Societaet) established an Agricultural Experiment Station on its farm at Maeckern, near that city. This example was soon imitated in other parts of Germany and the neighboring countries; and at the present writing, 1867, there are of similar Experiment Stations in operation-in Prussia, 10; in Saxony, 4; in Bavaria, 3; in Austria, 3; in Brunswick, Hesse, Thuringia, Anhalt, Wirtemberg, Baden and Sweden, 1 each; making a total of 26, chiefly sustained by, and operating in, the interest of the agriculturists of those countries. These Stations give constant employment to 60 chemists and vegetable physiologists, of whom a large number are occupied largely or exclusively with theoretical investigations; while the work of others is devoted to more practical matters, as testing the value of commercial fertilizers. Since 1859 a journal (Die Landwirthschaftlichen Versuchs Stationen-Agricultural Experiment Stations) has been published as the organ of these establishments, and the nine volumes now completed, together with the numerous reports of the Stations themselves, have largely contribu ted the facts that are made use of in the following pages."

"Such a Station," according to Dr. Pugh, "should embrace a farm for experiments in the growth of crops, a chemical laboratory for examining them, and stalls, stables, etc., adapted to feeding animals, with a view of estimating the value of different kinds of food for cattle." Perhaps the least expensive method of establishing such Stations in Illinois, is to seek out our most intelligent and inquiring farmers, in different parts of the State, who in their own farms have already most of the means of experiment. Supply these men with meteorological instruments, and they can easily *ch meteorological reports. Supply them with seed and instructhe character of an experiment, and they can carry it way. The same would be true with experiments "ractical chemists, they would not often be xception, our more intelligent farmers Such men should be paid for their the thorough performance

ed, withont detriment to as it may be in some cases, an experimental farmer, a ical apparatus and professor, ould thus ensure a better qualor. Probably such inay, sooner

or later, be the case at Chicago, Galesburg, Bloomington, Jacksonville, Alton, Irvington, and other points. These Stations, however, should at first go to the men and the communities who can appreciate their advantages; where enthusiasts will labor from their love of the subject, and where farmers will be willing to contribute something to support in their midst an attempt to throw the lights of science upon their arts of agriculture.

III. In accordance with the Congressional and Legislative acts the collection of State Industrial and Economical Statistics, is made a part of the duty of the Board of Trustees, and devolved upon the Corresponding Secretary. This can hardly be efficiently done without some grant of power under State law, or better, some State provision for a Statistical Bureau, from which the kind of statistics needed can be drawn. And in view of the strongly expressed opinions of our State Agricultural Society, and of our State Board of Equalization of Taxes, it may be hoped that the next Legislature will make provision for an annual collection of statistics, embracing the progress of Agriculture, Manufactures, Commerce, and other industrial pursuits, as well as vital and social statistics.

IV. The holding of Annual Conventions-either general, as of Farmers, or special, as of Fruit Growers, Wool Growers and Cattle Breeders—is an important aid in gathering facts and disseminating scientific knowledge, and may, perhaps, be regarded as within the province of the Corresponding Secretary. The importance of these "Farmers' Institutes," as they have been aptly termed, I have already insisted upon in a communication addressed to the Committee on Course of Study and Faculty of the University, and published in the Prairie Farmer of December 21st, 1867. I will ask leave to repeat my reasons in favor of such a

course.

"1. It breaks ground' at the best point. The people of this State look to this Institution for something of more practical value in its immediate application to every-day affairs, than other Institutions have been in the habit of furnishing. A course of lectures and discussions of this kind will show that we are endeavoring to supply that want, and gain their good will to educational schemes of less obvious, though not less real, utility.

"2. Such a course will give a start in self education to a large class who cannot or will not attend the longer courses. The young, or the middle aged man who can spend a week or two in the discussion of topics relating to his every-day business, will go home with material for thought, and theories for better practice, that will last him for years. It will have a tendency also to draw persons into the longer

courses, and to make them anxious that their relatives and friends should avail themselves of the advantages of this Institution. In short, such a course will create a better appreciation of industrial education.

"3. Such a course is also directly valuable as a means of education. While it is somewhat superficial, it has a value from coming into immediate contact with the facts, practices and economies of every-day experience that can hardly be overrated. This is well expressed in the words of the late Prof. John A. Porter, in the New Englander for November, 1859. The solution which we prepose is the enlistment of practical men, who are not professional teachers, in the work of instruction, and their combination in such numbers, that a small contribution of time and labor from each shall make a sufficient aggregate to meet the object in view. The special necessity for such a system, in the case of the pursuit we are considering, grows out of the fact that there is much in agriculture which has not yet taken the form of science, and can only be acquired from practical men.'

"4. Such courses would be of value to the Faculty of the University in bringing them into contact with the classes whose needs and deficiencies they wish to supply, and thus giving them a more correct idea of practical education, and the drift of things outside the academic walls. Teachers need this, above all other teachers, in an Industrial University."

V. Personal observation of the farms of our best farmers, and the manufactories of our best mechanics, would be a valuable method of getting hold of the best practical methods in the varied pursuits of Agriculture and the Mechanic Arts; and through the medium of this report the result of such observations could be communicated to all who cared to know. Thus, in another way, the practices of our best grain, grass and stock growers could be communicated to all our farmers, and our methods of farming much improved. Visits to the orchards and vineyards of our best fruit growers, would give, as they already have given, new and better ideas of Horticulture. The workshops of our mechanics would doubtless furnish other valuable material for the study of our artisans.

