Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1881-06-22
More About Fertilizers, etc.

capital is TO the merchant. Without them
neither can conduct his business, and the
only way to raise the value of our farms,
and keep our young men from going else
where, is to have the question and cost of
fertilizers thoroughly discussed, that they
can be informed upon the subject which
now seems to be kept in the dark as much
as possible" Referring to our last article
upon the subject he says d" If the present
generation of farmers are ignorant as says
the manufacturer of fertilizers, the young
men coming on must be educated, and the
elements of agriculture must be taught in
our rural schools. There is book called
the Manual of Agriculture, got up purposely
for schools, and 1 wonder our school COM
mittees take SO little interest in having it
placed in the schools and the subject
taught" Well, friend Ward, we don't won
der at that at all. There is only here and
there farmer who has ever heard of such
book, and not one in two hundred in New
England to-day believes that anything bene-
fetal to agriculture can be taught in any
school. 1t is the most uphill work in the
world to talk agricultural education to
farmers. They think it is utter folly. The
strongest opponents of agricultural colleges
and schools are the farmers themselves.
AS the western frontiersman thinks the only
good Indian is dead Indian, so our farmers
(and the educated ones quite as much as the
illiterate) think the best agricultural college
is dead one. They will pick flaws all day
in such an institution if it is really trying
to do something for the farming interest,
but if it spends its whole income on some
thing else, and has no teachers of agricul-
ture, they will endorse it cup to the handle"
We saw this recently illustrated in letter
to the Rutland Herald, written by one of our
best, most intelligent and honestest farmers.
Practical education as distinguished from
literary education is so new thing that al
most everybody thinks it an impossible
thing. Yet the necessity for it is so great
that coming generation will both believe
in it and demand it. A revulsion is coming
in this matter of practical education, as
great as the revulsion on the slavery ques-
ton. We can remember when there was
only one abolitionist in our native town, and
he had to keep pretty still about it. Yet for
twenty-five years that town has been over
whelmingly anti-slavery. The same has
been the case with. regard to temperance,
and will be with regard to education. The
time is coming when those branches OF
knowledge which have to do with the daily
life work Of the pupils will take the lead in
all our public schools. But the mountain of
fossilized prejudices and base interests that
stand in the way yet seems to be impossible.
Nevertheless we must keep mining away
at it.
In Europe the advantage of an educated
farming tenantry to the landholders has led
everywhere to the establishment of agricul-
tural schools and experiment stations The
intelligent landlords, spurred by self-interest
see that educated farmers can afford to pay
higher rents because they can make better
crops at smaller cost. So these schools are
set up, and already the results are every
where manifest. In America the influential
and wealthy classes are indifferent or hos
tile to such Improvements because they are
not so directly interested, and many are ieal-
GUS OF an educated working class VOTE which
would checkmate some of their most prof
liable games The working people are in
different because they do not know or be-
lieve in the usefulness of such schools,
and do not want to be taxed to support
them. Even when an endowment has been
granted by the national government, hun
dreds OF farmers are glad to have it trans
ferred to and sequestered by literary insti-
tuition; for, say they, if it is run as state
school for industrial education we shall be
taxed to support it, while it will do no good
at all. Better let the men have it that have
got 1t, for they will be too afraid of being
investigated to ask for any more. We have
heard the opinion expressed in Just this way
dozens OF times by very intelligent farmers.
1t is disheartening, and we have to think of
when New England was mobbing abolition
lists, sending back fugitive slaves, and using
rum at church raisings, before we can get
up fresh stock of courage and faith in
the future
In Europe even agricultural schools fol
girls are being established. Mr.. Ward sends
US the following clipping in regard to it :.
FEMALE FARMERs.-France has agriculture
schools for girls. One Of the chief il near Rouen
which is said to have been begun with a capital Of
one franc by sister of charity and two little dis
charged prisoner girls and to be now worth SlG0,
600. This establishment has three hundred girl
from six to eighteen. The farm, entirely cult
waited by them, is over four hundred acres in ex
tent. Twenty-Five sisters form the staff OF teach
ers. More than one medal of the French agricul
tural society has been awarded to this establish
ment at Darnetel, and the pupils are in great de
mand all over Normandy on account of their skill
Theygo out as stewards, gardeners farm man
ayers, dairy women and laundresses. Each cir
has, on leaving, an outfit and small sum o
money, earned in spare hours. II they want
home they can always return to Darnetel, whicl
they are taught to regard as home.
A "paternal" government does thes
things quicker than democracy, becaus
here the need must be strongly felt by tn
people before any reform or improvement
can prosper. A republic is naturally rattle
old-fogyish and conservative in everythin
that regards moral and intellectual progress
because the spring that must be reached b,
fore anything is effected lies at the yer
bottom of the machine. But when the pc,
pie are at last convinced, when that col
cealed spring is at last pressed on, the resu
is sure. Slavery and rum have felt it.
is only question of time when the nece
sity for popular industrial education wi
be realized by the people themselves, an
then we shall have it, The seed now beir
painfully sown will spring up and bear frui
That the hands which scattered IT are tn,
dust will be matter of no CONSEQUENCE
They well have done their work, and Il
souls that moved them will have enter