The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1878-02-07
eroiae and we'll regulated physical devel.

i
The universities and colleges of an.ag-
ricuitural people should be adapted "a
tue Wants OF such O community. In or
der 10 meet their iIants am in favor OF
apoiiehing the study Of Latin and Greek.
aug IN their stead 70 put geology and
mlneralogy, which will unfold TO the
isfmer and planter the great mysteries OF
the earth. For tho last hundred yearp
our farmers and planters have been ploV.
ing and .cultivating the soil without
Hnowing its constituent parts. Iwould
also have the study of agricultural chem.
lstfy given prominent place in the cur.
rculum OF our pnblic schools and cole.
ges, In order that the scholars may learn
now 10 analyze the constituent elements
OF the earth,' and also the component
paris OF their domestic and foreign fertil.
lzers a thorough kH0wiedgo Of thhese
| wouid save the farmers and planters
thousands of dollars annually out of
their crops. This kind of knowledge
would enabls them to know whether
tSeir lands were adapted to the growth
OF Wheat oats, corn, cotton, &C., and IL
not so adapted for their growth, what
fertilizers would supply the deficiency.
David Dixon's great work on Agricnfs
ture. In describing the component parts
of the fertilizer he used upon his cotton
crop he stated that it consisted of Peru.
Wan Guano, land plaster, gypsum and
salt. Itpuzzled me to understand how
! it was that salt was regarded as ON essen.
tial element in TIC food of the cotton
plant. After considerable research, I
found in work on cotton, published by
q gentleman in Mississippi, that salt was
the main element that entered into the
formation of the lint OF the cotton. and
that it improved the texture of he lint
of the cotton. The popular iLea Was
that it was intended to prevent rust in
cotton, and to create moisture around
| the plant. If had been taught geology
| and agricultural chemistry the ten years
that was del7ing among the dead form
ulas of Latin and Greek, would in all
probability have known this fact, I
| would also have been aware of the fact
that the gypsum and land plaster or lime
were intended to fix the ammonia that
was contained in the guano, and thereby
| keep 1t from escaping by too rapid pro-
cess OF evaporation. would also have
known that the cotton plant absorbed
ammonia from the cir, and that ammonia
was the basis of all of our best fertilizers.
Cotton is the great staple of the South,
yet nine-tenths Of our people are ignor-
ant Of how this plant is fed by the prop.
critics of the earth and the elements of
the air.
Suppose our schools AID colleges had
taught geology, mineralogy and agricul-
tural chemistry, would the untold wealth
of our phosphates ha%e laid for century
under our feet before their value was ap-
preciated7 The great mass of our peo-
pie are ignorant of the immense quantity
and the great value of these deposits of
phosphates to the State. It. is not IN
over-statement to say that, under o
proper system of development. the roy
atty could be made to pay theoentire ex-
penses of'the government. In the year
1870 the royalty paid 10 the State was
81 1887, and it has increased to the sum Of
$l26,5 IL seven years under the inn
perfect system that we now have. This
great industry deserves the immediate
| and careful consideration of the General
Assembly.
would also ave mathematics so pari
passu with the studies 1 have alluded to-.
1t ia the basis of almost all scientific edn-
| cation. It. is by mathematical science
that the paralax of the sun has been cal
cnlated, aud the great laws of the polar
aud planetary systems have been defined.
From the application of the principles of
geometry to astronomy has sprung the
art of navigation, and out of navigation
the foreign commerce of the world. BY
the application Of mathematics to hydro
statics, Prof. Eads by his system of jetties
has made the port of New Orleans ac-
cessible to the largest ships of the ocean.
1 would also have great prominence
given to the study of physics in our
schools and colleges, Our farmers and
mechanics deal with the wedge, the lever
and the pulley in thei. daily avocations,
and are as general thing ignorant of
the laws that govern them in their appli-
cation to the agricultural and mechanic
the principles of wind, heat, light and
crops. or the implements they manu-
i iacture.
The application Of mathematica T.,
physics hes given us the steam engine,
the great civiliser &C the century. On
the proper application of -ationel me-
/ chanics, the success Of all of our. manu-
| features and railroads depends. and upon
our material development rests the future
of South Carolina and the entire South.
Second to none of these studies is that
of political economy, which teaches the
laws of individual and national wealth,
the origin and object of money, the rela-
ton OF labor to capital, the laws that
should regulate the renting of lands, and
all tie subjects that more or less come
ufler the consideration and judgment OF
the lawmakers of the land. It has ever
been the hand. book of the statesman,
and without thorough knowledge Of the
great principles it teaches no one can
hope to riseahoye the level of the sLifting
policies of the demagogue and politician.
I would not have you suppose, gentle
men, that am opposed to ornamental!
education. Such regard Latin. Greek,
painting, sculpture, music and poetry.
But they are part of aesthetic culture,
| that is, the natural resultant OF scientific
and practical education. What practical
/ education is 10 ornamental education, the
root and leaves of the rose are TO the
flower in full bloom.
I am opposed to the 10th section of the
bill, that fall property, real or personal
or appertaining to the Agricultural Col
as, .asa a.-ll 'e=s :; esa eeecss.e e: s.,ss re-,
lutte property of the University of South
Carolina"
| On July 2, 1852, the Congress of the
United States passed an act donating
10000 acres of public lands to the sew
eral States aud Territories which may
provide colleges for the benefit of agri
culture and the mechanic arts.
The State accepted the provisions o