EXTRACTS FOREIGN AND DOMESTIC. 149 



agriculture, chemistry, and geology ; they also received practical 

 information as to the principles of rotation in cropping, the culti- 

 vation of green crops, and the like. The practical errors which 

 existed as to the management of land were also pointed out to 

 them — such as the loss caused by bad fences, seedling-beds for 

 Vv'eeds, &c. ; and on the other hand, they were shown the advan- 

 tages of (h'aining, and opening and turning the land, and the bene- 

 ficial results of these on the general management." 



This model farm had not only paid its rent, but returned a profit 

 of jG150 or <£170 a year. Afterwards, five boys educated in a 

 training school at Lame, in the north of Ireland, were introduced 

 and examined : 



" They seemed to belong to the better class of peasantry, being 

 clad in liomely garbs ; and they appeared to be from twelve to 

 fourteen or fifteen years of age. They were examined, in the first 

 instance, by Mr. Gibson (inspector of schools) on grammar, geo- 

 graphy, and arithmetic ; and scarcely a single question did they fail 

 to answer correctly. They were then examined by Professor John- 

 ston on the scientific branches; and by Mr. Finnic of Swanston 

 aiul Mr. Alexander of Southbar, on the practical departments of 

 agriculture. Their acquaintance with these was alike delightful 

 and astonishing. They detailed the chemical constitution of the 

 soil, and the effect of manures, the land best fitted for green crops, 

 the different kinds of grain crops, the dairy, and the system of ro- 

 t.ilion. Many of these answers required considerable exercise of 

 1 tllection ; and as previous concert between themselves and the 

 irentlemen by whom they were examined was out of the question, 

 rlieir acquirements seemed to take the meeting quite by surprise ; 

 at the same time that they afforded it the utmost satisfaction, as 

 I vincing how much could be done by a proper system of training. 

 The youths and their teachers retired amidst much applause." 



Lord Clements bore testimony to the eagerness for instruction 

 evinced by the peasantry near his property, in the wildest part of 

 C'onnaught ; men twenty years of age coming from a distance of 

 many miles to attend the school. Mr. Atlee, the teacher of an 

 agricultural school, on Lady Noel Byron's property, at Ealing, 

 reported the success of that establishment; there were at that mo- 

 ment five hundred applicants for atlmission to the farm as boarders. 



Principal Macfarlan advocated education in agriculture ; but ex- 

 horted the meeting to carry on their improvements in accordance 

 ■with the feelings of the people, not shocking their habits by rash 

 linnovations. He moved a resolution, that elementary instruction 

 ishould be afforded to the rural population of Scotland. This was 

 seconded by Mr. Alexander of Southbar, and carried unanimously. 



Colonel Lindsay, of Balcarras, declared that the people of Scot- 

 land must make haste lest they should be behind in the progress 

 lof improvement — 



