HOUSE...........,.No. 13.
REPORT OF COMMISSIONERS
CONCERNING
AN AGRICULTURAL SCHOOL.
JANUARY, 1851.








[Jan. 1851.]       HOUSE-No. 13.                      3
tommontueaIt   of  Jl aacatjtt  tt.
The Commissioners to whom were referred the Resolves of the
last Legislature, concerning the establishment of an Agricultural School, and other, subjects relative to the advancement
of the interests of agriculture in this Commonwealth, submit
the following
REPORT:
The first seed ever planted was the first effort of civilization.
The highest physical triumph of civilization, therefore, must
be, that perfection in the art of cultivation which will afford
abundant sustenance to the largest possible population.
Agriculture is that art; the nursing mother of nations. With
its prosperity, population multiplies, commerce and inanufactures increase, all the industrial pursuits of mankind flourish,
and wealth and comfort abound.  On the contrary, let the
cultivation of the soil in any nation be neglected, the hum of
business will be silenced, the arm of industry paralyzed, and
both individual and national happiness destroyed.. Or, let
the earth cease to yield her annual increase; yea, let but one
of her accustomed crops be cut off, as we have witnessed in
Ireland and other countries, and how soon scenes of want, misery and crime ensue, constraining multitudes to abandon home
and country in search of sustenance in a foreign land, or consigning them, by famine and pestilence, to untimely graves.
The wisdom of WASHINGTON, the Father of his Country,
was in nothing more conspicuous than in this remark: "I
know of no pursuit in which more real or important good can
be rendered to a country, than by the improvement of its agriculture;" a sentiment which we rejoice to see reiterated in one




4            AGRICULTURAL SCHOOLS.                    [Jan.
of the late public documents from the capital bearing his venerable name.
"The agricultural interest stands first ill importance in our
country, and embodies within itself the principal elements of
our national wealth and power; and it shodld be with us, as it
has been, and is, with all other prosperous civilized nations, a
leading object of public regard."
This art is, indeed, the primitive and most important pursuit
of man. On its success depends the welfare, not only of one
nation,-but of the whole civilized world. Its importance can
never be appreciated until we arrive at the final results of commerce, and the other great industrial pursuits which rest upon
it, nor until we can obtain the aggregate of those blessings
which it has conferred, and is capable of conferring, on the
human race.
It should, therefore, be the especial care of every government
to promote among its subjects such a knowledge of this worldsustaining art, as to enable them to derive their support from its
soil, and thus to make them an independent as well as a happy
people. Upon this principle our fathers acted, and the wisdom
of their legislation sustains this remark.
Besides, increasing attention to this art is demanded by the
character of the present age, so distinguished for scientific discoveries, and the facility with which these are applied to the
other arts of life. For instance, what wonderful improvements
have been witnessed in the art of printing, since the apprenticeship of our Franklin; in the manufacture of cloth, since
the inventions of Arkwright and others; in the comfort and
velocity of travelling, since the discoveries of Fulton; and in
international communication, by the lightning speed of telegraphic communication;-all, ALL by the application of science
to art.
And has she no contribution to make in aid of agriculture,
the parent of all arts? True, she has already done something,
in the improvement of labor-saving implements, to lessen the
toil of the farmer, and enable him to perform in an hour tle
work of a day; and she needs but a wise direction of thought,
enterprise, and capital, to accomplish still greater results.




1851.]              HOUSE-No. 13.                       5
The triumphs of inventive genius have placed, on the bright
page of American history, names illustrious for patriotism, science, and art. There are many whom we honor and revere as
pioneers and practical men in agriculture; but, in the application of profound scientific knowledge to this time-honored art,
where are the men who are to stand on the roll of fame by the
side of Rittenhouse, Franklin, and Fulton? If " knowledge is
power," the want of it is weakness; and this axiom is as applicable to agriculture as to any other employment. The doors of
the temple of science are open to all who desire to enter it, and
there is no reason why the farmer, as well as the mechanic or
manufacturer, may not pass its portals.
The investigations of scientific men have proved, beyond
the possibility of a doubt, that, by the analysis of the soil, and
the desired crop, and a wise reference to atmospheric influences,
we are as competent to adapt food to the different species of
vegetables, as to the various kinds of animals; for instance, to
feed a crop of scorn, as a herd of swine.
An example will illustrate this remark. In a letter from Professor Mapes, the scientific editor of the " Working Farmer,"
addressed to General Tallmadge, President of the American
Institute, is the following statement:" During the last winter, I made an analysis of soil from a
field which refused corn last year, and found the soil deficient
in the following constituents: chlorine, soda, phosphoric acid,
lime, potash, and ammonia. The last spring, I applied a compost of common salt, decomposed by lime, thus supplying
chlorine and soda; spent bone dust, of the sugar refiners,
which furnished phosphoric acid; Peruvian guano, containing
potash and ammonia, to which was added a small portion of
charcoal dust and plaster of Paris, to retain the volatile portions.
" The above was added to the soil at an expense of one dollar and thirty-one cents per acre, and the field planted with
corn. The crop is now standing, and the Committee of the
American Institute on Farms will state to you that the crop
will probably be from fifty to seventy-five bushels of shelled
corn per acre."
Professor Mapes further states, that in no instance has the




6            AGRICULTURAL: SCHOOLS.                  [Jan.
experiment failed to produce desired crops, of superior quality,
where manuring has been founded on the chemical constituents
of the soil, &c. Among these he mentions several instances
where corn has produced over one hundred bushels per acre;
wheat, forty to fifty-seven bushels per acre; potatoes, three
hundred to four hundred bushels per acre; carrots, one thousand
bushels; ruta baga, twelve hundred bushels; and other crops
in proportion.
Similar facts have been developed by the mere rotation of
crops, instances in which lands had produced abundantly, without the application of manure, for several years.
This theory teaches, that certain products are adapted to
certain soils, and that, where particular ingredients have been
exhausted from the soil by vegetation, the indiscriminate use
of.fertilizing materials will not necessarily ensure a crop.
Already the exhaustive process of perpetual cropping has
travelled over the once fertile lands of New England, and in its
desolating march is wending its way over the fair fields of New
York,' Ohio, and on to the "Far West." Under the influence
of this system of cultivation, the crops of wheat in these States
have receded from an average of twenty-two bushels to fourteen
bushels, or less, per acre; and the same remark will apply to
other crops, in like ratio of reduction.
From this sad but common error, Europe is just recovering;
and, under the influence of her agricultural Schools, now scattered all over the continent, (as will be seen by this report,) and
of scientific cultivation, her crop of wheat in many parts has advanced from sixteen bushels to an average of over thirty bush,els per acre; and a similar increase has taken place in other
crops. Wonders have also been achieved in reclaiming waste
lands, and in converting those which were barren and worthless,
into rich and productive farms.
Our farmers are becoming aware of these facts, but do they
realize that the present system of impoverishing our lands,
without sustaining their natural strength and fertility, will,
sooner or later, end in barrenness? and that, if the present population may rightfully exhaust one-third part of the arable lands,of: the United States of their natural fertility, the population




1851.]              HOUSE-No. 13.                        7
which will be here at the close of the present century will,
long before that period, have consumed the remaining two-thirds
of all American territory. By a calculation which appears in
a late Report of the Patent Office at Washington, it is estimated
that one thousand millions of dollars would not more than restore to their original richness and strength the one hundred
million acres of lands in the United States, which have already
been partially exhausted of their fertility.
One-half of the present century has elapsed, and in it, nearly
two generations have passed off the stage; a period, too, distinguished for scientific discoveries, and for the progress of civilization; yet, in this boasted age of improvement, no institution
exclusively for instruction in agriculture has been established,
either by this Commonwealth, or by any other State of the
Union.  But dark as this view  of agricultural education
really is, says Dr. Lee, in his Report to the Secretary of
the Interior, it is but the dawn of a bright and happy
day.  "Many who have labored for the improvement of
agriculture and the education of the agriculturists, for a quarter
of a century, with little hope of reward, now realize the beginning of an auspicious change in public sentiment. Thanks to
agricultural societies and journals, the people will soon discover
that labor and capital devoted to tillage and husbandry, are as
worthy of legislative consideration and aid, as when applied to
mining, commerce, and manufactures.
" It is indeed wonderful how long those enlightened farmers,
who, like Washington, cherish a due respect for their high calling, have had to beg, and beg in vain, of State Legislatures and
of Congress, for a little assistance to prevent the universal impoverishment of American soils. Neither the earnest recommendation of the illustrious farmer of Mount Vernon, nor the
prayers of two generations of agriculturists, nor the painful
fact, that nearly all the tilled lands were becoming less and less
productive, could induce any legislature to foster the study of
agriculture as a science. Happily, this term, when used in
connection with rural affairs, is no longer the subject of ridicule.
"A great principle is involved in the science of agriculture,
which reaches through indefinite generations, and forms the
basis of all possible improvements and of the highest hopes of




8            AGRICULTURAL SCHOOLS.                 [Jan.
our race. As a nation of farmers, is it not time that we inquire
by what means and on what terms the fruitfulness of the earth,
and its invaluable products may be forever maintained, if not forever improved.
" These are questions of universal concernment, to the careful
and rigid investigation of which, no man should refuse to lend
a listening ear. A governmental policy which results in impoverishing the natural fertility of the land, must have an end.
It is only a question of time, when this truly spendthrift course,
this abuse of the goodness of Providence, shall meet with its
inevitable punishment.
" A lack of mental culture and discipline is the most serious
impediment to the diffusion of agricultural science among the
farmers. Its language to them is an unknown tongue. Hence,
the most sublime truths in the economy of nature are shut out
from the popular understanding. It is feared that this will ever
be the case, until schools designed to teach these branches of
learning, which the practical farmer greatly needs but does not
possess, are established and maintained throughout the United
States."
In view of these remarks, your commissioners are of opinion
that something should be done to arrest this evil, and to restore
the great national loss occasioned by the misapplication of labor
and capital in farming; and that the time has arrived, when
public -sentiment also demands that some measures should be
adopted by our Legislatures, as well as by Congress, to afford
scientific and practical, instruction in the various departments
of agricultural husbandry.
Colleges and schools for this purpose have been established
in Europe, sharing largely in the patronage, or wholly sustained
by government, and under the immediate direction of learned
and practical men. These may not be copies for our exact imitation, but models from which may be derived many valuable
suggestions.
Impressed with the importance of laying before the Legislature all the information acquired in relation to these institutions,
their systems of instruction and government, and the operation
of the same, the commissioners submit the following communi



1851.]               HOUSE-No. 13.                           9
cation as a part of this report, being the results of the investigations of a member of this Board, during his late tour in
Europe. This valuable and able paper, the chairman may be
permitted to say, embraces an amount of information and research never before presented to the American public, on this
subject, and cannot fail to be read with great interest by all the
friends of agricultural education:To the HON. MARSHALL P. WILDER, Chairman of the Commissioners
appointed by the Governor and Council of Massachusetts, on the subject of Agricultural Schools:
SIR, —It was in the latter part of June, (1850) while in London, that
I received from you a notice of my appointment as one of the Commissioners to consider the expediency of establishing an Agricultural School or Schools, in Massachusetts; and also a request that I
would visit as many of the Agricultural Institutions in Europe as would
enable me to understand the system of instruction, and the operation of
these schools in that part of the globe. The notice reached me as I
was about leaving England for the continent. But having accepted the
appointment, I entered at once upon the examination suggested; first
in England, then successively in Ireland, Scotland, Germany, Switzer.
land and France. The results of these investigations I now offer to,
the Commissioners, through you, as Chairman, rather than to the Ex.
ecutive, or Legislative departments of the government; because they
were made at the request of the former, not of the latter.
Not anticipating any such request when I left home, I found myself
not a little embarrassed in ascertaining the number, character and location of Agricultural Schools, so as to select, the most important to be
visited; for most of these schools being of recent origin, have not forcibly arrested public attention, like the Universities and Colleges of Europe. Nevertheless, through the kindness of gentlemen connected with
the United States Legations abroad, and of some distinguished scientific
friends in London, the subject gradually opened upon me fully, and
I became more and more surprised to find how widely it now
engages the attention of the governments, and of distinguished individuals, not only in the countries above named, but in several others in
Europe, of which, also, I shall be able to give an account. I found,
also, that when I had announced myself as from Massachusetts, making
enquiries on the subject of education, I hardly needed any other introduction, so sensible are gentlemen abroad of the superiority of her
2




10            AGRICULTURAL SCHOOLS.                       [Jan.
common school system; not hesitating, in many cases, to pronounce it
the best on the globe.
Besides several gentlemen, who are at the head of the Agricultural
Schools, and whose names will be mentioned when I come to describe
those schools, it gives me pleasure to mention the following as having
aided me very essentially in these investigations, and to whom, therefore, I am deeply indebted.
Hon. Abbott Lawrence, American Minister in London; Sir Charles
Lyell; Hon. P. Pusey, M. P. from Berkshire in England; Hon. William Monsell, M. P. from Limerick County in Ireland; Right Hon.
Alexander Macdonald of Dublin; Professor J. F. W. Johnston of Durham, England; Chevalier Bunsen, Prussian Minister in London; Professor Reissen of Bonn; Professor Dr. Sandberger of Weisbaden, &c.
Before I proceed to the details concerning particular schools, it may
be well to state some general facts concerning them, such as the
following:A few of them are founded and sustained by individuals, or private
associations of gentlemen interested in Agriculture.
A far greater number are assisted, or sustained, by the government
of the country.
Some consist of Professorships in Colleges or Universities.
Some depend upon Colleges and Universities for a part of their
Professors.
The greater number are independent institutions.
Some are connected with primary schools.
We find among them three or four grades in the course of instruction.
In nearly all cases they have smaller or larger farms connected with
them.
I shall now proceed to give an account of the Agricultural Schools
which I have either visited, or concerning which I have obtained information. And here the difficulty will be, not to find facts, but out of
the multitude that have fallen under my observation, to make an appropriate selection. The fact is, that the general peace that now prevails in Europe, has turned the attention of the people and of government to the arts, by which the ravages of a thirty years' war may be
repaired; and among these arts, agriculture of course claims special
attention. Says the French minister of agriculture and of commerce,
in his admirable report on Agricultural Education, —" Since the mental
activity of men no longer finds aliment on the field of battle, it is directed towards the labors and the conquests of peace. Everywhere the
population has returned to industry, to the arts, to agriculture, to seek
a remedy for the deep wounds made by war."




1851.]                HOUSE-No. 13.                         11
In giving details, I shall follow the order in which I visited the several countries.
ENGLAND.
The Agricultural Schools of England are of two grades, differing
mainly in the amount of land cultivated, in the amount of apparatus
and specimens, and in the extent of instruction. As yet the government have not, I believe, afforded them any pecuniary aid, and they
are sustained by individuals, or by associated voluntary efforts. There
is only one school of the higher grade, and that is called a college.
Agricultural College.
This is situated at Cirencester, about ninety-five miles northwest of
London, on the oolitic formation, and adjoining the parks of Earl Bathurst, who is honorary president. The buildings are substantial, ample,
and even elegant; the principal front being 190 feet. They include a
dining hall, library, museum, lecture room, theatre, laboratories, class
rooms, private studies, kitchen and servants' rooms, and offices with dormitories, one for each student. An elegant chapel has just been built.
A forge, carpenters' and wheelwrights' shop are attached, as also a
dairy and slaughter house.
Much attention is given to practical chemistry, the laboratory being
on the plan of that at Giessen, and well adapted to manipulations.
Nearly one half of the students become respectable practical chemists.
The collections in natural history are not large. The students' private rooms seemed to me too small, and to look too much like the cells
of criminals in a prison.
The farm attached, consists of 700 acres, some of which appeared
to me to be rather poor land: a thin soil on limestone; but it is well
cultivated. Upon it, besides the ordinary out houses, is a veterinary
hospital.
There are accommodations here for two hundred students, but only
fifty now belong to the school. Those residing in the building pay
$355 annually; those who board elsewhere, $175. Formerly the
school was open for the sons of the smaller farmers, but could not find
support on that plan, and it was found, that if these attended, the
wealthier classes would not send their sons. The price, accordingly,
has been raised, and none but the sons of gentlemen, such as clergymen and wealthy laymen, now attend. None of the nobility send their
children, although many give their money for its support., John Wilson, F. R. S. E., to whom I am much indebted for giving
me every facility for learning the character and condition of the school,




12            AGRICULTURAL SCHOOLS.                       [Jan.
is at present the principal and professor of the science and practice of
Agriculture. With him are associated a professor of chemistry and
chemical manipulation; one of geology, natural history and botany;
one of mathematics and natural philosophy; one of veterinary practice,
and one of practical surveying and engineering. The instruction is
mainly by lectures and subsequent examination, save that the pupils
spend about half the day upon the farm, and roost of them devote a
good deal of time to practical chemistry. The instruction extends over
three years, or six sessions; the first year being devoted to practical
agriculture. The courses of lectures, and their number, are as
follows:
Science and practice of Agriculture, 3d, 4th, 5th,
and 6th sessions,       -                      216 lectures.
Chemistry and chemical manipulation, 3d, 4th, 5th,
and 6th sessions,   -.         -  152 to 172   "
Devoted to practical chemistry, -                  432   hours.
Botany, geology and zoology, all the sessions, -    180 lectures.
Veterinary practice,         "    "                 180   "
Mathematics, 3d and 4th sessions,..          108   "
Natural philosophy, 3d, 4th, 5th and 6th sessions,   -   72   "
Surveying and practical engineering, 5th and 6th sessions, 72   "
To give a better idea of the nature of these lectures, I quote below a
few abstracts of one or two of the courses.
SCIENCE AND PRACTICE OF AGRICULTURE. FOURTH SESSION.
The Botany of Agriculture.' The character and nature of the various agricultural plants, indigenous weeds, kitchen vegetables, fruit and forest trees, vegetable substances cultivated for, and used as food, and economic purposes."
The Geology of Agriculture.
"Condition and extent of surface soils: their influence on Agricurture, —local variations, conditions under which the different strata
were deposited,-their composition,-mode of disintegration, —manner
in which nature supported her own vegetation before man existed,general surface geology of Great Britain."
The Physics of Agriculture.
" Meteorology, including climate, —mechanics, in reference to implements and machinery,-hydrodynamics,-the general laws of heat,
light and electricity, as affecting the vegetable kingdom."




1851.]                HOUSE-No. 13.                         13
VETERINARY PRACTICE.
Division of the animal kingdom into four great groups.
1. Vertebrata.
2. Mollusca.
3. Articulata.
4. Radiata.
"Vertebrata, —lst class of,-mammalia,-considered and general
structure described.
Character and habits of the 7th order, —pachydermata, including the
horse, the ass, and the hog. Of the 8th order,-ruminantia,-including
the cow, sheep, deer and goat-more particularly considered."
FOURTH SESSION.
" Structure of the animals in these two orders described, including,
first, an account of the general anatomy and physiology of the elementary tissues of animals,-adipose,-vesicular,-epidermic,-cartilage, —bone, —teeth,-cellular, muscular, and nervous tissues,-fibrous,
serous, and mucous membranes. Secondly, special anatomy of each
animal,-the peculiarities of construction and the functions of its various
organs and parts,-the head, neck, body, leg, foot,-points to be considered in the selection of animals, dependant on a proper knowledge
of their anatomical structure."
FIFTH SESSION.
" Pathology and treatment of disease,-description of the various
diseases incidental to the domesticated animals, as farcy, glanders,
spavins, splints, curbs, capped hocks, sandcracks, cracked heels, blindness, &c. in the horse, —pleuro pneumonia, jaundice, red water,
murrain, &c. in cattle,-rot, jaundice, dysentery, pneumonia, sturdy,
&c. in sheep,-scrofula, measles, &c. in pigs,-their general causes,mode of attack,-treatment, including medicines and operations, —neurotomy, bleeding, blistering, firing, &c. —precautions necessary."
SIXTH SESSION.
"The principles of breeding, rearing and feeding animals,-with
examples, showing the benefit of their application. The treatment of
stock, —stable management. The business and duties of the forge, —
shoeing, clipping, singeing, &c. General remarks."
The collections in natural history are not large, but the library is
well selected and rich in Agricultural works.
Students are admitted only upon the nomination of a proprietor or
donor of $133, and of an age between sixteen and twenty. They




14             AGRICULTURAL SCHOOLS.                      [Jan.
" must at least be thoroughly well versed in the routine of a liberal
education, in which they will be required to pass a strict examination
before admission."
It will be seen, that the object of this college is not to fit men to become laborers on the farm, but to prepare them to be intelligent proprietors of farms, or to superintend those of others.
I was informed that this institution, which appears to be well organized, has met with a good deal of opposition from the lower and the
higher classes, and Mr. Wilson feared that he might not be able to
sustain it long in its present form. A rumor reached me before leaving
England, that he had been obliged to include instruction in other
branches of literature and science, in order to attract a sufficient number of pupils, but I cannot vouch for the truth of the report. From
the unhappy operation, in this case, of caste in English society, and
from the want of governmental patronage, we might reasonably an.
ticipate, not merely embarrassment, but even failure, as facts respecting other schools will show.
Training Schools.
There are several schools by this name in England, in which agriculture forms a part, and an important part, of the instruction; but
they embrace, also, the common branches of education. Usually a
farm is attached to them. They form the second, or lower grade, of
agricultural schools, and are mostly sustained by individual enterprise.
I visited but one of these, of which a brief account only is necessary.
Agricultural Training School at Hoddesdon, Herts.
Mr. Haselwood is head master of this school, with whom are associated four other gentlemen as lecturers. They lecture upon the following subjects:
Chemistry and chemical manipulation.
Cattle physiology and pathology.
Botany, geology and natural history.
Practical mechanics and natural philosophy.
Practical surveying, levelling and draining.
Instruction is also given in the classics, and in the French and German languages. And separate classes are formed for those pupils who
are not sufficiently advanced to attend the lectures and laboratory.
The present number of students is thirty-five, but a small part of whom
attend to agriculture. Opportunity is given for chemical manipulation,
but not, as appeared to me, of a very elevated character. The specimnens in natural history are few; but the philosophical apparatus and




1851.]                HOUSE —No. 13.                         15
library, good. The farm attached, consists of three hundred acres, and
includes a fine garden. The students are not compelled to labor
abroad, but u~qally spend the latter half of the day in some out door
pursuit, such as levelling, &c. There are two vacations of about six
weeks each, one in summer and the other in winter; but there is not
any fixed time for completing the course of study. The charge yearly
is $149. I was pleased with the appearance of the premises, (it being
vacation,) and am much indebted to the urbanity of the head master.
The school was established in 1845.
Prayers are attended morning and evening, and attendance on worship on the Sabbath is required.
Agricultural Grammar School, Kimbolton.
I did not visit this institution, but received an account of it from the
head master, Rev. John Thornton, M. A. It was originally a grammar school with a small endowment, and was reopened last year with
a view to connect agriculture and its collateral sciences with literary
instruction. Three other instructors are associated with Mr. Thornton,
who give instruction in land surveying, the rudiments of agricultural
chemistry, the veterinary art, geology, draining, entomology, vegetable
physiology and mechanics. In a list of the half yearly examination, I
find pupils in the following subjects: Arithmetic, mechanics, trigonometry, geography, Latin, Greek, French, history, algebra, Euclid's Elements, analytical trigonometry and agricultural chemistry. It was intended to have a farm attached, but the want of funds has prevented the execution of the plan. The present number of pupils is fifty, and there are
three classes weekly manipulating in the laboratory. The cost to the
pupil varies from $111 to $133. Hitherto it has been sustained in a
good measure by subscriptions from public spirited gentlemen,-of the
nobility, and others,-as is the Hoddesdon school; but now it rests
solely upon the head master. It is " a grammar school," says Mr.
Thornton, " where several subjects, not taught in schools generally, are
taught, such as chemistry, botany, &c.
Several other institutions, similar to the above, exist in England.
Near Kennington, not far from London, is the Scientific and Agricultural Academy, under the care of A. Nesbit and sons, which gives an
education to those intended for the arts, manufactures and agriculture.
There is a training school in the city of York, and I believe in other
places, but I did not deem it necessary to visit many of them, as agriculture is only one of the studies pursued there.




