Agricultural Schools

It ia evident that the agricultura! colleges established in New England have not proved the success so fondly hoped for by 'cheir founders. ïhey have attempted too much in the line of higher branches, and too little in the direction of practical, usef ui education. They have attempted a senseless following of the course of study adopted in such richly-endowed institutions of learning as Harvard, Yale and Dartmouth. These agricultural colleges have not attracted the Interest, sympathy or patronage of the f arming classes, for whose benefit theY were originally endowed. Perhaps a system of agricultural schools under proper management might be more serviceable in moulding and improving the rural mind, and in this connectionsomething may be learned from the experience of Sweden. In addition to itsagrieultural colleges proper, Swedea has no less than 27 agricultural schoels, one to eaeh province. They stand to the college m a relation precisely analogus to that which our high schools bear to the classical colleges. The course of study in them is eminently practical, embracing the principies of agriculture, horticulture, care of domestic animáis, improvement of breeds, drawing, surveying, drainage, forestry, agricultural chemistry, chemistry, veterinary surgery, botany, a little zoology, and geology, etc. They also give instruction in carpentry, smithwork, carriage making, which would be perhapsunnecessary here, and in the art of building, and making fences and walls, of which every farmer should know something. An excellent adjunct of each of the principal schools is a dairy for women, where they can go through a year's drill in butter and cheese making. Those of the studenta who can may take an additional two years in the college. Thsse schools are free, and are supported partly by the province and partly by the state. The students, of course, give their labor. Sweden has also, in addition to the foregoing, several schools of forestry. One of these schools which M. DuChaillu visited contained more than 100 acres under cultivation, ad 1,800 acres of unimproved and forest land to be reelaimed. The rocky and swampy nature of a good deal of it gave a good opportunity for the study of drainage. From a description of his visit to this school, as given in Harper's Magazine, we extract the following : "Blacksmith and carpenier shops were in f uil operation ; the barn was large, and all the out-building-s were very fine. The live stock of the farm consisted of about 30 head of cattle; beside horses, sheep and swine of different breeds, the result of the intermixture of blood being observed with great care. The students' quarters were presided over by a woman, under whose matronage the house presented an air of perfect home comfort The parlor sofas and chairs were covered with white linen; the Windows were adorned with flower pots ; the floor was as clean as a new pin. There was a piano with a pile of music near it ; an American sewing machine stood near one of the Windows ; engravings hung en the walls ; little porcelain figures here and there ; on the table were French, English, Germán, Greek and Latin books; and from the rear window there was a view of a garden filled with flowers, strawberries, raspberries, currants, peas, carrots and potatoes, and of a stretch of green fields beyond." Agriculture must always be the foundation of American strength, prosperity and greatness ; henee, whatever the nation, the state or the town rnay do toward elevating and popularizing the business of agriculture must prove of incalculable advantage. Agricultural schools are needed to teach our coming farmers how to make the most of their farms by studying the capabilities of the soil and climate, and also how to avoidtheinistakes committed in the past in the name of agiiculture. The mistakes already committed in our national systemof agrictural education have been in attempting too grand resulta at the start. More humble beginnings, more practical teaching, more elemeatary, technical scheols vvould perhaps serve to fit a smalí percentage of scholars for a higher course of collegiate study, wliile benefltting the masses through the common schools of agriculture, Sorae of the New Jersey farmers are using goats to protect their sheep f rom the attacks of dogs, having taken the hint from some of the Oregon sheep farmers who have found that two or three goats in a sheep pen will be enough to drive away the coyotes and prairie wolves. This is easy enough to try. That the pear tree loves to grow in cool ground has been demonstrated over and over again. The following extract from the Massa chusetts Plowman: "Where it is practicable an orchard may be very much improved by covering the whole ground with a very heavy coat of manure, say 15 cords to the acre, and covering it with fine evergreen brush deep enougt to prevent the gras3 from growing for several years; this is better than plowing the land, as it does not cut off and destroy all of the roots near the surface, but rather invites them to grow, and the decayed grass roots and brush, together with the mauure applied, will forcé a good growth of not only roots, butalso tops. The mulching keeps the land cool and moist, which is just what the pear wants.