682 PROCEEDINGS OF SECTION K 



If throughout the States, there were more opportunities for 

 youths to gain experience on good farms, the course of studies at 

 agricultural colleges could be modified, and more laboratory prac- 

 tice given in order to develop the practical mind. At the agricul- 

 tural colleges there are exceptional advantages since the farms are 

 extensive, and the areas under cultivation large. The experience 

 among the live stock is also wider than on most farms, while the 

 minor rural industries receive attention. Thus a youth at an agri- 

 cultural college would receive a more practical and a broader in- 

 sight into agriculture in a shorter period than he could possibly 

 get on 90 per cent, of the farms of the Commonwealth. The 

 student also gains a scientific knowledge of farming, and he lives 

 in an environment which in itself is a splendid education. 



The work on the farms of the Australian agricultural colleges 

 is practically continuous throughout the year, and in the case of 

 some students it is continuous, as they remain during the com- 

 paratively short vacations. The necessity may arise in the future 

 to make the practical work on the college farm a less important 

 feature. By that time there will be a larger and more enlightened 

 farming community; hence there will probably be less need for 

 training in the practical work. The United States of America has 

 a population of over 90,000,000. She finds that agricultural 

 education in the highest branches of research must be encouraged 

 now that she has such a large population to feed, and so much 

 exhausted land due to bad farming, and large areas that will be 

 infertile without irrigation 



The public endowments of her agricultural colleges are on a 

 princely scale, and the wealthy American citizens also vie with 

 one another in financially supporting those institutions, hence the 

 buildings and laboratories are very fine and well equipped. 

 Owing to these munificent endowments, the scope of work at- 

 tempted in America is wide, and every opportunity is given for 

 the training of the specialist by a very large staff of instructors. 

 Much good work is done at our own University, but the results are 

 not disseminated in a popular form, being more suitable for science 

 journals. The original work carried out is due more to private 

 effort rather than to organized assistance and encouragement. 



No money that the State expends will return greater interest 

 than that devoted to original work in connexion with the many 

 problems relating to agricultural production. 



When dealing with the question of instructing the man already 

 on the land, I have endeavoured to point out the disabilities of 

 the agricultural instructors of the colleges to take part in the 

 work. They are under conditions totally different from those of 

 their American confreres, as they are not only lecturers, but 

 managers of their branches, with little or no assistance except that 

 of the students. 