16            AGRICULTURAL SCHOOLS.                       [Jan.
IRELAND.
Agricultural education in Ireland presents itself under two phases.
1. In connection with the colleges. 2. In connection with the system
of national schools.
1. In connection with the Colleges.
There are three colleges in Ireland called Queen's College; one at
Galway, one at Cork, in the southerly part of the Island, and the other at
Belfast, in the northeasterly part. I visited only the latter, but became
acquainted with the president of that at Cork, from whom I obtained an
account of the system of instruction pursued there. Concerning that
at Galway, I have no information; but presume its organization to
be similar to the others.
These institutions are, in fact, universities, having faculties in literature, science, medicine and law. At Belfast there are twenty professors, besides the president; and at Cork, twenty-one. Among these
chairs, one is a professorship of agriculture, filled by Edward Murphy,
A. B. at Cork, and by John F. Hodges, M. D. at Belfast. The course of
study and of lectures extends through two years, when the student receives, if accepted, a " Diploma of Agriculture." The courses of
lectures embrace, in the first year, natural philosophy, chemistry, natural history, and the theory of agriculture; in the second year, geology and mineralogy, history and diseases of farm animals, land surveying and the practice of agriculture. The details of these courses
could be given, if wished for by the committee.
On the model and experimental farm, (comprising 180 acres at Cork,)
and in the botanical gardens adjoining the colleges, and in connection
with them, the students have an opportunity of becoming acquainted
with the best kind of farm animals and machines, and with the manual
and mechanical operations of practical agriculture, horticulture and arboriculture, being accompanied in their visits to see such objects and
processes, by their instructors, as well as in various excursions of natural
history.
Students who attend the agricultural lectures may be matriculated or
non-matriculated. The former pay $33 each year, to the college; the
latter pay $9 for attendance upon any separate course of lectures.
They also pay $3 annually for access to the library, which is well
furnished with agricultural publications, to which the matriculated students have access without charge.
In each of these colleges are four scholarships of Agriculture, of
the value of $67, two for each year. Candidates for these undergo




1851.]               HOUSE-No. 13.                         17
certain examinations. For the first year, they must have passed the matriculation examination, viz.: in English grammar, composition and arithmetic, and then in the following subjects: English grammar and composition, the first four rules of arithmetic, vulgar and decimal fractions,
involution and evolution, proportion and simple interest, mensuration,
book-keeping, outlines of modern geography. For the second year,
the examinations are in the general principles of heat, chemistry,
mechanics and hydrostatics, elements of botany and zoology, theory
and composition of manures, and feeding of farm animals.
Candidates for the diploma of agriculture pay to the college the first
year, $33; for the second, $31. If they have scholarships, they pay
only $20 the first year, and $18 the second.
The laboratory at Belfast college appeared to me to be fitted up in
superior style, and to afford rare facilities for those students wishing to
engage in manipulations.
For these facts I am indebted to Sir Robert Kane, president of Cork
College, and to Professor Andrews, vice president of that at Belfast,
with both of whom I had the honor and pleasure of an acquaintance,
and to whose kind attentions I am much indebted.
These colleges have been opened only a little more than a year,
and therefore it is not possible to determine how far agricultural lectures will attract students. At the first course in Belfast, I was told,
only six or eight attended.
2. Agricultural Institutions in connection with the National Schools.
I would gladly give an account of the whole system of the National
Schools in Ireland, for its features appear to me quite interesting, and
to promise much for that country. I can only say, that in addition to
-the common schools, the system embraces model schools, training
schools, industrial female schools, work-house schools, evening schools,
and Agricultural Schools. These are all under the superintendence
of a board of commissioners, appointed by government, who make an
annual report. Dublin is the centre of operations, where model schools
exist, with suitable and extensive buildings. There the superintendent of all the schools resides; who, at present, is the Right Honorable
Alexander Macdonald. Through the unsolicited kindness of Hon. Mr.
Monsell of the British Parliament, I was introduced to Mr. Macdonald,
and received from him all the aid I needed.
There are two grades of the Agricultural Schools, —the " Model
Agricultural Schools," and the " Ordinary Agricultural Schools." The
pupils in the latter, usually quite young, if distinguished, pass into the
3




18             AGRICULTURAL SCHOOLS.                      [Jan.
former, and are fitted to become teachers. In all these schools of
every grade, literary instruction is combined with agricultural; and,
indeed, the ordinary schools are only elementary schools, in which
agriculture is taught.
Model School and Farm at Glasnevin.
The central and most important of the Model Agricultural Schools
is situated at Glasnevin, in the suburbs of Dublin. Mr. Macdonald was
kind enough to conduct me thither, and I had, consequently, a good
opportunity for its examination. It is situated on a farm of 108 acres,
of good soil, and the present head teacher is Mr. Donaghy, to whom I
feel under great obligations for the time and attention he devoted to
satisfy my inquiries.
This institution was established in 1838, and its grand object is to
train up teachers for other schools; several hundreds of whom have
-already been sent out, and are spreading the knowledge here gained
in other parts of Ireland. The present number of pupils is about
fifty. But buildings are now in a course of erection for one hundred,
at an additional cost of $24,930. The pupils receive literary as well as
agricultural instruction. The principal lectures are onl practical as well
as theoretical agriculture. The mornings as well as evenings are de-,voted to study, but a large part of the day to labor. Twelve poor
boys are placed -here for instruction, for whose education and board
the principal receives $1.75 per week. The boys also receive sixpence per week, (about twelve cents,) which the teacher told me was
a sufficient stimulus to keep them at work. Most of the pupils, I
should judge, are over twenty years of age. It was vacation when I
was there, yet some thirty or forty had remained to work on the farm,,and I very thankfully accepted an invitation to listen to an examination,of the young men in the studies they had been taught. More than
twenty cheerfully came in from the field, and without changing their
dress, passed a very creditable examination upon the various principles.of practical and theoretical agriculture, in connection with its associated sciences. I am sure that they cannot carry abroad such principles as they here presented, without doing immense benefit to impoverished Ireland.
On the farm, the principles taught in the school are practically illustrated. I walked over the fields, and have never, in any country, seen
ecrops as fine, taken as a whole, of wheat, oats, beans, flax and potatoes.
The oats would probably yield eighty bushels to the acre, and the potatoes bid fair to produce seven hundred bushels, the disease having




1851.]               HOUSE-No. 13.                           19
not then shown itself. It is an object with the culturist to carry on
the farm and keep it in a good state, without going beyond it for manure. A judicious rotation of crops greatly aids this object, and I
believe that, ordinarily, manure is applied only once in four years.
The pupils have access to a good agricultural library, but I saw no
collections in natural history, nor in any other department, indeed.
The place, however, being only three miles from Dublin, the pupils
can resort thither for instruction in natural history, and the inspection
of specimens. There is a museum of economic geology there, which
will ere long afford great facilities to pupils.
The pupils at Glasnevin are selected by the commissioners from the
most deserving and talented young men in the various agricultural
schools in the kingdom; so that here we might expect to find pupils of
a high character. If they can succeed in extending the skill and
productiveness exhibited on this model farm, throughout Ireland, I am
confident we should hear no more of her population as starving.
The master of this school pays a rent for this farm, I believe as high
as $22 per acre, increased to $35 by taxes and other expenses. Yet,
according to Mr. Colman, he is able to make his labors profitable.
Larne National Agricultural School.
Of the smaller model schools, I visited that at Lame, about twenty
miles north of Belfast, on the coast. This school has long been in
successful operation. The Glasnevin school receives only in-door
scholars, but that at Larne both in-door and out-door scholars; that is,
such as board in the establishment and such as board out. Only a
part of the pupils of the school, which is a national one, attend to
agriculture. The present head master is Mr. M'Donnell, who seemed
to me like his predecessor, Mr. Donaghy, now at Glasnevin, well qualified to unite the duties of a literary teacher with those of a practical
agricultural instructor. The farm consists of only seven acres. Yet
in 1848, he maintained on this small plot of ground, in the very best
condition, three milch cows, two calves, four figs, and one donkey, and
raised besides 321 cwt. of wheat, 28 cwt. of oats, and 24 cwt. of
potatoes. The crops growing this year, which Mr. M'D. showed me,
appeared unusually fine.
The in-door pupils pay $54 a year, including instruction and board,,
or if upon scholarships, only $22. The out-door pupils pay for instruction, $17 annually. The boarders work on the farm from 6 to 8,
and from 10 to 12 A. M., and from 4 to 6 P. M. From 12 to 3
o'clock daily they study in the school room, in agriculture as a science




20            AGRICULTURAL SCHOOLS.                      [Jan.
as well as in literature; also, from 6 to 8 P. M., in an evening class
under the superintendence of a teacher. They are not admitted under
fifteen years of age, nor without a certificate of moral character.
The course is of two or three years'duration, according to the age and
acquirements of the pupils.
The agricultural instruction " embraces the principles of chemistry;
the formation, nature, and difference of soils; the rotations of cropping
best suited to such varieties; draining, trenching, and subsoiling, and
the principles upon which their efficacy depends; house feeding of
cattle, and its advantages; the constitution and properties of the
different manures; the proper divisions of farms, &c., &c." To
this is added a well grounded course of English education in reading,
writing, arithmetic, English grammar, geography, book-keeping, mensuration, land surveying, gauging, geometry, trigonometry, algebra, and
navigation.
Although it was out of school hours when I visited the establishment,
Mr. M'D. offered to give me a sample of the proficiency of the pupils,
and called in a few for this purpose. Although quite young,-not so
old as fifteen,-they passed-a very creditable examination upon agriculture, and some of the sciences, and the impression was strong upon
my mind, that if large numbers of the youth of Ireland were thus
instructed, from all classes in society, it must exert a great influence
upon the agriculture of the country, especially when we know that
they see the principles which they learn, fully and successfully carried
out into practice upon the farms connected with the schools.
About one-quarter of the pupils at Glasnevin are Protestants, and
the others Catholics, and this may be about the general proportion
between the two denominations in the country. But such arrangements have been made, that each class receives religious instruction
from clergymen selected by the parents or guardians. If the teacher
of the school wishes to communicate religious instruction, he gives
public notice of the time and place, and the pupils can attend or not, according to the wishes)of lheir parents, or their own.
Other Model Schools.
Not less than twelve other Model Agricultural Schools were in operation in Ireland in July, 1850. Mr. Macdonald kindly furnished me with a
list of them up to that date, as follows: Markethill, in Armagh county:
Hollyrood, in Down: Carrick, in Fermanagh: Longhash in Tyrone;
Sallybank and Belvoir, in Clare: Rahan, in King's county: Loughrea and
Ballynakill, in Galway: Kile Park, in Tipperary: Bailieborough, in Ca



1851.]                HOUSE-No. 13.                          21
van, and Dunmanway, in Cork. Besides these, building grants have been
made by the commissioners in ten other places, viz.: Dunlewy, in Donegal: Bath, in Monaghan: Mount Trenchard and Tervoe, in Limeric:
Ardfinnan and Derrycastle, in Tipperary: Woodstock, in Kilkenny:
Leitrim, in Leitrim: and Glandore and Farraghy, in Cork.
The following are the essential conditions adopted by the commismissioners, upon which they establish model schools:1. " The commissioners will take land, from eight to thirty acres, for
the purpose of model farms, at a moderate rent, on a lease of at least'three lives or thirty-one years.' "
2. The lease must contain a clause of surrender every fourth year.
3. The commissioners will not commence rent, nor enter upon the
land, except the portion upon which the buildings are to be erected,
until. the 25th of March, or the 29th of September next ensuing after
the completion of the works.
4. The commissioners will grant towards the building, a sum not
exceeding $1,776, unless in cases where they may deem it desirable to
provide two school-rooms. The remaining portion of the expenditure
must be locally subscribed, and the amount of local contribution must
be lodged in the Bank of Ireland, to the credit of the commissioners,
before the works are commenced.
5. The buildings will be put up to tender; they are to be erected
under the supervision of the architect to our Board, or of the clerks of
works; and the grants will be paid by instalments on their reports.
6. The commissioners will furnish the dormitories and school-house.
7. The commissioners will supply (in the first instance) the necessary stock, farming implements, seed, &c., &c.
8. The commissioners will contribute $33 towards the maintenance
of two resident agricultural pupils, provided the pupils or their friends
contribute a like sum.
9. Where one teacher only is required, the commissioners will
grant $44 a year for his services as agriculturist, in addition to his
class-salary as literary teacher.
10. Where the farm consists of fifteen acres, or upwards, the commissioners will grant a salary to an agriculturist, not exceeding $133 a
year, and also to a literary teacher according to his class.
11. The commissioners will require the teacher or agriculturist to
pay a moderate rent for the land, and all taxes, rates, &c., allowing
him the profits arising from the farm. They will also require him to
enter into arrangements for keeping up the supply of stock, implements, &c., &c., and for providing for permanent repairs.




22             AGRICULTURAL SCHOOLS.                       [Jan.
12. The agriculturist will be required to conduct the operations of
the farm according to the directions of the agricultural inspector, and
must furnish accounts in'the form prescribed by the commissioners.
He must also submit annually to the board, to be laid before Parliament,
a statement of the working and progress of the farm during the past
year.
13. The commissioners, in consideration of the large amount of
expenditure incurred by them, and the land being vested in them,
deem it indispensable that they shall have the exclusive management of
the Model Agricultural Schools; the right of appointing and removing
the teachers and resident agricultural pupils; the latter to be selected
from among the pupils of the National Schools in the district in which
the model agricultural school is situated."
It is a most important fact to be noticed respecting all the Agricultural Schools of Ireland, and indeed of all Europe, that are sustained
by the governments, (excepting perhaps in a few colleges,) that a farm,
larger. or smaller, is always connected with the school, so that the
theories taught are there tested and exhibited in practice. Indeed, on
the continent, in some places, unless the attached farm can be made to
exhibit a state of cultivation fully equal to any around it, the government withdraws its support. In these facts we see that the objection so
often urged in all countries against agricultural schools, that they teach
mere theory, is done away with;' for here, unless the instructors can
show the truth of their theories in practice, they lose all patronage.
Who can ask for a more severe test of theory than this?
Ordinary Agricultural Schools.
These are the elementary national schools, to which land, to the
amount of two or three acres, is attached, and instruction in agriculture
is given by the schools to those pupils who desire it. The only aid
which they receive from the public funds is an addition to the master's
salary of $22. " He pays the manager a moderate rent for the farm,"
say the commissioners in their report for 1849-50, " and receives the
amount of the produce sold." These schools are, in general, working
successfully, and have furnished satisfactory proof that literary and
agricultural instruction can be practically united, without counteracting
or encroaching upon each other. One inspector of Agricultural
Schools, Dr. Kirkpatrick, has been active in the discharge of his important duties. All the existing Agricultural Schools have been visited
by him once during the year, the majority of them twice, and several
more frequently. In his report he observes,-" I feel gratified in ex



1851.]                 HOUSE-No. 13.                         23
pressing my strong conviction, that it is perfectly practicable, and eminently useful, to combine with the ordinary branches of a sound English
education, as taught in our national schools, such an elementary course
of agricultural instruction as shall prepare youths for the higher branches
of agricultural science, should the opportunity of acquiring such
knowledge be presented to them, and what is of still greater moment,
shall teach them to avoid those grossly defective methods of farming,
hitherto practised and still in too general use, throughout the greater
part of Ireland."  The commissioners add: " We are of opinion that
the chief good that can be effected by us in the way of agricultural
improvement, is by blending, in as many of our 4500 schools as possible, instruction in agriculture, and daily occupation in agriculture,
with the literary instruction already given in those schools. Should
the plan proposed by us be largely adopted throughout Ireland, improved agricultural knowledge and. skill will be'diffused throughout
every part of the country and throughout the whole mass of the rural
population. The boy taught in one of those schools will be enabled,
in after life, to contribute his full share to the agricultural prosperity of
the country, whether his vocation be that of a farm laborer, a small
farmer, or a large farmer. He will, from his childhood, be taught to
labor on the land, and to labor skilfully, to see displayed the rotation
of crops, the application of manures, the management of cattle, the
art of trenching and draining land. Every habit thus acquired by
him, every kind of agricultural knowledge thus conveyed to him upon
the limited farm of the teacher, will be equally serviceable to him,
should he in after life become a large farmer, or if he never rise above
the condition of a cottier."
According to the list furnished me by Mr. Macdonald, the number of
these ordinary agricultural schools in Ireland, in operation last summer,
was thirty-four, a list of which will be found in the synoptical table
appended to this report. Many other applications for their establishment are under consideration, and they will no doubt be soon greatly
multiplied.
This placing of agricultural instruction within the reach of the
humblest classes of society, is a feature of the Irish system which
gives it a great superiority to the English, especially as a model for our
imitation. For were such schools among us confined to certain
classes, and they the wealthy, it would produce little else than mischief. We can, however, more easily make this instruction accessible
to all in our country, on account of the good education received here
by the poorest classes. We can start from a higher level than can be
done in any European country.




24             AGRICULTURAL SCHOOLS.                       [Jan.
The whole amount paid by the Irish commissioners in 1848-9 (April
to April,) for all the national schools, was $567,331. Of this sum, as
nearly as I can ascertain, $11,000 was appropriated to the Agricultural
Schools, a fact that shows the liberality of the government and their
sense of the importance of this class of schools; and yet, we shall
see that some of the continental governments are far more liberal. In
Ireland the wages of instructors are quite low, as well as the board of
the pupils; quite different from what is the case in England. In short,
the system adopted there, appears to me to be in successful operation,
and to afford many useful hints to those who are seeking to establish
agricultural schools for the whole people.
The salaries paid to the regular teachers in the national schools, (ineluding, I suppose, the agricultural,) varies from $67 to $133. Instructors of the model agricultural schools receive a gratuity of $44,
and of ordinary agricultural schools, of $22.
In addition to the schools above described, I ought to mention that in
the work-house schools, amounting to 111, where paupers are taught,
instruction in agriculture is given.
AGRICULTURAL SCHOOLS SUSTAINED BY PRIVATE ASSOCIATIONS.
Templemoyle School.
Besides the schools under governmental control, and fostered by the
public funds, a few others exist in Ireland. The most distinguished of
them is at Templemoyle, near Londonderry, in the north part of the
island. It " was founded in 1827, by the North West of Ireland Society,
on the plan of Fellenberg's School at Hofwyl, in Switzerland. At
first, in imitation of Fellenberg's plan, two branches of the school were
established; one for the sons of the wealthy, the other for the poor.
But a short and expensive trial convinced the society that they could
not sustain both establishments; and they wisely gave up the more
expensive one, and confined their whole means and attention to the
more practical and industrial school for the poor. This is probably one
grand reason why the school at Templemoyle still lives, and has done
a great deal of good, while that at Hofwyl has been abandoned.
The pupils in the Templemoyle school are children neither of the
wealthy, nor of the very poor, but rather of " honest and industrious
farmers;" and from the education which they receive, they are prepared " to act, either as the managers, or stewards, of the landed proprietors; as improving farmers on their own account; or as masters
in other schools of a still more industrial character." Hence a good
deal of time is devoted to scholastic training, as well as instruction




1851.]                HOUSE-No. 13.                          25
strictly agricultural. Botany and chemistry are introduced, as well as
lectures on the veterinary art; and the culture of forest trees, a nursery, and a flower and vegetable garden.
The internal regulations of this school as to hours of rising and retiring, labor and study, week days and Sundays, diet, &c., &c., appear
to be judicious, and adapted to the strictest economy. But as they
are given fully in Mr. Colman's reports, I judge it unnecessary to copy
them.
The farm contains 169 acres, a part of which is cultivated upon the
four shift, and a part upon the five shift, rotation system, as it is called.
The annual charge to a scholar is reckoned at about $44. Up to 1838,
the contributions and payments from pupils and others had amounted to
$35,520. This had all been expended, and a debt of some $2,000
was due from the school, but was gradually diminishing, and the circumstances of the school have been growing more favorable, and its
influence increasing.
Those who had left the seminary previous to September, 1838, were
distributed as follows:
29 are employed as land stewards,
2 as assistant agents,
5 as schoolmasters,
1 as principal of an agricultural day school,
8 as writing clerks,
6 as shop-keepers,
1 as civil engineer,
2 as assistants to county surveyors,
124 are employed at home in agricultural pursuits,
32 have emigrated to America, the West Indies and Australia,
39 left the seminary since Sept. 1835, not having remained
twelve months.
Most of the preceding facts have been obtained from Col. J. E.
Portlock's Report on the Geology of the County of Londonderry, &c.,
Dublin, 1843.
At Brookfield, twelve miles from Belfast, a similar school was a
few years since sustained by the Society of Friends, with a farm of
fifty acres. Here the common branches of learning, as at Templemoyle, are taught, along with agriculture: such as "reading, writing,
arithmetic, geography, the catechism and scripture history." There is
only one male teacher with a female assistant, who are both under the
direction of a man and his wife, who act as master and matron. Forgetfulness prevented me from making enquiries respecting this school
when at Belfast, so that I can say nothing as to its present condition.
4




26             AGRICULTURAL SCHOOLS.                      [Jan.
SCOTLAND.
Although Scotland has, within the last half century, been distinguished for her progress in practical farming, she has no agricultural
schools, save a professorship of'that department in two of her universities, viz.: one in Mavischal college in Aberdeen, and another in the
University of Edinburgh. I have understood that the former has not
succeeded in attracting many students, although filled by an able
chemist, Dr. Smith, and I am unable to state its present condition.
But having looked into this department of the university of Edinburgh,
and having received some statements from the gentleman who fills the
chair, Professor David Low, I will give a brief account of it.
Several rooms in the university buildings are devoted to this department. There we find exhibited, numerous models of agricultural
implements, and of buildings, chiefly barns and outhouses, for the
farm. Also seeds and dried plants, marls and soils, chemical substances, a few skeletons and anatomical drawings, and, more particularly,
as many as a hundred fine drawings, mostly as large as life, of the
best breeds of domestic animals. These drawings are chiefly given
by Professor Low, in his two works on the domesticated animals.
Professor Low has been so obliging as to give me on paper a number of facts respecting his professorship, and he has added some
remarks, which may be of use to Massachusetts should she establish
agricultural schools, and therefore I give the whole in his own words.
EDINBURGH, 19th August, 1850.
DEAR SIR,-I have not published any syllabus of my course of
lectures, but the arrangement of the more practical branches is the
same as in the last edition of my Elements of Practical Agriculture,
which work, indeed, was mainly designed as a text book for the course.
Another branch is added, of importance in this country, namely, the
management of landed property, comprehending the subject of the
buildings and other appendages of the farm, of leases, and generally
the relations between landlord and tenant.
The students consist chiefly of the sons of tenant farmers,-proprietors of land, or their sons,-agents having the charge of landed property,-and a mixed class frequently from other countries, who are desirous to obtain a knowledge of the system of agriculture, as it is
pursued in this country.
The younger students generally fill up the period of the session by
attending other classes in the university, or of private teachers, chiefly
chemistry and natural history, and several of them likewise attend the




1851.]                HOUSE-No. 13.                          27
course of lectures delivered in this city by Professor Dick, on veterinary surgery.
I have found by experience, that it is not necessary to have a farm
in connection with the Chair. All the essential points of practice being previously explained, the students are prepared to enter upon the
study of the subject in the fields. To this end, they usually board in
the house of some respectable farmer for such a period as suits their
convenience, not less, I recommend, than twelve months, so that they
may see the operations of an entire season. There are numerous respectable farmers, both in the south of Scotland and in the north of
England, who are in the habit of receiving pupils and instructing them
in the different branches of their profession. The usual charge is
~100 a year ($444), and an allowance, where the pupil keeps a horse,
of ~25 more ($111). In the United States a less artificial system of
management of land suffices than in this country, and I doubt if the
sending young men to study on the farms of the country itself would
have the same beneficial effects as in this.
The means of communication are now so easy, that I think it would
be worth the while of any American gentleman especially desirous of
studying agriculture in a good school, to settle himself in this country
for twelve months or more, under the tuition of a respectable and skilful practical agriculturist.
I believe it is quite indispensable that a teacher, whether by means
of academical lectures or otherwise, be himself thoroughly acquainted
with the practice of the farm. He will otherwise be unable to give
that kind of instruction to the students which will really be of use to
them on their farms. If, therefore, you establish agricultural professors in any of the American universities, I would recommend that the
intended professor be sent to this country, so that he may be rendered
thoroughly acquainted with the best practices of agriculture; and the
person chosen for this office should be lone previously sufficiently instructed in the different branches of physical science which have relation to agriculture. I think if this were done, you would have no
difficulty in getting professors for your universities who would attract
students to their lectures. You ask me if members of the university
attend the class. A few of my colleagues have done so, but generally,
persons only do so who have some connection as proprietors, tenant
farmers, or otherwise, with landed property.
I enclose a list of the paintings of animals in the museum, the subject of which is treated of in detail in my work on the domesticated
animals.
The management of landed property is of less interest in your




28             AGRICULTURAL SCHOOLS.                       [Jan.
country, but I beg you to accept of a copy of my work on this subject,
which I think will enable me to exhaust the subject of your inquiry.
I am, dear Sir,
Yours very faithfully,
DAVID Low.
A most important fruit of agricultural schools and professorships in
Scotland and Ireland has been the preparation of books on the subject.
In Ireland several have been published which are so well adapted to
aid in elementary instruction, that they have been a good deal used in
England. Professor Low has published several large and important
works on this subject, to some of which, allusion has been made above.
Such works cannot but produce important effects upon the progress of
agriculture; and the multiplication of schools and professorships of
this sort, cannot fail to increase the number of works calculated to
diffuse widely the true principles of husbandry.
Both in England and Scotland, and indeed in Ireland also, agricultural societies have been an important means of advancing practical
farming. Some intelligent gentlemen, whom I met abroad, were even
of opinion that these societies were all that is needed, and that schools
would be superfluous. But men do not so judge in respect to other
departments of knowledge. Societies have long been in active and
successful operation in the various physical sciences; but they are
not thought to render schools and colleges unnecessary. The societies
aid the schools, but the schools must train up men to be efficient members of the societies.
And here let me remark, that in my opinion, schools in addition to societies are most needed in countries whose agriculture is not in the best
state. England and Scotland can probably better dispense with schools
of this sort than such a country as ours, where so much remains to be
done to bring our farming up to the standard of those countries,-or
rather to a higher standard.
But my special object in alluding to societies in this connection, was
to call attention to the fine collections belonging to the Highland Agricultural Society, and deposited in Edinburgh. Here we find two
beautiful rooms and well lighted, one above the other, well filled with
the following collections:
1. Drawings of domestic animals.
2. Agricultural implements, (small models.)
3. A great variety of seeds.
4. Grasses and grains of full length, fastened to the wall.
5. Blocks of wood, used in the arts, planed and varnished.




