280 DEPARTiMENT OF AGRICULTURE, Etc., FOR IRELAND. 



has been arrived at between the Intermediate Education Board and the 

 Department for co-ordinating the Science syllabus of the two bodies. The 

 Intermediate Education Board have decided that Natural Philosophy, 

 Chemistry, and Drawing shall be replaced in their Programme by one 

 subject, viz. : — " Experimental Science and Drawing," and that after the year 

 igOT the Board shall not, until further notice, hold any examination in this 

 subject, but shall accept the inspection, and where necessary the examina- 

 tion of the Department. 



Whilst, as regards urban industries, the action of the Department is 

 restricted to the promotion of technical instruction in connection with them, 

 there are no such restrictions as to developing agriculture and other rural 

 industries, an expression which is defined in the Act as including the aiding, 

 improving, and developing of agriculture, horticulture, forestry, dairying, 

 the breeding of horses, cattle and other live stock and poultry, home and 

 cottage industries, the cultivation and preparation of flax, inland fisheries, 

 and any industries immediately connected with and subservient to any of 

 the said matters and any instruction relating thereto, and also the aiding 

 or facilitating of the carriage and distribution of produce. Special Com- 

 mittees have been formed by the Department from the members of the 

 Council of Agriculture and other experts to deal with important questions, 

 such as horse-breeding, live stock other than horses, fisheries, and flax. These 

 Committees have drawn up special schemes for improving the breeds of 

 horses and other animals, which include the nomination of mares for service, 

 at reduced fees by approved sires, and the awarding of prizes to young 

 stock at local agricultural shows. The Department and the Agricultural 

 Board have allocated over i^ 17,000 out of the Department's income in aid 

 of these schemes, which are also helped in the different counties by con- 

 tributions out of the rates. The Department secured the services of 

 Professor Nocard, the eminent veterinarian, to direct the investigation which 

 they carried out as to the causes of the excessive calf mortality in 

 Ireland, and an inquiry has been already held into the quality of the flax 

 seed usually supplied to the Northern farmers, and into the suitability of 

 Ireland for tobacco culture. Sufficient time has not yet elapsed for many 

 local authorities to put in force the various schemes which they, in conjunc- 

 tion with the Department, have been preparing, but it is understood that 

 these schemes M^ien fully completed will embrace an extensive system of 

 agricultural education, as well as the establishment of experiment and seed- 

 testing stations, and example plots, with peripatetic lectures to explain 

 the practical bearing of the experiments — in fact, all the methods which 

 experience has shown elsewhere to be most efficacious for developing agri- 

 culture in all its phases. 



Finally, the Department is given certain powers as regards transit facili- 

 ties, and is authorised to take such steps as it thinks proper for appearing 

 as complainant en behalf of any persons aggrieved in reference to any 

 matter (other than a matter affecting the Postmaster-General), which the 

 Railway and Canal Commissioners have jurisdiction to hear and determine. 

 These Commissioners have jurisdiction over, inter alia, the following 

 matters : — 



(1) The failure of any railway or canal company to afford reasonable 

 facilities for the receiving, forwarding, and delivering of traffic upon the rail- 

 ways or canals worked by it. 



