger
tany one of the intellectual men present as well
az one of the most gifted with common sense.
1t looked at times though the meeting might DIVIDE
into parties upon the question between scientific aud
practical farming but careful Investigation OF what TINS
question amounted to- showed that 1t Is really more one
OF than OF fact and udcious concessions on either
hand avoided this possibility Of rupture There was the
natural division in all assembages part being more
radical and conservative than the other ms
was evident on various points; but which brought
up great discussion the question whether the Co
ventiop should organize body including large num-
hers outsiders the officers OF all AGRICULTURAL assOcla
tions and men of eminence agricultural affairs; or
consist exclusively Of those named IN the caH-the
Presidents of Agricultural Colleges and those who con
Quoted agricultural experiments in those colleges In
favor Of the first proposition was urged hat the popu
larizaton Of the organization which Womb ensue "ouu
forward lie objects make il power In the land ana open
the pockets presided by legislators The advocates
OF the other view thought that their great object the
study and comparison of experiments would be defeated
and forgotten in the of subjects that would come
before the larger organization they could not believe
that division large organization into sections would
accomplish their wishes and they seemed to be eTpe
eiay afraid that whole Convention would drop into
the arms OF the National Association OF Teachers re-
garded by these reformers as the essence oil antiquity
and devotion 10 classical studies.
II NAV he well at this point to state that no one OF all
these subjects was decided by the Convention oteven
their organization, their next place OF meeting OF h
dozen other subjects of keen debate Where they could
not agree they discussed till the sentiments of the mem
hers of the Convention evident and then agreeing
to disagree they left things in the hands OF Committees,
with power OF the various invitations to excursions
ONLY one was definitely accepted-to Riverside to view
some display of landscape ening-which shall be
the subject Of another letter And even the report OF
the Committee OH Experiments, suljOned was incom-
pete and many Of its details are left for further con
sideration at hands Of subcommittee. The report
is largely based the suggestions offered on the subject
Yesterday by Mr.. Miles.
REPORT THE COMMITTEE on EXPERIMENTS.
We want: % Meteorological OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES,
after the Smithsonian plan, and practical like those Of
the Signal service. (2j Mechanical experiments on the
strength OF materials and of motive powers and trials
of agricultural and other industrial implements. 90 Ex
periments physics especially in the effects Of different
degrees of light heat, electricity and moisture veg
etabe life. ca Experiments industrial chemistry,
such as analysis of soils OF cays and other earhs used
in the arts Of Goals, lime, and building rocks,
minerals, manures, plants and their products,
and of animal products. 90 Experiments and
observations in mining and metalurgy () Experiments
with soils as to their drainage pulverzaOn by differ
ent implements and their compaction the application
OF different fertilizers the variation of soils in adjoining
plots then continuous cropping without manure; and
as to irrigation ca Experiments in special culture with
different varieties OF grasses grains roots plants trees
&C. with variations in the time, distance and depth Of
planting modes OF cultivation; harvesting; manurng;
modes Of propa CATION and to insects and diseases
affecting plants. % Experiments in the breeding and
fatening OF domestic animals, comparing different
breeds and species and recording their diseases DC
To large extent, OF course these experiments must
be tried by each State for its people, according M
its peculiar and capabilities. But most expert.
ments be tried in common repeated all over the
country Especially Is this OF the culture of certain
widely grown plants, such corn, wheat, and other
cnreala three simple rimenfs were i1nInn