a(;rr'ultural kducation in south afktca. 207 



study of agriculture for following the short courses or the one 

 year course given at the agricultiural schools or the two years 

 diploma course given at one of the agricultural schools or 

 faculties. Special leave and bonuses should be provided to 

 encourage teachers to c|ualify in agriculture. Such teachers might 

 -subsecjuently be given special bonuses as further encouragement. 

 No elYort and money should be spared in order to make a success 

 of the teaching of agriculture in our primary and secondary 

 schools, as this is a matter of vital importance to our future 

 existence and welfare as a nation. 



Before concluding this pajier 1 wish to ofifer a few criticisms 

 on the present system of agricultural education followed at our 

 Agricultural Schools. Having been Princi])al of the Elsenburg 

 School of Agriculture for nearly five years, I can speak on this 

 subject with some confidence. \\'hilst I wish to draw attention to 

 the fine organisation to-day existing at our agricultural schools 

 for teaching the various agricultural subjects and carrying on a 

 great deal of valuable investigational and experimental work, and 

 whilst I make bold to say that the good work done at these schools 

 is not nearly a])preciated to the extent it deserves, although unmis- 

 takable and encouraging signs are noticeable in this direction, I 

 have to admit that a considerable change of policy is necessary 

 in order to make these schools fulfil to best advantage the func- 

 tions they are intended to perform. Their great and sole object 

 is to train future farmers and to impart agricultural knowledge 

 to those already on the land. 



The standard of admission to-day is our ])ul)lic school Stan- 

 dard Vl or \TI, as the case may be. Some students of course 

 have ])assed their Matriculation or Senior Certificate Examination 

 when they commence their trainin.g at these schools. The instruc- 

 tion given is on the whole fairly advanced, so that the Standard 

 \''II boy cannot nearly take in all that is given in the form of 

 lectures. The Matriculation or Senior Certificate man can do so. 

 and i)racticallv always becomes the best student. This is the weak 

 ])oint which needs immediate attention. 



Since Agricultural b'aculties have now been created at two 

 of oui- [Jmversity Colleges, most of the Matriculation or Senior 

 Certificate men will ])refer to take their diploma course at these 

 faculties, and the agricultural schools will get almost exclusively 

 Standard Ml men. I might just state here, that I am of opinion 

 that the Matriculation or Senior Certificate man, who has not 

 already acquired some knowledge of farming, would do better by 

 gonig to the agricultural school than by taking the course at the 

 Agricultural Faculty, whereas with such knowledge he should 

 certainly give preference to the course at the University Faculty. 



To revert to the agricultural schools, I venture to suggest 

 that the training should, if ])ossible, be made still more practical. 

 It certainly should be made simpler, omitting a number of some- 

 what advanced topics and theories, a knowledge of which is not 

 essential to the sticcess of the future farmer. The more elemen- 



