PROGRESS IN AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION. 259 



lished and maintained by the county councils. The second source 

 inchides funds controlled by the board of agriculture and fisheries, 

 Avhich are used for the encouragement of agricultural education by 

 making grants to a selected list of institutions giving instruction in 

 agriculture. In several instances the institutions aided by the board 

 of agriculture and fisheries also derive a part of their support from 

 county councils. 



The conunittee in its investigations made a study of the work of 

 six universities and university colleges, five agricultural colleges, two 

 dairy institutes, one fruit and cider institute, one veterinary college, 

 and four agricultural or farm institutes, all of which receive grants 

 from the board. The committee also sought information from every 

 county council concerning its provisions for technical and practical 

 instruction in agriculture, from nine colleges and institutions which 

 give instruction in agriculture but are not aided by the board, from 

 two technical colleges for women, and from many agricultural so- 

 cieties, landowners, farmers, farm managers, and others who might 

 have opinions of value concerning the subject of their inquiry. In 

 this way a large mass of information was collected, which has been 

 published in Part II of the committee's report. Part I being devoted 

 to its findings and recommendations. The committee also made a 

 considerable study of facilities and methods of teaching agriculture 

 in other countries ^vith a view of recommending such features of 

 instruction as would be applicable to conditions in England and 

 Wales. 



In general the committee found that satisfactory progress had been 

 made in practical and scientific instruction in agriculture during the 

 past twenty years, and that farmers now take a keen interest in the 

 work of agricultural institutions. It believes that the establishment 

 of a few more higher agricultural institutions, some of which are now 

 projected, would furnish the country with a sufficient number of col- 

 legiate centers; but it found that "the facilities for agricultural 

 instruction of a lower grade are unorganized, unsystematic, and 

 wholly inadequate." 



The committee is evidently convinced of the importance of pro- 

 viding a thoroughly ecjuipped staff of specialists for the higher insti- 

 tutions, and well-trained teachers for those of lower grade. With 

 reference to the development of existing facilities the report states 

 that "attention should be given to securing a highly qualified staff. 

 Many institutions employ too few teachers or relegate the teaching of 

 important su!)jects to junior meuibers of the staff. It is of sjiocia! 

 iuiportance that higher qualifications should be secured in Iho 

 teachers of such subjects as agriculture, agricultural chemistry, and 

 agricultural botany. * * * Further developments in agricultural 

 education will be dillicult until a greater supply of well-qualified 



