Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1881-06-29
The Connecticut Agricultural Report
for 1SS0--S1.


for 1SSO--S1.
Truth compels us to say that of all the
agricultural boards whose reports come to
us, that of Secretary Gold of Connecticut,
in connection with Director Johnson's report
of the Connecticut agricultural experiment
station (both being bound together in the
same volume) is by far the richest in good
teaching to the practical farmer whose edu-
cation has been sufficient to enable him to
appreciate in any considerable degree its
wealth of instruction. To say that Mr..
Gold stands at the head among the very able |
secretaries of the New England agricultural
board is high praise; but 80 far as we are
able to Judge he deserves it. And when we
come to the experiment station report |
(though, alas we have no other in New |
England with which to compare it), it is
easy to see that with Professor johnson at
its head we can hardly expect its equal to
arise very soon anywhere, however literally
money may be spent to that end. As it is
more the good farmer than the good land
that gives us good farm, SO an experiment
tai station director like johnson will, with
small funds, bring out results that much
more money in less able hands would fail to
realize. If Vermont however, instead of
allowing Professor Collier (Johnsons fore
most pupiD to be harried out of the state,
had given him even the chance that careful
Connecticut gives johnson, Vermont might
have stood alongside of its mother state in
this good work. 1t is the greatest of pities
that only five thousand copies of these con-
joined reports are published by the state Of
Connecticut. If farmers were the reading
men we hope in the near future to see them,
that state might, by selling the reports of
its servants in agriculture at reasonable
price, secure sufficient profit from them to
pay the cost of both their board of agricul-
ture and their experiment station. In any
other profession than agriculture, with
membership equally numerous, one hundred
thousand copies would not supply the annual
demand for work so meaty" as this.
But as yet it is hard to coax many farmers
to read an agricultural book, even if you
make him present of it.
We propose to go through these two re-
ports during the year, picking out the rich
est meat, here and there, for the benefit of
our readers. Now, as education is the sub
iect Of our story this week, we will content
us with little from Professor b. G. Nor
throp's address upon "What our Schools
should do for Agriculture" which is the
first thing in Mr.. Colds Report. 1t Isl Wig
orous and common sense address. Says Pro-
fessor Northrop: "The best way to elevate
farming is to elevate the farmer. Muscle is
weak brains help the hands in all work. The
best of all fertilizers is brains. In farming,
as everywhere, if knowledge is power ignor-
ance is impotence. What man is stamps
an impress on what he does, ON the farm
or the shop Whatever elevates the farmer
improves his farming. Whatever degrades
the farmer depreciates his work. The wealth
and welfare of individuals and communi-
ties, always dependent on labor, can be most
fully secured only by educated labor. You
can dignity farming in no way so surely as
by educating the farmer. AS mind triumphs
over matter the amount of manual labor re-
quisite to secure equal results constantly
lessons. The future improvement of farm.
ing depends on brains as well as Drawn. We
gain dominion over nature just in proper
tion as we discover and obey her laws"
So the professor begins, and then he tells
solid truth thus: a. To enable our schools to
accomplish better results for agriculture /
invite our farmers to do more for the schools,
and especially 10 visit them. Apathy on the
part of the parents will neutralize the efforts
Of the best teachers Right laws may &C.
complish much, but the people, once in
earnest, will do more. In our rural districts
no class can so effectually advance this great
interest as the farmers"
Here again the nail gets it square on the
head "The most essential service our pub
lie schools can render for agriculture is to
give all our youth thorough training in the
common English branches. These lay the
foundation for success in all after work,
whether on the farm, in the shop or store.
The point of great weakness, even in our
colleges, is deficiency in the elementary
branches. Thoroughness here means thor
oughness everywhere. Lay the ground
work broad and strong. That done, and
school is welcome place and study becomes
pleasure. That done, and there follows
such hungering after knowledge that when
ones school days are ended he realizes that
his education is just begun, and it is the
aim and pleasure of his life to educate him
self. Even though the milking may sum.
mon him early in the morning, and the
chores detain him late at night, he will seek
time and find time for the work of self-im-
provement. Place him where you will, let
his work press as it may, he will find leisure
for reading and occupy rainy days and long
evenings and all intervals of labor in efforts
for selfimprovement."
Reading" says Mr.. Northrop, dis by
far the most important study taught in our
schools. Let child learn really learn to
read, aud he has the key by which he can
open any door in the temple of science. Iso
lated as farmers homes are, reading should
be never-failing attraction. But when it
is toilsome process from lack of knowl
edge of words and their meaning] there can
be little pleasure in reading, or interest in
the narrative.
OF arithmetic, Mr.. Northrop says Fol
the best results to all industrial classes les,
time should be given to complex puzzles and
more to the simple ground rules. Master
addition, subtraction, multiplication, di
vision, percentage and the keeping OF ac
counts where is this done in the common
schools ? and the rest which is of practi
cal value is easily and quickly gained
Topics never applied in ordinary business
fill large space In arithmetics and vast
much precious time. Ex-President Hill o
Harvard College. an eminent mathematician
, strongly condemns the practice of stupefy
} ing and disgusting pupils with attempts t.
understand arithmetic as science whil
they fail to acquire it as an art"
"Then," says this wise teacher, I" tn
! public school should train our youth il
!, habits of observation, which is the prime Sc
cret of success in farming. The teache
I who relies upon text books is three thousan,