266 National Agricultural Examination Board. 



Reading, with a few exceptions, showed a decided improvement 

 as compared with past years. In general dairying the answers 

 to the written paper were clearly stated. The Examiner would 

 advise the candidates, however, to acquire a more thorough 

 and practical knowledge of the keeping of dairy and farm 

 accounts. The work of butter-making was, with the exception 

 of a few cases, carried through efficiently. 



At Kilmarnock, as at Reading, there was a record number 

 of candidates, and the examination lasted over the entire week. 

 There is now a great improvement in the average intelligence 

 shown in the written answers and also in the oral examination. 

 At this centre there was also a weakness in the general know- 

 ledge of dairy and farm accounts, and the Examiner recommends 

 that candidates in future should give this branch of the subject 

 more attention. 



At neither centre, with a few exceptions, did the candidates 

 obtain very high marks for their capacity to impart instruction 

 to others. 



5. The Examiner in Cheese-making (Mr. John Benson) 

 reports that this year a good proportion of the candidates were 

 found to 1)6 skilled cheese makers, the proportion of candidates 

 who were really qualified being much higher than in recent 

 years. On the other hand, a certain number of candidates who 

 passed were rather near the border line, and another year's 

 training and experience would have been to their advantage. 

 In the written and oral portions of the examination the results 

 were, on the whole, satisfactory, and in advance of those of last 

 year, many of the candidates at the Scottish centre doing 

 extremely well. 



6. Dr. J. Augustus Voelcker, who this year acted as Examiner 

 in Chemistry and Bacteriology at both Reading and Kilmarnock, 

 reports that the forty candidates who presented papers in this 

 subject at Reading, divided themselves roughly into two classes 

 — the one, those who had a thoroughly satisfactory knowledge, 

 the other, those who failed altogether or who just managed to 

 meet minimum requirements. Of the former, no less than 

 sixteen gained just about two-thirds total marks or over (which 

 must be called distinctly good), three or four of these indeed, 

 showing special knowledge. Of the latter class, there were 

 eleven outright failures. As a rule, the written answers were 

 better given than those in the viva voce examination. The 

 bacteriological side of the subject was, speaking generally, 

 treated more satisfactorily than that of general chemistry, thus 

 showing that more attention requires to be given to the 

 acquiring of a good ground-work of the science. 



