218 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



1. To apply a perfected and instructive system of agriculture 

 on the domain. 



2. To organize a scientific and practical course of instruc- 

 tion in agriculture. 



3. To make all local and needed repairs. 



4. To make permanent improvements to the value of 

 300,000 francs, such as buildings, roads, canals, clearing from 

 rocks, plantations, &c. 



5. To improve the lands in addition to the sum named. 



6. To renovate the forests on the place. 



It was started as a sort of joint stock company on these con- 

 ditions, which were considered as very reasonable. 



In other words, the estate being made over by the government 

 on an appraised or fixed valuation, the subscribers were to furnish 

 the capital to stock and carry on the farm, and to make per- 

 manent improvements in buildings, roads, drainage, &c., to 

 the amount of 7,500 francs, or f 1,600, a year, in lieu of rent. 

 That amount was considered due, as rent to be paid in this 

 manner. The government at the outset offered no further 

 encouragement. 



Xhe subscribers to the fund regarded their stock as an invest- 

 ment, and not as so much given to the public, and they 

 expected a return of interest on the capital invested. It will 

 be seen that here was a difficult problem to solve ; the manage- 

 ment of the farm in such a manner as to show to the neighbor- 

 hood and the country tliat the method adopted was better than 

 others, which was necessary in order to secure for it a proper 

 degree of confidence and respect, and at the same time to hire 

 teachers and keep up the machinery of scientific and practical 

 instruction, and after doing both, to make a net annual dividend 

 U> the stockholders. 



To meet this somewhat anomalous condition, it was found 

 necessary to be a little economical in salaries to teachers and 

 professors, and thereby to sacrifice to some extent the interests 

 of the people, to whom the value and efficiency of the enter- 

 prise as an institute of agriculture was of the first importance. 

 The profits of the farm had to make up any deficiencies in the 

 costs of the school, but the necessity of low salaries made it 

 impossible to secure teachers of the highest talent, while the 



