Year: 1860

determined to establish a school of AZ
rlculturc near that city, and though we


are accustomed to look upon our neigh
bors of the Ever-faithful Isle as being


rather behind the times, we must ac
knowledge that this step looks like a


very considerable one in the right di


rection. Why should not agriculture be


elevated to the rank Of science? We


have law schools, medical schools, theo-


logical seminaries, military academies,


etc. Of all the occupations of men, the


most important, probably, to the susie


nance OF life, to the good order of society,


and to the real strength of nation, is


the tllllng OF the soil; and yet how sell


dom DO we find an institution devoted to


the instruction of youth in its profound


and varied principles! Most persons


seem. to regard it as mere art to be


learned, like blacksrnithing, by consid-


cradle practical experience, irrespective
OF books. The fact, though, is far diff


ferent


This is quite evident if we reflect for


a moment on the number of abstrusc


sciences, the knowledge of whose prin-


clpes is, to great extent, necessary to


thorough acquaintance with agricul-


ture. Chemistry must enlighten the in


telllgent farmer as to the gaseous, solid


and liquid elements combining to form


any one of his products. Geology must


assist him in the knowledge of his soil


so as to judge what manures and ingre-


dlents are necessary to temper and fer


tlllze it. Mechanics will enable him to


select the best machines and instruments


for his purposes, whilst knowledge of
physiology and moral philosophy is in
dispensable, especially if he be plant


er, to ensure health and happiness among
! those under his charge.


We need not imagine for moment


that these things are unnccessary-that


we are making money fast enough with
out them. The barren fields of the Old


Dominion tell us that the strongest soil
can be exhausted by d course Of thrift
less husbandry. The crowds of planters
going Westward with their negroes,
from all the Atlantic cotton States, are
flying from worn-out fields to repeat the
same process Of exhaustion among the
fresh forests and prairies of newer
country. Some localities, it is true, so
rich that planters say they cannot pick
all their cotton. But even if that is so,
that very soil will eventually fail under
a false system Of cultivation, and in the
meantime the propretors might have
profited far more by their noble natural
advantages, with scientific knowledge |
of stock raising, of variety in crops, and
of the buildings and other equipments of
a plantation.


It is the truth, also, that much has
been accomplished for the diffusion of
this species of knowledge by the numer-
Gus agricultural journals published in
this country. But one can hardly ac-
quire familiarity with scientific princi-
pies by reading disconnected essays of
this sort. For those who have already
learned such principles by course Of
hard study, this reading Affords, of
course, many valuable hints; but for
others they are mere recipes, which they
do not understand in their reasons, and
which they frequently misapply in prac-
tice. A still greater bar to their efficacy
is the secret mistrust with which people
view everything which they have not
seen tried. They acknowledge it reads
well, and think they will apply it, but
that is the end of it. Let, however, one
truly scientific agricuturist appear in
and how magical is the
effect. 1t is far more immediate and
than would be that of food
Of periodicals, valuable as they undoubt
edly are. When men see, they believe,
and the knowledge that one man, with
the same force as their own, and with
the same physical conditions, had far
them all in results, would ex-
cite a spirit of emulation sufficient to
effect revolution. They would never
be contented till they had adopted all
the peculiarities which had given him
over them.


A few such men, sent annually into
The ranks of the planting community,
would soon work a great and happy
change in the aspect of things. But |
now are they to be formed? How is the
good seed to be obtained that it may be ,
scattered? Evidently, one would think, !
Is lawyers and doctors are formed by :
liligent study of appropriate matters
'nder competent professors. This would 4,
mount to the formation of a college, or !
class. An institution of this kind :
would probably be found quite renune :
ative to private enterprise, but it might, ,
,lso, be considered an object of sufficient !;
ublic Importance to merit the attention !,
nd patronage of the State. An endow- !;
1ent of such an institution on small
Gale, would not involve much expense,
nd would probably be as advantageous