87 



and, after careful inspection and examinations of the local conditions, 

 aid by offerino- them expert advice. The purpose of this dual oi-oan- 

 ization is to encourage, on the one hand, local initiative and respon- 

 sibility, and on the other, to guard against the indiscriminate multi- 

 plication of unrelated local organizations by providing a central 

 authority to see that the work is coordinated so as to promote the 

 best interests of the country as a whole. 



The method pursued by the department in organizing and conduct- 

 ing itinerant schools is given in the following scheme of instruction 

 in agriculture : 



(1) The department is preiiared, ])rovided a suitable instructor in agriculture 

 can be obtained, to approve of the appointment of at least one such person for 

 each county in Ireland. 



(2) The deimrtment will, as far as possible, assist the county eonnnittee in 

 obtaining an instructor, by sui»plying the names of persons qualitied for the post. 



(.3) The remuneration of the instructor shall not, except iu special cases, 

 exceed £200 per annum, inclusive of maintenance and hotel expenses, in addi- 

 tion to ex]ienses of locomotion, which include second-class railway fare, car 

 hire when nt'cessary. or a liicycle allowance of 2d. i)er mile in lieu thei'eof. 



(4) The appointment of the instructor shall be tenninable at any time by 

 three months" notice in writing on either side. 



(.5) It will be the duty of the instructor to deliver courses of lectures on agi'i- 

 cultural subjects, such as soils, manures, seeds, pastures, crops and their cidtiva- 

 tion, breeding, feeding, and management of live stock ; to visit farms ; to con- 

 duct such experiments and demonstrations in spring and sunnner as may be 

 approved l)y the department ; to select suitable land for this purjiose ; to super- 

 vise tlie sowing of the seeds and manure and the keeping of the plats free 

 from weeds; to weigh the produce, tabulate the figures, and prei):ire a report on 

 the results ; to reply to letters from farmers seeking information ; to advise 

 farmers how they may avail themselves of the department's live-stock schemes 

 and of the department's seed-testing station; to make known the provisions of 

 the fertilizers and feeding stuffs act ; to advise farmers how they can best avail 

 themselves of all schemes which may be adopted by the county conmiittee and 

 by the department, and how they may take advantage of agricultui'al organ- 

 ization; to report to the department and to the county connnittee regarding the 

 progress of his work as may be required; and, generally, to give his whole time 

 to the work and do all in his jiower to further the interests of agriculture in 

 the county. 



((■>) For the purposes of this scheme the county should be divided into cir- 

 cuits, each comprising not less than 5 centers. The instructor should work for 

 at least ff)ur weeks in each circuit, and deliver one lecture per week at each 

 center during that time. The instructor will, when invited to do so. visit, 

 either on the day of the lecture or on the following day. any of the farms in the 

 neighborhood, and give such information on practi<"il subjects as the circum- 

 stances of the case may suggest. 



The coxuity connnittee are alone responsible for the selection of centers and 

 arrangement of lectures. No work of this nature should I)e undertaken by the 

 instructdi-. though it is desiralile that hi' should be consulted. 



(7) It will be the duty of the county connnittee to select c(Miters at which the 

 lectures will be given and to ai)i)oint a local connnittee. with an honorary 

 secretary at each center, who shoidd select the school or other building and 



