232 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



carriages, machines ; the organization and execution of the 

 principal operations of agriculture, ploughing, sowiilg, seeding, 

 harvesting, treatment of root crops, care of farm stock of every 

 kind, exercises in linear drawing, surveying, laying out plans, 

 levelling, getting the cubic contents of solids, some of the 

 manipulations of the laboratory, analysis of soils, application of 

 manures, &c. Agricultural excursions are made, as well as 

 botanical, geological, and forest. Instruction is given by obser- 

 vation in the horse and cattle stables, and by demonstrations 

 on the field. In each speciality of theoretical and practical 

 instruction, the professor is aided by a tutor. All these courses, 

 examinations, &c., are expressly obligatory on every pupil. 



There is a chaplain and a physician attached to the school. 



The price of board, &c., is $150 a year. It includes food, 

 lodging and bed, medical attendance, warming, lighting, and 

 washing. 



Prizes are distributed among the most deserving pupils. 



There are three of these imperial schools of agriculture in 

 France, but Grignon is the largest, as well as the oldest and 

 best, though the regulations, terras of admission, course of 

 instruction, &c., are the same in all. 



The number of pupils at Grignon is usually seventy-five. 



CIRENCESTER. 



The agricultural college of Cirencester, in England, is situated 

 in Gloucestershire, about ninety-five miles from London. It 

 was incorporated on the 27th March, 1845, for the purpose of 

 affording a practical and scientific agricultural education to stu- 

 dents from all parts of the kingdom. 



I visited it in June, taking letters of introduction to Prof. 

 Voelcker, who has, for some years, held the chair of agricultural 

 chemistry ; but who, like most of the other professors, had 

 resigned, and was about removing with his family into London. 

 Owing, partly no doubt, to the peculiar mode of management, 

 this institution does not appear to have commended itself very 

 strongly to the confidence and good-will of the people, and 

 hence it has proved to be a partial, not to say a complete failure. 

 It has now a debt of .£30,000 or 1150,000, which is a source 

 of great embarrassment, in addition to the various other causes 

 of ill success, which need not be stated in detail here. 