1851.]                HOUSE —No. 131                         29
6. Specimens of rocks, soils and marls.
7. Specimens of insects injurious to vegetation.
8. A small green house.
These rooms certainly afford a fine model for an agricultural museum, and cannot but be very instructive to an intelligent farmer.
They are just such collections as are appropriate for an Agricultural
School.
CONTINENTAL EUROPE.
It is now more than half a century since Agricultural Schools were
first established on the continent of Europe. The two earliest, started
in 1799, were those at Hofwyl, in Switzerland, and at Krumau, in
Bohemia. The former no longer exists, but the latter is still in operation. From that time to the present, individuals and societies have
put such institutions irnto operation in various countries. Within a few
years, however, there has been an extraordinary movement among the
governments on this subject, and such schools have been rapidly multiplied. I have visited a few of them, but derive a large part of my
facts concerning them from an able report on this subject, by the
French minister of agriculture and commerce, published during the
present year. The great resemblance between these schools, in their
general character, will enable me to be comparatively brief in my
descriptions.
FRANCE.
" The institutions of society, like the laws," says the French minister, " which satisfy the real wants of the public, do not spring up spontaneously. Their history shows us that they are always called for beforehand by the public will, preceded by isolated efforts and partial
attempts, up to the auspicious moment when the legislator, constrained
by the general sentiment, and enlightened by the experiments already
made, finds, so to speak, the basis and the materials all ready for the
new edifice, called for by the new wants of the pountry."
The earliest effort in France, and indeed in Europe, so far as I can
learn, to establish an agricultural school, was made by M. L'Abbe
Rosier, in 1775. He called it " a Plan for a National School of Agriculture in the Park of Chambord;" a place built as a retreat for the
court in time of danger, by Francis I, at great expense. It was afterwards presented to Marshal Saxe. It had fallen into neglect, and Rosier's plan was to establish a school there for teachers, as well as practical agriculturists; not very different, indeed, from the plans now extensively adopted in France. Rosier first proposed it to the French




30               AGRICULTURAL SCHOOLS.                              [Jan.
minister, Turgot, in 1775, who received the plan with favor, but was
driven from his place before he could carry it into execution. In 1789
it was offered to the National Assembly, but received coldly, and when,
in 1791, Rosier tried to recover his manuscript from the national archives, it was found that it had disappeared. It was at last found to
have been carried into Spain, from whence it was recovered. Meanwhile
Rosier was killed in the seige of Lyons. Yet his patron, Le Comte
de Neufchateau, developed his plan, and subsequently tried to interest
Bonaparte in it. But he, finding that Chambord was originally a military post, chose to reserve it for that purpose, so that France lost the honor of being the first European nation to establish an agricultural school.
It is not improbable, however, that this plan of Rosier might first
have suggested to Fellenberg of Switzerland, the idea of the Hofwyl
school, which was established in 1799, but has lately been discontinued.
There was one feature of this plan of Rosier's, which should
perhaps be mentioned, since it might be useful at this day, and
indeed it has been adopted in some of the English schools, at least.
To each pupil was assigned a small plot of ground, with all the instruments necessary to its cultivation, and he was to cultivate it according
to the methods adopted in the region from whence he came; receiving
himself the income.*
We now proceed to mention some of the earliest instances in France
in which agricultural schools were actually established, although some
of them were at length discontinued for want of funds.
As early as 1818, M. de Domsbasle rented an estate at Roville, of
375 acres, at $2,000, to make it a model farm, and a place of education. He was obliged to resort to a subscription of 45,000 francs, to
put the establishment into operation, which was done in 1822. And
for six years it flourished, and did much to awaken in France a taste
for agricultural studies, and a reform in the defective modes of culture
that prevailed. The results were published in a periodical, entitled the
Annals of Roville, which diffused, far and wide, more enlightened views
of agriculture than had prevailed. M. de Domsbasle, however, found
that his funds were insufficient to sustain the establishment in a
* I cannot understand why the French minister, in his able report on Agricultural Schools,
wherein he describes many other pioneers in this work in France, (as we shall shortly see,)
should pass Rosier in silence; a man who presented a sagacious, and for the most part, a judicious plan, for such schools, almost a half century earlier than any whom he does describe.
Neither do I understand it, that while he speaks in the highest terms of the agriculture of
Great Britain, he should mention as existing there, only one agricultural school, —that at
Cirencester, —whereas, at the time he wrote, not less than seventy such schools existed there,
as the tabular view, annexed to this report, will show. The facts respecting the Abbe Rosier, I have derived from Portlock's Report on the Geology of Londonderry, &c., p. 711.




1851.]                HOUSE-No. 13.                         31
healthy state. The revolutions in France, also, brought on new embarrassments, and he resorted to the government, which at last gave
partial aid, but not enough to give permanency to the school; and
after a twenty years' struggle, finding his own constitution, and that of
his wife broken down, he abandoned the enterprise in 1842. The
example, however, doubtless did good, and led to the establishment of
other schools, on a securer foundation.
The Royal Agronomic Institution of Grignon was started in 1827,
through the impulse given by the Roville school. This place is about
twenty-five miles southwest of Paris, and twelve miles from Versailles.
Favored above Roville in soil, capital, and patronage, it has had a
more fortunate progress, and never was in a more prosperous condition
than when I lately visited it. With a farm of 1250 acres, and receiving yearly from the government about $12,000, it seems to be doing
much for the agriculture of France. But I will delay a little a full
description of this school upon its present organization, in order to
speak of some others, started by individual enterprise, though aided by
the government.
The Institute of Coetbo was one of these. Its objects were to enable agriculture in France to attain the degree of perfection it had
reached in Great Britain, in Flanders, and in Switzerland; to collect
together from all the departments of France, pupils, who might return,
amply prepared to teach a better system of agriculture; to raise up a
corps of agricultural engineers, prepared for any important enterprise
in this department; and finally, to furnish a wide field for experiments on the amelioration of farms, such as individuals could not undertake.
The course of instruction for these objects was full, perhaps too full
for a beginning, and without very large governmental patronage. For
ere long the institution became so much embarrassed in its pecuniary
concerns, that it was given up; not, however, till it had produced a
good impression on the public mind, and made it more and more manifest that such institutions were needed by the country, and that it only
required a more liberal patronage from the state to give it permanence
and extensive utility.
When the Roville school was given up, one of the pupils went into
Brittany, and took an estate of 1250 acres of very barren land, twothirds of it being covered with heath, and by applying the scientific
principles learnt at Roville, he reclaimed the soil to such an extent as
to excite public attention, and lead at length, in 1833, to the establishment of the school of Grand Jouan, which still exists, though like that
at Grignon, its organization is somewhat changed, as will be explained




32             AGRICULTURAL SCHOOLS.                       [Jan.
in the sequel. The success of this school, in such an unpromising
spot, is one of the most striking examples of the importance of such
institutions.
In the southern part of France, another interesting experiment has
been performed by another individual, M. Neviere, who caught his
spirit from the Roville school. Between the Rhone and the Saone,
not far from Lyons, there exists a region, of sixty-seven square leagues,
which scarcely sufficed to sustain a scattered and miserable population,
the mean length of whose lives did not exceed twenty-five years.
The soil and climate are, indeed, naturally good; but it is periodically
inundated by 1600 or 1800 marshes and ponds, which bring pestilence with the overflow. M. Neviere purchased 1600 acres, and in
two years succeeded in draining all the ponds, and introducing successful cultivation, with the most marked benefit as to health. Before
the drainage was finished, the per centage of his domestics, sick with
fevers, was as high as twenty, from June 15 to October 15. After the
drainage, the proportion fell successively to six, five, three, and finally
to one-half per cent.
The school established in this region by M. Neviere, was at Saulsie,
where was a model farm. Its objects were special; adapted to the region where it was placed. These objects were to show how operations
could be conducted on a large scale, such as the raising of forage for
cattle, and of the cereal grains. He probably laid his plans too large,
at least for the limited aid he received from the government, and for
a time the institution became almost extinct. But in 1848 the government remodelled it, and it has since been in successful operation, on
a plan to be shortly explained.
The four institutions which I have now noticed, were intended to
teach the higher principles of agriculture to proprietors of farms, to
large farmers, and to managers of farms; in a word, to prepare the
officers of the agricultural army. But the sub-officers, and rank and'
file, were not forgotten; that is, the small cultivators, the master servants, and servants of the farm. To some of the larger institutions
were attached schools for the sons of the peasants, and for orphans,
as it is now at Grand Jouan, but in no other school. Separate establishments were also got up, under various forms; such as farm
schools, rural asylums, agricultural colonies, penitentiaries, model
farms, farm schools, and schools of agriculture. Their object was to
teach the elements of agriculture and show the pupils how to labor in
the most judicious manner. The government favored these projects
of individuals and charitable associations. But the unavoidable difficulties attending every new enterprise pressed so heavily upon them,




1851.]                HOUSE-No. 13.                           33
that all of them might have failed had not the government come more
efficiently to their aid. The expenses of instruction were supplied
from the national treasury, and the owner of the farm did the best he
could with the farm. Not less than nine of these schools were thus
continued in operation till 1847, when many new ones were begun, so
that they amounted to twenty-five at the close of that year. About
that time the government took new and important measures in relation
to agricultural education, whereby the number of the schools of all
grades has been very much increased, and the whole system placed on
a more substantial footing.
This brief history seems to me important, chiefly because it records
the failure of a number of agricultural schools, a point to be carefully
looked at by those who are deliberating whether to attempt establishing
similar institutions in other countries. The French minister makes
some remarks on this subject worthy of a translation.
" When we turn our attention," says he, " to this first phase of agricultural instruction in France, it is trying to see the greater part of
those establishments, which endeavored to rise, yield to the difficulties
that met them at the outset. But reflection shows us that in this respect agriculture meets the fate of all human institutions, which arise
in new conditions, and must pass through the changes of progress.
The first who engage in them exhaust themselves in opening a path,
so that those who follow may find it cleared, and may there gather the
fruit of the sweat and labor of those who have gone before them.
Rarely does he who opens the path arrive at the end of it, so that the
history of discoveries, of ameliorations, and of advancement, is only
the recital of the trials and the ruin of those to whom humanity is most
indebted."
" But whatever may have been the want of success of the first agricultural establishments, they have notwithstanding contributed no less
to the improvement of agriculture, and to the movement, which, at
the present day, has advanced it in its progress. Their reverses ought
not to make us forget their services; for these reverses are the source
from whence profitable lessons may be derived. From having seen
their struggles with difficulties, the administration (of government)
have been led to see in what their organization was defective, and to
take advantage of their trials."
" It is one of these advantages to the farm schools and the institutes,
that they have thus learnt the dangers and abuses to which such institutions are liable."
"From hence, solicitude has been awakened as to the danger of
5




34              AGRICULTURAL SCHOOLS.                            [Jan.
destroying, in the pupils of the farm schools, the austere and simple
habits of life formed at home, and as to the precautions necessary to
meet this danger, and to restrain within wise limits their course of instruction."
" From hence, too, we have learnt the difficulty of collecting in some
localities a sufficient number of pupils for farm schools."
" From hence, also, light has been thrown upon the institutes,
(higher schools of agriculture.) We have seen from the first that the
farms of those first establishments did not belong to the state; that we
were obliged to take for a director the owner of the farm, not always
the best man. Hence, in some cases, the teaching was not sufficiently
experimental, because the interest of the proprietor did not allow of the
expense necessary for successful studies and experiments in agriculture. Still further, the state, after having been at much expense,
were liable to be disappointed by the sickness or reverses of fortune of
the proprietor."
" Enlightened by all this experience, the administration were able,.to offer such a project for a law concerning agricultural instruction, as
would obviate the embarrassments and dangers which had injured or
ruined some schools, &c."
The law above referred to, which forms the basis of the present
>organization for agricultural instruction in France, after having been
proposed by the minister, was thoroughly discussed by the National
Assembly, and finally adopted on the 3d of October, 1848. A translation of it will be the best means of understanding the character of
the agricultural schools in France, for all the old schools were remodeled to conform to this new decree.
Law voted by the National Assembly of France, Oct. 3d, 1848: The
vote stood 579 in favor, and 100 against the law: —
PRELIMINARY ARRANGEMENTS.
Article 1.  Professional instruction in agriculture constitutes three,degrees.
In the first degree are embraced the Farm  Schools, for giving elementary practical instruction.
The second degree embraces the Regional Schools,* (les ecoles
regionales) where the instruction is both theoretical and practical.
The third degree embraces a National Agronomic Institute, which
is a higher normal school of agriculture.
* I have thought it [etter to anglicise the French word here, than to translate it. Distr ict
school would be quite proper, but in Massachusetts it designates the primary schools in a
town, and would be so understood if applied here.




1851.]                 HOUSE-No. 13.                           35
Article 2. The professional instruction in agriculture is at the expense of the state in its different degrees.
SECTION 1. OrF THE FARM SCHOOLS.
Article 3. The farm school is a rural enterprise, conducted with
ability and profit, in which apprentices are chosen among the laborers,
and admitted without charge, execute all the labor, receiving at the
same time, as a remuneration for their labor, an agricultural instruction
essentially practical.
Article 4. In each of the departments of the republic, there shall
be established at first a farm school. This organization shall be successively extended to each arrondisement, (subdivision of a department.)
Article 5. The salaries and wages of the instructors (personnel
enseignant,) are paid by the state. The state also determines the price
of the board, which, joined to the labor of the pupils, is allowed to
the director to indemnify him for the cost of food and other expenses,
occasioned by the admission of the apprentices.
Article 6. Each year the treasury distributes prizes to the farm
schools. They are divided every year to all the children according to
their merit, under the name of pecule, (stock of money,) but they are
not paid over till the termination of the apprenticeship.
SECTION 2. OF THE REGIONAL SCHOOLS, (les e'coles regionales).
Article 7. France shall be divided into agricultural districts, (regions culturales.)
In each district there shall be a regional school.
The Regional School of Agriculture is an enterprise for making experiments, and, at the same time, a model for the region to which it
appertains.
Article 8. The pupils received into the regional schools are either
those having scholarships, or those who pay for their ~board.
Article 9. The scholarships established in the regional schools are
given, after consultation, one-half to the pupils of the farm schools of
each agricultural district, and the other half to those persons who pre.
sent themselves as competitors.
Article 10. The better pupils of the regional schools, who do not
enter immediately into the national agronomic institute, may be placed at
the expense of the state as licentiates, near the farm schools, and other
agricultural establishments, public and private.
The duration of this residence is two years.
The licentiate assists the director in his labors, becomes acquainted




36             AGRICULTURAL SCHOOLS.                       [Jan.
with the practical part of the administration, and completes his agricultural education as chef d'exploitation, (chief of the farm enterprise.)
Article 11. The regional schools are also experimental farms.
The experiments and their results shall receive the greatest publicity.
SECTION 3. OF THE NATIONAL AGRONOMIC INSTITUTE.
Article 12. The National Agronomic Institute shall be established
on the national estate at Versailles.
Article 13. The course of instruction of the national agronomic
institute, shall be gratuitous and public.
Nevertheless, the state sustains there forty scholars.
Each year ten scholarships are given, upon consultation, to graduates
of the regional schools; ten others are reserved for all the competitors
who present themselves.
Article 14. Each year the three first scholars of the institute receive a supplementary mission of studies.
This mission extends to three years; it is open for Frenchmen and
for foreigners.
Article 15. The national agronomic school takes also the experimental character bestowed upon the regional schools.
The experiments shall be made public, as directed in article 11.
SECTION 4. GENERAL ARRANGEDUENTS.
Article 16. The functions of a professor in the regional schools, and
the national agronomic institute, shall be given in council.
Article 17. The schools and the national institute shall be managed solely on account of the state.
Article 18. (Relates to local matters and need not be given.)
Article 19. Each year an account shall be rendered to the national
assembly of the manner in which this law is executed.
Article 20. This law shall be executed by the statutes of the public
administration and by the decrees of the minister of agriculture.
Six months after the adoption of this law, the national assembly, after
a good deal of discussion, voted the sum of 2,500,000 francs ($460,000,) to carry its articles into execution for the year 1849. This was
the sum recommended by the minister in his budget.
It remains that I should give a more detailed account of the three
classes of agricultural schools which have thus been established in
France, and to describe at least one example of each class.




1851.]                HOUSE-No. 13.'37
Farm Schools.
I have already defined these schools to be a rural enterprise, conducted with ability and profit, and in which the pupils perform all the
labor, receiving at the same time, as a remuneration, instruction in agriculture, essentially practical.
They are established for two objects: first, to furnish good examples
of tillage to the farmers of the district. Secondly, to form agriculturists capable of cultivating intelligently, either upon their own prop.
erty, or that of others, as farmers, leaseholders, or managers, or to
become good rural assistants, servants upon the farm, leaders of manual labor, or overseers of cattle and horses.
It is the intention of government to establish at least one of these
schools in each of the eighty-six departments of France; but as yet
only seventy have been put into operation. They are placed as near
as may be to the centre of the department, and in a spot where the
soil, situation, &c., are similar to the general condition of the region.
They have annexed to them, nurseries, and collections of fruit trees, and
gardens. The buildings for the accommodation of the school are constructed in a plain and substantial manner, and so as to conform as much
as possible to the general character of buildings in the district. The
director is chosen of preference from among the farmers or proprietors
of the district, whose farms are conducted in the best manner.
The instruction is, as far as may be, practical, and given'even in
the field, where the pupils labor, in the stables, and the sheep-folds.
The officers and head men of the establishment, with their salaries,
are the following:
A director, having the general oversight. Salary 2,400 francs,
($442.)
A chef de pratique, chief of the practical operations of all sorts on
the farm, 1000 francs, ($184.)
An overseer of accounts, who teaches the mode of keeping farm
accounts, considered in Europe as a most important part of agricultural
education. Salary, 1000 francs, ($184.)
A nursery gardener: salary, 1000 francs.
A veterinary surgeon: salary, 500f, ($92.)
Some other leaders, according to the locality, &c., such as shepherds,
cheesemongers, irrigators, silk growers, &c.
The school is open to young men, particularly those from country
families, whose age is at least sixteen, who have received an education
in the primary school, and who have a good constitution. The num*




38             AGRICULTURAL SCHOOLS.                       [Jan.
ber admitted varies with the extent of the country. If less than
twenty-four apply, it is thought not best to continue the school. The
actual number attending the schools varies from twenty-four to thirtytwo.
The pupils all labor as workmen receiving wages. Three in each
school are confined to the gardens and nurseries, so as to become gardeners. The number should be great enough to carry on all the operations of the farm, which is considered an essential feature of this
sort of school. Board and instruction they receive gratuitously in
return.
The course extends through three years. The first year, they attend to simple manual labor; the second year, they have charge of
the animals; the third year, they have the oversight of various operations.
Provision is made for religious instruction, adapted, as in Ireland, to
the peculiar religious'condition of the country.
The hours appropriated to study are devoted, 1. To the arrangement
of the notes the pupils have taken during the instruction from the different leaders; 2. to reading a manual, or book, of elementary agriculture; 3. to lessons given by the overseer of accounts, on the elements
of arithmetic, book-keeping, surveying, &c. The time devoted to
study is less in summer than in winter.
Besides paying the board of the pupils, the government allows to
each one, as an encouragement, the sum of $14 yearly. One part of
this is intended to cover the expense of the maintenance of the wardrobe (?) [du trosseau.] The other part forms a fund, to be distributed
among the pupils each year, in proportion to their zeal and good conduct. These prizes are awarded, but not paid over, till the end of three
years. He who quits the school, or is dismissed before that time, loses
these prizes.
Another prize of 400 francs is awarded to the pupil most deserving,
at the end of the three years' course.
The director works the farm at his own risk. He is obliged so to
conduct it as to afford the best means of instruction to the pupils, to
submit his books and accounts at any time to the examination of government, to send annually to the minister a full account of the
state of the school, and to publish a full account each year of his operations, his success, or his failure. Moreover, if the farm be not conducted so as to afford a net produce comparatively equal to that furnished
by other farms in the same region, the patronage of the government is
withdrawn.




1851.]                 HOUSE-No. 13.                           39
Instead of going into the details, as I might do, of the state of each
of these schools, I have thrown together, in the table attached to this
report, all the facts respecting them within my knowledge, which I
judge important to the purpose of the committee.
Regional Schools.
I have already given a history of several -of these schools of the
second grade, but in their present organization they deserve a fuller
description.
They have three objects in view:
1. To form enlightened agriculturists, by teaching them the principles of agriculture.
2. To offer an example, or model, of practical agriculture of a high
order, and advancing.
3. To make experiments for improving the cultivation of the soil.
The instruction in these schools is of a much higher order than in
the farm schools, and is adapted not to prepare laborers on the farm, so
much as men to direct agricultural affairs. The farm connected with the
school is expected to present an enlightened system of culture, and to
adapt that culture to the wants and peculiarities of the district in which it
is situated. The director, also, is no longer a farmer, or proprietor,
laboring at his own risk, but an agent employed by the government,
and accountable to them, and subject to their direction.
The instruction is both theoretical and practical, embracing the following six professorships:
One professor of rural economy and legislation.
One of agriculture.
One of zootechny, or the economy of animals.
One of sylviculture, (cultivation of forest trees,) and of botany.
One of chemistry, physics and geology, applied to agriculture.
One of rural engineering, (irrigations, rural constructions, surveying,
&c.)
It may be well to add a brief explanation of the nature of the above
professorships.
The course on rural economy and legislation describes the relation
between rural productions and the public revenue, as well as the different branches of industry. It shows what circumstances are favorable
or unfavorable to such or such a system of cultivation, or to such or
such a speculation in animals, or vegetables, according to the situation of
the lands, the facility of communication, and demand for the products
by the people of the surrounding country. The course embraces also
rural legislation.




