AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION. 419 



portable form, and in which its efficacy might be preserved. 

 One of the circumstances constituting the great value of guano, 

 and of the dung of birds, separate from the particular food on 

 which they live, is, that their excrements being voided under 

 one form only, the element of urea is inseparably combined 

 with the other matters. 



I shall not trouble my readers at present further on this sub 

 ject ; in which I can only say, I have been anxious to give no 

 offence even to the most delicate mind, and must claim their 

 indulgence if I have not succeeded. I shall now proceed to 

 other topics. 



CXXV. AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION. 



The subject of agricultural education has received much 

 attention in Prance ; that attention is increasing, and new insti 

 tutions are growing up, to which the government promptly lend 

 their aid. The subject is of so much importance, that I deem it 

 proper to give an enlarged account of the leading establishments 

 for this object which have come under my notice. 



1. SCHOOL AT GRIGNON. The principal establishment for 

 agricultural education is at Grignon, about twenty miles from 

 Paris. It consists of an estate of 474 hectares, or about 1200 

 acres, with a large dwelling-house upon it, formerly, I believe, 

 a royal seat, and other necessary buildings, which have been 

 erected since its endowment. It was ceded by the French king, 

 Charles X., for a term of forty years, to a society of gentlemen 

 specially interested in agriculture, who have the management of 

 the institution, and, by private subscription, have supplied the 

 funds for conducting it.* The government are represented in 

 the management of the estate. They provide all the instruc 

 tion, by paying the salaries of the professors and superintendent ; 



* The sum raised by private subscription amounted to 300,000 francs, or 

 about 60,000 dollars, or 12,000 sterling. The rents paid to the government 

 for the estate are the same as were paid by the farmers who previously held it 

 The substantial or permanent improvements upon the estate are estimated by a 



