The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1877-08-03
Agricultural Department.
CONDUCTED DY ALBERT CHAPMAN
Prof Greasy ut Pomfret.

Prof. Greasy, of Amherst, Mass, gave
lecture on the 9TH of June on "The
Higher Education of Farmers" We
take from the Vermont Freeman the
following notes of the lecture, taken by
the agricultural editor of that journal:
Education, the doctor said, should
and kid gloves.
road, 1t was simply the reward of study
Education should simplify; and he told
the anccdote of Daniel Webster,-how
an old farmer and friend went to hear
Daniel give one Of his famous speeches
in Boston. Daniel" said he, after the
meeting, III could understand every
word you said" Webster was in the
habit of speaking of this remark as the
greatest compliment he ever received.
We often hear sneers at science.
Science is knowledge; to be scientific is
to know, and the doctor said large
share of his popularity as q veterinary
surgeon had not como from any good he
had done or anything he had accomplish
ed, but from quack cattle and horse
doctors whipping him through the
newspapers with that word "science."
Farming demands more science and
knowledge and education on the part of
its followers to-day than ever before.
There is vast amount of knowledge
lowering over agriculture, waiting for
the farmers that will prepare themselves
and seize it.
He spoke of the agricultural college
system Of the country, and paid high
compliment to Senator Morrill,, the faith
er Of the enterprise.
In the time of our war, when the
whole nation was absorbed in that great
struggle, Senator Morrill, of Vermont
took step in advance of his day. He
brought forth a scheme whereby every
state was provided with the means of
of giving to her people an agricultural
education, and ray of glory was she'd
upon Vermont.
He spoke of the good work done in
the state by Collier, Perkins, and others
of our agricultural college, and of Prof
Stockbridge and many more, of the agri-
cultural college of Massachusetts,, and
made quite an imposing showing of the
additions to agricultural science emanat-
ing from these two sources. But he
said that although tho agricultural COL
lege of Massachusctst made fine show
ing on paper, in many respects it was q
failure. 1t had been afflicted with bad
management.
He thought the course of study in our
common literary college not suitable for
specially fitting farmers for their work.
The higher mathematics and the lam
guage were not important, but he treated
at length Of how botany, geology and
physiology should be made a thorough
study, and be taught in their elements
in all the common schools In the state.
Professor Huxley, in his lecture In New
York, struck the keynote of what
should be our national school system
when he said that "the common schools
should be the stepping stone to our COL
leges and universities: a preparatory
course with those higher studies always
In view" Chemistry cannot be taught
in the common schools. But the COM
mon schools can and must be improved.
Let teachers be selected for what they
know and what they can teach. The
Improvement must begin with demand
for better teachers.
He spoke to the dairymen Of the town
of the dairy COW as machine, knowl-
edge Of the best way Of feeding, rearing
and caring for her as belonging to that
higher education towards which all pro-
gressive farmers should aim. He would
especially impress the Importance of
guarding the health Of our animals.
He congratulated the farmer upon
their superior advantages ofto-day; the
aid which their interest receives from
the various institutions of the state. The
State Board Of Agriculture is doing q
work for the farmers that the common
school does for the children. The
Dairymen's Association in this state is
not excelled in its usefulness and i'm
portance by any similar organization in
this country. Every town should have
an agricultural library, to be owned
and taken care Of by the town. 1t is
important that the reports which are
received from various sources should
be preserved, and if not cared for in
some such manner gradually disappear.
and some OF the old reports now bring
fabulous prices.
He spoke of the reports Of his lectures
at burlington, saying that they should
be kept for reference. He said that the
agricultural editor of the Freeman, Mr..
Iinkham, III preserving his lectures had
done service TO science and humanity,
and his report was one of the best &C.
complishmcnts of journalism in New
England. 1t was complete digest of
his lectures and has been copied in
journals all over the country. The doc
tor said in closing that it was doubtful
if he should be able in the future to
meet the people Of the state as often as
during the past year, but his association
with them had always been pleasant
and he should always bear an apprecia-
ton of the intelligence and hospitality
Of the farmers of Vermont.