2 Royal Agricultural College of Cirencester, 



The Council has, nevertheless, been recently reminded that 

 it has hitherto neglected one important duty of those enumerated 

 in our charter, namely, " to take measures for the improvement 

 of the education of those who depend on the cultivation of the 

 soil for their support." 



While in connection with nearly all other arts, educational 

 training appears to have become more or less systematised, we 

 are not aware of the existence of any institution in England 

 especially devoted to the instruction of those who require that 

 knowledge and experience which improved agriculture calls for, 

 with one exception. 



It is remarkable that while public schools of agriculture 

 exist in nearly every other country of Europe, the only institution 

 of the kind in England, viz., the Agricultural College of Ciren- 

 cester, should have originated in a small local farmer's club. 



A brief history, then, of the origin, progress, and actual state 

 of this establishment may be acceptable to the readers of this 

 Journal. 



This College originated in an address made by the late Mr. 

 Robert Jeffries Brown to a meeting of the Cirencester and Fair- 

 ford Farmers' Club, held in November, 1842, " On the Advan- 

 tages of a Specific Education for Agricultural Pursuits." 



At a subsequent meeting of the Club, held on the 29th De- 

 cember, 1842, at which Mr. Edward Bowly, a member of the 

 present Council of the Royal Agricultural Society, presided, a 

 public address was agreed on, from which the following are 

 extracts : — 



" We, constituting the Cirencester and Fairford Fai'mers' Club, having fully 

 discussed and maturely considered the subject brought before us by Mr. E. J. 

 Brown, feel that we cannot too highly estimate the importance of a specific 

 education for those engaged in agricultural pursuits ; and the great value to 

 them of a knowledge of those sciences that are in constant operation in the 

 cultivation of the soil, the growth of crops, and the rearing and feeding of 

 domestic animals ; and we think it most essential that the study of these 

 sciences should be united with practical experience. The advantages of an 

 institution of this kind to the landowner, as well as to the occupier, are too 

 obvious to require comment ; and we confidently rely on their cordial co-opera- 

 tion and support." 



A deputation, appointed by the Club, having obtained the 

 patronage of Earl Bathurst and other noblemen, and the principal 

 gentlemen in the neighbourhood, attended meetings convened for 

 the purpose at various market towns, in order to procure the sup- 

 port of the tenantry. The late Mr. R. J. Brown devoted nearly the 

 whole of the following year to the task of explaining the object 

 iu view to landowners and occupiers in various parts of the 

 kingdom, with considerable success. A public meeting was held 

 in Cirencester, under the presidency of Earl Bathurst, in April, 



