The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1875-03-12
COl.,,L,UIl.lMll[Bll]IlI.Al,.S!,. S. c.
Friday Morning, March IL, 1876.
Tho Mood OfTechnioal and AEricul,u- =
raj Educntion. 4ts,t

the March number of the Rural Caro-
hnian, treats in his usual practical and
sensible way of the value and the want
amongst US Of farm economy" He
shows it to exist in the habit of ne.
glectihg to raise sufficient breadstuffs
for the family, in the lack of co-opera.
tion in preparing land. planting and
cultivating it, in harvesting the crops,
and il making the necessary Purchases.
Each nan buys for himself without
consulting his neighbor. whether it be
mules, plows. wagons, -four, grain
or anything else that is needed. OF
course he loses ell the advanta ses that
may be found in bulkipg his orders
with others. There is only one exoep-
tion to this rule OF practice, and that
ought not to exist. There is apparent
r4y universal determination to plant
more cotton annually than the world
needs, and TO throw the entire crop
upon the market at the same time.
Our agrioulturists are thus retail con-
sumers all tho year, and Wholesale
sellers in the fall. This culpable lack
OF concsrs and cooperation results not
only in Injury TO material prosperity,
but in deprivation of those educational
advantages which are necessary to de-
velop the great science OF agriculture.
How many farmers. says Col. Aiken,
ever astndy the acience of agriculture?
How many Of them know anything
about the proper food for plants, the
anhiyais and capacity Of soils. the ele.
!m1ehts OF ell products. or Of botany or
chemiatry? Indeed. how many of
them have even practioa! knowledge
OF the, ample. requirements OF the
'faszaer, auch as drainage. ditching,
.sub.soiliDg or proper culture? Co.
operation is the thing that is needed,
and is entirely ptsoticable. too, to
diminish the EXPENSES OF the farming
interest, to save it time. money and
troable. This Col. Aiken shows and
illustrates in several ways. The same
principle. applied to the extirpation OF
the other evils he describes, the alb.
aence OF educational advantages, the
lack of adequate information and
training for this business, would be
equally efficacious. To this, we have
called attention repeatedly, and we
would be pleased to see from the pen
OF Ool. Aiken an exhaustive discussion
OF this point. We need schools,
where ehe! principles of agriculture
should be impaired and knowledge
stoEed away in the minds OF those
1pont whons 'the,manegement OF this
great interest devolves. Our educa.
tional facilities are lannentably few and
contracted. OaR young men go forth
to the battles OF life i'll equipped for
the etruggles in which they are to en-
gage. This is an eminently praotioa-
BILE and busy age. in which the workers
in every department OF human activity
should be furnished with the foil
mind, the cultivated faculties, the ao-
-quisitions OF apeoial knowledge, the
ready hand, and the quick eye neoes.
aarz, TO take rank and impars efficiency
in them. Workers are now required
TO be- thinkers, too. We have much,
almost everything, to learn in the
South in the matter Of both general
apd technical, education. Essentially
and chiefly agricultural in our
pursuits. we have no schools
vhste this noble and distinctive
employment can be studied to nd.
vantage. Like everything else, it
requires special training to under.
standit fully, and to pursue it profita.
by and pleasantly. We may, perhaps,
better appreciate our wants in this 1e-
spect. by considering the result of Ger.
tain inquiriea addressed by the English
Committee Of Council for Education
to the Chambers of Commerce in
Great Britain. with regard to the value
OF technical educati ton. it's progress in
other countries, and the means OF it's
better development in that country.