688 PROCEEDINGS OF SECTION K. 



with the ability to lead. I believe that in the future the agricul- 

 tural course at the University will be modified to prodCice them. 

 At present the agricultural course is a purely scientific one, except 

 that the fourth year of a student's course is passed at the Agricul- 

 tural College, where the time is mainly spent in practical work and 

 attending lectures and demonstrations in agriculture. I believe it 

 v/ould be much better that the first two years should be spent at 

 the College, and the course arranged to meet the conditions. 



It is not sufficient just to give a scientific education if the 

 agricultural community is to become an influential factor as a 

 class. The intellectual discipline gained by intimacy with great 

 authors is not obtained in the School of Agriculture of the 

 Universities, and very little at the Agricultural Colleges. It seems 

 that the graduates of the University, who will be the future leaders 

 and professors, should be intimate with great authors, whose 

 writings inspire noble thoughts and ambitions. 



The material prosperity of the community is assured, but the 

 democratic spirit needs disciplining, or the masses may easily get 

 out of hand: Hence, though literature and languages are hardly 

 considered in conjunction with agricultural education, still it seems 

 that the University graduates who will likely furnish many of the 

 leaders of agricultural thought should at least have an intimate 

 knov/ledge of some of the great authors, and also have a knowledge 

 of a foreign language. 



K. The Degree Course in Agrigulture. 



In deciding what subjects should be compulsory for a degree 

 in agriculture, there are many difficulties to overcome. If the 

 University were in a strong financial position the difficulties would 

 to a great extent be overcome. At present the degree course is 

 designed from a purely scientific stand-point. Its scope is not wide 

 enough. I believe every candidate for a degree in agriculture 

 should have a diploma, or its equivalent, as a guarantee of a good 

 practical insight into agriculture. There appears to be only three 

 alternatives in bringing the degree course to a proper standard : — 

 (o) Either more subjects must be taken each year; 



(b) The period of the course of studies must be lengthened; 



(c) Special schools of agriculture must be founded. 



J.11U3 we may have a school of agriculture, a school of animal 

 husbandry, a school of veterinary science, a school of irrigation, a 

 school of forestry, and a school of horticulture and landscape 

 gardening. 



As the specialist is more in demand, it is evident that the third 

 system is the best, provided the University was financially in a 

 position to carry it through. 



