362 Journal of Agriculture, Victoria. [11 June, 1917. 



inevitable under the system of appoiutmeuts required by regulation's 

 framed under the Public Service Acts. 



The Committee is of the opinion that the principal objective of the 

 course should be to train agricultural scientists who will attain expert 

 knowledge of principles and methods, and apply themselves to increas- 

 ing the agricultural output of the State. The future progress and 

 prosperity of the State largely depend on the extent to which agricul- 

 tural production can be increased. This can be brought about — 



(1) By the wider diffusion and application of existing know- 



ledge in all branches and in respect of all phases of plant 

 and animal industry. 



(2) By the acquirement, by uiraus of experiment and research, 



of new knowledge which will form a basis of future im- 

 provements in the practice of agriculture in Australia. 



The majority of the men trained in the course should be engaged 

 in these spheres, either as instructors, demonstrators, or research 

 workers. 



The responsibility for improving the technical knowledge of the farm- 

 ing community, and of increasing the agricultural output, is usually 

 assumed by the State, and some countries, particularly the United States,. 

 Germany, and France spend large sums of money and have complex 

 organizations for achieving these objectives. 



The State Governments of Australia have established in their Agri- 

 cultural Departments, organizations whose principal object is the stimu- 

 lation of agriculture, and thus it is in the service of the State Depart- 

 ments that the main oi^portunity for the agricultural scientist lies. 



The Committee is convinced that it would be a sound investment for 

 the State Government to provide for, and utilize, at least six scientific 

 graduates in agriculture per annum, who would find employment m the 

 Agricultural Department, Education Department, and State Rivers and 

 Water Supply Commission. 



We therefore recommend that the Government be asked to under- 

 take to- give positions to at least six such graduates per annum for the 

 next five years in these three Departments. That these graduates be 

 appointed for a probationary period of six months, and given an 

 honorarium of £100, after which, if their services be retained, they be 

 paid a salary of not less than £300 per annum. It is confidently 

 expected that within tive years the influence of the utilization of men 

 with an agricultural training will have been successfidly demonstrated. 



Another cause militating against tlie success of University teaching 

 of agriculture is the lack of touch between the University and the man 

 on the land. The Committee is of the opinion that the principle should 

 be adopted of appointing professional specialists as part-time lecturers, 

 as in the faculties of medicine, law, and engineering. In the case of 

 agriculture, it is probable that the only specialists available in the imme- 

 diate future will be officials of the Department of Agriculture. Already 

 arrangements are being made to utilize such specialists for the lecture 

 courses in veterinary, hygiene, and agriculture. 



The Committee recommends that other officers of the Agricultural 

 Department be appointed to act as part-time lecturers in those subjects 

 in which it is most desirable that the lecturer should be in close touch 

 with the ap]dication of his branch of agricultural science to the industry. 



