Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-03-29
AgriculturaI Schools.

we VIII endeaFor 10 convey some idea OF
what We mean by the ''practicar' In agri-
cultural education.
When young lawyers and doctors have
gone through college and studied their
professions, it is generally understood
that they have mastered their several
theories and are then prepared to enter
upon "practice," which alone perfects
knowledge and makes success possible.
But the medical student, while pursuing
his studies and attending lectures, has
also the practical advantage of the dis
secting room. Here he learns by actual
test and examination the mysteries of
human anatomy and makes himself IA
miliar with all its peculiarities, that he
may know how to treat it in its diseased
forms. But for this he would be totally
in the dark when called to treat patient,
and would discover his theory to be ut
terly worthless, since no amount of gilt
tering generalities CLEANED from the field
of science would demonstrate the precise
effect of given medicine in given dis
ease.
The agricultural student, however, &C
cording TO the system of our present
schools, is expected to be more brilliant.
Theory is supposed to be all that he needs
and that when he comes to apply his
classic lore to the ,pl0w-handles, the two
will harmonic and develop success as
readily as some of his chemical elements
combined to produce others. But what
must be the modification of the young
man on disc vering that this was mis-
take of his alma mater, and what his hui
initiation on finding that he must cross
over the way to inquire of that illiterate
but practical old farmer how to plant
peas? 1t might also be asked what would
be the judgment of that practical old
farmer upon the merits of an agricultural
college that graduated professional farm
ers without one practical idea of farming
Operations2 The variations" CT these
operations are so great, it is contended,
that 1t is not practicable to teach them in
the schools. This is true, if by school is
meant the routine of lessons inside the
college buildings; but agricultural schools
should have grounds attached for farming
and gardening purposes, and member OF
each faculty should be a practical agri-
culturist. This professor would be able
to demonstrate in the field the truth or
falsity OF the theories promulgated in the
lecture rooms and induce the pupil to try
his skill and judgment in the practical
operations of his future calling. The
variations" would be explained to him
as he advanced, and as his mind devel-
oped he would begin to discover in the
/ excellencies of practical knowledge the
4
would soon learn that the variations
were but endless avenues leading to new
resources, tempting him to further inves-
| tigati0n and increasing his interest at
every step. A professor uniting theory
and practice would make him familiar
with the nature of soils, their elements
and varieties-tne changes they undergo,
| their improvements and deteriorations
under the influence of water, of drought,
/ OF heat, cold and in the production OF
| plants. He would be shown the effects
Of the various fertilizers and how 10 use
! them after acquiring proper knowledge
/ OF their several ingredients, and he would
/ be taught to combine and manipulate
4 them for pra teal farm purposes. His
/ attention would be specially directed to
plant life and growth, their values and
/ adaptability to climate and soil, and the
/ conditions governing the production of
/ such as are found important in commerce
1 and trade; and he would be taught as a
/ speciality the primary importance of Sc
/ lection in seeds for planting, together
/ with the fine arts of grating, budding,
roofing and by bridIzIng, by which several
means all the fruits of the world have
/ been SO much improved and myriads of
new kinds brought in as factors in animal
and human subsistence. He would have
1 pointed out the beautiful combinations of
/ tle soil and the gases of the atmosphere
to produce plants, and their cooperation
with heat and moisture to fertiliZe the
earth and make provision for its teeming
millions. Then would follow the arts of
cultivation, without knowledge of which
all his talents would be wasted and his
efforts vain. BY practical science man
4 has learned how to cultivate and improve
| the soil. and whole nations have persisted
/ from off the earth for want of this knowl-
/ edge. The advancement in this art lies
at the foundation Of the worlds CONNER
| cial greatness, and the extraordinary
| traced to the same source. OF course,
| then, the agricultural student would be
/ fully instructed IN the art OF cultivation
/ with all its known variations, and con-
/ Quoted even to the verge of empiricism,
/ that he may distinguish between the beat
/ en- and the unbeaten path and find room
| for the flight of his own genius should he
| chance to possess it. After seeing it de-
monstrated for two or three years and
| taking a hand in it himself, he would not
/ have to ask his neighbOr how to plant
/ peas or anything else; nor would his ig
n0rance Of practical agriculture cast re-
| prOsch upon the school from which he
| graduated.
These constitute few of the points
| that could be made practical IN our agri-
| cultural schools, and the neglect of which
| has caused them to be regarded as bur-
lesques upon agricultural institutions.
There are numerous others that may be
included with equal utility, and viii be,
whenever our schools wake up to the i'm
| portance of the subject, and to the full
tillment of their promises to the agricul-
tural DODulatiOu