194 EDUCATION 



of their estates. From this point of view it might be ad- 

 vantageous to introduce applied agricultural chemistry into 

 the Science Schools of Oxford and Cambridge. At Oxford 

 Mr. Primrose McConnell has taught agriculture with 

 marked success to the selected candidates for the Indian 

 Civil Service. 



To occupiers and cultivators of the soil, the value of 

 asrricultural education needs no demonstration. Unlike 

 the landlords, their wants in this respect are inadequately, 

 or not at all supplied. One feature, at least, in the conti- 

 nental system of education imperatively requires introduc- 

 tion into England. Account-keeping is as essential for 

 farmers as for tradesmen. Chalkmarks on backs of doors 

 or scattered notes in memorandum books will never show 

 farmers how they stand, or in what special department they 

 are losing money. On the Continent book-keeping forms 

 a prominent feature of agricultural education. Pupils 

 write journals of everything done on the farm, make jDar- 

 ticular notes of special work done and of the workmen 

 employed, keep cashbooks of payments, sales, accounts 

 with the house, and accounts of separate departments. If 

 the way is to be paved for the growth of a peasant tenantry 

 or proprietary, farm accounts should become a feature in 

 all the rural schools of England. 



Farmers, if rich enough, are to some extent able to 

 gratify their children's wish for education in farming sub- 

 jects. Experience shows that the wish is rare. Large 

 sums of money have been voted by Congress to found 

 agricultural schools for farmers' sons in America ; but very 

 few avail themselves of their exceptional advantages. Even 

 for the wealthier classes of agriculturists much remains to 

 be done. But no agricultural teaching of any sort is pro- 

 vided for labourers. And it is here that the greatest need 