40            AGRICULTURAL SCHOOLS.                        [Jan.
The course on agriculture embraces the study of the soil, of manures, of instruments of tillage, of different cultivated plants, an estimate of the different modes of culture, and the theory of the distribu
tion (rotation?) of crops.
Zootechny treats of the production and amelioration of animals.
The professor gives at first some ideas of anatomy and physiology
generally, and then treats, in a practical way, of the raising of domestic animals, of their support, of their amelioration, of their hygiene,
and their production.
The professor of sylviculture and botany gives first, a summary
sketch of vegetable physiology and botany applied to agriculture. He
teaches the subject of sylviculture (cultivation of woods,) and of forest
economy, with special reference to the training, working, and preservation of the forests of individuals and the communes.
The professor of chemistry, physics, geology, &c., has a wide field,
as his titles show. His chief object is to take those views of the sciences named which bear directly upon agriculture.
The professorship of rural engineering embraces geometry, mechanics, and linear drawing, as applied to rural architecture, to the
construction of agricultural instruments, and particularly to irrigations.
To second the lessons of the professors, an equal number of tutors
are appointed. Their duties are to explain in private, to the pupils,
whatever is obscure or difficult in the oral instruction. They also see
that notes are taken of the lectures, &c.
Each school has its library, its philosophical and chemical cabinet,
adapted especially to agriculture, its agronomic museum of geology,
zoology, botany, and agricultural technology.
The pupils have an opportunity of witnessing on the farms connected with these schools, all the important agricultural operations, also
specimens of the best breeds of animals, and the mode of taking care
of them, and using them; and they engage personally in all the important operations connected with husbandry, so as to know how to
conduct them in after life.
The number of scholars admitted is fixed by the government, and
varies at the different schools. The price of board is 750 francs,
($138.)
The state furnishes several scholarships to each school. Half of
them is given to the most deserving of the pupils from the farm
schools, placed at the regional schools. The other half is divided
among the scholars who'are the most distinguished, after six months'
trial, for their labor and conduct. Scholarships from the national ag



1851.]                HOUSE-No. 13.                          41
ronomic institute, are also given to those most successful in study and
conduct.
Towards the close of the third year, examinations are held, and to
those who sustain them, diplomas are given, and the way is laid open
for their admittance to the national institute.
To these schools a farm is always attached, for the purposes already
indicated. Also, a manufactory of agricultural instruments, a magnanery, (establishment for silk,) a feculary,* (place for preparing
liquid manures,) distillery, oil mill, dairy, sawmill, &c.
The head, men on the farm are essentially the same as those already
described as connected with the farm schools.
Regional School at Grignon.
As I visited this school, a few words more concerning it may be
proper. It lies about twenty-five miles southwest of Paris, and twelve
from Versailles, and may be reached by taking a railway to the latter
place, and a carriage from thence. The country passed over is very
fine, in an agricultural point of view, although I should not judge the
farm surrounding the school to be unusually well located. I was accompanied in my visit by Mr. Morey, of Massachusetts, who kindly
acted as my interpreter. We found M. Bella, the polite and intelligent
director, ready to answer all our inquiries, and to show us the estab.
lishment.
I have already stated that this school, commenced in 1827, had lately
been reorganized, according to the law of the national assembly of
October, 1848; yet its plan of instruction and general character remain
essentially the same. It is intended to educate young men, of good
families, to become directors and stewards of estates, or to manage
judiciously their own estates, and not to learn men to become themselves
laborers. The pupils are required, however, to take part in all the
operations of the farm, but not as a daily and irksome task. They
take turns in attending to the different operations; one week in labor-.
ing abroaf, the next in taking care of the cattle, &c., and during the
third year they are made sub-overseers of different processes. The
number of professors at present is six, and of course an equal number
of tutors, and other head men, for practical operations. About seven
of the. instructors reside on the ground; the rest are gentlemen from
abroad, some I believe, from Paris, who give courses of lectures. All
the expenses of instruction are paid' by the government, who, in fact,
have a full control of the school, and of the farm, consisting of about
* Thesq are merely anglicised words from Magainerie and Feculerie.
6




42             AGRICULTURAL SCHOOLS.                      [Jan.
1,200 acres. I noticed a few tolerably good collections in natural
history, —a manikin, and some skeletons of animals,-but the collections are not large. That in geology is the best; the surrounding
country, being situated in what is called the Paris basin, furnishes
many interesting specimens. But some of the professors bring specimens along with them to illustrate their lectures.
As we passed over the farm, and through the buildings, in the house,
and the barns, I observed that the pupils,-most of them at least twenty years of age, and some much more,-wore a neat frock, as did
also the director. Yet wherever they met him, whether in the field, or
the house, or the stables, there was great care on both sides to recognize one another by lifting the hat. The custom, indeed, seemed
more scrupulously observed among these farmers, than it is in the
colleges and academies of our country. And it seemed to me to
exert a fine influence, and to have a strong tendency to preserve gentlemanly manners, in circumstances where men are liable to become
clownish.
As we passed through the stables and noticed the fine cows, oxen,
horses, and hogs, I observed that the keepers addressed M. Bella in
German, and I believe some other language than the French, as it is
the custom to bring men from other countries, when they introduce
samples of animals from those countries, that they may be better taken
care of.
In going through a stable containing a number of fine cattle, I observed one young man with water and a broom, cleaning the legs of
an ox which had lain down in his leavings. The director whispered to
us that that young man was the son of a wealthy banker. Indeed, the
pupils all appeared as if they had not been accustomed to manual
labor. Formerly, pupils were admitted from the laboring classes to
attend the lectures, without residing in the institution, but they are now
excluded. They now pay 750 francs, or $138, for board, and receive
nothing for their labor.
This school was commenced by a society of gentlemen, to whom
the buildings and farm were ceded for forty years, by Charles X.
Until it passed lately into the hands of the government, it received
from the government $1,100 annually. Now it is mainly sustained by
the government, and the society have mostly relinquished the direction
of itsaffairs.
Upon the whole, though I regretted that the school is closed against
the poorer classes, I was much pleased with its appearance, and with
that of the farm. It cannot but exert a great influence upon the agriculture of the country. Already it has seirt out nearly six ltzndred




1851.]                    HOUSE —No. 13.                             43
pupils, and the present number is about eighty. For some time it
suffered from the prejudices of the community against agricultural
schools, and the patronage was limited. But of late the current of
public opinion has changed, so that now more pupils are offered than
are wanted, and the good effects of such an education are very manifest in the improved and improving condition of agriculture in the
country. Such effects cannot, indeed, be reduced to numbers, as
other causes conspire to produce them.  But M. Bella informed me,
that they were most manifest to one who had watched the progress of
events. Indeed, what reasonable man can doubt, that to send forth six
hundred young men, educated theoretically and practically in the true
principles and practice of husbandry, must exert a powerful influence on
the community?
Mr. Colman, in his Report on European Agriculture, has given a full
and detailed account of the arrangement and course of study, &c., at
Grignon, which, for the most part, corresponds to the system now
followed there. As his work is widely circulated, I shall not copy
those details, but instead thereof, I shall give as a specimen of the
instruction communicated at these schools, an abstract of the lectures
delivered by some of the professors at Grand Jouan. From the samples given, the committee can judge of the manner in which all the
departments of lecturing are conducted.
The subjects of study and lectures at this school are the following:Mathematical Sciences:-Arithmetic, Algebra, Geomety, Mechanics,
Surveying, Levelling, Stereometry, (measuring solid bodies,) Linear
Drawing.
Physical and Natural Sciences:-Physics, Meteorology, Mineral
Chemistry, Mineralogy, Geology, Botany.
Technological Sciences:-Organic Chemistry, or Agricultural Technology, Agriculture, Arboriculture, Sylviculture, Veterinary Art, Agricultural Zoology, Equitation.
Noological Sciences:* —Rural Architecture, Forest Economy, Rural or Farm Accounts, Rural Economy, Rural Law.
* The application of the sciences to agriculture has introduced in the continental languages
a new set of terms, to which we have sometimes none exactly parallel, and 1 have in some
cases, as in that of Noologiques, merely anglicised the word, whose meaning the classical
reader will at once understand. In this case, Noological is related to Psychological, but obviously different. In a few cases where I could not find the word in the lexicons, or found it
difficult to give the exact meaning, I have transferred the word without translation, and
italicised it.




44            AGRICULTURAL SCHOOLS.                      [Jan.
ABSTRACT OF THE COURSE OF LECTURES ON GENERAL AGRICULTURE.
Agricultural Formation, (Terrain,)-1. Soil: —Constituent Elements, Classification of the Formations: Argillaceous, Siliceous, and
peaty soils: Physical properties: Causes which modify these properties: Influence of soil on vegetation.
2. Sub Soil:-Sub soil active: sub soil inert: Influence of sub soil
on the soil and on the life of plants.
Agricultural Geography:-Astronomic situation of France: Mountains: Valleys, Plains, Rivers.
Agricultural Physics: —Atmospheric Air: Caloric: Light: Darkness.
Agricultural Meteorology:-Winds: Fogs: Dew: Rain: White
Frost: Frost withIce: Snow: Hail.
Climatology:-Influence of Climate: Climate of France: Regions.
Fertilization:-Considerations preliminary: Fecundity and Fertility.
1. Improvement: —Clay: Rocks: Sand: Slates: Lava-: Plombage:
Irrigations: Ditching: Ploughing: Movement of the sub soil: Colmatage.
2. Stimulants:-Stimulants of Mineral Origin: Lime: Marl: Calcareous earth: Broken shells: Sea sand: the Whiting: Shell fish:
Plaster: Fire Ashes: Sulphate of Iron: Salts of Potash: of Soda:
of Ammonia.
Stimulants of Vegetable Origin:-Soot: Ashes: Leached Ashes.
3. Manures: —Animal Manures: Excrements: Urine: Pigeons'
Dung: Guano: Excrement of Animals: Muscular Flesh: Blood:
Fish: Fat: Oil: Woollen cloth: Horn: Horse hair: Human hair:
Feathers.
Vegeto-Animal Manures:-Litter: Horse dung: of Sheep: of
horned Cattle: of Swine: of Rabbits.
Animal Manures Mineralized:-Animal charcoal: Bone.
Vegetable Manures:-Green crops ploughed in. Manure and Aquatic plants: Turf: poor Vegetables: Oil Cake: Tan: Mesh: Pulpy:matters: Leaves: Stubble.
Liquid Manures:-Urine of the Domestic Animals: Flemish Manures: Urine Water from Fecularies, (manufactories of feculant
matters?)
Compound Manures:-Manure of Jauffret and Lane: Compost:
Slime of Ponds: River Mud: Marine Mud.
Breaking up the Soil:-1. Work Animals: Cattle: Horses: Cows:
Mules: Asses: Race: Age: Mode of tackling: Length of working:
Treatment: Necessary proportion.




1851.]               HOUSE-No. 13.                         45
2. Instruments: —-Plough with or without fore wheels: Harrow:
Scarificators: Rollers: Instruments for second dressing: Weeders;
Extirpators: Necessary proportion.
3. Tillage:-Theory and Practice: Soil: Temperature: Flat Tillage: Flat Tillage in rows: Flat Tillage in ridges:(?) Tillage by
digging and by grubbing.
4. Methods of moving the earth: —Harrowing: Rolling: Second
Ploughing. Buttages.
5. Clearing Land: —Heaths: Woods: Peaty lands: Clearing by
the hand: by the Plough: Hoeing: Destination of the ground.
Draining: —Arable Land: Morasses: Ponds: Nature and destination of the soil.
Irrigation:-Theory and Practice: by Infiltration: Renewal of the
Water: (?) Planches Bombees.
Quantity of water by the acre, and according to the nature of the
soil. Value of the bottoms irrigated and not irrigated. Mode of
working those almost irrigated. Fertility and value of the products.
Fences: —Walls: Ditches: Hedges, living or dead.
Sowing: —Theory and practice: Sowing in lines: at random: selection, renewal, cleansing, and preparation of the seeds: Burying
them by the harrow: by the plough.
Method of Treatment:-Weeding: Cleaning of thistles: stripping
off the leaves: Efuillage: Bringing into the light.
Harvesting. General Considerations.
1. Harvesting of Fodder:-Instruments and Machines: Mowing:
Hay making: Grindstones.
2. Harvesting of Grain:-Instruments and Machines: Mowing,
Reaping: Threshing: Liage.
3. Harvesting of Roots:-Pulling up by the hand: by the plough:
Uncovering: Cleaning.
Selection of the methods of preparing the Soils:-According to atmospheric circumstances: Nature of the Soil: its condition: its destination.
Distribution of Labor by Rotation: (?)-Normal conditions: Exceptional conditions.
Rural Architecture.
Materials:-Siliceous, calcareous and argillaceous rocks: Pat,
meagre, and hydraulic Lime: Sands: Mortar: Cements: Puzzolana:
Plaster: Wood: Iron: Paving Brick: Roofing Slate: Tiles: Lead:
Zinc: Leather: Ropes.
Works:-Foundations: Terracing: Properties of EIarths.




46             AGRICULTURAL SCHOOLS.                      [Jan.
Masonry:-'Foundation Walls: High Walls: for support: for enclosure: Plastering: Pise.
Carpentry:-Assemblages: Combles: Pans de bois: Partitions:
Staircases.
Joiners' Work:-Floors: Gates: Windows: Shutters.
Iron Work:-Large Iron: Ironing the Buildings.
Roofing:-Tiles: Slate: Thatch: Zinc: Bitumen.
Painting and Glazing:-Oil Painting: Distemper Paintings: Badidgeon, (coloring) Window glass.
Paving and Bricking.
Estimate of the Works:-Masonry: Carpentry.
Specification:-Form of the works.
Edifices:-Stable: Cow house: Sheep fold: Hog pen: Hen house:
Pigeon house: Silk worm nursery.
Animal products: —Dairy: Cheese house.
Vegetable products: —Barns: Granaries: Wine cellars: Cellars:
Corn pits: Ovens.
Agricultural Manufactures:-Feculary: Distillery: Sugar manufactory.
Reservoirs:-Watering places: Wash house: Wells: Cisterns:
Ditches for urine: Ponds.
Dwelling house:-Form and Proportion.
Irrigations: —Dams: Taking out the Water: Sluices: Canals:
Weirs: Slopes.
Drainage:-Damming up: Trenching: Cesspool: Machines for
drainage.
Routs:-Soil: Slope: Outline: Levelling: Materials: Support:
Bridges: Estimate of Excavation and Embankment.
Group of Edifices composing a Farming Establishment:-Relation
to the fertility of the soil and the culture and extent of the farm.
National Agronomic Institute.
The general character of this institution has already been given, in
the law of the 3d of October, 1848. By that law, it is located at Versailles. Three farms, a garden, and a forest, embracing about 3,452
acres, and a portion of the public buildings, have been devoted to it.
This is one of the most signal triumphs of republicanism in France,
that so large a portion of that magnificent seat of royalty, should be
devoted to an agricultural institution. It is not yet, indeed, got into full
operation, but the administration is in full possession of the buildings
in which it is to be placed. A collection of the skeletons of mam



1851.]                 HOUSE —No. 13.                          47
miferous animals, and of parasitic insects, with colored figures, a series
of photographic plates of animals for the farm, &c., are already on
the ground, and wait only for the fitting up of the halls for their reception, as does also a library. Some of the professors and other
officers have been appointed, and the school will soon be in operation;
perhaps it is before this time.
I cannot perceive that this Institute differs much in its organization
from that of the regional schools, except that it is on a more extended
scale, and the course of study more elevated. It presents itself in a
three fold aspect:
First, as having a Faculty of the agronomic sciences.
Secondly, as a superior normal school for agriculture.
Thirdly, as a higher institute for agricultural education, open to the
administrators and proprietors who have turned their attention to agriculture.
To meet the wants of this latter class especially, a large farm is
connected with the school. Here will be performed, at the expense of
the state, all the experiments necessary to the progress of agronomic
science, and to verify practically all the innovations and improvements
proposed by others, before they are recommended to the public. This
is an object of great importance, and should enter into any plan for a
school in the United States.
The theoretical and practical parts of this institute are really distinct,
but they are placed under the general government of one director.
The professorships are nine, as follows:
One chair of rural economy and legislation.
One of agriculture.
One of zootechny, or the economy of animals.
One of sylviculture.
One of rural engineering, embracing levelling, irrigation, construction of roads, rural architecture, and mechanics applied to agricultural
instruments.
The above professorships belong to practical agriculture. The others
belong to the theory of the subject.
One of terrestrial physics and meteorology.
One of chemistry applied to agriculture.
One of botany, and vegetable physiology.
One of applied zoology.
Here, as in the lower schools, a number of tutors is appointed equal
to the number of professors.
In addition to the director, professors, and tutors, the following officers will be appointed:




48             AGRICULTURAL SCHOOLS.                      [Jan.
A prefect of studies.
A curator of the collections.
A librarian.
An overseer of studies.
To these will be added a corps of head men to oversee and manage
the affairs of the farm. These will in part be called from the farm
schools. For example, the institute will need twenty-one herdsmen,
twenty-one grooms, twenty-one shepherds, and fifteen gardeners.
The French minister adds, " The end of the institute at Versailles is
not merely to afford agricultural instruction, but to open the way for
studious men, who wish to direct their labors towards the application of
science to rural industry. This is the first attempt of the kind that has
been made. Industry has enriched the learned men who have explored
the domain of the physical sciences and of chemistry for this object.
But if agriculture has given reputation to any, it has not procured for
any one a position which would enable him to make that the centre of
his studies. Hence scientific teaching everywhere has become
i.dustrial, (?) because there only can it be repaid for its services.
The institute at Versailles is intended to change this state of things by
offering as a prize of laudable ambition, to those who direct their researches to agriculture, a certain number of chairs, before which an
immense field opens."
Much more might be added respecting this school, but I have probably given the most important facts.
SWITZERLAND.
I am not aware that any agricultural schools exist at this moment in
Switzerland, but one has been in operation there which has excited a
good deal of interest.
The Hofwyl School.
This institution, established by M. Fellenberg in 1799, has been often
described, and has excited. deep interest in Europe and America. But
it has some time since ceased its operations, at least in almost all departments. I visited the place, however,. (nine miles from Berne, in a
beautiful country, and over a beautiful road;, not. to see the agricultural
school, but to learn why it had, been discoatinued; a point, I. thought,
of much importance to those who are deliberting. wlether to establish
Qa,. 1 fund. a fine farm and extensive: buildings, large enough fbr a
university; and I could easily see how it wa, that after the death of
VFllenbexg, the father, in 184, hi: two. sonst found their task so severe
that they could not sustain it. The intelligent gentleman. wh, showed




1851.]                HOUSE-No. 13.                          49
me over the establishment, (connected, I believe, with the family of
Fellenberg, but his name I have forgotten,) told me that the school
was given up, not for want of patronage, for that was abundant, but
because the sons of Fellenberg lost their health, through too severe
labor. From filial piety they even held on longer than prudence allowed. The fact is, the establishment in all its parts was little short
of a university, with agriculture as its basis. It comprehended the following departments:
1. A farm, intended as a model.
2. An experimental farm.
3. A manufactory of agricultural instruments.
4. A workshop, employed in the improvement of agricultural
mechanism.
5. A school of industry for the poor.
6. A seminary for children of the higher class.
7. An academy of theoretical and practical agriculture.
8. A school for the instruction of masters.
It was an attempt to bring together the sons of princes and nobles,
along with those of the peasantry and orphans. The school of the
former was very expensive, and intended to furnish the means of sustaining the latter almost gratuitously. To the former were attached
not less than thirty professors, after Fellenberg, at the suggestion of the
Emperor of Russia, had so enlarged it as to accommodate one hundred
pupils; and to these were added masters in music, drawing, and all
other branches of a refined and liberal education. How could such a
vast system be sustained by one man, or even two, upon a farm in the
interior of Switzerland? especially when it kept up the distinctions
between the rich and the poor so fully, as to excite the warm approbation of the autocrat of all the Russias. I doubt not that when Fellenberg yielded his own judgment to such an adviser, and greatly
enlarged the aristocratic branch of his school, he struck a death blow
to its permanence. He was doubtless actuated by benevolent motives,
and his school has done good, by exciting public attention to the
system which he endeavored in vain practically to realize. But he
attempted to reconcile and hold together by a principle of love, what
can be sustained only by the bayonet, viz., hereditary distinctions of
caste and enlightened poverty. Education and religion do indeed
create distinctions among men, but they are founded upon merit and
virtue, not upon the accidental and unimportant circumstances of birth
and pedigree. The former are essential to the existence of society,
but the latter will be less and less regarded, as education and true religion take the place of soldiers and church establishments.
7




50             AGRICULTURAL SCHOOLS.                        [Jan.
The farm at Hofwyl appears to be a good one, and there are some
students there still, who receive.some instruction, and labor on the
land; there is also a small orphan school. The collections in natural
history are not large; they have numerous -agricultural instruments,
and a manufactory of the same, though on a small scale at present.
After seeing the remains of this establishment, I rather wondered
that it had not stopped sooner. While it continued, I was told that
the farmers of the surrounding country took much interest in it. Its
failure does not seem to me to furnish a ground of discouragement to
others who would establish agricultural schools, especially, in a country
where the sons of the rich do not think themselves degraded by forming
a part of the same school with those of the poor who have equal talents;
and of this character to a great extent are all the schools of our country.
ITALY.
The precise state of agricultural education in Italy it is difficult to
ascertain, since political changes affect it. But in 1842, a school of
the superior class was established in connection with the university of
Pisa, called an agronomic and pastoral institution; the term pastoral,
embracing the entire management of animals. It is placed at the
gates of the city, where there is a garden, a veterinary establishment,
and a shop for the construction of agricultural implements. One professor is attached exclusively to the institute; the others belong to the
university, and lecture in the institute. The first year the instruction
embraces geometry, algebra, general physics, and botany; the second
year, descriptive geometry, surveying, chemistry, and agronomy; the
third year, geology, applied physics, rural architecture, agronomy, and
the care of animals, (la pastorale.) Some of the lectures are given at
the university, and some at the institute. Students aid in the practical
labors of the establishment a certain number of hours during the
second and third years. They are examined each year upon the
ground gone over, and if accepted, receive, at the end of the third
year, a license for the agricultural sciences. Students are admitted,
also, for a term of three months, or more, who do not finish the regular
course.
Another school of inferior grade did exist at Meleto, founded in
1834, but I have no information concerning it.
BELGIUM.
It is only during the past year that the government of Belgium have
established agricultural schools. Nine of these are now in operation,
of which three are intermediary, two inferior, one special, and three




1851.]                HOUSE-No. 13.                          51
are connected with the communal colleges,-a sort of gymnasium.
The course of instruction occupies three years, and in the intermediary
schools embraces geometry, surveying, levelling, drawing, mechanics,
physics, mineralogy, geology, botany, chemistry, agricultural technology, horticulture, the economy of forests, agricultural zoology, the
veterinary art, hygiene, rural law, rural architecture, and agriculture.
In the inferior schools it embraces elementary mathematics, surveying,
levelling, drawing of plans, elements of the phyical and natural sciences,
and agricultural book keeping.
A committee, appointed by the government of the state, visits the
schools at least once every three months. The students are of two.
classes; those paying board, and those supported by the state.
The officers of these schools, (le personnel,) are a director, from
two to five professors, an instructor in gardening, an overseer of the
practical operations, and as many workmen as are necessary.
Four of the schools are independent; the rest are connected with other
institutions; three with communal colleges, and two with industrial
schools. The number of scholarships and the amount of tuition, may
be seen on the annexed schedule, with a few other facts.
PRUSSIA.
The agricultural schools of Prussia present us with all the varieties
that have been enumerated, viz.: the superior, intermediary, inferior,
special, and connected with the universities.
The superior schools, called Royal Institutes or Academies of Agriculture, are three in number, at Moeglin, Eldena, and Poppelsdorf.
That at Moeglen was established forty-four years ago, upon a farm
of 2,480 acres. It admits only twenty pupils, to board with the director, at $240 per annum, yet it has sent out 511, who have finished
a four years' course. Besides these, the school admits pupils temporarily at $7 per week.
The instruction embraces agriculture, rural economy, the raising of
cattle, the mathematical, physical, chemical, and natural sciences,
applied to agriculture, rural industry, and the veterinary art. It also
gives more special instruction in farm accounts, in the raising of animals with fine wool, the irrigation of meadows, and the cultivation of
potatoes on a large scale.
The institution at Eldena in Pomerania, is situated on an estate belonging to the university of Greisswalde, which is near. It has been in
operation about twenty years; and of its eighty pupils, about seventy
are intending to devote themselves to agriculture, and ten to the higher
departments of the government, where they will need a knowledge of




52            AGRICULTURAL SCHOOLS.                       [Jan.
agriculture. The course is two years, and the cost of instruction, not
including board, is about $90. The age of those admitted must be at
least seventeen years, and they must produce testimonials of good conduct, and of having pursued classical studies.
The nine professors at Eldena give ten courses of lectures on the
following subjects: —1. Political Economy:-Finances: Rural Police: Constitutional Law in Prussia: Governmental organization: Politico-economic discussions. 2. History and Statistics of Agriculture:
— Agriculture in general: Agriculture special: Cultivation of meadows: Zootechny in general: Raising of sheep: Raising of horned
animals: Rural economy: Systems of culture: Valuation of rural
estates: Agricultural book-keeping, theoretic and practical. 3. Sylviculture in general, (culture of groves.) 4. Horticulture:-Culture of
garden vegetables: Culture of fruit trees: Arboriculture, (culture of
trees and shrubs for timber, &c.) 5. Raising of Horses: —Anatomy
and physiology of domestic animals: Veterinary medicine: Hygiene.
6. Chemistry:-Experimental and Agricultural, organic and inorganic
chemistry, (exercises in the laboratory,) Physics and Meteorology:
Technology with practical demonstration in the distillery: Brewery:
Tile kiln, and dairy: Excursion to the saline of Greisswalde: to the
beet sugar manufactory of Stralsund: Manufactory of instruments and
mills. 7. Anatomy, Physiology, and Geology of Plants:-Botany, general and applied to agriculture: Horticulture and sylviculture: Zoology, general and applied to agriculture: Excursions. 8. Arithmetic
and Mathematics:-Surveying: Levelling: General and applied me,
chanics. 9. Drawing: —Rural architecture: Practical valuation of
constructions. 10. Rural Law.
The Superior Institute at Regenwalde, in Pomerania also, is established on essentially the same plan as that at Eldena. It has four professors, who give eleven courses of lectures, and the pupils pay about.$221 per annum.
The institute at Popplesdorf, near Bonn, and connected with its university, is modelled on a similar plan. But as I had an opportunity to,examine it, I will add a few words respecting its character.
Popplesdorf is only a mile and a half from Bonn, through a most'beautiful shaded walk. The splendid collections in natural history,
belonging to the university, are at Popplesdorf, occupying the rooms of
an ancient palace. Close by, is the model farm of the agricultural institute. There are two professors (Drs. Schweitzer and Hartstein,)
connected directly with the institute. They, however, have liberty, if
they can obtain classes, of lecturing in the university. The more sci.
entific lectures, however, are given by professors in the university, and




