66 



i.pceivp Government grants, and to advise as to the department whicii 

 shoidd be charged with the administration of such grants." 



In an ehiborate report dated December 9, 1887, and in a subse- 

 quent final report, under date of February 2T, 1888, the commission 

 outlined a system of agricultural instruction which was substan- 

 tially adopted by Parliament the same year. The report recom- 

 mended the extending of Government aid to certain institutions, 

 charging them with the duty of providing instruction in agriculture, 

 the distribution of the parliamentary grants to be in the hands of 

 a board of agriculture, to be created for this purpose. 



The plan contemplated the establishing of a collegiate center in 

 each of the five produce districts of England, and witli two addi- 

 tional for Scotland. The produce districts referred to w^ere each 

 made up of a number of counties which the agricultural department 

 treat as a unit in making estimates of crops. 



The first annual grant was £5,000, and was appro]u-iated in 1888. 

 It was made the duty of the college receiving aid from the Govern- 

 ment grant to provide not only for giving instruction in agricul 

 ture indoors, but to extend its work through the particular produce 

 district or area of which it Avas the recognized educational center. 



Migratory Schools. 



In providing agricultural instruction for the outlying counties, 

 " migratory schools " under the direction of the collegiate centers 

 were organized. The conditions under which these schools are 

 operated vary somewhat in the different districts. The report of the 

 insi^ector appointed to visit and report upon the work of the travel- 

 ing schools in the Swindon district gives the details of the method 

 that is pursued in establishing and conducting a traveling dairy 

 school. The report states that — 



The society (Bath and West of England Society) with the assistance of a 

 local committee organizes the school and provides teachers and necessary appli- 

 ances. The local conunittee guarantees suitable premises free of charge, also as 

 much milk and cream as may he required, together with the attendance of not 

 less than ten students. The society gives, as a rule, two complete courses of 



instruction of ten days each, charging : 



£ s. d. 



For the entire course of ten days or over 110 



For one week's instruction ^ 15 <> 



For one day's instruction ^ '• 



The manufactured produce is in all cases the ])n)perty of the local committee. 



During the year 1889 this society organized and conducted 8 

 such schools, aggregating one hundred and sixty days of instruction 

 arid attended by 218 students. Similar peripatetic schools were con- 

 ducted during this period by the University College of North Wales, 



