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my Income will Suffer by my retreat to it. In order to this, I began with a Meadow, on which there had never been much Timber, but it was always overflowed. The Soil of it is very fine, and black about three-foot; then it comes to a fatt bluish Clay; of this deep meadow I have about eighty acres, forty of which had been Ditched and mowed. The Grass which comes in first after Ditching is Spear-grass and white clover; but the weeds are to be mowed four or five years before they will be Subdued, as the Vegetation is very

Luxuriant.

This meadow had been ditched and planted with Indian Corn, of which it produced above Sixty Bushells per acre. I first Scoured up my Ditches and Drains, and took off all the Weeds; then I ploughed it, and Sowed it with Oats in the last of May. In July I mowed them down, together with the Weeds, which grew plentifully among them, and they made good Fodder. I immediately ploughed it again, and kept harrowing till there was an appearance of Rain; and, on the 23d of August, I sowed near thirty acres with red Clover and Herd-grass, allowing six quarts of Herd-grass and four pounds of red clover to an acre in most parts of it; in other parts, four quarts Herd-grass and three pounds red clover. The red clover came up in four days, and the Herdgrass in six days; and I now find, that, where I allowed the most seed, it protects itself the better against the Frost. I also Sowed an Acre with twelve pound of red clover, and it does well. I Sowed an Acre more with two bushells of RyeGrass Seed and five pound of Red Clover; the Rye-Grass Seed failed, and the Red Clover heaves out much for want of being thicker. However, in March next I intend to throw in six pound more of Red Clover, as the Ground

is open and loose. As these Grasses are represented not durable, I have sown two bushells of the Sweeping of Haylofts (where the best Hay was used), well Riddled, per Acre, supposing that the Spear-Grass and white clover seed would be more equally scattered when the other shall fail.

What surprized me was to find, that the Herd-grass, whose Roots are small and spread near the Surface, should be less affected by the Frost than the red Clover, whose Roots I measured in the last of October, and found that many of their Tap roots penetrated five Inches, and from its Sides threw out near thirty Horizontal roots, some of which were Six inches long, and branched. From the figure of this root, I flattered myself, that it would endure the heaving of the frost; but I now see, that wherever it is thin Sown it is generally hove so far out, as that but a few of the horizontal and a small part of the Tap roots remain covered, and I fear will not recover. Take the whole together, it is well matted, and looks like a green corn-field.

I have about ten Acres more of this Ground ready for Seed in the Spring, but expect to combat with the Weeds a year or two. That sown in August I believe will rise so soon in the Spring, as to suppress them in a great measure.

it

My next undertaking was a Round Pond of twelve Acres. Ditching round it, with a large drain through the middle, and other smaller Drains, laid it perfectly dry. This, having first taken up all the rubbish, I ploughed up, and harrowed many times over, till it was smooth. Its soil is blackish; but, in about a foot or ten inches, you come to a sand of the same color with the upland. From the Birch that grew upon it, I took it to be of a Cold Nature, and therefore I procured a Grass which would best suit that kind of Ground, inter

VOL. II-2C

mixt with many others, that I might thereby see which suited it best. On the eighth 7ber, I laid it down with Rye, which being harrowed in, I threw in the following grass seed; a bushell of Salem Grass or Feather-Grass, half a bushell of Timothy or Herd-Grass, half a bushell of RyeGrass, a peck of Burden-grass or blue bent, and two Pints of Red Clover per Acre, (all the Seed in the Chaff, except the Clover,) and bushed them in. I could wish they had been clean, as they would have come up sooner, and been better grown before the Frost; and I have found by Experiment, that a bushell of clean Chaff of Timothy or Salem Grass will yield five quarts of Seed. The Rye looks well, and there is abundance of Timothy or Salem Grass come up amongst it; but it is yet small, and in that state there is scarce any knowing those Grasses apart. I expect from the sands lying so near the surface, that it will suffer much in dry Weather but if it will produce good,'

B. FRANKLIN.

92. PROPOSALS RELATING TO THE EDUCATION OF YOUTH IN PENSILVANIA. PHILADELPHIA: PRINTED IN THE YEAR, MDCCXLIX 2 (A. P. S.)

