The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1889-07-02
THE AGRICULTURAL AND ME-
CHANICAL COLLEGE OF
x MISSISSIPPI.

THIS institution has been regarded
with peculiar interest by the pro
gressive thinkers of the South. While
thousands of similar institutions have
been established within the past forty
five years in England, Germany and
other European States, and have
wrought such wonderful improve
ment in their industrial systems, and
have evolved methods and scientific
truths which have transformed their
barren wastes and exhausted soils
into fruitful fields of blooming
gardens, and have doubled their pro-
ductive capacity, still this College has
been regarded throughout the South
as an experiment, even by those who
heartily desired it to succeed, while
from its very inception it has had to
wrestle with ignorance, skepticism
and downright demagoguery. 1t has
been indeed fortunate in having at
its head, a man of persistent energy,
of answering pluck, of loyal devo-
ton to the great end to be attained
and of rare executive and administra-
tive ability, supported by a board of
able and practical men.
It has not only survived the
onslaughts of it's enemies, but it has
most happily and triumphantly
demonstrated it's practical utility and
it's great value to the masses of the
people. 1t has done more. Its sue
cess has demonstrated the practicable
ity and the utility of industrial educa-
ton in the South, and henceforth
under its leadership, this new but in.
valuable departure will be a recog
nized essential in our system of
education. 1t has fastened the con
viction on the minds of our progress
siYe men, that the farmer boys and
girls Of the country must have schools
and institutions, at which, with limited
means, they may obtain training and
knowledge adapted to their calling,
and which will equip them for the
practical battles of life.
We had heard and read much of
this college, but we confess that we
were not fully prepared for the things
which our visit revealed. The farm
on which it is located contains 100
acres and was greatly worn and ex-
hausted. Where a few years ago
were CALLED and quilted hillsides we
found ten acres in ensilage corn that
will produce from Is to 20 tons per
acre, four hundred acres in corn, oats,
grasses, clover, orchards, vegetables,
sail fruits, etc.; fifty acres devoted
to experiments with 25 v~arities of
cotton, experimental plats in As
varities of corn, hundreds of plats in
different grasses, l25 acres in Nellilo-
tus, 400 head of cattle, about one
hundred of which supply the dairy
and creamery, which ships 80 to 125
pounds of elegant butter per day and
supplies the students, families Of the
faculty and employees with all they
consume. Good barns and stalls fol
the cattle and for storage of forage
silos for storing 500 IONS of ensilage
all arranged N best style and on most
economical plans. Neat and comfort
able buildings, judiciously located fol
the faculty and other officers, and foul
large and well-arranged college build
ings. Manual labor at the college il
compulsory. The young men mill
the cattle and attend to the feeding
Of stock, aid in the dairy and Cream
cry, take care of the manure, pain
the houses, build the fences, plant anC
cultivate the crops, plant and care TO
orchards of all kinds of fruit AM
Vineyards, the small fruits, and vege
tables, gather them, pack them an,
snip them, conduct experiments i
Inc fields with different crops; a
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