Los Angeles daily herald., 1874-03-19
Agricultural Education.

President Andrew d. White of the
Cornell University, in an address de-
livered at Albany, January q, 1874,
before the New York State Agricul-
tural Society, made among others the
following remarks on the value OF
Practical Agricultural Education:
Look at few figures. The last CEN
sus gives certain agricultural statis-
tics, whose magnitude is almost OPP
pressive. The value of farm produc-
lions in the United States, in the year
1870 was considerably over two thous-
and millions of dollars.
The value of farm productions in
the State of New York the same year
was over two hundred and fifty mil
lions of dollars.
Does not common sense teach us
that we can we'll afford to make lit
tie outlay to promote any sciences
which may help such a vast interest F?
If, in the course of years, in all these
laboratories and experiments, some
one useful idea shall be struck out, it
would pay our endowment thousand
fold.
Says Emerson: 1.-THE true poet is
an inspired prophet" Did you ever
think what an Inspiration lies in the
poets declaration that "the greatest
benefactor of mankind is he who
makes two blades of grass grow where
one grew before ~ If not, look at the
census returns showing the enormous
value of the hay crop of these North
ern States.
knowledge of nature coming by re-
search and observation in the labora-
tory and the field-these are to give us
finally our 1.-TWO blades of grass" and
multitudes of other benefactions to
our race, not less precious.
The Sheffield Scientific School at
Yale College, has not single student
in agriculture; but Professor Brewer
and johnson by their experiments on
fertilizers and kindred subjects, have
returned the value of their endowment
to the nation hundred fold already.
Take another item. The dairy pro-
ducts of New York, in 1870, were over
1OO, 900, 900 pounds of butter, and over
2O,0OO,0OO pounds of cheese. Now,
there has been quietly at work in our
laboratory of agricultural chemistry,
at Cornell University, young pro-
lessor, George c. Caldwell. He has
made little noise in the world, but has
worked quietly on upon the chemistry
of the dairy. Said 1. B. Arnold, an
authority YOU all recognize: "Profes-
sor Caldwell's researches on the chem
istry of the dairy are worth more TO
the State than your whole endowment.
He has taught us to do such things in
dairy matters, and to increase dairy
products, as we never dreamed of do
ing" And to this, substantially, Mr..
Arnold has lately sworn before the
Commission of Investigation.
Take few figures more from the
same census. In 1870 the market gar
den and orchard products of the State
of New York amounted in value to
close upon $12,0O0,000.
Can any one then gainsay the wis
dom of our employing, as we do, a
young naturalist of genius to devote
his whole time to Investigation, and to
giving lectures based upon these re-
searches?
Take still other figures. The same
census shows the value of farm imple-
ments in the State of New York to be
over $45, O00,000 In view of this, we
have investigations and lectures upon
mechanics related to agriculture, and
have obtained models and implements
at home and abroad to illustrate this
subject. Is not the mere pittance this
requires we'll laid out?
Take another branch of the subject.
We have been fitting up an establish
ment for experiments in the best rota-
ton of crops, and in the feeding of cat
tie. A careful resident professor has
been called to carry OH these, and
trust that E. w. Stewart may be called
| to superintend them.
Some time since, in view of this mat
ter, visited certain cattle-feeding es-
Establishments with gentleman whose
sound sense on such matters you all
recognize, Hon. George Geddes. Said
he: "This experiment fairly tried will
be worth to the State of New York
more than your whole endowment; nc
matter which way it turns out; nc
matter whether 'soiling' is found pro-
fitable or unprofitable; to try this mat.
ter fully, and fairly, and scientifically
will be worth more than your endow'
ment.n