AGRICULTURE 



At the present time agricultural education is carried out in the county 

 by three bodies : 



1. The Durham County Council, from its Residue Grant under the 

 Local Taxation Act, 1890, spends about j^ 1,400 a year on agricultural 

 instruction which includes : (i) travelling dairy schools and a fixed school, (ii) 

 scholarships to agricultural and dairy students, and (iii) work done through 

 the Agricultural Department of Armstrong College (see below). Most of 

 this work has been in operation since 1892. 



2. The North Eastern County School, Barnard Castle, established an 

 agricultural side in 1890. This school provides a thorough secondary educa- 

 tion for farmers' sons in a good public school and at a moderate cost. On 

 an average about fifteen of the right class of pupils are enrolled on this side. 

 The special teaching provided is excellent, and it is to be regretted that 

 agriculturists do not make more use of it. 



3. The Agricultural Department of Armstrong College, Newcastle-upon- 

 Tyne (in the University of Durham), in co-operation with the Durham 

 County Council, {a) give lectures on agricultural subjects throughout the 

 county, {b) carry out field experiments and research work dealing with the 

 manurial needs of the various soils for the principal crops grown in the 

 county, {c) make investigations on variations in the quality of milk and 

 on the feeding of dairy cows and other farm live stock and carry out 

 examinations in dairy work, [a] provide complete courses of instruction in 

 agriculture, dairy-farming, forestry, and estate management at Armstrong 

 College, and (e) give advice on matters relating to agricultural science to 

 farmers in the county. The College works in close connexion with, and is 

 subsidized by, the Board of Agriculture. 



Dr. Somerville (now of Oxford) was first Professor of Agriculture from 

 1892 to 1900. He was succeeded by Professor Middleton (now of Cam- 

 bridge), who held the chair from 1900 to 1902, and was in turn succeeded 

 by the present writer. Large numbers of farmers' sons from the county have 

 attended the College classes and hold important posts both at home and abroad, 

 whilst many former students are now engaged in practical farming in the 

 county. The College has issued reports which deal with the manuring of 

 pasture and meadow land, the effects of various manures on different crops, 

 and tests of different varieties of grain and root crops, and of different 

 seed mixtures for hay and pasture. Offerton Hall, a dairy farm of nearly 

 600 acres near Sunderland, has become since 1903 a centre for investiga- 

 tions in dairy work, the tenant, Mr. James McLaren, hiving co-operated 

 with the County Council and the College to have thorough investigations 

 made on his farm as to the best conditions for the feeding and manage- 

 ment of dairy cows. The results already arrived at have been greatly 

 appreciated by the milk-producers of the county. 



A lectureship in Forestry has been recently established, and an arrange- 

 ment has been made by H.M. Commissioners of Woods which provides 

 that the Chopwell Woods, extending to about 900 acres in the county 

 of Durham, are now managed by the College and are available for de- 

 monstration and teaching purposes. Investigations are in progress in 

 other woods in the county, and lectures are also given on forestry at 

 some centres. 



