News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1883-08-16
The Model Farm, Ontario.

Joaquin Miller in letter to the New
York Star from Ontario, says:-The
Province pays $50, a year to main.
tain a school for the practical education
of farmers. This institution turns ont
nuually from 200 to 800 well disciplined
and splendidly equipped men to take
charge of the most important, healthy
and altogether honorable pursuit on
earth. We in the States are accustomed
| to think if a man is fit for nothing else
he can settle down on farm and get on.
! We have made the farm the last refuge
Of the tramp. They here are making
the farm the first place for the true
| gentleman. And this is right. Wiring
| the necks OF sweet and simpering clerks
| and counter jumpers, whose highest
achievement is to tie a double bow be
fore glass. Oh breath his perfume
! if you like, my lady, but don't make him
81 darling in preference to the manly faI-
low who after his fashion is Il creator of
fortunes and q builder of worlds. We
must have one of these institutions In
eve V State of the Union, a dozen if
necessary to dignity and make easy and
Intelligent the office of the farmer The
trade of war is out of date, the LAWYERS
office Is of doubtful calling, for what
does it give to the world in return for its
bread? The doctors place is hardly de
srable for a refined nature; but the Ca
nadians have decided that the farmers
hold the world on their shoulders and
are standing truly by them. ley have
altogether in the Dominion more than
eighty associa tons devoted to the Gull
ture and developments of stock and grain.
This Province of Quebec has an institu-
ton not widely unlike that of Guelph,
Ontario, only on much smaller scale.
/ did not visit this, but am told that it
is conducted entirely by a lady. The
Province pays S. 600 bounty toward its
maintenance. As against them we have
only little to show except the school III
Michigan. Yet 1t is true that we have
many institutions that profess farming.
But [ fear they do not practice it as at
this Model Farm. Of course I cannot
enter into detail or attempt to digest the
big book making up their annual report
on this plan. But may say as a cardi-
nal idea that they seek to be solidly
practical; severely so; to keep the feet
Of the students set down firmly ON the
hard earth. They ignore Greek and all
sense. Yet no ignOramus is admitted
here by a good deal Each applicant
must be at least Is years old, must he
of sound morals and good health and
pass a very severe matriculatiOn exam
ination if not a graduate of the many
high schools Of the country. So you
see, as rule, only well born and well
bred Young men can be admitted. The
expense to the student is merely nOmi-
nal now, as the institution, by the sale
Of fine stock and the production of its
500 acres is almost self-sust tanning.
shouted with delight at their little farm
of dogs. Such pretty lot of puppies
tumbIing over each other, barking.
leapiug with delight to see a stranger. [
never saw This cultivation of dogs
must be p scheme of the French part of
the dominion, for their dogs at home are
as numerous almost as their children.
And that is setting dogs down pretty
thick among the French I can tell YOU.
[ hear that such a thing as a mad dog is
unknown among these people. Is it be-
cause they are kind to their dogs?