48 State Aid to Agriculture in Ireland. 



agents, or for other occupations in connection with agriculture. 

 This has been done at the Albert Agricultural College, 

 Glasnevin. 



(3) To provide provincial institutions at which young men 

 who can be spared from the farm for one year can be taken in 

 as apprentices and taught agriculture, both practical and 

 technical, at a fee proportionate to their means. This work is 

 in progress at three such institutions, viz., Ballyhaise, Co. 

 Cavan ; Clonakilty, Co. Cork ; and Athenry, Co. Galway. The 

 provision of others is in progress. 



(4) To provide winter schools of agriculture where the sons 

 of farmers could obtain technical training at small expense 

 during the winter months, when they can best be spared from 

 farm work. Seventy such schools, in twenty-six counties, 

 attended by 1166 students, are accounted for in the Depart- 

 ment's last report. 



(5) To provide one central higher institution for the 

 training of women in the domestic economy of the farmhouse, 

 and in work which falls to the lot of women to perform in 

 connection with the farm, as, for example, dairying and 

 poultry-keeping. This provision has been made at the Munster 

 Institute, Cork. 



(6) To provide education for young women in domestic 

 economy and farmyard lore at residential and day schools. 

 This has been done at a number of institutions, while the 

 equipment of others is under consideration. 



(7) To provide in each county, by a system of itinerant 

 instruction in agriculture, horticulture, dairying, poultry- 

 keeping, and bee-keeping, instruction and advice for farmers 

 and their wives, sons, and daughters who cannot avail them- 

 selves of other means of acquiring information. 



The educational work described so far has been, in the 

 main, directed to the training of teachers and experts. The 

 education which is provided by local authorities, on the other 

 hand, is intended to help the occupiers of the land as well as 

 cottagers, and to arouse in them a desire for a better education 

 for their sons and daughters. The operations of the local 

 authorities are the " county schemes " already referred to. 

 These provide for instruction hy itinerant instructors — a form 

 of education which has played an important part in the 

 develo])ment of agriculture in many countries. The work is 

 now under the immediate direction of the County Committees 

 of Agriculture. Each year has seen a greater demand for 

 instruction of this character. The cost of these schemes is 

 paid out of " the joint fund," that is, the amount of the pennj- 

 or halfpenny rate provided by the County Council, and the 

 Department's contribution, Avhich is provided annually by the 



