Agricultural Education. 451 



fessloual cducatiou and ability — in short, as to wlicther the sons are 

 better farmers than their fathers. The general impression among 

 those whom I have consulted is that the professional and technical 

 ability when much inferior means were at the disposal of the farmer 

 Avas at least as great in days gone by as it is now. 



I have been in the habit, for twenty years and more, of troubling 

 those who arc known to be the leading agi'iculturists and the leading 

 agricultural authorities in every coimty in the kingdom, with circular 

 qjiestions on pretty nearly every agricultural subject, whether of 

 annual or or^ly occasional interest, that has arisen during that period ; 

 and tlic question of agricultural education has been the subject of 

 a corres2)ondence of this kind during the past few weeks — so that I 

 am able to speak with some confidence of the existing status, on the 

 scale both of general cducatiou and of 2)rofessional ability, of the great 

 body of English agriculturists, according to the best men among 

 themselves. And I repeat it — the universal testimony is, that while 

 there are large districts in this coimtry where the tenantry have long 

 been well-educated men, yet over the whole country the general 

 advance of the tenantry, on the score of general intelligence, educa- 

 tion, and social standing, has been very great during the past two 

 generations. The following are examples of the replies which have 

 been received. 



Mr. Fewstcr, of Nailsworth, Gloucestershire, whom I have known 

 all my life both as a public-spirited philanthropist and as a man in 

 constant business relations with the Cotswold farmers, says : — 



" Looking back from my point of view, embracing a retrospect of two gene- 

 rations, the advance of the agriculturist in education, in general intelligence, 

 and in social standing, is enormous, and the advance is still progressive. Com- 

 XJaring the present generation with their fathers, the mental and moral improve- 

 ment is very striking." 



In the same district another, himself a tenant-farmer, says : — 



" I consider the present tenant-farmer, in point of education, social standing, 

 and real intelligence, to be far superior to the past generation of farmers ; of 

 unassuming mannei's and little exterior show, he is too often looked down on 

 with slight and contempt by his professional or mercantile and trading neigh- 

 bour, who himself, perhaps, possesses but a very small share of the other's 

 sound sense and real intelligence, and employs less than one-eiglith of the capital 

 in his calling." 



From Kent I hear : — 



" The present generation of farmers is far superior in education (but net in 

 wealth) to the last. Most of our Poor-law Unions in this part of Kent have 

 I'armers as chairmen and vice-chairmen of the Eoards of (iuardians. The 

 same may be said of the different Highway Boards, and we cannot be said 

 to be purely an agricultural district. These lacts will show yoii, better tiiaa 

 an opinion, that the education of farmers has kept pace with that of other 

 classes." 



Mr. Spearing, of Oxford, says : — 



"There is no doubt, I think, but tluit the farmers of the present generation 

 are better educated, and more alive to the advantages of a good education, than 

 the last." 