1851.]                 HOUSE-No. 13.                           53
the library and collections of the same are accessible to the agricultural students. I was indebted to Prof. Reisin of the university, for
introducing me to Dr. Hartstein, and for acting as interpreter between us.
The studies taught at this school by its nine professors, who give
ten courses, are so similar to those at Eldena, that I need not repeat
the list. In order to admission, the students must be entered on the
register of the university, in the faculty of philosophy, which, in Germany, embraces all that is not theology, law, or medicine. They
must also produce certificates of good conduct, and of having studied
the classics. A few students of the other faculties in the university
attend the agricultural lectures, but not many. The course is two
years; the annual expense, $210; the present number of pupils is
forty-seven, and the school has been four years in operation. Most of
the pupils are sons of wealthy farmers, and they become, after leaving,
farmers themselves, or directors of farms.
The farm consists of about seventy acres of good land. I saw on
it a great variety of crops, several of which were raised merely for
experiment. The cultivation appeared to be good, though hardly equal
to what I had seen on the model farms in Ireland. The barns and
cattle as well as agricultural implements appeared to be of a superior
character. Although the school has been in operation only four years,
I was assured that it exerted an excellent influence upon the agricultural interests of the region. It is, however, far less liberally endowed
than the school at Eldena; yet it has great advantages in the libraries
and collections of the university.
I ought not to forget to notice my obligations to Chevalier Bunsen,
who happened to be at Bonn at the same time as myself, and who gave
me a letter of introduction to some of the professors.
Another superior school, with eight professors, and a farm of 2,312
acres, exists at Proskau, whose organization presents nothing peculiar.
The intermediary schools prepare the pupils for the higher institutes.
The instruction is exclusively practical, save some in the winter on the
experience of the summer. The price of board is $69 per annum.
In the inferior schools the pupils take the place of hired servants.
Accordingly they pay little or nothing, and sometimes receive wages.
They devote themselves to manual labor, to operations with cattle, and
with horses. The number of schools is twenty-three, of which twelve
are for teaching agriculture, two for the cultivation of meadows, irrigations, &c., one for training shepherds, and eight for the raising, dressing, and working of flax.
The whole number of schools in Prussia, then, is thirty-two; of




54             AGRICULTURAL SCHOOLS.                       [Jan.
which five are superior; two intermediary; twelve inferior; thirteen
special. Of the superior, two are connected more or less with universities.
AUSTRIA.
Austria possesses some of the oldest agricultural schools in Europe.
That at Krummau, in Bohemia, was founded in 1799, by prince
Schwartzenberg, on a domain containing nearly 300,000 acres, in the
same year as the Hofwyl school. The means of instruction are on a
large scale, and the collections are very ample. They embrace a collection of minerals; one of philosophical and chemical instruments;
one of models of agricultural and other instruments and machines; one
of the phalenas (insects,) of the country; an astronomical observatory;
a botanic garden; a conservatory; an herbarium; and a pomological
cabinet. There are four farms cultivated according to different systems.
The instruction is gratuitous, and the professors are charged to join practice to theory, as they have a good opportunity of doing, upon the
ample farms. In Styria, at Graetz, is another superior school founded
in 1809, in which nine professors give eleven courses in botany,
zoology, mineralogy, geology, mathematics, chemistry, physics, mechanics, agriculture, sylviculture, and the working of mines. Here,
also, are collections in natural history, and in agriculture, and a rich
library, as well as a large botanic garden. A  small model farm is
attached, as well as a model magnanery, (establishment for silk
worms.) The instruction is gratuitous, and there are ten scholarships.
Another school of the industrial class, but of superior grade, was
founded in Prague, in 1803, and has six professors, who give eight
courses of lectures, viz.: in agriculture; chemistry, general and applied; applied mathematics; architecture; mechanics; hydraulics;
drawing, and technology.
A fourth superior school was founded in 1848, at Cracow, in Austrian Poland, by Count Adam Potocky, with a capital of $4,000, and
an annual income of $1,600.
Attached to the university of Lemberg, the capital of Gallicia, is a
professorship of agriculture, and another of sylviculture. But I have
no particulars concerning the instruction.
Of the inferior schools, that of Trutsch was founded by the countess
Dietrischstein, for giving instruction to the young peasants in theoretical, but mostly, practical agriculture. That at Koeingsheal has sixty
boarding scholars, besides many others.
The special schools, amounting to twenty-five, are mostly for




1851.]               HOUSE-No. 13.                            55
the culture of flax. The course lasts one year, but some stay
longer. There is an annual examination, and four prizes are
distributed. Many thousands have received instruction in these
schools.
Such schools as these may at first view seem of no consequence in
this country. But if the recent improvements in the mode of converting flax into cloth, with wool, prove as valuable as the English newspapers represent, (the London Morning Chronicle,) such schools, or at
least the instruction communicated in them, may become of great importance to Massachusetts, since, in that case, flax would probably be
substituted for cotton.
The whole number of schools in Austria is thirty-three, of which
four are superior, three inferior, twenty-five special, and one connected
with a university.
WURTEMBERG.
The agricultural schools of this German state have long been
known for their superior character. They are sustained and directed
entirely by the state, while those of Prussia are carried on by individuals, aided by the state. M. Royer considers this difference a sufficient reason for the superior character of the Wurtemberg schools.
The Royal Institute of agronomy and forests, at Hohenheim, is the
most extensive and best known of these schools, the only one, in fact,
of the superior class. It was founded by king William, in 1818, on
the royal domain of some 825 acres, not including 3,000 acres of
forest. This property is given up entirely to the management of the
school, which renders an annual account of the expenses and receipts,
and any deficiency is supplied by the state.
The personnel consists of one director, six professors, and four functionaries charged with various labors, besides two tutors, who hear
lessons in the school, although residing abroad.
The instruction is embraced in forty courses, divided into three
groups:-1-. Agricultural matters. 2. Forest matters. 3. Auxiliary
sciences. A brief statement will give an idea of the instruction.
1st course.-Agriculture, properly so called.  1. Of climate; 2. Of
soil; 3. Of manures; 4. Of tools and instruments for tillage; 5. Of
clearing up the ground; 6. Of meadows and pastures; 7. Of agriculture in general; a. Of ploughing and other tillage; b. Of seed plots;
c. Of tillage following grain crops; d. Of crops; e. Of threshing and
the preservation of grain; 8. Of special agriculture. All cultivated
plants are treated of particularly.
2d course.-Viticulture; 1. Culture of the vine; 2. Wine making.




56             AGRICULTURAL SCHOOLS.                        [Jan.
3d course.-Culture of fruit trees.
4th course.-Raising of cattle; The races; The crossing; The
young.
5th course.-The raising of the horse; Natural history of the
horse; Different methods of raising; Choice of animals for reproduction; Treatment of mares; Treatment of colts.
6th course.-Sericulture, (silk culture,) Culture of the mulberry;
Management of the silk worms.
7th course.-Rural industry; In winter: Manufacture of beet sugar;
Of liquid manure? Of malt, beer and brandy.  In summer: Manufacture of liquors; Of vinegar; Of cider; of lime and of tiles.
8th course:-1. Rural economy; 3. Valuation of rural estates; a.
General circumstances of the country; b. Of farms in general; c. Of
different parts of a farm; d. Of the means of maintaining the fertility
of the soil; e. Of systems of culture; f. Of labor and the internal
organization of a farm; g. Relation between the number of beasts
and the extent of the land worked; h. Of the capital of the undertaker;
i. Of different modes of working a farm.
9th course:-Agricultural book keeping; In general; Practising
book keeping.
10th course:-On the operations at Hohenheim, &c.
2.-FOREST MATTERS.
1st course: —Encyclopedia of the science of forests.
2d course:-Forest botany.
3d course:-Sylviculture.
4th course: —Forest technology; a. Working of wood; b. Accessory products of the forests; c. Of forest industry.
5th course:-Preservation and defence of forests; a. Against the
attacks of man; b. Do. of animals; c. Do. against natural accidents.
6th course:-Hunting.
7th course:-Forest work; a. Of the inventory; Surveying and description of a forest; b. Of the statistics of do.; c. Of the systems of
cutting out the wood; d. Of the valuation of forests.
8th course:-Forest economy; a. Political economy applied to forests; b. Forest labors; c. Forest police; d. Of the government of the
state forests.
9th course:-Forest legislation and rules of service for forest agents
in Wurtemberg.
10th course:-Practical part of forest concerns.




1851.]                 HOUSE-No. 13.                         57
3.-AUXILIARY SCIENCES.
1st course:-Higher arithmetic,
2d course:-Algebra.
3d course:-Planimetry.
4th course:-Stereometry.
5th course: —Trigonometry.
6th course:-Applied geometry.
7th course:-Mathematics applied to forests; 1. Of the culture of
trees and of the entire forest; 2. Of the increase of trees; 3. Of the
valuation in money of forests.
8th course:-Physics.
9th course:-Mechanics.
10th course:-Chemistry.
11th course: —Oryctognosy.
12th course:-Geognosy.
13th course:-Vegetable botany and physiology.
14th course:-Special and rural botany.
15th course: —Zoology.
16th course:-Veterinary medicine; 1. Natural history of our domestic animals; 2. Anatomy of do.; 3. Animal physiology; 4. Care
to be taken of animals; 5. Of the medicines proper for slight diseases;
6. Description of diseases; pathology and therapeutics; 7. Veterinary
surgery; 8. Internal diseases of animals, and murrains.
17th course:-Of forest law.
18th course:-Rural constructions.
19th course:-Of preparing plans.
20th course:-Drawing of machines.
To illustrate these courses of instruction, the means seem to be very
ample at Hohenheim. They are as follows:The operations on a large farm annexed to the Institute.
A forest of 5000 acres.
A botanic garden.
A library open twice a week.
A geological collection.
A mineralogical do.
A botanical     do.
A collection of woods, seeds, and resins from the forest.
A collection in comparative anatomy.
Do.  of specimens of wool.
Do.  of agricultural products.
Do.  of models of instruments for tillage.
8




58             AGRICULTURAL SCHOOLS.                       [Jan.
Instruments for surveying.
Do.  for physical science.
Do.  for the chemical laboratory.
The students board where they please, at a price from $24 to $120
per annum, but lodge at the institute.
The number of students in 1849 was about 100, but it had been 140
for many years. No less than 1650 finished their education at this seminary within thirty-one years. And how is it possible that so many, having
gone through such a thorough system of instruction, should not exert a
powerful influence upon agriculture throughout the community?
There is also at Hohenheim, a practical school of agriculture for orphans and poorer children of peasants, who receive instruction gratuitously, and are paid for their labor. Also a school of horticulture,
whose special object is the cultivation of fruit trees, of garden vegetables, and ornamental trees. The pupils do all the work, yet receive
five lessons in horticulture in the week, and one or two on agriculture
each day. There is also, at the same place, a school for meadows
and irrigations,-theoretical in the winter and practical in summer.
The pupils receive wages. A school likewise exists in the same place,
for the cultivation of fruit trees, for the preparation of flax, and the
manufactory of agricultural instruments. Schools of agriculture have
been also opened in a few other places in the state, in which the course
of instruction appears to be rather extensive.
The whole number of schools is seven; one superior, two intermediary, one inferior, and three special. Probably nowhere in Europe
shall we find a better model for such schools than at Hohenheim.
BAVARIA.
Bavaria has one school of the superior class at Scheissheim, near
Munich. It was founded in 1822, on a national domain of 6,415 acres,
on which from 350 to 500 head of cattle are supported.' There are,
in fact, two schools; one superior, to teach theory, and one practical,
to apply, test, and elucidate theory. The instruction in the superior
school embraces eleven courses, so similar to those at Hohenheim,
that I need not repeat them. The lower school is intended to be preparatory for admission to the superior. The examination for such admission requires the candidate to be sixteen years of age, to have gone
over the studies.of the lower school, and to understand " a little of
Latin, to be able to comprehend the terminology of agriculture."
Not less than thirty-two inferior schools have been established in as
many towns of the kingdom, but they are not in all cases in a flourishing state, and need no detailed description. They are, in fact, for the
most part, industrial schools, in which agriculture is taught.




1851.]                 HOUSE —No. 13.                        59
The school at Litchenhof, near Nuremberg, of a mixed or intermediary class, deserves notice. It was founded in 1833, by Dr. Wedenkeller, and sustained for a time by men of wealth. His success
determined the government to create scholarships. It comprehends, in
fact, four different schools in a three years' course.
1. A preparatory school,-agricultural and industrial.
2. A school of horticulture.
3. A school for head servants.
4. A school for herdsmen and shepherds.
The subjects taught the first year are religion, German language,
geography, arithmetic, zoology, agriculture, agricultural arts, drawing,
and practical agricultural exercises.
The second year;-The same subjects pursued further; with geometry, botany, mineralogy, history.
The third year; —Religion, German language, compositions, agricultural chemistry, farm accounts, agriculture, rural architecture, machines, anatomy of animals, veterinary medicine, drawing, riding and
fencing, practical exercises.
There are also facilities for learning Latin and French.
This school should be placed as high at least as the intermediary
class; and then we shall have in Bavaria, one superior school, one
intermediary, thirty-two inferior, and one special; in all, thirty-five.
SAXONY.
This kingdom has one superior school, three intermediary, and one
special; five in all.
The superior school is at Tharand, and was established in 1811, by
H. Cotta, simply as a school for forests, but afterwards, in 1829, agriculture was added. The domain contains 7,355 acres, and there are
nine professors; two of them for the forests. The two years' course
of instruction scarcely differs from that of the better schools already
described.
From 1816 to 1841, no less than 826 pupils left this school, of
whom 701 devoted themselves to the forests, and 125 to agriculture.
But the latter branch was not introduced till 1829. Since 1841, the
mean number of pupils has been about 80, and the whole number
since the foundation of the school has been 1,100. It has a library,
collections of natural history, and a garden.  Every year the school
makes extensive excursions, or takes a scientific voyage.
The course is two years long. Charge for tuition varies from $35
to $52 annually, foreign students being charged the highest.
The intermediary school at Dresden, is limited to ten or twelve pu



60             AGRICULTURAL SCHOOLS.                        [Jan.
pils. The course of instruction is ample, and similar to that in other
schools. More facilities seem to be afforded here for the study of
languages than is usual. Greek and Latin are among the number,
with other modern languages besides the German.
A similar school exists at Broesa near Bautzen. In this school the
summer is devoted to the practice and the winter to the study of agriculture. Here also, as in some other German schools, agricultural
discussions are conducted by the pupils.
Another similar establishment exists at Schoenfeld, near Dresden.
Here instruction is embraced in six courses; the same as already noticed, with the addition of the theory and practice of working iron.
Excursions are made by the pupils to well conducted farms. There
are scholarships for one in five of the pupils.    The charge for instruction varies from $17 to $70.
A  school of the special class for orphan children exists at Groshennersdorf, on a farm of fifty-eight acres. The special instruction is based on the labors of the farm, of which three-quarters are
performed by the spade, and one quarter by the plough. To the cultivation of fruit trees they add that of the mulberry, and raise silk
worms and bees. The pupils labor about seven hours per day. The
ordinary instruction embraces religion, reading, writing, arithmetic,
German grammar, a little of geography, singing and gymnastic eiercises. They enter at eight years and leave at fourteen.
BRUNSWICK.
Brunswick has only two schools, one superior, the other inferior.
The object of the former is to give that scientific instruction which forms
the basis of various branches of industry. Practice is not employed
except to make theory understood.
This school, located in Brunswick, has thirteen professors, who give
thirteen courses, as follows: —l. Physics and general chemistry; 2.
Mathematics, pure; geometry and linear drawing; 3. Mineralogy and
zoology; 4 Architecture; 5. Transcendental mathematics; 6. Rural
economy; 7. Applied chemistry; 8. Mechanical technology; 9 Natural history; 10. Raising of horses, pathology, and therapeutics of domestic animals; 11. Veterinary medicine; 12. Forest science; 13. Architecture. (There are two professors of architecture ) The means of
instruction are very ample; consisting in cabinets, laboratories, and
collections, for every kind of instruction; also a botanic garden, a ducal
museum, stables, &c. Excursions are made to the various agricultural
manufactories, and to the forests; and experiments on a large scale
are carried on upon two adjoining farms.




1851.]                HOUSE —No. 13.                         61
The inferior school is a private establishment for the sons of peas.
ants, with a course of two years' instruction, having three professors.
MECKLENBURG SCHWERIN.
The only agricultural establishment in this state is a private one, at
Carlshof, belonging to the intermediary class. Its object is to give
sufficient instruction to future cultivators and farmers. In the list of
studies, I notice no peculiarity, except one item, which teaches the
values of foreign moneys, the importance of which, any one can appreciate who has travelled in Germany.
SCHLESWIG HOLSTEIN.
This state reckons four agricultural schools; two intermediary, and
two inferior. They are founded and sustained by individuals, or societies, and not by government.
The agronomic institute of Toestrup, has about twenty pupils. A
field for experiments is provided; also a nursery of fruit trees; a
forest nursery; collection of model instruments, and a library.
Of the inferior schools, that at Rodding was founded by a society
in Copenhagen, which pays $240 annually to a professor of agriculture.
That at Jevenstaed numbers about forty scholars.
PRINCIPALITY OF ANHALT.
This principality contains two schools, one superior, and one intermediary. The former, at Coswig, has ten professors, and the course
is one year. The instruction is divided into four parts:-1. Practical
instruction in the manufactures of the institute. 2. Regular courses
on agricultural technology, and the auxiliary sciences, such as physics,
chemistry, political economy, and the laws relating to agricultural
matters.
The course on technology embraces the manufacture of alcohol, of
liquors, of vinegar, of leaven, of syrup, of sugar, of oil, of beer, of
butter, of cheese, of lime, of tiles, &c.'
3. Discussions in the presence of the professors.
4. Manual labors.
The intermediary school at Cocksted was founded in 1837, for irrigations, and agriculture. Its course lasts only a year; that part in
summer being devoted to irrigations, and that in winter to agriculture.
Of the thirty-two pupils in this school from 1839 to 1847, seventeen
were preparing to become agriculturists; six civil engineers; six devoted to the science of forests, and three functionaries. Eight of




62             AGRICULTURAL SCHOOLS.                       [Jan.
these were Danes, five Swedes, and three Russians; the other half natives of the country.
GRAND DUCHY OF HESSE.
Of the two schools in this state, the one situated at Darmstadt is intermediary, and the other, at Arnsburg, is for practical agriculture, but
placed in the same rank. There is nothing in their organization that
needs particular notice in this connection.
GRAND DUCHY OF WEIMAR.
The only school in this duchy is of the superior class, situated at
Jena, and connected with the university in that place. Its objects are,
1. To perfect young agriculturists in the theory and practice of agriculture. 2. To afford to those already practical agriculturists, the
means of following the course at the university. 3. To prepare functionaries for the different departments of the government. The pupils
rank with those of the university.
The lectures in the university, attended by the agricultural scholars,
embrace political economy, history, philosophy, mathematics, natural
history and law. The instruction in the school proper embraces a
great variety of subjects, among which I notice none not already
named, unless it be the art of shoeing horses, in connection with veterinary medicine. To this instruction are added discussions, compositions
on agricultural subjects, analytical exercises in the laboratory, visits to
the botanic garden, and the collections, and to farms well managed.
The yearly tuition is $30, and the whole expense $210.
DUCHY OF NASSAU.
The Agronomic Institute at Geissberg, one and a half miles from
Wiesbaden, is the only agricultural school in this duchy, and is of the
superior class, though its organization is somewhat peculiar. It was
founded in 1835, by the state, and under the impression that the theory
and practice of agriculture could not be well united in the same
school. The pupils remain at the institute only during the winter, and
in the summer they are at home, or with good farmers. There is,
however, a farm of about seventy-five acres attached to the school.
I visited this establishment, and found it delightfully situated, on an
estate of the duke of Nassau, a little north of the village of Wiesbaden. The buildings are upon a hill, well cultivated, which rises a few
hundred feet above Wiesbaden, and overlooks the broad valley of the
Rhine; Mayence lying in the distance; and other towns are visible.




1851.]                HOUSE-No. 13.                          63
The buildings are in fine style, and thy rooms devoted to the collections,
of a superior character. In them I found collections of rocks, birds,
quadrupeds, seeds, grains, and grasses; a pomological cabinet in wax,
models of agricultural instruments, and a good library. The course
lasts two years, and the instruction is given by lectures and recitations.
The pupils number at present about fifty. Government pays about $18
for each pupil, and there are six scholarships, of $10 each, for the
most regular and laborious. Natives of the country pay nothing for
tuition; foreigners pay about $18. Those who board out of the establishment pay from $70 to $140 for board.
For the first winter, the course of instruction in this school embraces
the German language, arithmetic, mineralogy, botany, physics, general
agriculture, general zootechny, culture of meadows, rural architecture,
and veterinary medicine.
For the second winter, compositions, zoology, physics, farm accounts,
special agriculture, special zootechny, horticulture, technology, and
veterinary medicine.
All the agricultural schools which I have visited in Europe, like that
at Geissberg, have a beautiful location; and I think this a point not to
be overlooked in fixing upon a place for such a school, for scenery
has a great influence upon the youthful mind and heart.
ELECTORATE OF HESSE.
The only establishment for agriculture in this electorate, is the Institute at Beberbeck, founded in 1846, on a domain belonging to the
elector, containing, besides pasturage, 620 acres. Its course of instruction is ample, as are its collections. But there is little that is peculiar,
or that has not already been described. The school belongs to the
superior class.
GRAND DUCHY OF BADEN.
This duchy has only one school, and that of the intermediary class,
situated at Hochburg, founded in 1848, on the national domain. Its
course continues three years. Its bourse of instruction is ample, but
need not be given here. The pupils have twelve lessons a week in the
winter, and seventeen in summer. As to practical instruction, the first
year is confined to ordinary manual labors, the second to the care of
animals, and the third to spans of horses in harness, and to all sorts of
labors.
The pupils receive wages; the first year, $28; the second year,
$37; and the third year, $46; but the cost of board is $70. Instruction is gratuitous, and the state pays to each pupil, a gratuity of $16.




64             AGRICULTURAL SCHOOLS.                        [Jan.
DUCHY OF SAXE MEININGEN.
Only one school, and that of the inferior class, exists in this duchy,
founded in 1847, at Frauenbreitungen. I cannot find that it has anything peculiar to it, not already described. Its object is to prepare
practical cultivators, not neglecting the theory.
RUSSIA.
Within a few years past, the government of Russia has been much
awake to the subject of agricultural schools.  Not less than sixty-eight
of these have been established, two of whiqh are superior, ten interinediary, fifty-one inferior, four special, and one connected with a
university.
The Agronomic Institute of St. Petersburg was founded in 1833, on a
territory of 330 acres. Its organization cost 700,000 roubles, ($525,000,) and its annual support, 100,000 roubles, ($75,000.)*
Its objects are:-1. To give theoretical and practical agricultural
instruction to the children of the imperial serfs. 2. To try the different systems of cultivation practised abroad, to ascertain which of them
will answer for Russia. 3. To form directors for the model farms.
The course lasts five years, and embraces religion, sacred history, the
liturgy; discussions, moral and instructive; mathematics, pure and
applied; surveying and agriculture. The number of pupils is 250,
who are allowed to enter at fifteen. In giving instruction, the method
of Lancaster is adopted, and it is more practical than theoretical.
The personnel consists of a director, a sub director, a priest, a physician, a steward, professors, and overseers. The labor is performed by
the pupils, even such as shoemaking, locksmithing, joinery, and cabinet work. There is a library, a brewery, and particularly, numerous
workshops.
The Imperial Institute at Gorgigoretz embraces, in fact, a superior,
intermediary, and inferior school. In the first, there are 200 pupils,
sons of the peasants, supported by the state, at an expense of $38
each, annually. In the second, are thirty-five scholars, who pay $66
each, for board, clothing, &c. In the third, the course is three years,
and the pupils, eighty-five in number, come from the middle classes of
society, and they pay $84 for better accommodations.
To take charge of this superior school, there is one director, a professor of agriculture, and six adjunct professors, of whom two are
* Reckoning the rouble at seventy-five cents.




