l8o4« Oil Farming Schools. ^31 



Servants (I think) have become much worfo fmce the fize of 

 farms have been increafed ; and, from the ftyle and mode of Hfe 

 that farmers have now got into, few of them have fuch a virtu- 

 ous tallc as to engage in the reformation or inftru(flion of their 

 fervatits. It appears vain, therefore, to imagine that this evil 

 will be remedied by every individual farmer inftruc^ing his own 

 fervants. What appears to me the only probable method, would 

 be to eftablilh farming fchools, where young people, before they 

 commenced farm servants in general, would be taught how 

 to perform every operation of agriculture and rural ot;conomy, the 

 duty of fervants to mafters, &c. 



What I call a fchool, might jufl be a farm managed by a farmer 

 fuppofed to have a fuitable temper, difpofition, and abilities. Such 

 fchools fhould be diitributed here and there throughout the coun- 

 try, fo as farmers of every defcription may have proper fervants ; 

 and that thole farmers at a dillance may change, as it were, the kind 

 of fervants, if they choofe, by fending to a different fchool (which 

 would tend alfo to improve agriculture). A committee of fub- 

 fcribers fhould be appointed to eftabliih thefe fchools, direff their 

 general management, and infpeft them annually. When in the 

 field, they might perform every operation in agriculture, and an- 

 fwer many queftions refpe6^ing cattle and other fubje£ls to the 

 committee. Former pupils might alfo attend to compete for pre- 

 miums, which would keep up a proper fpirit of emulation over 

 the whole country. * 



To indemnify the farmer chofen as fchoolmafter for thefe 

 fchools, he fhould be allowed one or more years fervice, accord- 

 ing to the age, flrength, &c. of the pupils*, upon providing them 

 with vi£luals during that time •, or upon vi(Sluals and fo much 

 money for clothes, in the cafe of fome fervants who could not 

 afford to find clothes for one year, but who might ferve a longer 

 time on that account. 



Suppofing thefe fchools eftabliihed, the farmers of the fur- 

 rounding country fhould make all their fervants pafj through 

 them (which would make no difference in their fcarcity any more 

 than the prefent mode of changing fervants does) ; and none 

 ihould hire a young man who had not previouily attended thefe 

 fchools at leait one year, and had received a certificate of his 

 characler, abilities, and natural temper, from t]>e fchoolmafter 

 There are many other things that will occur refpecling the forma- 

 tion 



* Perhaps ihe b'eit time for this infpcdlion of the committee would 

 be two or three weeks before harvelt, when they might both mow hay 

 and reap corn (though not ripe). At another time they might plough 

 and fow, and perform every uther part of operative work. 



VOL. V. NO. 19. y 



