The comet. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1877-1882, 1880-02-28
Agricultural Colleges.

Agricultural Colleges seem to b
springing up in nearly all the States
which prove conclusively that scien
tific farming is getting to be NOR,
common. The results have been won
derful, which shows that theory and
practice united with science have
done much towards the present adj
vancement of Agriculture.
Formerly farmers were contented
in raising ten or fifteen bushels of
corn to the acre. Now, bysa well di-
rected culture, aided by the science of
agriculture, the same land can be
made to produce one hundred bushels
per acre. But still there is great OPP
position to the progress of agricultural
education by the masses. A distin-
guished professor of agriculture re-
Gently said:
agricultural education meets two
obstacles on this continent; first, the
lack of experienced instructors and
second, the Indifference of farmers.
OF these the latter'is the more difficult
to overcome. 1t seems hard to con-
vince agriculturists thata special edu-
cation for his work is of any impor-
lance to the young farmer, or that
science can help the farmer in his |
work. At least they believe that |
scientific farming will never pay as
long as land is so plenty, and labor so
dear, as though scientific farming
must be necessarily expensive farm
ing, instead of simply intelligent
farming.
He next showed how many scien-
ces are involved in the operations of
agriculture, affirming that no employ
ment known to mankind used so wide
ly all the powers of nature or involved
so wide range of scientific principles.
A statement of what the agricultural
department is prepared to teach, will
best explain how far we have over
come the obstacle named, and may .
help also to overcome the second by !
showing the value of this education to ;
agriculture and to agriculturists."
There is no wider field for the exer- :
else of superior scientific investiga- q
ton and attachments as the enrolling 9
study, of agriculture. 1t is certain, as = :
writer says, "that a cultivator of the f;
soil should have knowledge of botany b
and chemistry, without the first he II
will be unable to understand terms :, -
and observations that must occur in 4
every well written work on this art, Il
unable to comprehend the nature and a
habits of the objects of his culture, or ~
torender observations which he makes q
ineligible to others or even to him OF
self. Chemistry is of even greater II
Importance to him. The nature of a.
soils, of manures, of the food and CT
function of plants would all be I'M al
known but for the analysis which y
chemists have made" r.
Inspeaking of the Industrial Univer- OF
sity of Illinois writer says: GU
The facilities for studying any of II
the sciences are most complete BY "a
means Of convenient and we'll fur ~
nished laboratories, cabinets, work p
shops, etc, the student is enabled to ~
put to actual test all that he learns, cI
and thus make his knowledge practi- t tL'
cal and available. When he is wv
taught that water is composed of oXy- VI
gen aud hydrogen combined in Ger up
tain proportions, he is sent into the 70
laboratory to make the combination ~
himself, and thus prove the statement otls
o his own satisfaction. The strength a." l
If woods, the tension of steel, the ~ Gu
fleets Of heat on fluids and solids " 'i
md thousand other things are all I 4
ested by the students. He is required ~ ~
o analyZe metals, soils, minerals, etc, ~
md to make compounds, to use tools III =
,etent toachnr. IL tn1rinGr tI,aao int
ractinal lessons ba NOT nnI1T Iaarne Ian
oW the various processes in the arts
re performed, but he learns what is
II more important to him, what he is =,
t for, what he can do with the great "
st ease and success. In workshop, lett
. the laboratory ha matL bint II witt
hat nature intendoi for HE iifo'l play
Ork. kho
This is an age Of progressive de- nial
'lopment, and to keep up with the suit
ward march, we must establish Non
'riculturaI colleges. VIM
w. H. Brewer, Professor of Agricul- Kid
re in Yale College recently read a crop
per in which he said: "Modern agri- as I'll
lture is both an art and science. Oh pc
lie art Of agriculture is very old, taLIl
most as old as our races. The dom
ence Of agriculture is very Young. yigo
most nc voupp ~ man non, Ii,.inc. nece
same
i''ii ulsV"iiV regions uld not stand III will
ect competition with each other quail
when farming processes were sin Tn
ar, then the art sufficed very well. is m
w, when distant regions stand in pract
rp competition with each other in our f;
marke's of agricultural products. W.
ence must play controlling part, say
he weaker goes to the wall. the q
he art of agriculture varies with could
locality, and thousand other con- I wOult
Dns. The art is local and cbanoa- Sc ect
J, but the principles of science are ties o
d and general matu
New England farmers are to hold make
r own against the northwest if to cot
It be with the aid of modern corn q
lces rather than improving the ment
ent art, and if California coniin- Of cor
to compete with the Black Sea. in farmer
markets Of Western Europe, itmust ton OF
ecause She brings superior science thing.
ar aid" unless
re is IA splendid practical address
1died in a nut shell What ap-
10 the northwest and to Califor- 1. W
pplies more TO the South If tba ted plo
science was used here in farming I PI
'e"here, with our wonderful nat the fal
resources, the result would aston before
:. Sci
, oo..,...,... are kI
"'e si''n 10 see tilat MISSISSIPPI neighb
soon have an agricultural co 'Iege. 4. If
lOn't believe that in this enlipbt- 60 ther
age that there is a single person .. 'o
'reant to the great cause of build In. ~
up our home Institutions, and from .
ing the development of our re- plant.