150 LANDLOEDS A NATUKAL GROWTH 



Many of these primary agricultural schools were founded 

 by private enterprise after the Restoration, but in October, 

 1848, they were recognised as part of the administra- 

 tive system of the State. Lads enter these schools as 

 apprentices, not as pupils. They must not be over sixteen 

 at the time of entrance ; they are fed and treated as 

 labourers ; they go through a course of two or three years, 

 and at the end leave the school with a certificate which 

 qualifies them to act as bailiffs. If they show decided 

 aptitude, they may obtain a bursary at one of the ecoles 

 nationales. The yearly cost of each farm pupil to the 

 State is lOL ; the State also defrays the expenses of the 

 salary of the director and his assistants. The director 

 obtains the labour of the pupil for nothing, and manages 

 the farm for his own profit and at his own risk. The 

 ecoles pratuiues are assisted and superintended by the 

 State. It was intended that there should be one school 

 in each of the twelve regions into which France is agri- 

 culturally divided. These agricultural high schools are 

 designed for the sons of the wealthier class of cultivators. 

 The cost is from 400 francs to 500 francs a year. The 

 pupils learn practical agi'iculture and the elements of 

 physics, chemistry, natural history, botany, veterinary 

 science, and stock-breeding. They have not proved par- 

 ticularly successful ; the best known is that of Merchines 

 (Meuse). The three ecoles nationales are placed in the 

 centres of three districts of France. They are Grignon, 

 near Versailles (He de France) ; Grand Jouan, near Nozay 

 (Loire-Inferieure) ; Montpellier (Herault), formerly La 

 Saulsaie (Ain). All three schools were founded before the 

 Second Empire — -Grignon in 1827, Grand Jouan in 1832, 

 La Saulsaie in 1840. The course of instruction at Grignon 

 lasts two and a half years ; and each year is divided into 



