The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1893-10-11
Agricultural Education.

The United States is better provided,
so far as number is concerned, with
colleges and advanced schools in which
agricultural science in some form is
taught than any other country in the
world. We have now at least one
school in every state in the Union
which is aided, under the land grant
act of congress passed in 1862, with APP
preparations from great fund created
to encourage schools of sciouce and
agriculture. In by far the greater
number of these schools of science, a
distinct specially is made of instruction
in branches connected with agriculture.
In several of the schools agricultural
education is not secondary and Incl
dental thing, but the chief purpose and
occupation of the institution. BOh
the theory and practice of agriculture
are taught in them. Other acts of con
gress have given aid to agricultural ex-
pertinent stations established by the
states, whose main purpose is to make
scientific Investigations and expert
ments connected with farming opera
lions. The experiment stations are
often connected with agricultural or
scientific schools, and besides affording
to farmers information likely to be di-
rectly valuable to them in their work,
they form part, in a general way at
least, of system of agricultural educa-
ton.
A great deal has been done in the
direction of the scientific training of
farmers in the past thirty years; but
the criticism often expressed by Amer
lean farmers, in their gatherings, indi-
Gates that many among them are not
satisfied with the present condition of
agricultural education. 1t is certainly
generally agreed among farmers that
the successful agricultu ist at the pres
ent day needs a scientific and practic Al
education. The sciences of chemistry,
geology and botany lie at the very foun
dation of farming. OF course every
good farmer really knows a great deal
of these sciences, as result Of his own
and his ancestors experience, without
learning them from books of professors.
But the present age is the age of sys-
tenn and organization, and the farmer,
seeing what has often been accom-.
plished by really expert knowledge of
sciences connec ed with agriculture,
sensbly desires that his sons shall know
them. How great a science the sue
cessful practice of agriculture really is,
may be gathered from the branches OF
knowledge taught in one great agricul
tural school. These include, besides
English and mathematics, surface geo!-
ogy and agricultural chemistry, illus
tiating the qualities of soils and ma
nures; anatomical and technical botany;
physiology and anatomy, aud veter
mary medicine and surgery as applied
to domestic animals; the principles of
land surveying, leveling and practical
mechanics; a. ricultural economy and
geography; and theoretical mechanics
and elements of mechanism.
There is, indeed, no profession or
trade which eXacts so much of man,
or requires that his knowledge shall lie
along so many lines, as that of the
farmer. That our farmers are well
aware of this is shown by the efforts
which they have already made and
sanctioned toward a general system OF
agricultural education. But some of
them object to system of education
which they believe tends to separate
boys from the farm, rather than to wed
them to il; and which may lead them TO
disdain putting their own hands to the
pillow when they have learned to direct
Others how to do it. If the agricultural
college really gives young man a dis
taste for farming, or preference for
other occupation, or dislike for en-
gaging personally in the work of the
farm, grave mistake has been made.
The best agricultural schools are those
which combine actual farm work with
the proper instruction. In such schools
the term of study extends over several
years, instead of two or three, and the
instruction in the hands of men who
are themselves not only educated men
but trained agriculturists.- Youths
Companion.