The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1878-01-25

conceptions OF this study are wrong. Their
are but about one hundred and fifty orders o.
plants to study, and no very great labor will b.
required OF the student to enable him to fee
at hcme in the vegetable world wherever b,
goes. But botany with MS includes vegetable
physiology. and vegetable physiology Is one OF
the branches OF scientific agriculture. One
professor Of vegetable physiology and one as
rcultural chemist are professors OF scientific
agriculture. The college has botanic garden,
museum OF vegetable products, herbarium
various orchards, vineyard, vegetable gar
den. an arboretum of nearly all the hardy trees
OF the State. and OF many exotics. The depart
ment has also an excellent greenhouse which
the iberality OF the Legislature of the State
has given US. 1t also has microscopes. hope
1t will soon possess good working laboratory.
The chemical department has made itself widely
felt among the farmers OF the State; it has
watched carefully their needs. When the East
ern papers we're frightening our farmers from
using Paris Green against the potato-beetle, as
poisoning the plants and the soil, DR.. Kedzie
was ready with experiments showing the harm
lessness of its use. In many instances the
college has come to the aid OF farmers. The
students take a course of elementary chemis-
try; then work for about four months three
hours a day in chemical analysis; then have a
term Of agricultural chemistry, embracing the
relations OF soils to crops, the improvement Of
soils by fertilizers, rotation OF crops the dairy
and many other topics. The students then
have term Of meteorology and chemical phys
les. The department has an excellent chemical
laboratory. For many years the college had
no blooded stock. As no appropriations were
made for the purchase OF stock the college has
had to improve ITS stock by selling and buying
in fewer and better animals. The college has
now ShorthoIn, Ayrshire, Galloway, Devon
and Jersey cattle; and although no herd Of
ours can compare with the best herds OF cattle
still twenty-four animals entered at the last
State fair we're honored with twelve blue and
five red ribbons. The professor Of practical
agriculture cooperates with the botanical and
chemical departments in experiments. The
Michigan Agricultural College once stood alone;
there are now thirty-nine agricultural colleges
or departments in the United States and these
industrial schools have over four thousand
students. have SAID that our professors OF
botany and chemistry are our professors OF
scientific agriculture. There is, besides, a
professor of practical agriculture whose in
structions are based upon the experience Of
farmers. He gives course OF lectures to the
freshman and course to each senior class
Stock breeding is a branch OF this department.
[ nder charge OF the farm department is the
farm; this was received by the college nearly
IN state OF nature. The students have under
drained many fields, not perfectly, but in way
to make them tillable and even in quality. We
have park Of eighty acres, and six cleared
fields Of about twenty-five acres each IN
course of rotation, besides some smaller fields
and some larger pastures but partially cleared.
George +. Breck OF Paw Paw, student Of
the Agricultural College. raad paper on The
Practicability OF an Agricultural Education.'-
He said: II we consider an agricultural educa-
ton as simply knowledge of the sciences,
with such additional training as shall enable
the student to reduce his theories to actual use
it is hard to comprehend why men have 30 long
denied its practicabilty. 1t is not because they
upderrate the value OF general education. 1t
cannot be for want OF confidence IN the ability
OF sciences to do for agriculture. Modern phi
losophy does not lead men to put forth sue
cession OF theories from absurd and random
guesses. There is now perfect harmony and
certainty in science. We have ceased to be
surprised at the most startling announcements
from the field OF science. Mr.. Tyndall has said:
- Thus, by the interaction OF thought and fact.
Of truth conceived and truth executed, we have
made our sciences what they are-the nobest
growth Of modern times though as yetbut lit
lie appealed TO as source OF individual or ma
tional might" II, then, it is neither the want
OF esteem for general education, nor want OF
confidence in the ability OF the sciences, it must
be that they condemn an agricultural education
from suspicion OF the relations existing be-
tween theory and practice. Men have long con- G
sidered that 1t would ruin farmer to know '
anything OF science. In everything else we ex-
oect men to know something OF the nature Of v
The forces with which they deal. Agriculture '
g itself science. 1t Is complicated assem- a
olage Of the principles OF an art, and depends C
or Its foundation and advancement on expert e
nent and observation. The art relates 10 the T
practice. Hence it is not claimed that science
Ilone will make farmer. We admit the me- C
essity OF some practical talent--of some gump- t
ION. There must be some material to build Z
rom. 1 believe that Van Buren, is the only
)ounty in the State that can boast of having +
lad man who was able to make whistle from s
pigs tail. But while we need some founda- a
ION we must not get too fine finish. Educa- Il
ion often puts so fine finish on man that :
le is good for nothing but to be kept in show C
ase. Men must not expect to carry all the b
ules OF books into every transaction Of bust a
ess. The merchant who undertakes to carry r
1finitesmals and logarythms into every bust q
ess transaction, will fail. We see men every a
ay, unacquainted with agricultural chemistry, c
ut who can raise ninety bushels OF corn to the n
cre They mix brains with their soils. You r
ant have a good farmer without common c
ense. But, just as in the case OF animals and o
egetables, new and finer varieties may be had Q
Y careful training and successive variations in 8
ne right direction, 60 may men become bet Q
,r and more useful by culture. Men are few n