392 Agrlcidtiiral Journal of Victoria. 



farms, wlio were desirous of having- tlie short courses of instruction 

 established in their district. A class was promised to each of the 

 three districts securing the greatest number of students. Being 

 warmly endorsed by the country press, and well received by the 

 farmers themselves, the movement was a popular one throughout the 

 farming districts. Out of a number of districts, Tatura, Bacchus 

 Marsh, and Charlton were successful in having classes allotted to 

 them. 



The Subjects Dealt With. 



A programme of lectures was drawn up, embracing all subjects 

 appertaining to agriculture in the broadest sense of the term. The 

 value of tillage, advantages of a rotative system of cropping, uses 

 and valuation of artificial manures, results of manui-ial experiments 

 in Northern, Central, and Southern Victoria, dairying, the breeding 

 and management of live stock, viticulture, poultry management, 

 agricultural botany and chemistry, as well as the diseases to which 

 the various crops are subject were all dealt with. In addition to 

 these subjects on which lectures were given, there were practical 

 demonstrations of vine pruning, cattle speying, and the preparation of 

 poultry for table use and for export, held during the Course. The 

 lecturers were drawn from the different branches of the Agricultural 

 Department, one or two gentlemen from outside being also included. 



The First Classes. 



The first class was opened by the Director in person, at Tatura, 

 on August 26th, 1902. A considerable amount of interest and 

 enthusiasm was manifested in the new idea by the farmers of the 

 surrounding districts, and in addition to a large attendance of students, 

 there were present a number of persons of riper years, desirous of 

 making themselves acquainted with the more modern methods of 

 their own business. 



The attendance of students throughout the class was well 

 maintained, though the term of two weeks, was generally considered 

 to be too short to permit of a thorough study of such subjects as 

 agricultural chemistry and botany. 



The second class was opened at Bacchus Marsh, on September 

 8th, 1902, with a large number of students enrolled. Only lectures 

 suitable to the local conditions of farming and climatic conditions 

 were delivered. Although with widely different conditions to the 

 previous class, there seemed to be the same eagerness on the part of 

 the students to better their knowledge in the various branches of 

 agriculture. 



The third and last class of 1902 was opened at Charlton, on 

 September 22nd. The spring having by this time well advanced, the 

 effects of the late disastrous drought were just begining to be severely 

 felt. Notwithstanding, however, the poor prospect ahead of them, the 

 farmers of the district welcomed the advent of the classes, and 

 showed their appreciation by maintaining a good attendance through- 

 out the duration of the class. 



