SECRETARY'S REPORT. 233 



When I was in London, in 1862, all the professors resigned 

 their positions, and most of them, I believe, left ; one or two, 

 only, having been persuaded to hold on, to save the institution 

 from utter ruin. It only adds another to the list of instances, 

 which might be given, to show that success or failure will depend 

 very much upon the man at the head, however great may be 

 the incidental advantages whicli may concur in favor of such 

 an enterprise. 



A mistake appears to have been made at the outset, by fixing 

 the charges too low. It was designed to meet the wants of 

 those young men, sons of farmers, who wished to prepare them- 

 selves for stewards or bailiffs ; and who could ill afford to pay 

 even the <£30, which was the amount fixed, including board and 

 tuition. Small farmers could not send their sons, and rich ones 

 would not. But if an ungovernable lad had been r€|ected or 

 dismissed from other schools, he was pretty sure to- turn up 

 here, and the consequence was the college got a large proportion 

 of all the naughty boys in the kingdom. 



The enterprise was started, at first, as a joint-stock company, 

 the stock being taken up by subscription ; and the concern was 

 governed, or rather, there was an effort made to govern it, by 

 a full board of the subscribers. Such an arrangement, as might 

 have been anticipated, worked badly ; and after running a 

 hundred and twenty-five thousand dollars in debt, with no means 

 of paying, a few noblemen came forward to assume the debt and 

 the management. They raised the charges and attempted to 

 put the establishment on a different basis. 



They do not appear to have remedied the difficulties to any 

 great extent; though the institution still lives, with about sixty 

 students, now consisting of the sons of the rich. I' am indebted 

 to various individuals for many facts in regard to the college, 

 in addition to my own observations on the spot, and I draw, also, 

 from the printed programme that was placed in my hands. 



Objects. — The chief object of this institution is to afford such 

 a course of education, as will be most useful to those whose 

 destined profession is to connect them with agriculture, at 

 home or in the colonies, whether as owners or occupiers of 

 land, land agents or stewards. 

 30* 



