148 THE FUTURE OF OUR AGRICULTURE. 



for farming life to take. In Germany, Austria, and Switzer- 

 land the movement was started by the formation of house- 

 hold schools {Ldndliche Haushaltungsschulen), which are 

 really " winter schools " occupying from three to four 

 months for a course of teaching. Germany, as observed, 

 numbers about 100 of such-schools — apart from a con- 

 siderable number of itinerant cooking-schools moving from 

 place to place like our Egg Demonstration Train. These 

 are found to be more expensive than the fixed institutions. 

 But they do a great amount of good, reaching a humbler 

 stratum of women folk, who could not be expected to 

 attend household schools. The organisers, alike of schools 

 and of itinerant lectures, are Chambers of Agriculture, 

 Agricultural Societies, and religious foundations. In Roman 

 Catholic Bavaria the local clergy direct these establishments. 

 Among the countries here referred to it is Germany which 

 has paid greatest attention to the training of efficient 

 teachers. It maintains a special Seminary for the purpose, 

 Austria also makes a fair show in the matter. In Switzer- 

 land the movement is only about ten years old. The number 

 of schools is small. But the schools are excellent, main- 

 tained by the several Cantons, with the usual equivalent 

 grant from the Federation. The teaching is gratuitous, 

 but there is a charge for board. The variety of subjects 

 taught is considerable. And on this ground theory and 

 practice march abreast, the one supplementing and elucidat- 

 ing the other. However, both in Germany and in Austria 

 a new departure has been made by extending the " courses," 

 and it is proposed to have regular schooling of from one 

 to two years, which latter term would serve also to train 

 teachers for such schools. 



By the side of all this it cannot be said that we have 

 overmuch to show of a similar nature, although the cooking 

 and domestic arrangements of our humble country folk 

 appear to call for a good deal. It may be hoped that, as 

 from Mr. Middleton's Report a desire has sprung up to 

 emulate Germany in the production of food, from what is 

 going on elsewhere in respect of female education a corre- 

 sponding desire may arise to rival our neighbours and our 

 American cousins also in this matter. 