1851.]                 HOUSE-No. 13.                         65
for agriculture, rural economy, and sylviculture; two for natural sciences; and two for public and administrative law, statistics, and literature; also eight professors for teaching religion, the Russian and
German languages, mathematics, history, geography, architecture,
geodesy, drawing and writing.
The other officers of this higher school are an inspector, and three
adjuncts, one veterinary physician, one steward, one cashier, one chief
secretary, and one accountant.
Another school of the superior class, is the Agronomic Institute of
Moscow, founded in 1843, whose term of study is five years, whose
farm is 660 acres, and whose course of study is ample. The pupils
pay about $100 per annum. The professor of agriculture is connected
with the university of Moscow, but what other relations the school has
to the university I cannot ascertain.
Two schools, one of the intermediary and one of the Inferior class,
have been established at Marjino, by the countess Straganow. To the
first, she gave $11,000, and it had one hundred and twenty-five pupils in
1844, of whom sixty-four were intended for agriculture, thirty-six for
the mines, seventeen for forest economy, and fourteen for surveying.
In this school are twenty professors, with a salary each of $825. The
student pays $138 annually.
Since 1845, not less than fifty inferior schools have been established
in connection with model farms. Some of them have a four years'
course, on farms varying from 1,375 to 2,220 acres, with from 100
to 200 pupils. They are really of a higher grade than the farm
schools of other countries.
Of the four special schools, one is for horticulture, one for silks, one
for bees, and one for flax. But further details respecting such schools
can be of little use.
SWEDEN.
Professor Johnstone, in his Agricultural Address at Syracuse, in
Sept. 1849, speaks of agricultural schools and model farms as existing
in Sweden, and says that one of these establishments "'each province
is expected in a few years to possess." But he has given no details,
nor are any within my reach.
SUMMARY.
I have thus, given a brief and imperfect sketch of the Agricultural
Schools in Europe. Many facts, which would be important, it has
been impossible for me to obtain in the limited time allotted me. I
9




66              AGRICULTURAL SCHOOLS.                          [Jan.
presume that the list which I have given, falls short of the actual number of such schools in Europe, for I doubt not that they have been
increased a good deal within the last few months. Thus, it was announced some time since, as the intention of the Prussian government,
to establish superior schools in all the provinces of that kingdom.
And from a recent paragraph in the Cologne Gazette, I presume that
this intention, delayed for a time from the disturbed political state of
the country, has been carried into effect. That Gazette states, in its
number for Sept. 27th, 1850, that "the government has ordered
the establishment of agricultural schools, on scientific principles, on a
very large scale."-N. Y. Tribune of Oct. 24th, 1850.
But though my list is doubtless deficient, I have been amazed, as I
doubt not the committee will be, at its extent. The following summary
will bring the whole subject under the eye:ConnectInterme-            ed with
Superior diary  Inferior Special Colleges Ttal
ScHOOLS,           Schools. Schools. Schools. Schools. and Universities.
In EngIand,  -      -      -    1     -      4            -      5
In Ireland,   -     -      -    1    25    34              3    63
In Scotland,  -     -      -    -     -      -             2     2
In France,   -      -      -    5           70            -     75
In Italy,    -      -      -   -      -      1      -      1     2(?)
InBelgium,  -       -      -   -       3     2      1      3     9
In Prussia,   -     -      -    3      2    12    13       2    32
In Austria,                -    4     -      3    25       1    33
In Wurtemberg,             -    1      2     1      3     -      7
In Bavaria,   -     -      -    1      1    32      1     -    35
In Saxony,   -             -    1      3     -      1     -      5
In Brunswick, -     -      -           1     1      -            2
In Mechlenburg Schwerin,   -   -       1                         1-  -  - 
In Schleswig Holstein,     -   -       2     2      -     -      4
In the Principality of Anhault, -    1  1    -      -     -      2
In the Grand Duchy of Hesse,    -      2     -      -     -      2
In the Grand Duchy of Weimar,   -     -             -            1
In the Duchy of Nassau,    -    1            -1
In the Electorate of Hesse,  -    1   -      -1
In the Grand Duchy of Baden, -    -    1
In the Duchy of Saxe Meiningen,   -   -      1                   1
In Russia,    -     -      -    2    10    51       4      1    68
Total, -      -     -   22    54   214    48    14   352
Though these schools have been grouped together in the above
table into four distinct classes, yet in fact they are not always as distinct as thus represented; and I have found it difficult, in all cases, to
fix the place of a school on this scale. But these- distinctions are in
the main correct, and therefore of use, if understood as not mathematically accurate.




1851.]               HOUSE —No. 13.                          67
In the Tabular View of the Agricultural Schools of Europe, appended to this report, will be found many of the facts above detailed, and
others that have not been named. The blanks in that table are, indeed, numerous; but the labor of preparing it, even in its present
imperfect state, has not been small. Even a list of the places where
these schools are situated, will, I trust, be of some importance, since,
{f made public, it might direct the attention of travellers to the schools,
which otherwise they would pass unnoticed. And thus, since Americans are found yearly in so great numbers all over Europe, we may
hope ere long to obtain full information concerning the schools. That
travellers have hitherto, for the most part, been ignorant of their exist.
ence, is the only way in which I can explain the fact that so little is
known of them.
STATE OF PRACTICAL AGRICULTURE IN EUROPEAN COUNTRIES
WHERE SCHOOLS EXIST.
England and portions of Scotland doubtless exhibit the best examples
of husbandry in Europe. In Ireland you see much in the cultivation to admire. Holland shows the great patience, as well as no small
degree of success, of its farmers. Belgium has been too much celebrated, perhaps; yet its farmers have had much success upon tracts of
land poor and sandy; but the principles of agriculture are not widely
diffused, and the skill of the people is limited to a few points of husbandry. France certainly exhibits much excellent tillage to an unprejudiced eye, not generally, however, equal to that in England.
Italy, with its fine climate and naturally good soil, cannot but show
success, even under comparatively unenlightened tillage. In the valleys of Switzerland we see the influence of comparatively free institu.
tions and natural ingenuity in the cultivation of the soil; so thatthe
traveller is struck with the fine appearance of the farms, and their
productiveness, even in some cases at the foot of the glaciers. There
is a great difference, however, in the different cantons, and the difference corresponds in a good degree to the state of education. In Ger
many there is much difference in the agricultural condition of different
states and kingdoms. In Prussia, the farmers have had to contend
with a poor soil, and with feudal impositions. Yet one sees fine farming in the Rhenish provinces. Saxony, with a naturally rich soil, is
said to exceed all other parts of Germany in her husbandry. In
Bavaria and Wurtemberg, though abounding in agricultural societies and
schools, the general state of agriculture is not elevated. In Russia, so
thinly settled, there is a vast amount of uncultivated land. Yet in the
vicinity of the cities, and where there are enough laborers, good cul



68             AGRICULTURAL SCHOOLS.                       [Jan.
tivation is common. In this country is the famous Tchornozem, or
black earth, a deposit, often from fifteen to twenty feet thick, so fertile
as to need no manure, yet occupying an area " large as an European
kingdom." (Murchisons's Geology of Russia, Vol. I, p. 557.) It
seems to correspond essentially with the prairie soils of our country,
and with the regur, or rich cotton soils of Hindostan. In Scandinavia the Swedes have shown commendable skill and industry in the cultivation of a country geologically analogous to that of New England.
(For further details, see Professor Johnstone's Syracuse Address.)
Now it must be confessed that we do not find a very close correspondence between the practical agriculture of European countries, and the
number of their agricultural societies and schools. For wherever schools
exist, societies are also numerous. In France, for instance, there are
nearly two hundred societies, and seventy-five schools. In Bavaria is
a general society, numbering 8,000 members, and thirty-five schools.
Hence, some would infer that schools are useless. But in the first
place, if schools are useless, so are societies. Secondly, we must
recollect that most of these schools have existed only a very few
years, and that agricultural improvements are necessarily introduced
slowly; so that as yet we ought not to expect to witness much effect
from these institutions. Thirdly, very much depends upon the manner
in which the schools are conducted. If the community take little or no
interest in them, no matter how able the professors. Now if, in this
country, the government should take such an exclusive direction of
agricultural schools as is done in France, Wurtemberg, and Bavaria, it
would be almost certain that the people would take no interest in them.
Fourthly, it cannot be doubted, that there are causes operating to advance or retard agriculture, more powerful than schools and societies.
For example, natural fertility, or sterility; wars and revolutions; oppressive taxes; individual ignorance, or knowledge. In England and
Scotland, for instance, so elevated is the intelligence of the larger
farmers and proprietors that they scarcely need schools, since each
man is on the look out for improvements, and has the skill to apply
them. I contend only, that schools are among the means of advancing
the interests of agriculture, without attempting to fix their comparative
importance among other means. For in such a country as ours, we
need to use them all.
REMARKS UPON THE FACTS.
I. They show us an extraordinary increase of interest in Europe,
on the subject of Agricultural Schools, within a few years past. Mr.




1851.]                  HOUSE-No. 13.                          69
Colman finished his able Report on European Agriculture in 1844, and
in it he describes only nine agricultural schools, though others then
existed on the continent, of which he was not probably aware. But
the larger part of the 352 above enumerated have come into existence
since that time. The fact shows a strong conviction on the European
mind, of their importance, and is one of the fruits of the peace that now
generally prevails.
II.  These schools may be divided into two classes:1. Professorships in colleges and universities.
2. Independent schools.
III. The latter class, by far the most numerous, may be grouped into
four kinds, differing mainly as to the extent of instruction given, and the
objects aimed at.  1. Superior; 2. Intermediary; 3. Inferior; 4. Special. The last includes those devoted to instruction in some particular
branch, such as horticulture, the cultivation and preparation of flax,
irrigation, &c.
IV.  With a very few exceptions,-I do not recollect any, save the
university of Edinburgh,-a farm, or at least a few acres of land, is
connected with the school. Thus the practical part of agriculture is
attended to, in a manner, it would seem, that must satisfy those who
have the least confidence in theory.
V.  The course of instruction, both scientific and practical, is essentially the same in all the schools of Europe. Some include more
branches than others, but there are certain essentials always included in
the instruction.
VI. European Agricultural Schools have taught us some important
lessons.
1. That these schools usually fail, if they do not receive efficient
aid from the government.
2. That agricultural societies are not sufficient. These exist in all
the countries above enumerated, I believe, and have done great good.
But the conviction is very general there, that schools should be added
to the societies; especially in countries where cultivation is a good
deal deficient.
3. That theory is to be tested by practice; and such theories as will
not sustain this test are to be rejected.
4. That these schools are doing very much to promote the progress
of agriculture. This was the general testimony.
5. That to teach agriculture in the primary schools and academies is
not sufficient. This does some good, but does not accomplish all that
is desirable.
6. That agricultural professorships, in colleges and universities, are




70            AGRICULTURAL SCHOOLS.                         [Jan.
not sufficient. 1. Because lectures of this sort attract but few of the
students of the colleges, who are looking forward to professional life.
Such is certainly the case everywhere in Europe. 2. Because the two
classes of students, who would thus be brought together, would have
too little sympathy to act in concert, and as equals, in the same institution. 3. Because, without such concert and sympathy, one or other
of the classes of students would feel no pride in the institution; and
without such an esprit de corps it could not prosper. 4. Because such
professorships, unless numerous, would be entirely insufficient to accomplish the objects desired.
VII. The lowest class of schools in Europe, the Inferior, are not
needed in Massachusetts.
1. Because the sons of our farmers are so well educated, that they
can easily be prepared to enter at least the second grade of schools.
2. Because these inferior schools are adapted rather to paupers and
orphans, and others in destitution, than to the sons of farmers in easy
circumstances.
3. We already have institutions of this sort, as the Farm School, in
Boston, for those who are destitute.
4. Because the subject of agriculture can easily be introduced into
our common schools, so far as is necessary to learn the common principles of farming, or to fit boys to enter the higher institutions.
VIII. We learn that those agricultural institutions succeed best which
are started and sustained by the mutual efforts and contributions of
individuals, or societies, and of the government.
The schools in France, started by enterprising individuals, languished, and some of them failed, until the government lent an efficient hand. Very likely, the want of governmental patronage had
something to do with the failure of the Hofwyl School, in Switzerland;
and it struck me that the Agricultural College of England, at Cirencester, languishes for the same reason. It is said that in Wurtemberg,
the schools succeed well, because the government started and sustains
them alone. I know too little of their circumstances and condition to
throw light on the subject. But sure I am, that, in this country, the
mutual exertions of the government and the people will be essential to
success; for this reason; if for no other, that here the people constitute
the government: and if their representatives do not act in conformity to
their wishes, their decisions will be reversed.
IX.  We learn,from European experience, that independent agricultural institutions are essential to accomplish the object which is aimed
at.
1. Because the field is wide enough to require such establishments.




1851.]                HOUSE-No, 13.                          71
The principles of agriculture are based upon a large part of the physical sciences; and it requires a good literary education to understand
those sciences. No man can understand the principles of farming,
who is not more or less acquainted with chemistry, anatomy, physiology, botany, mineralogy, geology, meteorology, and zoology; and
then the practical part requires an extensive acquaintance with various
branches of mathematics and natural philosophy.  Many important
principles of agriculture can, indeed, be taught in the primary schools,
or academy; but there should be, somewhere, institutions of a higher
character, entirely devoted to a thorough instruction and investigation
of the science of the subject.
2. Because it demands extensive collections, of various kinds, in
order to elucidate the principles of husbandry; enough, indeed, to belong to any scientific institution, and too many to form a mere subordinate branch of some institution with a different object in view.
3. Because the number of instructors must be so large, that they
could not conveniently form an adjunct to some other institution.
4. Because the interests of agriculture are large enough to demand
an institution definitely consecrated to their promotion. No other art
is so important, and, I may add, no other is so difficult to be successfully cultivated; and, therefore, every means possible should be employed to render it assistance.
X. Essentially the same reasons, and of greater force, exist for the
establishment of Agricultural Schools in this country, as in Europe.
1. It is the most ready and effectual mode of making farmers understand the principles on which good husbandry is founded.
Some have an idea that there are no such principles, and that the
cultivation of the soil is a hap-hazard affair, and that guessing is as
good a way as any, to secure good crops. I am aware that all the
principles of managing land are not yet well settled, and that different
circumstances often disappoint those who follow the best rules. But
if there are no scientific principles on which husbandry is based, then
one mode of farming is as good as another; a position which I am
sure no reasonable man will take. And if one modb of tillage is better than another, there must be reasons for the difference, and those
reasons are the very principles we are seeking after. Now it will be
the leading object of agricultural schools to discover these principles,
and to apply them in such a manner as to satisfy others that they are
safe and valuable. Another object of such schools is, to detect and
disprove, both theoretically and practically, any false principles and
practices that may have been adopted by the community as true. The
sons of farmers, who attend these schools, will learn to distinguish the




72             AGRICULTURAL SCHOOLS.                       [Jan.
true from the false principles, on this subject; and, on their return to
the paternal roof, will communicate their knowledge, and apply it
in practice.
2. These schools will furnish the most effectual means of introducing, among farmers, improvements in husbandry. Those who have
the management of such schools will be on the watch for every valuable improvement, and be ready to make trial of any that are proposed.
They will be, in communication with similar schools, and with agricultural societies, in other lands, and thus learn, very early, whatever may
aid the farmer, in regard to stock, implements of labor, new crops,
and modes of culture. They will, therefore, form centres of information for the agricultural community, and, by going to them, the
farmer mav see, in their collections, new tools, grasses, grains,
seeds, &c.
I know that agricultural societies and individuals can do a good deal
to diffuse this information; but, as above remarked, they are not sufficient. At least, so think most of the countries of Europe, where such
societies exist. The governments there feel the need of something
more. England has, indeed, reached a very advanced state of agricultural improvement, with but little aid from schools. But it has
taken a long time; and, at present, she is just the country that least
needs the aid of schools, because her agriculture is in so advanced a
state, and there are so many societies and educated individuals who are
doing all they can to advance the interests of husbandry.
3. Agriculture, more than any other art, needs special help. First,
because the principles on which it is founded are more difficult to be
understood and applied than those of other arts. The processes of the
farmer depend upon some of the most profound and subtle principles
of chemistry, meteorology, physiology, and zoology; andso complicated are the causes of success or failure, that often the man who could
solve a problem in fluxions, would be unable to unravel them. Secondly, because, for various reasons, other arts have -always been more
attractive, especially for youth, than agriculture; and hence, fewer
efforts have been made to understand and apply its principles. In our
country, at least, it is decidedly behind most of the other arts, although
confessedly the most important.
4. A comparison of the state of agriculture in Europe with its condition in our country, shows the great need we have of agricultural
schools, as well as societies and individual efforts. There are, indeed,
several circumstances that lead an European to underrate the state of
our agriculture. The great amount of loose stones, (called drift by
the geologists,) that cover the surface in the Northern States, and




1851.]                HOUSE-No. 13.                          73
which our farmers have been able only to begin removing, gives the
soil a most repulsive and ragged appearance to a European, save one
perhaps from Scandinavia. Then, too, our uncouth wooden fences,
which so often shelter a broad strip of bushes or weeds, in the place of
beautifully trimmed hedges; and our undrained and uncleared swamps;
the large amount of pasture ground, scarcely reclaimed, in many cases,
from its native state; and our entangled and untrimmed forests; —all
these and other circumstances turn off the mind of the foreigner from
the real question at issue, viz., whether the acres of ground that are
cultivated here, produce mnuch less than the same amount in Europe.
But, making due allowance for unfavorable biases from such causes, it
must be merely an excess of national vanity for any one, who has
travelled in Europe, to be very sensitive, if gentlemen from that quarter of the globe represent us as much behind the farmers on the other
side of the Atlantic, in respect to the cultivation of our farms. I do
not see how any one can pass over those countries, and not be struck
with the difference. He will see many crops there, of great service,
scarcely if at all known here. And several subjects, there well understood, are scarcely known or but little attended to here; e. g., draining and irrigation. (See Colman's Report on European Agriculture,
Vol. 2, p. 592.) Attention to their forests forms a part of their legislation, and of courses of lectures in their agricultural schools. But in
Massachusetts, and still worse, in many other states, our beautiful native
forests are often treated in a manner little better than vandalism; and
these ornaments to the landscape are fast disappearing, apparently with
no consciousness that they are of any value, except the sum of money
they will bring in the market, as wood or timber. Some of the county
agricultural societies, in Massachusetts, have, however, I believe, turned
their attention to this subject.
XI. We have, in this country, several advantages over Europeans,,
for establishing Agricultural Schools.
1. We have a more perfect state of civil and religious liberty. Even 
most of the freest of those nations have a state religion to support, and,,
therefore, have not religious liberty. I observed that this fact was a
constant source of embarrassment in the schools; and, in general,
those schools in Europe are controlled so entirely by the government,
as in this country would alienate the people from them.
2. The absence here of those broad distinctions of caste, which prevail
nearly in every part of Europe. I am satisfied that this is one of the
greatest obstacles to such schools in Europe. If a school is open for
the poor, then the rich, and even those but little above poverty, will
stay away. If it is adapted to the wealthy, the poor cannot enter..
10




74             AGRICULTURAL SCHOOLS.                       [Jan.
Some of the schools have changed their policy several times, in respect
to this point. But among us there will be no difficulty in adapting a
school to all classes. Indeed, if not so adapted, it would not be patronized; or, at least, would do very little good.
3. We are comparatively free from taxes, and can therefore be more
liberal towards schools. Till he visits Europe, an American has little
idea of the vast difference between men, in this respect, on the opposite
sides of the Atlantic, nor on what vantage ground it places his countrymen; and how much easier it is for them, especially the poorer
classes, to be liberal towards worthy objects, than in Europe.
4. In this country, the cultivators of the soil are usually the owners
of it; and it is they, mainly, who must establish an agricultural school,
if one is established, for their own and their children's benefit. But
in Europe, for the most part, the laborers have little concern in the
matter. They rarely own the soil which they cultivate; and, therefore, take but little interest in getting up schools: nay, they are sometimes afraid of them, lest they should so improve agriculture as to
diminish their wages. The schools, therefore, are got up by those who
own extensive estates, and who are anxious to make them more profitable; or by political men, who know how much the prosperity of a
kingdom depends upon its agriculture.
5. The superior state of education in Massachusetts, among the laboring classes, gives us another decided advantage over Europeans in
the establishment of agricultural schools.
It would be quite practicable, I think, to require, for admission to
our schools, as much knowledge as is demanded in many of the European schools for completing the course; and that, too, if our pupils
were the sons of the common farmers. Now, it is not national vanity,
but simply the statement of a fact, to say, that this could not be done
in any European country, save perhaps in Scotland, where few agricultural schools exist. In most other countries, the sons of the common
peasantry, or laborers, are incapable of receiving that benefit from
these schools, which the poorest might derive in this State. Here, they
could start from a much higher point in their career of agricultural
learning, and, of course, terminate their course at a level proportionably more elevated.
6. We have European experience to direct us in this matter, and
can more easily avoid the mistakes which that experience points out,
and introduce its better plans, than can be done by institutions already
established.
XII. The conclusion to which my own mind has been brought, by
these investigations, is, that Massachusetts should lose no time in taking
hold of the business of agricultural education, efficiently and liberally.




1851.]                HOUSE-No. 13.                          75
I can hardly doubt, from all that I have seen and heard for the last
ten years, that there is a strong desire and expectation that the Legislature should move in this matter without delay. I have heard it talked
about almost everywhere; it has formed the burthen of a large part of
the addresses delivered at the annual agricultural fairs; individuals
have attempted to establish private schools; and at least two gentlemen, at their decease, have left splendid legacies for founding such
schools,-one at Roxbury, and the other at Northampton. I refer to
Hon. Benjamin Bussey, and Oliver Smith, Esq., of Hatfield. How
soon the legacy of the former can be brought into use, for a school at
Roxbury, I know not; but that of Mr. Smith will not be available for
more than half a century. Yet let no one fear that we shall have too
many schools of this description. Those countries in Europe where
they are most numerous, are most inclined to multiply them; and my
own conviction is, that, ere fifty years are gone by, the State will find
that she needs several of these institutions, of the superior class. I
apprehend that it will not be found wise to allow the number of pupils
in any of them to exceed two hundred.
Perhaps here I should rest; but so naturally have I been led to inquire into the proper character of agricultural education in this State,
should any be adopted, that I shall venture to obtrude upon the committee my conclusions. I trust, however, that I shall not be so tenacious of these views, as not to be willing to adopt better ones, which
other members of the committee may suggest.
The first question that arises, is, What are the objects we may hope
to attain byfounding agricultural schools in the State?
I reply, and here I must be pardoned for a repetition of some sentiments,1. First, such schools would furnish to all classes of the community,
an opportunity to acquire a definite knowledge of all the known principles by which agricultural pursuits should be conducted. These
principles are the joint results of all the experience men have ever had
in husbandry, and of all the deductions they have made from the sciences on this subject. That there is now a great deficiency of such
knowledge in our community, no man in his senses will deny. Many
of the principles of agriculture are, indeed, themselves yet unsettled;
but a great many are settled, of which our farmers are yet ignorant,
or know them only imperfectly. To explain and illustrate these, will
be the grand business of agricultural schools. Hence, it is the sons of
farmers who would be most interested in attending them. But there
are many others, who desire to prepare their sons for agricultural pursuits; at least, to enable them to oversee farming establishments, if not




76            AGRICULTURAL SCHOOLS.                      [Jan.
to labor with their own hands; and they would find such schools a
most important auxiliary to their success.
2. In such schools our youth would find an excellent opportunity of
learning the best method of conducting the practical operations of the
farm; in other words, of seeing theory reduced to practice. They
would learn, also, how to labor with their own hands, for I take it such
a requisition would be indispensable in these schools. And thus might
we hope that practical farming would become more popular, as it
should be, among all classes of the community.
3. These schools would form centres of information on the subject
of agriculture, and from them our farmers could derive important aid.
They would keep in communication with similar institutions throughout
the world, and thus would learn all that might be new or important in
husbandry, and spread it through the community.
4. These schools would be the best places for testing the value of
supposed improvements in agriculture. Such improvements, coming
accidentally to the farmer's ears, are now often tried, and not unfrequently found of no value, and this is one of the circumstances that
prejudices farmers against what they call book farming. But let such
supposed discoveries be first tried on the experimental farm connected
with the school, and their deficiency or value may be thus learnt once
for all.
5. They ought to be places for making improvements in agriculture.
We ought not to expect too much in this respect, especially when the
schools are new. But as the instructors become experienced, and the
means in their hands more ample, it may be hoped that they will push
their researches and experiments into unexplored regions, and bring
back some fruit for the practical farmer.
6. Finally, to sum up the whole in one word, the grand object of these
schools is to improve the husbandry of Massachusetts. It is to make
the acres that now produce something, produce more, and thus to stimulate the rising generation to reclaim more acres from the waste condition in which they now lie. One is struck, in travelling through the
state, to see how large a part of its surface produces next to nothing,
although capable of yielding a rich supply; nay, in how many cases
the richest portions of its soil,-its swamps, for instance, —remain in
their native condition. Nor is it strange that our sons, when they see
so little to encourage them at home, should brave the hardships and
the fevers of the western prairies, in order to enjoy their prolific soil.
Agricultural schools will aid in checking this disposition to emigration,
and tend to multiply the cultivated acres of Massachusetts. Along with
agricultural societies and individual efforts, which will still be needed




1851.]                HOUSE-No. 13.                          77
as much as ever, we may hope these schools, properly founded, and
judiciously managed, will serve to bring agriculture more nearly upon
the ground occupied by the other arts. Now it is decidedly below
them; and yet these arts can never thrive long if agriculture is neglected, and, therefore, it is for the interest of all classes to join in
efforts to advance the cause of agriculture.
But what shall be the character of the Agricultural Schools, should
any be established in Massachusetts?  This difficult inquiry I would
meet by a few suggestions. But after the survey that has now been
taken of agricultural education in Europe, it cannot be expected that I
should recommend, or that the community will be satisfied, with
schools of an inferior class. Twenty, or even ten years ago, it might
have answered to propose the introduction of agriculture into our primary schools, or as a department in our academies, or a professorship in
our colleges. All this it may be well enough to do now, but something more must be done. So Europeans judge, and accordingly, as
we have seen, they have started institutions with as ample a foundation,
and as numerous a body of instructors, as we find in most of our
American colleges. Nothing short of this, as it seems to me, will be
sufficient for our country; nay, I fancy that at least one such superior
institution is needed in each of our states. The work to be done is too
great, the number of teachers is too many, and the agrount of various
collections too large, to attempt to attach an agricultural school to some
other institution, and that too as only a subordinate branch. Even if
agriculture is taught in our colleges, academies, and primary schools,
it needs some one institution devoted entirely to the subject, to give
effect and completeness to the subordinate teaching, and to carry it
still farther; otherwise the agricultural knowledge will be as the literary
would be, if the universities and colleges of the land were taken out of
the way, and only the primary schools and academies remained.
But though our community, as I believe, especially the intelligent
farmers, are prepared to appreciate the importance of such superior
institutions, I fear that but few are ready to devote the amount of funds
requisite for putting such a seminary at once into full operation. Nay,
none but those who have had experience know how large an amount
of money it requires, with the strictest economy, to found and carry
on successfully a large institution of learning. My hope is, however,
that the government and the people will start this enterprise, if they do
it at all, with a high standard in view, even though they cannot, till a
considerable period, reach the height of their wishes. It seems to me
that to aim much lower than the plan which follows, will be likely to
make the whole subject, ere long, contemptible, or at least a failure.




