The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-12-02

and classified, and it is only by these methods
that agriculture is TO bs learned.
Still the sciences have thsir uses. 1t is the de-
sire Of thoughtful men to investigate the oondi-
lions OF growth, and to change the condition OF
agriculture from that OF an empirical art into the
nObler one OF . science, founded on known prin'
ciples. They can aid in this work who have q
knowledge Of the sciences out OF which sgrioul-
ture comes.
Agriculture ss routine practice changes. II
Ia not East what 1t is West 1t calls for modifiea-
tons according TO variations OF climate. OF imple
ments used. OF the demands OF the markets. One
whose knowledge il purely that Of routine might
be . model to-day, and in the background to-
morrow. knowledge OF science will enable the
farmer to understand the discussions that are 60
ing on. The unscieatiie reader OF papers, how
these discussions IL they involve any accurate
know edge OF the sciences But with such knowl-
edge he oan keep up with the discoveries science
is making, and find out their applications to his
business. young man who has made the tech
nieal terms and principles OF any science familiar
to himself, has received the bast OF training in
the art Of observing, compat ing, thinking. His
present knowledge consisting OF general facts in
systematic arrangement. becomes the nucleus
about which all he sees. or hears or reads gathers
in orderly array. Notifications in his practice
are more es:ily adopted BY him than by his neigh
Dor VII o does not think.
Bat even now, science has taken SO fair hold
of agriculture that . knowledge OF botany, ami
uhl Auu NcSebhpto puyetOto6ys Supohofosys
chemistry, neteorolosy and mechanics are OF
essential service to the thoughtful farmer. The
relations Of fertilizers to vegetable grow are
beginning TO be kno.p, and chemical analysis 10
be prof table, and some light has been thrown
| fstteniDg processes, the action OF soils upon
soluble substances, and variety OF other things.
Especially are new facts being eloited which ad-
mit Of classification and use full application, and
even now il will be found that scientific know
ledge . one of the most valuable aids to the
| farmer Science has always vindioated its prac-
ticsl nature. The astronomy that Socrates
| thought useless. rules the navigation OF the
world; the swing -swangs" that we're ridi-
cued in Rockers time gave Us the clock, and
thaa Calvin Watching the contractioDs Ut the
leg OF ffsgs Nothing 10 moro practical than
science.
For the continuance, therefore, Of bis eduoa.
ton, but just begun at college, and for his Gst
| service to society, the student should be well
| trained in science. But neither student nor
teacher should ever forget the agricultural aim in
| view. The teaching OF the sciences should be
saturated, as it were, with the agricultural ele-
meut. with illustrations drawn from the art, and
constant applications Of principles TO the tusi-
| mess Of the farmer. La brief, then, the sollege
should impart to the young farmer the elements
OF euoh lnstIuc ion "a makes man and citizen,
should ground him In the soiences on which agri-
culture depends. should indootrnate him in the
best existing rules and practices of his art should
make him slive to ito needs, acquainted with the
| theories, discussions and experiments going on
| for its advancement, and ere him with enthus-
| iaem TO place bis business on q par with those
| in which skill, intelligence and thorough soien-
| tifio preparation receive on all hands q due ap-
probation.
| APPLIED SCIENCE IN THH INSTRUCTION.
Practical agriculture is taught as an art. based
| on experience. The question asked is. what
| method OF management will yield the greatest
profit without npoverishing the soi.2 For an
swer. it goes to the best farmers OF the neighbor
hood the State, the world, and critically exam
inc, how they do. II takes account, OF course. Of
climate, market, cost OF labor. 1t attempts also
| to give the scholar wider than one year 4
view. It may show that . root crop that does
not pay go large returns one year as another 10
it's place would do, msy repay in the epd. II labor
can be put upon it, in the oxidation OF the sell
which its frequent stirring has promoted, or BY
the eradication Of weeds. 1t may ask the
student to try the effects Of mixed husbsndry
for series Of years with a succession OF
sudden changes. AZ from sheep to hops.
The instruction is given in q series OF daily
lessons for one-half year, and another series o.
three q week for another half year. Lectures are
sometimes given in the field and barns. The
farm now, for the fret time since the students
received it wilderness to be cleared and sub
dued. furnishes an illustration Of wel-shaped ant
partially drained fl Ids under system of rotation
Of crops. The summer beauty OF the farm, It'll
almost entire freedom from weeds, its respect
able crops, have elected high praise from ths
| IATmeF9 VINO uAf6 Nslkeu IL. lu6 btOCk WHICH !
few years ago WAS wretohed. has become goot
| through q sy stem OF sale of few inferior fol
the means of purchasing better animal.
The operations Of horticulture, entomology
embracing bee keeping, tn. practice Of drainage
If surveying, are all elncidated in lectures.
Agricultural chemistry comes In with it's course
Of half years daily lectures, and includes dai
rying and many other things less treated in prac
tieal agriculture. From new point of view il
reviews much Of the ground that practical sgri
culture goes over. Vegetable physiology il
charge OF the professor OF Botany does the same
We have as IL were, three professors OF agricul
ture each in his parste fed of labor.
Lying back Of these is the eoienoe OF chemis
try in it's purer fpIm-a course of lectures fol
half year followed by three hours OF daily worl
for another half year in the chemical laboratory
and by hslf years daily lectures in ohemca
physics and meterology. By balf year, meat
an hour daily five days in the week for half col
.ge year, which year is the same lenath o
time with US at the university, and al colleges
generally.
Similarly, botany, vegetable physiology, anato
my, physiology, entomology, geology, lie back o
other instructions. Surely our course OF study
pursued as q whole, lie sufficiently distinctive, aot
holds sufficiently close to the governing idea o
An agricultural education.
The older institutions certainly show that it'll,
is to be hoped from them in the way Of educating
young men TO be farmers. The department o
agriculture in colleges and universities has no
succeeded IN oDtalulnR Rtudente. suppose ina
an experiment has been tried here whch wa,
found to increase the proportion OF educated mer
that go to farming nearly forty fold, would ont
not think that farmers would look upon it witt
favor and some prid'2 This is what the college
aud few like it have done; they have made edu
GATED men to be good farmers in rty fold greater
proportion than any or all other colleges, and ye
it hangs in doubt each two years whether Legis
laturs OF farmers will permit 1t to live or aban
don it 10 die. Established primarily as a schoo
for instruction, as q reading Of the laws and dis
cussions will show, it is looked upon with dis
favor, because il fails to do rs rapidly as some
farmers have hoped some other things besidei
educating young men to be farmers.
Il Out of sch DOL like this will any graduate re
turn to the farmsp Does not manual labor seem
ignoble to one whose early youth is given to the
acquiring of knowledge and the discipline o
mlnd2 Will not the habit OF hard and dailJ
annual labor be over difficult to attain after sew
eral years of its disuse2
From almost every quarter the answer comes
that IL is OF no use to try. The prediction flew
abroad that not one graiuste in one hundred
would ever work. Shortly the prediction tool
the form OF fact, and the newspapers reported