By such methods as these we may, I think, fairly hope to do a great and good work for our fair and fertile State, and make her as illustrious in the intelligence and wise economy of her industries, as she already is in her natural advantages and her political and military power.

W. C. F.

LAWS CONCERNING THE INDUSTRIAL UNIVERSITY.

LAWS OF CONGRESS.

AN ACT donating Public Lands to the several States and Territories which may provide Colleges for the benefit of Agriculture and the Mechanic Arts.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America, in Congress assembled, That there be granted to the several states, for the purposes hereinafter mentioned, an amount of public land, to be apportioned to each state, in quantity equal to 30,000 acres for each senator and representative in Congress to which the states are respectively entitled by the appointment under the census of 1860: Provided, That no mineral lands shall be selected or purchased under the provision of this act.

§ 2. And be it further enacted, That the land aforesaid, after being surveyed, shall be apportioned to the several states in sections or sub-divisions of sections not less than one-quarter of a section; and whenever there are public lands in a state, subject to sale at private entry, at one dollar and twenty-five cents per acre, the quantity to which said state shall be entitled, shall be selected from such lands, within the limits of such state; and the secretary of the interior is hereby directed to issue to each of the states, in which there is not the quantity of public lands subject to sale at private entry, at one dollar and twenty-five cents per acre, to which said estate may be entitled under the provisions of this act, land serip to the amount in acres for the deficiency of its distributive share; said scrip to be sold by said states, and the proceeds thereof applied to the uses and purposes prescribed in this act, and for no other use or purpose whatsoever; Provided, That in no case shall any state to which land scrip may thus be issued, be allowed to locate the same within the limits of any other state, or of any territories of the United States; but their assignees may thus locate said land scrip upon any of the unappropriated lands of the United States subject to sale at private entry, at one dollar and twentyfive cents or less per acre. And provided further, That not more than one million acres shall be located by such assignees in any one of the states. And provided further, That no such locations shall be made before one year after the passage cf

this act.

§3. And be it further enacted, That all the expenses of management, superintendence and taxes from date of selection of said lands, previous to their sales, and all expenses incurred in the management and disbursement of the moneys which may be received therefrom, shall be paid by the states to which they may belong, out of the treasury of said states, so that the entire proceeds of the sale of said lands shall be applied, without any diminution whatever, to the purposes hereinafter mentioned.

Vol. II-5

§ 4. And be it further enacted, That all moneys derived from the sale of lands aforesaid, by the states to which the lands are apportioned, and for the sales of land scrip hereinbefore provided for, shall be invested in stocks of the United States, or of the states, or some other safe stocks, yielding not less than five per cent. upon the par value of said stocks; and that the money so invested shall constitute a perpetual fund, the capital of which shall remain forever undiminished (except so far as may be provided in section fifth of this act), and the interest of which shall be inviolably appropriated by each state, which may take and claim the benefit of this act, to the endowment, snpport and maintenance of, at least, one college, where the leading object shall be, without excluding other scientific and classical studies, and including military tactics, to teach such branches of learning as are related to agriculture and the mechanic arts, in such manner as the legislatures of the states may respectively prescribe, in order to promote liberal and practical education of the industrial classes in the several pursuits and professions in life.

5. And be it further enacted, That the grant of land and scrip hereby authorized, shall be made on the following conditions, to which, as well as to the provisions hereinbefore contained, the previous assent of the several states shall be signified by legislative acts:

First-If any portion of the fund invested, as provided by the foregoing section, or any portion of the interest thereon, shal!, by any action, or contingency, be diminished or lost, it shall be replaced by the state to which it belongs, so that the capital of the fund shall remain forever undiminished; and the annual interest shall be regularly applied without diminution to the purposes mentioned in the fourth section of this act, except that a sum, not exceeding ten per centum upon the amount received by any state under the provisions of this act, may be expended for the purchase of lands for sites or experimental farms, whenever authorized by the respective legislatures of said states.

Second-No portion of said fund, nor the interest thereon, shall be applied, directly or indirectly, under any pretense whatever, to the purchase, erection, preservation or repair of any building or buildings.

Third-Any state which may take and claim the benefit of the provisions of this act, shall provide, within five years, at least not less than one college, as prescribed in the fourth section of this act, or the grant to such state shall cease; and said state shall be bound to pay the United States the amount received of any lands previously sold, and that the title to purchasers under the state shall be valid.

Fourth-An annual report shall be made regarding the progress of each college, recording any improvements and experiments made, with their cost and results, and such other matters, including state industrial and economical statistics, as may be supposed useful; one copy of which shall be transmitted by mail free, by each, to all the other colleges which may be endowed under the provisions of this act, and also one copy to the secretary of the interior.

Fifth-When lands shall be selected from those which have been raised to double the minimum price in consequence of railroad grants, they shall be computed to the states at the maximum price, and the number of acres proportionally diminished.

Sixth-No state, while in a condition of rebellion or insurrection against the government of the United States, shall be entitled to the benefits of this act.