ROYAL AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 195 



" Lectures should not be delivered in an abstract or purely scientific form, 

 but suited to the educational condition of the people ; simple language 

 should be used," and practical demonstrations given in each locality. The 

 Society not having funds for the purpose, the Lord Lieutenant subscribed 

 ;^50, and suggested that the Duke of Leinster and others should assist, as 

 the Government could not find funds. It was arranged that the balance of 

 Lord Heytesbury's fund for land drainage should be applied to the scheme 

 of practical instruction. 



In November of this year (1847) there were appointed five Practical In- 

 structors. All of these were men of high professional status who had been 

 practically engaged in Agricultural and Horticultural works on estates and 

 farms in Ireland ; the salaries were ;£"20 a month, which sum was to 

 cover all expenses incident to the office. A large number of proprietors, 

 including William Smith O'Brien, M.P., applied for the services of the prac- 

 tical instructors. The five who had been appointed were allotted to the 

 poor districts in Mayo, West Limerick, Clare, and South Kerry. The 

 reports received from the Practical Instructors on their first visits were full 

 of interesting information and enthusiasm by reason of the warmth of their 

 reception at Show stations. Largely increased numbers of applications 

 were now daily received for Practical Instructors, and considerable financial 

 support was received from the country. In the beginning of 1848 His 

 Excellency Lord Clarendon contributed £1,000, and suggested increasing 

 the number of Practical Instructors in consequence of the success of the 

 scheme. He also recommended the issuing of short tracts on Agricultural 

 subjects. Mr. Todhunter, of the Society of Friends, suggested that the 

 Royal Agricultural Society should allow their Practical Instructors to aid in 

 the relief measures that were instituted by the Society of Friends, by 

 receiving consignments of seeds, etc., at depots and distributing same in a 

 methodical manner. It was decided to advertise for further Instructors, the 

 salary to be a maximum oi £100 z year, and minimum £'80. It was found in 

 November, 1848, the balance in hand for Practical Instructors was i^ 1,348 

 I2S. 2,d. The scheme for Practical Instruction had throughout 1848 most suc- 

 cessful results. The Lord Lieutenant gave another sum of £"1,000 for the 

 year. The Society of Friends contributed " in kind," most Hberally, one gift 

 of seeds, being 60 cwt. of mangold seeds ; 24 cwt of carrots ; 6 cwt. of 

 spinach. The latter item indicates, no doubt, good intention but small 

 knowledge of dietetics for a starving people. The Relief Committee also 

 gave considerable quantities of turnip seeds to be distributed by the Prac- 

 tical Instructors. 



Towards the close of 1849 the system of Practical Instruction appeared to 

 be in danger from want of funds. The Lord Lieutenant again sent iT 1,000 

 and numerous contributions were received in money and kind ; but still the 

 funds available were found to be insufficient for carrying on the work. 

 In September, 1850, the Committee of the Society entrusted with the 

 management of the Practical Instruction scheme expressed regret that for 

 want of funds all the Instructors must be withdrawn, which was (they 

 added) regrettable at a period of the year when their services were most 

 required, and at a time when the class for whose benefit they were most 

 particularly employed was becoming sensible of the advantages of their 

 advice. As much as ;^8oo worth of green crops seeds had been distributed 

 at a reduced price in the season (1850). With these seeds 9,000 acres of 

 green crops have been raised on land which in all probability would have 



