As to what an agricultural education should be, opinions differ. Agricultural colleges were sprung upon the country before there was any adequate demand for them. Farmers, as a class, while favoring education for their sons, have desired it simply as a lever to lift their boys out of their own business into something more desirable, or at least more fashionable. Hence they have not largely patronized their own institutions. Colleges cannot be run successfully without students, and to attract these various studies have of necessity been introduced in many cases which are not at all agricultural in their nature. Indeed, the lack of ambition and means for taking a long course of study on the part of the genuine farmer boy has rendered it imperative to supply to him in the college a part of what others get in the preparatory school.

I must, however, confess that I am not in sympathy with that large class which would make the agricultural college a place to get a good, practical education cheap. I do not object to the good, the practical, or the cheap, but to make these the main objects is to place the college indirect antagonism with our better academies and high schools and belittle them in the sight of our other colleges. Already the haziness of the popular opinion as to their province has forfeited much of the respect which is accorded a definite purpose and prevented that cordial co-operation which is essential to success in educational work. Unless our agricultural courses of study give young men a knowledge of the principles of agriculture not taught elsewhere; unless our professors of agriculture are as learned in their field as are other instructors in theirs; unless a special education is furnished which will satisfy in its line the wants of the most ambitious, agricultural colleges will continue to be in the future, as too often in the past, a good place to which to send some other farmer's

son.

Fortunately, the existence of these desirable conditions is not a mere dream. The last decade has seen long strides taken in the right direction. Certainly there can now be no doubt of the existence of opportunity. Agricultural chemistry, stock feeding and breeding, dairying, fertilization, injurious insects, laws of the weather, veterinary medicine, with many other topics, present a

field for study and research unsurpassed. In these days of experiment stations, when the old professions are crowded, I know of no better opening for a young man of originality, combined with a practical turn of mind, than in helping to enlarge the world's store of knowledge of agriculture. I should suppose the time to be near when a neighboring agricultural college, which, by the way, is one of the best, will find it unnecessary, in its advertising lines, to offer to fit young men, first, for the professions and general business, and, second, for good farmers.

I am aware that the discussion on such an occasion as this of the question whether agriculture has made progress carries with it the insinuation that perhaps it has gone backward, and, if so, this retrograde motion may keep on, and so the future field of work of the agricultural college be contracted. If this be so, there will be all the more need of education to stem the tide, and, personally, I have no fears of the result. An agricultural education, whether acquired in the school, on the farm, or by one's self from books and papers, is a necessity of the future, and the sooner this fact is recognized the better. Let us insist upon it on all occasions, that there is something in an agricultural course of study that is essential, special, and not to be obtained elsewhere, and though the number of students for such a course be smaller for a time, the per cent going into agricultural pursuits will be larger, and in the long run a higher success be attained. I do not believe in any attempt to force young men to go back to the farm. Give them an attractive agricultural education, and then let them choose for themselves. Circumstances may turn many into other lines of work, but these will never forget their early practical education which fitted them for a profession which underlies and builds up all others.

Here in New Hampshire I look for a bright future for our college. Adverse criticism, based in part on a misapprehension of facts, may temporarily hinder, but in the end will stir up more powerful friends and advertise our institution. With the advent of the workshop and the chances for work in the experiment station, the present thorough course will be made so attractive as to win the regard and esteem of our farmer boys and a live administration will reach and draw in this class.

As to the New Hampshire Experiment Station the trustees propose, as the act of Congress provides, to establish one central station at the college, well manned and equipped. Then, when occasion requires, they will send out from the station proper men to carry out and supervise such experiments as cannot, from the nature of the case, be properly performed there. I appeal to every one present who has the best good of the community at heart not to countenance any division of funds which will prevent the carrying out of this plan, or which will weaken the general work of the station. The sum of $15,000 to be appropriated for each State was not a chance sum, but was arrived at after mature deliberation and the consideration of the work of several existing stations at home and abroad. Many States have or will supplement this sum with a liberal additional appropriation, and we, in our little State, should not make ourselves appear ridiculous by making two bites of a cherry for the sake of pleasing some particular locality. In truth, such division is contrary to the whole spirit of the act of Congress, which provides for division only when the original land grant for establishing colleges is divided, and does not advise, but only allows, it then. I think it would be a calamity to the State to have any plan of division carried out. At any rate this is a matter for the trustees of the college to determine, and any expression, whether by individuals, by organizations, or by the Legislature, should be couched in the language of opinion or respectful advice, rather than command.

Finally, friends, let us pull together in all consistent ways and with all possible effort to elevate and help onward the agricultural interests of our State.

ENSILAGE.

BY L. T. HAZEN.

The subject on which I purpose to speak to you for a few moments is one that is to-day agitating the whole of the United States and many of the old countries, the subject of ensilage. And the question first comes up, What is ensilage? It is green food preserved in as nearly as possible its green state. Preserving its succulent nature is usually done by putting it into pits called silos, using continuous pressure on top, by which the air is expelled as the material shrinks in bulk. This method was first used by Auguste Goffart in France in 1873, when he preserved in his brick silo, partly above and partly below ground, a large crop of green corn with gratifying results.

Mr. Francis Morris, of Maryland, adopted this method in 1876, and has ensiloed several hundred tons each year since in earth trenches. At the suggestion of Mr. Morris, a treatise written by Mr. M. Goffart was translated into our language by Mr. J. B. Brown, president of the New York Plow Company, in 1879, and in 1881 a number of silos were built. Silos are built below ground or above, as the formation of the ground where they are to stand will best convene the user, and are built of stone or brick and cement, or of wood, and in the old country a trench in the ground is quite extensively used. Each of these methods has its advantages. Dr. Sturtevant, of the New York Experiment Station, is not sure as we need any. He has stacked a lot of it this year and thinks it as well, but I feel like letting him prove it before trying it myself.

I now will briefly touch upon the different systems in use at the present time. Each of the methods has its advantages and advocates. Undoubtedly a pit with stone walls, laid in cement, is the cheapest in the end, though costing more at first, but my observations are that ensilage does not keep as well as in properly constructed wood silos. The more perfectly the air is excluded the better is the ensilage, and it seems to me that the two thicknesses of boards with paper between will more perfectly exclude it. Cement is supposed to be water and air tight, but there is always a moisture on the walls of cement silos, and I have never seen any where the ensilage was good next to the walls, but with the wood as I have described, mine is good to the walls. The question is, What is ensilage, and what constitutes a good article? Ensilage is a food cut in its green state and preserved in as near the condition when cut as possible, preserving its succulent nature; and the method that will do that is of course the best.

I have described and expressed my opinion upon the silo, and I will now discuss the method of raising and preparing the material, which we will suppose to be corn, as I am sure it is a more profitable crop for us to raise for ensilage than anything else. First comes planting. Some say plant thick so that the stalks will be small and tender, but those people do not realize that from eighty to ninety per cent of that crop is water, and that the more water there is in a green crop the more acid there will be in the ensilage. I first planted in rows three feet and eight inches apart, and kernels two and one half inches apart, and have tried all thicknesses, till this last year I got up to six inches between the kernels, and am fully satisfied that I got the best corn I ever did, and fully as much of it. Next year I shall try a part of it one foot apart in the rows. I am fully satisfied that the growing corn needs the drying and ripening influence of the sun to perfect it and prepare it for the best condition for harvesting. When planted, I should drive a smoothing harrow over it as often as every three days till the corn was four to six inches high; then I should take the cultivator and go through it as often till it was so large I could not cultivate without breaking it down. Until last year I have put my men through with hoes after the first time cultivating; but this last year I did not put a