78             AGRICULTURAL SCHOOLS.                       [Jan.
OUTLINES OF A PLAN FOR AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION IN MASSACHUSETTS.
I. Let an Agricultural School or College of the superior class be
established somewhere in the State, possessed of all the means (teachers, books, apparatus, specimens, farms, &c.) necessary to give a
finished education in the principles and practice of agriculture. Such
a school, it seems to me, should embrace the following particulars, at
least:1. A school of instruction, by lectures and recitations, in the following branches:
a. Practical agriculture.
b. Chemistry, elementary and applied.
c. Natural history, especially zoology and botany.
d. Elementary and applied mineralogy and geology.
e. Anatomy and physiology, human and comparative.
f. Veterinary medicine and surgery.
2.  Collections of the following description:
a. Models of agricultural instruments.
b. Of dried seeds.
c. Of dried grasses, grains, &c., entire.
d. Specimens planed, of the useful kinds of wood.
e. A pomological collection, or models of the Vrarieties of fruit.
f. Small collections of simple minerals and rocks for elementary
instruction in mineralogy and geology.
g. An economic collection, embracing all the minerals, rocks, fossils,
soils, marls, clays, &c., useful in the arts, exhibiting them in their various stages of preparation, with specimens of the finished articles,
constituting what in Europe is called a museum of economic geology.
I saw three such collections in Europe; one at the School of Mines
in Paris; one in London, the fruit of the Ordnance Survey; and one
in Dublin, having the same origin; the two latter not yet opened
to the public, but very choice and splendid collections. They must be
very serviceable for all the arts.
h. Insects injurious to vegetation.
i. Stuffed specimens and drawings of the species and varieties of
animals useful in agriculture.
k. A museum of human and comparative anatomy, including a
manikin.
1. Chemical and philosophical apparatus.
m. A scientific and agricultural library.




1851.]                HOUSE-No. 13.                          79
Some of these collections are more important than others; but they
would all be of service, and tend to give permanence to the institution.
To procure and arrange them would require a long time, but they
might be begun at once. I saw all of them, larger or smaller, in some
of the agricultural schools of Europe, though nowhere at the same
school. Indeed, many of those schools appeared to me to be quite
deficient in collections, and I thought this one cause why they were in
a decaying state. When literary institutions are called, as they often
are, in the early part of their course, to pass through seasons of storm,
good libraries, and ample apparatus, and collections, form one of the
best of anchors to enable the vessel to outride the tempest.
3. A model and experimental farm of moderate size, and instruction in practical farming. I see no use in a large farm, as in general
a small one, say of 100 or 200 acres, will embrace every important
variety of soil, and can be more easily managed. It seemed to me
that some of the European schools have farms so large as to be unwieldly.
4. Provision for Instruction in Ancient and Modern languages.
Such studies should not be required.'But some might wish to get a
little knowledge of Latin and Greek, in order to become better naturalists, and understand better the scientific terms in agriculture; and
others would wish to acquire French or German. Such instruction
would be no cost to the State, as teachers might be found near at hand,
most probably, in almost any part of the State, and it would render
the school more attractive and respectable. It has been seen that such
instruction is provided in some of the schools in Europe. It might be
well, also, to provide similar instruction in the higher mathematics, as
is done frequently in Europe.
5. Provision on the farm for the board of those students who are
willing to devote their time to labor daily beyond what is required of
all. For these extra labors, in my opinion, a compensation should be
given, such as should at least meet the charge for board. This might
enable many poor but worthy young men to enjoy the benefit of the
institution, who would otherwise be deprived of the privilege.
6. Number of Instructors Necessary.
1. A professor of horticulture, sylviculture, and rural legislation,
who should also be chairman of the board of instructors, or president
of the institution.
2. A professor of agriculture.
3. A professor of elementary and agiicultural chemistry.
4. One of natural history and geology, who should be curator of the
collections.




80             AGRICULTURAL SCHOOLS.                       [Jan.
5. One of anatomy, physiology, and veterinary medicine and
surgery.
6. One of the mathematics of agriculture, such as farm accounts,
irrigation, draining, surveying, levelling, construction of roads, bridges,
&c.
This appears to me the smallest number of professors with which
an institution could be respectable and useful, even at its commencement. The number is much less than it is at nearly all the higher agricultural seminaries in Europe. There it ranges from eight to
twenty.
Besides the professors, there should be a superintendent of the farm,
and of all practical operations of the establishment, who might also
give some lectures, say on practical agriculture.
If one of the professors should be a clergyman, he might act as
chaplain of the establishment.
7. The course oJ study should embrace two years.  When creditably
finished, the piupil should be entitled to an agricultural diploma or
degree.
8. For admission, an examination should be required, in English
grammar, geography, arithmetic, and Euclid's Elements of Geometry,
at least the first five books. This may seem a high standard. It is
higher than most of the schools in Europe. But the young men of
Massachusetts, even the poorest, can easily come up to it, and thus
make their subsequent course much more profitable. One great complaint in Europe is, that the pupils are unable, for want of early education, to understand the instruction.
9. The tuition should be as low as possible, certainly not higher than
at the existing colleges of the State, and that is about $40. As soon as
possible the instruction should be gratuitous.
10. Several scholarships, say as many as ten to begin with, equal at
least to the tuition, should be founded by the State, to be given to the
most diligent and successful pupils. Also, several prizes of a smaller
amount should be offered.
This is the almost universal practice in Europe, and its operation is
excellent.
11. Provided individuals shall ofer ten acres of good land, to be
improved as a model farm, by some academy, let the State give to that
academy (not more than to one in each county,) at least $200 for instruction, and $50 for a library; provided said academy shall agree
to cultivate the land, and provide for a department of agriculture: the
aid from  the State to be withdrawn, however, when the number of
students in agriculture shall be less than ten.




1851.]                HOUSE-No. 13.                           81
12. Let a manual of agriculture be prepared by some competent
person, or some existing manual be adopted, and introduced into the
primary schools, if any children wish to study it.  It might be well for
the State to furnish the books gratis.
13. One object of these schools of a lower grade should be to pre.
pare pupils to enter the central institution, in advanced standing, if
fitted for it.
14. By the addition of a single professorship of technology to such
an institution as has been described, and extending the collection of instruments to those of every art, this school might become a school of
mines, as well as of commerce and manufactures, and thus afford an
education to the son of the mechanic and merchant, as well as the
farmer.
I do not, however, recommend that such an addition should be made
at the outset, lest by aiming at too many objects, the whole be lost, as
we have seen to have been the case sometimes in Europe.
15. Let the Stale appoint a Board and Secretary of Agriculture, who
shall sustain the same relations to that interest and the schools connected with it, as the Board and Secretary of Education do to primary
schools.
METHODS BY WHICH THE STATE CAN PUT THE PRECEDING PLAN
INTO OPERATION.
i. The first method would be for the State to assume at once the
whole expense and responsibility of the entire system. For the first
year the expenses would be nearly as follows:
Purchase of a farm of 2~00 acres, with farm house, barns,
&c., say,                                              s $10,000
Boarding house, (if necessary,) -.               10,000
Building for lectures, recitations, and cabinet,   -  -    25,C00
Apparatus, books, models, specimens, &c.     -      -      10,000
To establish agricultural departments in the academies in
different counties, say,    -       -      -       -      3,000
For scholarships, prizes, ar.d other contingent expenses, say,    5,000
Salary of a president,  -     -       -      -      -       1,200
Do. of five professors,     -      -       -      -       5,000
Do. of superintendent of the farm,  -      -  -            800
$70,000
If we suppose there would be one hundred students, who are charged
$40 each for instruction, it would furnish $4000 towards the expense,
1I




82             AGRICULTURAL SCHOOLS.                       [Jan.
reducing it to $66,000. I have not supposed that the farm and boarding establishment would do more than to support those who manage
them for the first year or two. Perhaps little or nothing should be
expected from them subsequently, more than this.
If the State should choose to endow at once the presidency, and five
professorships, it would require an additional appropriation of about
$105,000. But I have supposed the State would prefer endowing them
prospectively, whenever funds should accrue, from the sale of lands in
Maine or other sources, that would not be needed for other purposes.
On this supposition, it would be necessary for the State to pay the
salaries of the officers of the school, until such funds should become
available. After the first year, then, we might calculate the annual
expenses as follows:
For salaries of president and professors,       -      - $6,200
Do.   of superintendent of the farm, -      -      -    800
For scholarships, prizes, collections, and contingencies,  -  3,000
For aid to county schools in the academies, -   -      -  3,000
$13,200
Deduct tuition of 100 pupils,                   -          4,000
Annual expense after the first year, -   -      -         $9,200
If, now, the government of the State were prepared to vest the
above sums in this enterprise, they might place the institution on a
solid basis, and bring it into operation without delay. I think a less
amount could not accomplish the objects in view. It is far below the
sum recommended for the same purpose, by an intelligent committee
of the legislature in a neighboring state. It is not greater than the
farmers of the State, if I rightly judge of their feelings, would approve; certainly not greater than their interests deserve. Yet not improbably many will feel that it would not be wise for the legislature to
make so large an appropriation at the beginning of the enterprise, lest
it should fail, or the public mind is not prepared for it. I beg leave,
therefore, to suggest another method, by which a considerable part of
the expenditure might for a time be saved, the school brought even
earlier into operation, and ultimately reach the same standard, as in the
first plan. This method is as follows:
2. Let the agricultural institute be located so near some existing
literary institution, that the pupils could attend its scientific lectures
and study its collections in natural history.
By such a plan, the pupils of the agricultural school might have




1851.]                HOUSE-No. 13.                          83
access almost, perhaps quite, free of expense (unless so numerous as
to render it necessary to enlarge the lecture rooms,) to the following
courses of lectures, until the State should be ready to endow a full
corps of professors, and make the proper collections, when the temporary connection between the two institutions could be dissolved:
1. A course on anatomy and physiology.
2. On mineralogy.
3. On geology.
4. On zoology.
5. On elementary chemistry.
6. On botany.
7. On natural philosophy.
Such a course as this, if desirable, is entirely practicable, as I am
prepared to show, if the committee wish for details.
On this plan, the expenses would be as follows:
For a farm and boarding house, as before,    -      -   $20,000
For lecture rooms and cabinet,.   -                    25,000
For apparatus, books, and specimens,   -     -      -     10,000
For agricultural departments in academies,   -      -      3,000
For scholarships, prizes, and contingencies,  -     -      5,000
Salary of a president, and professor of agriculture,  -    2,200
Do. of a superintendent of the farm, -     -       -       800
For extra courses of lectures by gentlemen from abroad, say
on agricultural chemistry, and veterinary medicine,
and surveying, say,        -          -       -        00
$66,800
Tuition of 100 pupils,  -     -       -      -      -      4,000
$62,800
On this plan, only two professors need be directly and exclusively
connected with the school, and the annual necessary expenses, after the
first year, would be as follows, until the State should choose to separate
it from the literary institution:
Salary of president and professor of agriculture, -  -   $2,200
Do. of superintendent of the farm,    -      -      -      800
For the academies,      -              -      -      -    3,000
For scholarships, prizes, &c.,    -    -      -1,000
For extra lectures,.                                    800
$7,800
Tuition of 100 pupils, deduct,                             4,000
$3,80Q1




84             AGRICULTURAL SCHOOLS.                       [Jan.
As to the immediate or prospective endowment of the presidency
and a professorship of agriculture, the State could do as it judged expedient, as in the first plan.
It will be seen, that, by this second plan, the principal reduction of
expense would be in the annual outlay after the first year. Yet the
farm and buildings upon it would be the property of the State, although
their sale for other purposes might involve some loss. But after all,
there will be some, I doubt not, perhaps many, who will feel that in a
new enterprise like this, and untried in our country, the State would
not be justified in expending upon it a sum so large as even this second
plan requires. They are in doubt whether the great body of the people are prepared for it, and if the government were to take the lead in
this matter and get up a large establishment, it might be that the people would not sustain it by sending their sons to it. They would
prefer, therefore, that individuals should take the lead in the enterprise,
or, at any rate, that the government should only offer certain sums for
the object, provided individuals will furnish equal sums. Thus public
feeling would be tested, and if the school should be established, a
deeper interest would be felt in it, than if founded by the government
alone.
There is certainly much truth and wisdom in such suggestions, and
in view of them, I would present a third method, in which I think a
school might be established, which would meet essentially these views,
and yet not give up the hope of ultimately reaching the high standard
proposed in the two first plans.
Third Plan for an Agricultural Institute.
I. Let a Board of Agriculture, as in the first plan, be appointed by
the Legislature, with the following, among other powers:
1. To appoint a secretary, one of whose duties for the present
should be, to aid in the establishment of agricultural schools, and he
should also be expected to give a course of lectures in the central
school, should such a one be established and his services be required.
2. To appoint a presidefit of such central school or college, with a
salary of $1,200, who should be also a professor of some department
in the same; also, to appoint a professor of agriculture in the same,
with a salary of $1,000. Also, a superintendent of the farm, with a
salary from $800 to $1000.
3. These four officers, the president, secretary, professor of agriculture, and superintendent, should have power, with the board, to
select a site for such college, and purchase a farm, containing from
100 to 200 acres, provided the following conditions could be realized.




1851.]                 HOUSE-No. 13.                           85
1. If the school can be located near enough to some existing literary
or scientific institution, for the pupils to attend its lectures, and study
its collections of natural history, it being understood that admittance to
those lectures and cabinets shall be gratuitous, or nearly so, and that
the lectures embrace the following subjects: 1. Chemistry; 2. Botany;
3. Mineralogy; 4. Geology; 5. Zoology; 6. Anatomy, and physiology; 7. Natural philosophy.
2. If the friends of agricultural education in the place where the
school is to be located, or in other places, shall raise a sum for the
purchase of a farm, and sustaining the school, equal to the sum appropriated by the State, which sum shall not exceed $20,000, nor be less
than $15,000; that is, the State shall not be called on to pay over
$20,000 in any case to establish and carry the school through the first
year.
4. The Board should have power to procure for the school, annual
courses of lectures, upon subjects not provided for by the instruction of
the president, secretary, professor of agriculture, and superintendent, nor
by the lectures in the adjacent literary institution; as for instance, the
subject of veterinary medicine and surgery, and agricultural chemistry.
5. Power to appoint one tutor for every thirty-five scholars in the
school, with a salary of $500, whose duty it shall be to hear recitations
in all the branches studied in the school, as well as to examine the classes
upon all the lectures they hear, and, in connection with the president,
professor of agriculture, and superintendent, to watch over the conduct
of the scholars, and exercise all the discipline of the school.
6. Power to make an ofer to the public, in behalf of the State, of the
prospective endowment of a professorship of elementary and agricultural
chemistry; of natural history and geology; of anatomy, physiology,
and veterinary medicine and surgery, whenever funds from the sale of
lands in Maine, or from other sources, not demanded for other objects,
shall come into the possession of the State; provided that individuals
or societies shall agree to give one half of said endowments, with
the privilege of attaching their names to the professorships; and provided also, that a professorship shall not be reckoned higher than
$20,C00.
7. Power to expend $3,000, the first year, in establishing agricultural
departments in as many of the existing academies of the State as shall be
judged expedient; provided, that from eight to ten acres of good land
shall be provided, to be cultivated as a model farm by said academy;
and provided the number of scholars in the academy, studying agricul.
tu.re, shall not be less than ten.
8. Power to make such other arrangements for the management of the




86             AGRICULTURAL SCHOOLS.                         [Jan.
new school, as they may judge necessary; particularly to allow such students as cannot be accommodated with board at the farm house, to take
rooms in the town where the school is situated, and, in renting the
farm, see to it that opportunity be given to those pupils, who may desire it, to pay for their board by labor.
9. Power to invite donations from the citizens of the State, of models
and drawings of agricultural instruments, and drawings of animals useful in agriculture; models of varieties of fruit; specimens of insects
injurious to vegetation; of the skeletons of animals; of dried seeds,
grasses, and grains; of rocks, minerals, and soils; of agricultural
and scientific books, and whatever substances, organic or inorganic,
may be useful in such a school.
10. Power to invite the friends of agriculture to establish scholarships and prizes in the central school and in the county schools.
11. Power to secure the preparation and introduction into the primary schools of a proper manual of agriculture, to be taught there to those
children whose parents wish them to attend to that subject.
12. Were such an arrangement to go into operation, in which the
government defrayed half the expense, and individuals the other half,
then should the central and the county schools be under the control of
trustees, one half of whom should consist of the board of agriculture,
and the other half of gentlemen chosen by the donors to the several institutions; one hundred dollars to constitute a share, and to entitle the
donor of that sum to one vote for trustees, two hundred to two votes,
and so on.
Expenses of the School upon the above Plan for the first year.
I will suppose the donations of individuals for founding the school
in the place where it is located, and in other places, to rise no higher
than $15,000, although we might reasonably hope, I think, to raise it
to $20,000.  Adding to this the appropriation. of the State, we should
have $30,000. If we suppose only 100 students for the first year, to
pay $40 each, we must add $4,000 to $30,000, equal to $34,000, the
sum with which to found the school. Let us see whether this sum
will be at all adequate to put the school into operation.
Cost of a farm from 150 to 200 acres, with farm houses, and
a boarding house, -       -.       -      -  $20,000
For agricultural departments in the academies, if equal sums
are raised by individuals,  -     -      -       -    3,000
Salary of a president,   -              -       -       -    1,200
Do. of a professor of agriculture,     -       -           1,000




1851.]                 HOUSE-No. 13.                         87
Salary of a superintendent of the farm, who should also give
lectures,         -      -       -      -      -    1,000
Salaries of three tutors, (one for every thirty students,)   -    1,500
Extra courses of lectures, -                                 600
Amount,              $28,300
Funds on hand,   -      -       -      -      -       - $34,000
Excess of funds,  -                                        5,700
This excess would doubtless be needed for contingencies that must
be met, especially the first year. Some of it, certainly, would be
wanted for a library. I have not supposed any income from the farm.
Probably there might be none the first year, as it would most likely require two head farmers, under the superintendent, to carry it on, and
doubtless many improvements would need to be set on foot.
Cost of the School in subsequent years.
For the academies,  -.. $3,000
Salaries of president, a professor, and a superintendent,  -  3,200
Salaries of three tutors,.         1,500
Extra courses of lectures,   -    -      -       -      -   600
$8,300
150 students at $40 each,                          $6,000
Income of the farm, -     -       -      -      -   200
$6,200
Annual expense after the first year, -          -       - $2,100
So far as the number of students and the income of the farm are
concerned, the above statements are hypothetical; that is, the estimates are based only on probabilities, and may be quite erroneous, although I have endeavored to place the numbers very low. But as to
the salaries, they are put even higher than they now are at the literary
colleges in the country, and I feel confident that competent men can be
obtained for those sums. I am quite sure, also, that for $20,000, a
farm of 200 acres, with farm houses, and a boarding-house, can be
purchased in a situation which would answer the other conditions of
this plan. I mention these facts to show that the plan is a practical
one, although it would be premature for me to go into details, which
very probably may never be wanted. If they are needed, I am ready
to furnish them.
In conclusion, I would only say, that my conviction is, that if Massa



88             AGRICULTURAL  SCHOOLS.    [Jan. 1851.
chusetts desire it, she might, on some such plan as has been suggested,
within a very few months, put into operation a system of Agricultural
Schools that would ultimately attain a very high character. Some will
doubtless think the standard to be too high. But it is not higher than is
common in Europe. If so many examples of liberality were not before
us in that quarter of the globe, or if inferior schools alone had not there
been found insufficient, we might be justified in adopting some narrow
system of instruction. But I fear that such a course would disappoint
its friends, and confirm the prejudices of its enemies. I cannot believe that the citizens of Massachusetts, especially its farmers, will be
content with a narrow system. Their common schools are too well
known all over the world to allow them to fall far below Europeans in
their Agricultural Schools. Is it not high time to show that the State,
which has distinguished herself so much by the literary education of
her children, can rise equally high in her agricultural system of education?
We hear men speak of the great expense of agricultural schools, as
if the money bestowed upon them were lost, or, at least, unproductive.
But if, as we have reason to believe, those schools would sensibly advance the cause of farming in the State, our money could not be better
vested. For to advance our agriculture is to give a new impulse to all.
other industrial pursuits; nay, to all our great interests, economical,
political, social and moral. Money expended for such an object, is,
therefore, put out at compound interest; and our children, if not ourselves, will reap the rich reversion.
All which is respectfully submitted,
EDWARD HITCHCOCK.
AMHERSTj Dec. 16th, 1850.




