74 



sido lectures in the t-onnty during the session and to ])rovide instruction in 

 farriery hy means of a traveling van fully eiiuipiu'd with forges, tools, etc. 



The county also makes use of the horticultural college at Swanley, offering 

 each year 12 horticultural scholarships of £<M) each, tenahle at this institution 

 for two years. Four were awarded in 1899-190(». Six students from Kent 

 passed the Royal Horticultural Society's examination, and numerous successes 

 wei-e gained by the county scholars in the board of education's examinations in 

 agriculture, botany, chemistry, and geology. 



The remainder of the work done in the county is performed by the council 

 directly. 



Particulars of the lectures provided and work done in lS99-iy(»o are furnished 

 below. 



Horticulture. — Covu'ses of six lectures were given at 00 centers. At 5.j of 

 these centers competitions were held, limited to scholars who had attended at 

 least 4 out of the 6 lectures, and prizes were awarded to the successful candi- 

 dates. Roys' gardens are maintained at 20 centers. The gardens are divided 

 into plats of about 1 square rod each, and they are cultivated by boys admitted 

 as pupils, each boy having a separate plat. The number of boys admitted at each 

 center is 15. The plats are under the supervision of a local instructor specially 

 appointed by the connnittee, the county superintendent making an inspection 

 three times annually, when prizes are awarded to the most meritorious 

 cultivators. 



Thirty lectures on garden science were delivered at 10 centers in the county 

 by lecturers from the Southeastern Agricultural College. 



Poultrij kcciiinii. — Courses of 4 lectures were provided at 2.") centers. Prizes 

 were offered for competition among the students, and the first annual compe- 

 tition was held at a county show. 



Bee keepiiKj. — In this subject a pioneer lecture is given in February at each 

 center which it is intended to visit, and is followed in the sunnner by demonstra- 

 tions in practical management by means of an experimental ajtiary set up at 

 some point in the parish. Visits were made to 12 centers during the season, the 

 classes averaging 10 pupils. The instruction was succeeded by apiary compe- 

 titions in five cases, the average number of entries being 7. 



Farriery. — Classes were held at 2 centers, and 51 pupils received instruction. 

 An annual competition was also held in connection with a local agricultural 

 show. 



8cholarsJiii»<. — Four £60 horticultural scholarships tenable at the Horticultural 

 College, Swanley, and two scholarships of the value of £00 each and two of the 

 value of £.30 each, tenable at the South Eastern Agricultural College for two 

 years, were awarded in lS99-1'.)(t(i. 



Experiments in the manurial treatment of hojis were carried on at four sta- 

 tions under the superintendence of the South Eastern Agricultural College, full 

 accounts of which were given in the college journal. .\n experiment was also 

 conductt'd by the county sui)erintendent of horticulture in the i)reservation of 

 fruit by means of cold storage. A report on the same was published in the 

 thirty-third quarterly report of the technical educatiou connnittee. 



The work of the county councils, as exhibited in tlie foregoing re- 

 ports, has been conducted since 1890 with continually increasing inter- 

 e.st and profit. The movable school, it will be observed, is the 

 distinguishing feature of their educational methods for agricultural 

 improvement, and its popularity and value are due to the systematic 

 and efficient way in which these schools are conducted. Instead of 



