464 Abstract Report of Agricultural Discussions. 



continue Lis studies. It was of immense importance, tliereiore, that 

 the farmer should, in the first instance, receive a liberal education, in 

 order that he might, from his own desire and impulse, continue, when 

 on the farm, the studies in v/hich he had been engaged at school. As 

 contributing towards this object there was, perhaps, hardly a better 

 plan than that which had been suggested by Mr. Moore; viz., that 

 when farmers' sons were gi'own up they should have opportimities 

 afforded them for hearing lectures on agricultural subjects, and have 

 access to a good library. It was not in the power of many farmers 

 to send their sons to college for two or three years, as suggested by 

 Mr. Morton, before taking a fann. In the absence of this, the i^lau 

 recommended by Mr. Moore was certainly worthy of consideration. 

 In fact, the Koyal Agricxdtural Society intended shortly to open com- 

 munications with £irmers' clubs in England, with a view to interesting 

 them on this question of agricultural education, and, if possible, to 

 establish a common action respecting it. The whole question was 

 very fairly and ably argued in the lectm-c, and ho was sure they 

 were much indebted to Mr. Morton for it. 



A vote of thanks was then passed to Mr. Morton. 



Meeting of the WeeMy Council, Wednesday, May 31. The President, 

 Sir E. Kekuison, M.P., in the chair. Professor Voelckee delivered a 

 lecture on 



Irrigation. 



Professor Voelcker said : Last year I had the pleasure of delivering 

 in this room a lecture on the qualities of good di'inking-waters, and 

 waters used for general domestic purposes. To-day it will devolve 

 upon me to speak more particularly of the character of waters best 

 adapted for irrigation ; and at the outset I vdsh to remind you that 

 it is foreign to my present piirpose to speak of the various systems of 

 irrigation, or to enter into practical details with which farmers who 

 practice irrigation are better acquainted thaii I can possibly be. 

 Although I am always happy to give advice on subjects in which I can 

 see a connecting link between the man of science and the practical 

 farmer, I do not think it incumbent on me, as your consulting 

 chemist, to treat of purely practical matters, such as the application of 

 water, after it has reached the farm, to the land. 



I think I can more profitably occupy your attention to-day by speaking 

 on the general principles that ought to guide us in the application of 

 water for the irrigation of land ; and in doing so I must briefly allude 

 to the great variety of opinion which prevails with regard to the cause 

 of the efficiency of different kinds of water. 



Some ascribe its beneficial effects altogether to the matters dissolved 

 in the waters. We hear some asserting that none but muddy, or foul 

 waters, are fit for irrigation ; whilst we have the trustworthy evidence 

 of men who have applied perfectly clean and bright water to their 

 lands with the most excellent eft'ect. Again, we find some maintaining 

 that water ought to be soft in order to produce a beneficial effect; 

 others state that hard waters are best adapted for irrigation. Some 