ADVERTISEMENT TO THE READER.

It has long been regretted as a Misfortune to the Youth of this Province, that we have no ACADEMY, in which they might receive the Accomplishments of a regular Education.

1 The letter is unfinished. - ED.

2 This tract was illustrated by copious notes extracted from a number of pedagogical writings. As these notes are incorporated to a considerable extent in "Observations relative to the Intentions of the Original Founders

The following Paper of Hints towards forming a Plan for that Purpose, is so far approv'd by some publick-spirited Gentlemen, to whom it has been privately communicated, that they have directed a Number of Copies to be made by the Press, and properly distributed, in order to obtain the Sentiments and Advice of Men of Learning, Understanding, and Experience in these Matters; and have determined to use their Interest and best Endeavours, to have the Scheme, when compleated, carried gradually into Execution; in which they have Reason to believe they shall have the hearty of the Academy in Philadelphia” (q.v.), it has been deemed unnecessary to reprint them here.

The following note, however, presents Franklin's appreciation of the writers upon pedagogy whose works were read and quoted by him:

"AUTHORS quoted in this PAPER

1. The famous Milton, whose Learning and Abilities are well known, and who had practised some Time the Education of Youth, so could speak from Experience.

2. The great Mr. Locke who wrote a Treatise on Education, well known, and much esteemed, being translated into most of the modern Languages of Europe.

3. Dialogues on Education. 2 vols. Octavo, that are much esteem'd, having had two Editions in 3 Years. Suppos'd to be wrote by the ingenious Mr. Hutcheson (Author of A Treatise on the Passions, and another on the Ideas of Beauty and Virtue) who has had much Experience in Educating of Youth, being a Professor in the College at Glasgow, etc.

4. The learned Mr. Obadiah Walker, who had been many Years a Tutor to young Noblemen, and wrote a Treatise on the Education of a young Gentleman; of which the Fifth Edition was printed 1687.

5. The much admired Mons. Rollin, whose whole Life was spent in a College; and wrote 4 vols. on Education, under the Title of, The Method of Teaching and Studying the Belles Lettres; which are translated into English, Italian, and most of the modern Languages.

6. The learned and ingenious Dr. George Turnbull, Chaplain to the present Prince of Wales; who has had much Experience in the Educating of Youth, and publish'd a Book, Octavo, intituled, Observations on Liberal Education, in all its Branches, 1742.

With some others." — ED.

Concurrence and Assistance of many who are Wellwishers to their Country. Those who incline to favour the Design with their Advice, either as to the Parts of Learning to be taught, the Order of Study, the Method of Teaching, the Economy of the School, or any other Matter of Importance to the Success of the Undertaking, are desired to communicate their Sentiments as soon as may be, by Letter directed to B. FRANKLIN, Printer, in PHILADELPHIA."

PROPOSALS

The good Education of Youth has been esteemed by wise Men in all Ages, as the surest Foundation of the Happiness both of private Families and of Commonwealths. Almost all Governments have therefore made it a principal Object of their Attention, to establish and endow with proper Revenues, such Seminaries of Learning, as might supply the succeeding Age with Men qualified to serve the Publick with Honour to themselves, and to their Country.

Many of the first Settlers of these Provinces were Men who had received a good Education in Europe, and to their Wisdom and good Management we owe much of our present Prosperity. But their Hands were full, and they could not do all Things. The present Race are not thought to be generally of equal Ability: For though the American Youth are allow'd not to want Capacity; yet the best Capacities require Cultivation, it being truly with them, as with the best Ground, which unless well tilled and sowed with profitable Seed, produces only ranker Weeds.

That we may obtain the Advantages arising from an Increase of Knowledge, and prevent as much as may be the mischievous Consequences that would attend a general

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