The Newtown bee., 1880-12-29
John T. Pearce, Publisher
HoUsAToNIC RAILROAD.
EscE;ns of State Board of Az
 risulturs.

18th and Ifth dsys sf December, was of more than,lsual Interest. It having been my good fortune te attend the various sessions of lse Board. will try and give your readers & brief ::sutliue of the pro- ceedings, referring thorn te ths Csaaeeti- o9t FaTm~ (sons twenty-five copies of which are taken ln cur town) for fuller report of the same. The Convention met at the hall of the Humphrey House at 10 o'clock Wednesday Aorntn9, and wes opened by few remarks by s1-Gsvernor Hyde (president). which coasprised brief and hopeful notice of farm prospects. sl- luding also to the great change for the better, In respect to the comforts of farm life within his remembrance.
 Prot. B, G. Northrop followed. Sub ject-" What should oui Schoels do for Agriculture ?" Farming" saye Prof. Northrop. occupies more than three fourths Of our working force. The Crsa- tor plainly intended that agriculture should be the base of our civilization. Our schools should nurture the young to care for the land. The best fertilizer for the soil Is brains. Labor must be educ&- ted. Farmers neglect their own interests by ne3iectin- their public schools. Tho most important study in our schools Is that of reading. Curiosity Is to the mind what appetite is to the body. Each new attainment of actual knowledge gives strength Tor ION conquests aud higher re- search. Children should be shown that discipline in manual labor Is most honor able and necessary to health, as we'll as in acquiring and managing wealth. The value of manual labor as an educator should be taught in our schools. Yet there may be too much labor for the farm boy. Play is needful for the grow Ing fiber of all young animals. City boys if posslhlc-should spend som. years upon the farm. as e very useful part Of their early schooling" The lecturer kept the full attention of the audience to the close of his lecture, which was very inter- esting and practical.
 The students of the State Normal School having been invited, came in while the professor was speaking, filling the hall with bright. cheery faces, the larger proportion being young ladies.
 Prof, Atwater's lecture. in the after noon. on How to Develop the Rational Side of Farm Lire and Practice" was very able paper, full of facts bearing on the necessity of the farmer being an edu- catcd man, mentioning home reading. farm experiments, farm CTS clubs, meet inRs, fairs. knowledge of chemistry. and the relation of plants and soils to light. heat, electricity and moisture, as being among tho rational means of improving farm life.
 T. S. Gold read paper In the evening on Farmers Cluhs," in which he claim ed that-considerinS the cost-they did the most good of any farmers organiza- tion we have, that they could be started anywhere, wherever a knot of farmers could be gathered, and that all sorts of farming material could be used in the slub. The farmer who talks better than he tcoris and the farmer who works bet ter than he can talk, could alike contrib ute to give character to the club; and In rural communities the merchant, th.. lawyer. doctor, clergyman and school master might join the club. with entire club in Newtown ?"
 Dr. Crsssey followed with lecture on "Facts and Fallacies In Veterinary Sci. once" His lecture was confined mostl, to the horse. its diseases and the treat ment. illustrated by a large collection oi bones that had been gathered from va riety of subjects. He also dwelt at some length upon the disease-pne umonia ir cattle and at the close of his lecture res olutions were passed recommending ouI representatives In Congress- to take i'm mediate action for some thorough ane radical relief from the impending danger of that dreaded disease.
 At the opening of Thursdays sessior au Hence of farmers as ever convened il tue State. The opening lecture was b, Prof. Beal. of the Michigan Agricultura College; subject. "our Schools of Agri culture" The old idea was that no ed,l cation was required in agriculture ant that almost any bod- could be farmer but these notions were passing away witt tho increase of general education. Tn speaker dwelt at some length upon tn benefits derived from state agriculture college. In that 1t opened the way for tn boy desirons of becoming farmer t .ktufn t,rh ntfa x.I., t;,~r, although not every boy who goes to farm school returns to the farm, any nor than every boy that studies law or medi cine makes judge or physician. Tn college opens a wide door to all the prae teal schools of the world. There is n good reason why a farmer should wis always to keep hiy children on the farm Boys are pretty apt to become disguste 1T made to work early and late withou any respite. Prof. Beal's lecture was
 very clear exposition of methods at tn Michigan and other agricultural colleges and also full of suggestions as to tn good results that would naturally fio' from tho establishment of one in our ow btaio: and at the close of the afternoo session The chairman read formal proI eAitlon from wealthy gentleman to giv farm of fifty acres. with buildings at, one hundred acres adjoining. to the Stat for the establishing of m agriculturI school. The g-ntleman's brother als c6srs s5.o00 cash additional. in case tt first offor Is accepted. This unexpecte announcement called forth expression from various persons. Secretary Gol said tho seareest man to hire Is a goo f.rr. ,,.nuMxar nud tbx. m ood i, ssr.vAs,f f.