A TABULAR VIEW
OF THE
AGRICULTURAL' SCHOOLS OF EUROPE
IN 1850.
12




A TABULAR VIEW OF THE AGRICULTURAL SCHOOLS OF EUROPE IN 1850.
ENGLAND.
i            i, i  i    No.  of Stu i.  ~I  [ 1dents.  [
- c    bn              -  
Cirencester, -    -      -           Superior.          College.         35:3 14to20 3 yrs.  6   7  50   -                 700
loddesdon, Hertz, -         1845    Inferior.       Training School.    233 -6   5  50  0- 0-   - 
Kimbolton,                          A g  Schdo    Agricultural Grammar  11l   -          -     - - - - -                   -
Lalt  o  e  School.  to 133
kentn,  of            Scientific Agricultural   -C o          - ou io
Cirencester, Dou0        -   d      S   do       I     Academy.                                                       I
Lodasson, Hertz, Co.5                                    I - |-t-                                             ---- do?~ do  |  d  |  [  I
Kennington, -            -   do         do               dScientific Agriculturaldl         -
York,                    - -      I     do          Training School.            -
IRELAND.
Glasnevin,  -     -      -  1845 National Model Theoretical and Prac-   --                           43           -        128 
Agr. School.   tical Agriculture.                                                              C
Lamrne, Antrim Co. -     -   do   Model School.           do              55         2 to        -                     Not over 8
Markethill, Armagh Co..   -   do        do                do                        I -            -      - -do
Hollywood, Doun Co.      -   do         do                do                        I -        -     -    -    -do
Carrick, Fermanagh Co.   -   do         do               do                  I               -do
Longhash, Tyrone Co.     -   do         do               do                                                               do
Sallybank, Clare Co.  - do 1do                           do                            — do
Belvoir, Clare Co.  -    -   do         do               do              -                                                do
Rahan,King's Co. -       -   do         do               do              -     -       -     - -    -   - -    -    do




Loughrea, Galway Co.        1845  Model School. Theoret. and Prac. Agr.   -                                        Notover 8
Ballynakill, Galway Co.   -   do       do               do                                                            do       CA
Kyle Park, Tipperary Co.  -   do       do               do                                                            do
Bailieborough, Cavan Co.  -   do       do               do                                                            do
Dunmanway, Cork Co.    -   do          do               do                                                            do
Dunlewy, Donnegan Co.   -   do         do               do                                                            do
Bath, Monaghan Co.      -   do         do               do                                                            do
Mount Trenchard, Tim'k Co.   do       do               do                                                            do
Teivoe, Limerick Co.    -   do         do               do                                                            do
Ardfinnan, Tipperary Co.  - do   do            do                                      do
Derrycastle, Tipperary Co. -   do      do               do                                                            do
Woodstock, Kilkenny Co.  -   do        do               do                                                            do
Leitrim, Leitrim Co. -  -   do         do               do                                                            do       0
Glandore, Cork Co. -    -   do         do               do                                                            do
Farraghy, Cork Co. -    -   do         do               do                                                            do
Belfast,    -       -   -   do         do       Professorship in Belfast  -
ldo~~   dol       | College.
Cork,      -      -     -                               do do33                     2    5                    4 of 67   180
Galway,                 - do           do               do (?)         -         - 
Ballinashee, Antrim Co.   -   do  Ordinary  Agri- Practical Agriculture.                                            2 to 3
cultural School.
Ballymena, Antrim Co.    -   do        do               do             -                                        -    do
Dundrod, Antrim Co.     - do           do               do             -                                              do
Ballinahone, Armagh Co.  -   do        do               do                                                            do
Drumkerl, Cavan Co.     -   do         do               do             -     -      -     -                     -    do
Cloohan, Donegal Co.    -   do         do               do                                                            do
Ballaiahin, Donegal Co.   - do         do               do             -                                              do
Ballyrashane, L. Derry Co. -   do      do               do                                                            do
Ballyoughry, L. Derry Co. -   do       do               do                                                            do
Five Mile Town, Tyrone Co.  do         do               do                                                            do
Drumnasern, Tyrone Co.  - do           do               do                                                            do
Dressog, Tyrone Co.     - do           do               do                                                            do
Kilkishin, Clare Co.    -   do         do               do                                                            do




IRELAND-CONTINUED.
0 ~          No. of Stu-'- ~IL  d   CLI  CLI       dents.           ~~
Locality of the School.  ~   Rank of the School. Character of the Instruction.   0   ~              ~ L.AE
OW. fZ..   rC
o....   c...
Parteen, Clare Co. -     -  1845 Ordin'y Ag. Sch. Practical Agriculture.                      -   -    -        -    - 2 to 3
Knocknaguihy, Clare Co.  -   do         do                 do          X                                             -   do
Tiernaboul, Kerry Co.    -   do         do                 do                                                            do
Killoughteen, Limerick Co. -   do       do                 do                                                            do
Two-Mile House, Kildare Co.  do         do                 do                                                            do       1
Kilberry, Kildare Co.    -   do         do      i          do                                                            do
Ooning, Kilkenny Co.     -   do         do      I          do                                                            do       ]
Ballyglass, Kilkenny Co.   -   do       do                 do                                                            do
Dromisken, Louth Co.     -   do         do                 do                                                            do
Ratoath, Meath Co. -     -   do         do                 do                                                            do
Girley, Meath Co.  -     -   do         do                 do                                                            do
Carnaross, Meath Co.     -   do         do                 do                                                            do
Clonmellon, Clonmellon Co. -   do       do                 do                  -                                         do
Ballinvally, Westmeath Co. -   do       do                 do                                                            do
Delgany, Wicklow Co.    -   do          do                 do            -    -    -   -   -   -    -          -    -   do
Esker, Galway Co. -      -   do         do                do                  -                                          do
Castlehacket, Galway Co.  -   do        do                 do                  -    -   -                                do
Galway Workhouse, Gal. Co.   do         do                 do                  -     -   -   -                           do
Carawallen, Leitrim Co.   -   do        do                 do                  -    -   -   -                            do
Geevagh, Sligo Co. -     -   do         do                 do                  -    -   -                                do
Upper Arigna, Sligo Co.   -   do        do                 do                  -    -   -   -   -                        do
Templemoyle,             - - 1827  Intermediary. Theoretical and Practical.  -    -              70  497 to     -    -   169
yr. 1844
Brookfield, -           - -   do        do                 do                        -            -    -             - 




SCOTLAND.                                                                o
Edinburgh, -            -  1845                Professorship in Univer'y y.       -   -   -   -    -         - 
Aberdeen,  -            -   do                           do
FRANCE.
yrs.                                36
Versailles,   -         -  1848    Superior.   National Agronomic Inst.  -        -   9   9   -                      3650
Grignon,   -            -  1827  Intermediary. Theoret. and Prac. Agr.l 138 16to17  3   6   5  80   600           -   750
Grand Jouan,            -  1830        do                do           138  do    3   6   6  29                        750 
La Saulsaie,     -         1842        do                do           138  do    3   6   6   -382 
Saint Angeau,           -  1849       do                 do           138  do    3   6   6        -                  2247     C
Grand Jouan,            -  1830    Inferior.     Practical Agriculture.    -   16    4   -   -  29                -    -
Les Trois Croix,   -    -  1832        do                do            55  16    -   -         30                    -
Salgourde, -     -      -  1839        do                do                 16    3        -  30          992 an.     750
Montaurone, (La)  -     -  1839        do                do           110  16    4         -  21          1114an. -   420     0
Petit Rochefort,   -    -  1842       do                 do            92  16  2to3  -                    920 an. -   325
Poussery,        -      -  1843        do                do            55  16    3             33         773    -   950 c.
Le Camp,  -             -  1844       do                 do            37  16    3 -           23           -         187
Le Corke,  -            -  1845       do                 do            -   16    4   -         15          l
Besplas,   -     -         1847       do                 do                 16    3-          23          360         270
Charmoise, (La)             do        do                 do            -   16    -   -        24               -       -
Mesnil St. Firman, -    -   do        do                 do            -   16    4   -         12         368         692
Blanchampagne,   -      -   do        do                 do                 16    -   -   -  23
Calcomier, -         -      do        do                 do            -   16    3         -22                        492
Trevarez,  -     -      -   do        do                 do            -   16          -      20    --
Bazin,     -     -      -  do         do                 do            - 16    - -             115.    368        225
Villechaise, -   -      - I do        do                 do                 16    3           17          220 an.     750
Chavaignac, -           -   do        do                 do                 16    3           22                      970
Orme-du-Pont,   1-      -  848        do                 do                 16                 3          756         215     r




FRANCE-CONTINUED.
Locality of the School.     Rank of the School. Character of the Instruction.    0. d                         s. A
Montbeneaune,       -  1848       Interior.    Practical Agriculture.    -      16    3yrs.   -       -    15,  I              -   475
La Chauviniere,          do         do ntdo.16    3                                                       20   - i    368          190 
L'Espinasse, -      - |do  |        do                   do           |-  |16      3                -  |  I17     -|   -   [- M550 
Lajarrige,   -      -   do          do                  doA    -                16    3                    15 -             -"
LArena       -           do         do                   do       h i           16     3                    5,               180
Visens,      -      -1849           do                   do               -     16    3                    11          101          600
Petit-Metray,       -   do          do                   do              -      16    3                     9            -      -   200
Berthauld,   -           do         do                   do               -     16    3        -      -             I 9 368     -182
Le Quesnay,-        -   do          do                   do              -      16    3                    13                  -    - 5
Carlan,     -       -   do          do                   do                     16    3                     -           -           255
Le Courant,.-       -   do          do                   do              -      16    3        -      -    12   -      572      -   125
Pergaux,    -       -   do          do                   do                     16    3               -    11           -       - 250
Guisancourt,-       -   do          do                   do                     16    3                    11                   -   375
Petit-Chene, -      -   do          do                   do                     16    3                    11   -                   417
Puilboreau,-        -   do          do                   do              -      16     3                   11 -                     375 1
Marolles,    -            o         do                   do                     16    3                     8-          -       -  1000    i
Germainville,       - do            do                   do              -      16     3       -      -    10  529    -   250
Patris,      -      -   do          do                   do              -      16    3        -      -    11           -       -   225
Mas-le-Comte,         I do          do       i           do              -      16    3        -      -    12   -              -   225
Varincour,   -           do         do                   do              -      16    3        -      -    16        -          - 255
Templeuve,-             do          do                   do                     16    3               -    11   -    2944       -270
LesBruyeres,             o          do                   do              -      16    3                     9                       650
La Roche,-               do         do                   do              -      16    3                     7                       332
Lamathe,    -            do         do                   do                     16    3                    1    -      631          540
Marolles,    do  do                          do                      Is 3 i  i  j 81 -,'   1 - 11000~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~




Teeon,  -         -  1849    Inferior.    Practical Agriculture.    -    16    yr.                9                    352
llwil&er,   -     -   do        do                 do             -    16     3                  11   I     -      -   265 
Sainte-Crox, -        do        do                 do                   16        3  -           9                     312 7
Les Celestins,    -   do        do                 do                   16     3                 11 11                175
Lachaise,   -     -   do        do                -do                   16     3                 10   -            -   337
Les Monts,-       -   do        do                 do,             1  3                 22                    412
Saint Robert,     -   do        do                 do             -    16      3            -   1    -   276 an.       100
Saint Gildas, -   - do          do                 do             -    16      3     -      -   11                     270
Montat,    -      -   do        do                 do             -    16      3     -      -   11-                -   300
Montceaux,        -   do        do                 do             -    16      3     -      -   19  276            - 512
Lahayereux, -     - do          do                 do             -    16      3     -      -   10                     725
Pont-de-Veyle,    -   do        do                 do             -    16      3                 9                     125
La Vignette,      -   do         do                do                   16     3                  6                    388
Royat,     -      - do          do                 do             -    16      3                 10                    210    0
Vileneuve, -      -   do        do                 do             -    16      3                22   -      -      -   -
leyrie,    -      -   do        do                 do                   16     3                      -     -      - 300
Paillerois,   -do               do                 do                    16       3               5                    750
Mably,     -          do        do                 do                   16     3                 11                  2000
(~asttelbajac,-   -   do        do      1do                       -    16      3                 -   -    55       - 350 Z
Salgues,    -     -   do         do                do                   16     3                 11      1104          875 
Tolon,     -      -   do        do                 do             -    16      3                 11-        -. 245 
NPolhae,          -   do        do                 do             -    16      3     -      -   10         72          177
Souliard,   -     -   do        do                 do                   16     3                 11              
Mandoul,   -      -   do         do                do             -    16      3                                       272
Les Plaines,     -   do        do                 do d                 16     3
Saint Just,  -    -   do        do                 do                   16     3                      -   268          202
Castillaouenan,   -   do        do                 do                   16     3            -   15                     255
L'Hopital,  -     -   do        do                 do             -    16      3                                       500
ITALY.
Pisa,             -   1842    Superior.   Attached to the Univers'y.  -  -   3yrs.          -    -   -               
Meleto,           -  1834    Inferior.              -             -                 




BELGIUM..2 U;  S.       Number of Stu. 
5 -6        dents.
Localityof the School.                                                       n....a      E
Locality of the Shool.         Rank of the School. Character of the Instruction.   
co-'. -'                                                                     -.                      I
0.4
Tirlemont,    -  1849  Intermediary.  Attached to a Communal 83-board. 15   3   5.
College.                        yrs.
Vilvorde, -   -   do       Special.     School of Horticulture.  Board free.  -   3   -   -      -     - 
Oudenbourg,   -   do       Inferior.   School of Practical Agricul. 55-board. 14 i 3   3   -    -      - 37 each pupil. 15   -
Chimay,  -   -   do   Intermediary.    Attached to College.   64-board.  -   3   5   -           -     -               6 
Verviers, -   -   do         do                  do                        15   3   2                                   
Bastogne, -   -   do       Inferior.   School of Practical Agricul.        16   3   2   -       -      - 46 each pupil.' 
Leuze,   -   -   do   Intermediary.   School of Agriculture.   83-board. 15   3   3   -          -     -
Lierre,   -   -   do         do       Attached to Communal Col. 64-board. 14   3   5   -        -      -               7          r
Attert,    -  -   do         do                  do             66-board.  - 3   3-     -                     -      10   -
PRUSSIA.
Moeglin,  -   -  1806    Superior.   Agronomy, Theoretical and    241            -   4   7    20    511            -      2480.
Practical.
Potsdam, -   -  1823       Special.          Horticulture.          -                6   9  25 to 30   -                   -
Frankenfeld,   -  1825       do         For training Shepherds.     -            1              10
Eldena,   -   -  1827    Superior.   Agronomy, connected with    129    17   2   9  10    80           -                  1125
University of Greisewalde.
Regenwalde,   -  1842        do                  do                221           2   4  10      -                         1125
Proskau,  -   -  1847        do          Practical Agriculture.   70-tuition.  -   2   8   8                              2312 
Reisen,   -   -  1847  Intermediary.             do            169-tuition.  -   2        -            -              - 




Ragnit,   -       1847  Intermediary.       Agricultural Arts..  
Grameuz, -   -   do         Special.     Prairies and Irrigation..                16 min.  --
Siegen,   -    -   do         do                   do                 - 
Poppelsdorf,   -  1846     Superior.   Agronomy, Theoretical and 97-tuition.       2   9  10    47                        -   70
Practical.
Kolno,    -    -            Inferior.     Practical Agriculture.              -                 12 max.          690
Near Strasburg, -  1845       do                   do                                           -
Gliechou,      -  1846        do                   do                                           12 max.
Alach,    -    -   do         do                   do                                           -
Reiffenstein,   -   do        do                   do
Bedersleben,   -   do         do                   do                 -
Reisenrodt,    -   do         do                   do
Merchingen,   -   do          do                   do                 -       -
Hasenfelde,    -   do         do                   do                        -                  15 min.
Schellin,      -   do         do                   do                                   -   -      -2
Grosskrebs,    -  1847        do                   do                                           12 min.  -
Lubtow,                       do                   do                                              -
Simmenau,      -  1845      Special.         Culture of Flax.                                     245    -
Klopschen,     -  1846        do                   do                                              23.                  o
Nikolstadt,    -  1847        do                   do               Free.
Insterburg,    -  1846        do                   do                                              56            -
Troechtelborn, -   do         do                   do                                                            420
Zobter,   -    -  1845        do                   do                                                            -
Bidefield, -   -              do                   do                 -
Herfort,   -   -              do                   do
Rustern,  -    -              do                   do




AUSTRIA.                                                                        to
_..                 dents....... 
_d            _  o.t.
~ 0'1 0.                                  $.0             0
of the School. tRankofthe School. Character of the Instruction.                                   a          bI 
M-.                - U.
Krummau, -    -  1799        Superior.          Agriculture.          Free.                                     -    -300000
Prague,      -     1803         do               Industrial.                 -          -   7    8                            -       -.r
Gretz,(Johanneum) 1809          do               Agronomy.                   -          -   9  11                             10
Trieste,   -    -   do       Inferior.          Agriculture.            - 
Lemberg, (Univer-  do                     Professorship of Agricul-     -...
Sity)                                 ture in University. 
Trutsch,  -         do        Inferior.     Practical Agriculture.                -          -    -    -       -              - 
Kcenigsael,     -  1835         do          Agriculture Industrial.     -         -   1 yr.  -    -  60.
Geyesberg,      -  1845       Special.      Culture, &c., of flax.      -         -
Twenty schools in 184A          do                   do                  -        -. _                    Man     -  - 
different places.  1848                                                                                    sands.
In Silesia, -    -   do         do                   do                 -                           -....,             -.
In Moravia,    -   do.
In Galicia, -    -   do          -        Professorship in Universi-                                                  - 
ty of Lemberg.
Cracow,   -    -  1848       Superior.           Agronomy.                                   -         -               0       
ann.
Several schools for   -       Special.         Culture of flax.         -
flax in  Austrian
Poland,...i.




WURTEMBERG.
Hohenheim,   -  1818    Superior.   Agriculture and Forests. 24 to 120    -8  40  1201680 to 1889                       825
Do.   -        do      Inferior.    Practical Ariculture.         -   17    -        -   25
Do.        -  1844     Special.         Horticulture.       Free.    17                  -                    - -
Do.        -  1845        do        Meadows; Irrigation. Paid for work.  -                 
Do.        -   do         do       Fruit Trees; Flax; In-    do       -    -              15    -
struments.
Ellrangen, -   -  1843  Intermediary.   Practical Agriculture. Board free;  17    3          20   50
Tuition 12
Ochsenhauen, -   do          do                do               do       17    3             20,  50      -
BAVARIA.
Schlessheim,   -  1822 |  Superior.   Theoretical and Practical.   60    16    2  11  11   -       -      -      -    6115      Z
Do.   -   -   do       Inferior.    Practical Agriculture.   24       -    1 -   - 
Lichtenhof,    -  1833 Inferior and Spe- Agriculture; Shepherd;    -          3   -  12  26         
cial.           Laborers.
Thirty-two schools  do    Inferior.                                            -   -   -
im differet places.
SAXONY.
Tharand, -   -  1816    Superior.      Agriculture; Forests.  20 to 30  18to30  24  9  10  80   1100    -             7437
Groshennersdorf,  1838     Special.   Small Culture, (orphans.)    -      8    6   -   -  80    150    -         -      67
Dresden, -   -  1$47  Intermediary.   Agriculture; Forests.     175   1      lor2       7  12
RBva,           -..o do         Agriculture.        -140   1:      I 112   19 -                         
Schoenfeld,      1849        do        Practical Agriculture.    52   | 17    2   6   7    -                 [For 1-5of the pupils.
w., _ i i, @ t~~~~~~~~~~~~t  67T  




BRUNSWICK.                                                                     o
Locality of the School..  Rank of the School. Character of the Instruction..    o  i       *'' -.   I  E ['.
0    so.
Brunswick,     -  1835      Superior.   Agronomy; Technology.                 16    -   13   13    100   -   -  $   devote dtoho
Schepenstedt,  -  1844   Inferior.        Practical Agriculture.     56        -     2    -    3     30   -   -         -       -
Ci
MECHLENBURG SCHWERIN.
Carlsho4f    - -  1844   Intermediary.  Theoretical Agriculture.                              10 -     -
SCHLESWIG HOLSTEIN.                                                                    o
Jevenstaed,    -  1842       Inferior.    Practical Agriculture.      -                             40                                  O
Rendsbourg,   -   do           do         Agriculture-Practical.      -                             40    -    -
Rodding, -    -  1844        Mixed.            Agriculture.           -                             20     -   -
Toestrup, -   -   1845   Intermediary.  Agriculture-Horticult.       -                         9   20               -'
PRINCIPALITY OF ANHALT.
Cochsted, 2 Div.,  1844  Intermediary.   Agriculture-Irrigation.     200             1        13 I.                
Coswig, (Ascania)  1847     Superior.       Agricultural Arts.   1   10   -                        
Agricultural Ar&.   I  II 1 IIO r -I       I -I' [




GRAND DUCHY OF HESSE.                                                                   I.0
Darmstadt,     -  1831   Intermediary.  Agricult' and Industrial              -
Arnsbourg,    -  18481         do         Practical Agriculture.I   240       -     -    1-   12           1-         -
GRAND DUCHY OF WEIMAR.
Jena,     -    -1826 nected iCth Ui-i  Agronomy-Forests.                            2         0per                    -
_______ _               1~ verityof-ena                              -    I  -      2iy  920Je              - nI          -11  I  -
DUCHY OF NASSAU.                                                                   ci
Geisberg, -    -  1835      Superior.    Theoretical Agriculture. Tuition 60   1    win-     10   50                 6        75
_____________________                                     116 II~~          10 ~50          1 - I    6       75ters.
ELECTORATE OF HESSE.
Beberbek,-       11846      Superio       Agriculture-Forests       119  216to2O  2           8 16to201              -
-I      I   Superior.eForst.  1                            16t20              16t20                       1     
GRAND DUCHY OF BADEN.
Hochbourg,     -1848         Mixed.    Aricultureofthecountry.24 to 46    16    3            10   15    -        1
I  I                                                I   I-I        1             -I I~~~~~uiton




SAXE MEININGEN.
0                                             1
LOCai yo of QA         -= A    $A  Number of Stu-     E,0.                         _,,dents.                      ~,..
Locality ofthe School.    Rank of the School. Character of the Instruction..-                                                    t.0u  0
0    -  00.0 
Sd tboP.Petersbur0                                             0                           30 30
Frauenbreitunge, 1847   Elementary.    Practical Agriculture.         -        14         -                       -     -
RUSSIA.
Marjino,       - -  1824  Intermediary. Agriculture; Mines; For-    450              -20            125 
ests.         (600 roubles.)
r  o,'    - -  1828    Inferior.      For the rearing of Bees.                            -      253           -              -
St. Petersburg, -  1833     Superior.           Agronomy.             -        15    5   -   -   250    -                        330      r.j
( Superior.          Agronomy.)            84       15     3               85                        1000 2
Gorigoretz,    -  1836    Intermediary.         Mtixed.              65       to      3  16   -    35    -                       000
Inferior.           Practical.           38       20    3               200                         1000      0
Kasan,   -    -    40  Intrediary                  do                                 -        -   150            -             1935 
Sympherpol,   -  1843                   For Silk Worms. (Magnanery)   -               -             150           -              -
Marjino,  -    -   do    Intermediary.          Practical.                                                        -              -
Moscow,-    -   do          Superior.          Agronnomy.         80 to 100   17    -   -   20   -          -                    660
Studener, -    -   do    Intermediary.         Horticulture.                   -     5   -   -    24              -              -
Six Farm  Schools  do        Inferior.          Practical.                           4   -   -  100 to                         375 to
in different places,                                                                               200                         2000
Fifty Model Farms  do          do                  do                                -                                         375 to
in different places,                                                                                                          2000'~
School for Flax, -   do        do                  do                           -              25   -
9- "-'- *   >4. 4r' |,1   2 t. -!  - 




1851.]             HOUSE-No. 13.                   103
CONCLUSION BY THE COMMISSIONERS.
With these views and statements, the commissioners having
had the various subjects committed to them under consideration, and feeling that the great object of agricultural education
is one of vital importance, not only to the farmers of Massachusetts but to the prosperity of the Commonwealth, beg leave
to submit the subjoined recommendations, and earnestly to
commend the whole subject to the favorable attention of the
Legislature.
But, inasmuch as it has been the custom of the State to disburse her funds for educational and charitable purposes, so as
to encourage and enlist private munificence in conjunction with
legislative aid, your commissioners offer their recommendations
on the following conditions:
1. To carry out the foregoing views, the commissioners recommend the appropriation by the Legislature of twenty thousand dollars, for the purpose of establishing a Central Agricultural
College, with a Model and Experimental Farm; said institution
to be open to all classes of the Commonwealth, and in the government of which the State shall be interested so far as may be
deemed expedient; provided, however, that this sum shall not
be drawn for until an equal amount shall have been raised by
private donation or legacy, and deposited in the treasury of the
Commonwealth, to constitute a common fund for this object.
2. Whenever any incorporated Academy, not exceeding one
such institution in each county, shall raise a fund of two thousand dollars or more, towards establishing and supporting a department of agricultural instruction, with lands suitable for
experiments, it shall be entitled to draw from the treasury of
the Commonwealth, the sum of two hundred dollars annually;
provided, however, that whenever the number of scholars receiving instruction in agriculture shall be less than ten, the
aid of the State shall be withheld.
3. The undersigned recommend the establishment of a State
Department of Agriculture, to consist of a board of commission



104         AGRICULTURAL SCHOOLS.                  [Jan.
ers and a secretary, whom they shall annually appoint, which
board shall sustain a similar relation to agriculture and the
schools connected with it, as the board and secretary of education do to primary schools. This b6ard shall consist of one member from, and to be elected by, each of the incorporated agricultural societies now receiving the bounty of the State, which board
shall have power to locate, organize and put in operation the
College contemplated by the foregoing recommendations. The
duties of the secretary shall be, under the direction of the board,
to give lectures in the various parts of the Commonwealth,
whenever it may be deemed expedient, on the science and practice of agriculture; to receive the returns of the incorporated
agricultural societies, and make a digest of the same in the form
of an annual report to the Legislature; to collect agricultural
statistics and information in the various departments of this science; to correspond with local societies in this and other lands;
to visit individually, in connection with the board, the exhibitions of the various county societies; and to promote, by
such other measures as the board may devise, this most important branch of human industry.
4. The commissioners further recommend, that inasmuch as
the aid now rendered by the Commonwealth to agricultural
societies was granted with reference to a very different state of
things, when the population was smaller, agricultural products
fewer, and all industrial pursuits were sources of much less revenue to the State; and in view of the increase of population,
productions and revenue, an additional grant of one hundred dollars annually be made on every thousand dollars of the
permanent fund of the several agricultural societies, which are
or may be entitled by the present laws to the bounty of the
State. Provided, however, that this sum shall not exceed nine
hundred dollars to any society per annum.
5. That a premium, of such an amount as the Legislature
may deem judicious, be offered for the best Elementary Treatise on Agriculture, suitable for common schools; said premium
to be awarded by the Board of Agriculture, if such be created,
or, if not, by a committee to be appointed by the Governor and
council.




1851.]            HOUSE-No. 13.                    105
6. That after the common school fund shall have reached
the sum of one million of dollars, and the Western Railroad
sinking fund shall have been adequately secured, all proceeds
of lands belonging to the Commonwealth in the state of Maine,
and of the claims of Massachusetts on the federal government,
shall be reserved to form a fund, the income of which shall be
appropriated, at the discretion of the Legislature, for the encouragement or support of institutions for instruction in agriculture,
for charitable purposes, and for education.
In conclusion, the commissioners have not deemed it expedient to report in favor of aid, at this time, to the other subjects committed to them for consideration, or to submit any
more specific plans than those embraced in these general recommendations, or such as may be drawn from the substance of
this report, leaving for the wisdom of the Legislature, or any
Board of Commissioners which may hereafter be appointed,
more perfectly to develop plans and modes of action.
Signed,
MARSHALL P. WILDER,
EDWARD HITCHCOCK,
SAMUEL A. ELIOT,
THOMAS E. PAYSON,
ELI WARREN,
Commissioners.
14