EDITORIAL. 405 



The at^ricultiinil experiments carried on under the county councils 

 are of a simple character, and for the most part are made for purposes 

 of demonstration. Where this is the case a considerable lunnher of 

 centers are selected, sometimes as many as 30 or -iO in the count}'. In 

 other instances j^rants are made to agricultural colleges or schools for 

 the purpose of conducting more technical experiments 



The data given as to the attendance indicate that the migratory 

 schools and practical demonstrations have attracted a considerable 

 number of pupils, and that the scholarships provided in the agricul- 

 tural schools and college courses have been quite largely taken, partic- 

 ularly those in the secondary schools. 



To the funds used for agricultural education b}- the county councils 

 should be added the grants for agricultural education distributed l)y 

 the Board of Agriculture. These amounted in England and Wales in 

 1899-1900 to £7,850, and the beneliciaries included ten institutions of 

 the college or institute grade providing the higher forms of agricul- 

 tural instruction. These were for the most part institutions which are 

 being utilized b}' the count}' councils for the adxanced courses. Dur- 

 ing the 3'ear there were upwards of seven hundred students receiving 

 instruction at these agricultural colleges and dairy institutes. Of this 

 number one-half were taking regular courses in general agriculture 

 or special branches, while the remainder were attendiyg the shorter 

 courses, usually in dair^nng or poultry keeping. 



After reviewing the various agencies for agricultural instruction in 

 England, Major Craigie, the author of the report, concludes that 

 although there may be some question as to the symmetr}' and uniform- 

 ity of these varied facilities provided by central and local effort, the 

 provision made for agricultural instruction is relatively as extensive 

 as in other countries, considering the proportion of the population 

 directh' engaged in agriculture. The most material advance to l)e 

 hoped for, he believes, is "that greater use maj'^ be made of the vari- 

 ous existing types of educational facilities b}' the classes for whose 

 immediate instruction they have been provided.''' 



It will be a matter of surprise to man}' to know tliat ov(n' $400,000 

 of public money is expended annually for agricuUurul Instruction in 

 England and Wales. It may, perhaps, be questioned whether the 

 plan of management by the county councils, which are bodies of men 

 with a multitude of other duties of varied character similar to those 

 of the county commissioners or supervisors in some of our States, has 

 resulted in building u[) as strong institutions of various grades and as 

 symmetrical a system of instruction as would be possible under a cen- 

 tral agency. Under the circumstances it was probably the part of 

 wisdom to give prominence to the elementary side of the instruction 

 at the outset. 



