The Agricultural Society a.*? an Educational Medium. 121 



THE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY AS AN 

 EDUCATIONAL MEDIUM. 



By Hugh P//e. 



During the last decade the one prominent sign tliat marks a well- 

 defined period in the ag■ricultur^d thought of Australia is the atten- 

 tion that has lieen given by farmers to the sciences in connection 

 with agriculture. The farmer is being educated every day in all parts 

 of the world, and now it is very rarely that we meet that open an- 

 tagonism to progressive thought in agricultural methods, even in the 

 great bulk of farm labourers, thanks, in the main, to the steady 

 influence of the State School education imparted to every child of 

 this State. 



Long before the governments of the various states took up the 

 question of distributing agricultural literature, the press of the 

 Commonwealth was to the fore in carrying out this good work. 

 To-day the distribution of agricultural knowledge is undertaken by 

 the state governments, and there is no doubt of the good results that 

 accrue to a number of progressive agriculturists who take advantage 

 of the wealth of information placed before them, still, this does not 

 reach the bulk of the rural population, but only the section that knows 

 how to help itself. How to uplift the mental plane of the least 

 progressive agriculturist is the vital point, and this cannot be done 

 till his sympathies are enlisted. At present he is not quite sure of the 

 truth concerning many simple experiences that are met with every 

 day ; thus, that the parasitical fungus, rust, is of plant aud not of 

 animal origin, that ball smut and loose smut of wheat are different 

 fungi, these and such-like examples point to the fact, that he does not 

 understand the scope and aims of the expert. Simple truths, such as 

 the above, are the alphabet of an iutelligent reading of agricultural 

 articles, and thus some of the literature might with advantage dwell 

 more on the education of that section of the farming community which 

 has not enjoyed opportunities of acquiring the knowledge. There is 

 often too much taken for granted, and it is diflicult for one who knows 

 the subject well, to conceive the necessity of dwelling on such 

 rudimentary details, but to the agriculturist seeking for light, it makes 

 a vast difference in his appreciation of a lecture or article, and enables 

 him to obtain an intelligent idea of the subject treated. 



I believe that a very convincing method of educating the farmer in 

 general to think, and to appreciate the work that the scientist is doing 

 for him, would be to bring the microscope more into use, and show 

 him, where possible, the actual cause of disease in his plants, stock 

 and products. Let a man understand why he applies certain remedies, 

 and he does his work intelligently, otherwise he is groping in the 

 dark. In every agricultural society, there are a few members, who. 



