386 CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS 



gards rural elementary schools. To give an 

 adequate account of all that our foreign competi- 

 tors are doing in these respects would require a 

 volume to itself ; but the impression left on one's 

 mind by an inquiry into conditions abroad is that 

 whatever may or may not be the actual benefits 

 we have derived from systems of elementary 

 and technical education suited mainly to urban 

 populations, we are sadly behind other countries 

 in a really efficient method of preparing the 

 children and young people in rural districts for 

 those agricultural avocations to which they are 

 expected to take when their school days are over. 



In the higher branches of agricultural educa- 

 tion good work is undoubtedly being done by the 

 various agricultural colleges. But even better 

 results would be obtained if these colleges were 

 to follow the example of the agricultural colleges 

 of Holland in devoting at least an hour and a 

 half each week to instruction on the subject of 

 agricultural organization ; while Mr. Augustus 

 Brigstocke's gift of two scholarships of £10 each 

 to enable diploma students to pursue a course of 

 lectures at Aberystwyth University College, as 

 mentioned in the chapter on " England and 

 Wales," is well deserving of emulation. 



One may hope, also, that the County Councils 

 will be disposed to take full advantage of the 



