220 Journal of Agriculture, Victoria. [25 April, 1917. 



The Dominions have the land, but they require settlers and agricul- 

 tural labourers to work the land, and capital to provide for the above 

 necessary developmental works. Immigration, land settlement, and 

 Dominion development will be the big i"ilitical post-war problems. 



Agricultural Education and Research. 



To her comprehensive system cif agricultural education and 

 research Germany largely owes her amazing progress in agriculture. 

 Despite her unfavorable climate and average quality of soil, German 

 production — measured in terms of aggregate output per farm, or 

 average yield per acre — stands at the head of the agricultural countries 

 of the world. The aim of the scheme of education was the union of 

 science and practice, and perfection in technique. Germany organized 

 a scheme of education which provided for the — ■ 



1. Adult farmer, by the establishment of legally-constituted 



Chambers of Agriculture, a Central German Agricultural 

 Coimcil, and by providing experimental stations, peri- 

 patetic instructors, and literature relating to every phase 

 of plant and animal husbandry. 



2. The youth, by means of graduated agricultural instruction 



extending from the schools to the Agricultural Colleges 

 and the University. 

 .3. For Research, by providing well equipped Agricultural Experi- 

 ment Stations throughout Germany, and several Depart- 

 ments of Agriculture at the Universities. 



The objects of these institutions was to prosecute research 

 work, make a thorough study of methods and principles, 

 and train the future agricultural leaders of Germany. 

 Britain and her Dominions cannot afford to do less than what Ger- 

 many has done. Indeed, if Britain is to re-establish her leadership in 

 agriculture her organization in agricultural education must be even 

 more thorough than Germany. 



Government grants for agricultural institutions in Germany have 

 hitherto been on a much more liberal scale than in Britain. The ex- 

 penditure on agricultural instruction in Prussia alone was £484,000 in 

 1910. The total expenditure in agricultural education in England and 

 Wales for the same year was £117,000. 



The ultimate objective of any scheme of agricultural education should 

 be to increase the agricultural output of the State. • This mav be 

 achieved (1) by making the present generation of farmers more efficient 

 by diifusing among them a knowledge of the scieiTtific principles under- 

 lying their industry; (2) by giving the farmers of the future, i.e.. the 

 boys and youths of the present day a sound training in agricultural 

 science and practice. All progressive agricultural coimtries provide 

 organizations for achieving both these objectives. The agricultural 

 output of a State may be temporarily stimulated by tariffs, or fixing of 

 prices for products, bonuses, and other artificial aids; but the only way 

 to secure a permanent increase in output from the land is to improve 

 the farming methods of a country, and apply the teachings of science to 

 its agricultural practice. 



Provision must be made for (1) tlie application of existing know- 

 ledge in all branches of plant and animal industry; (2) the acquirement, 



