114 OUR ENGLISH LAND MUDDLE. 



5. Next would come purely research col- 

 leges, with staffs of travelling lecturers 

 and demonstrators, taking no pupils except 

 such as were seeking an " honours course," 

 each farm specializing in some branch of 

 agriculture, and devoting itself to the 

 scientific assistance of those following that 

 branch. 



6. At the top of all, an agricultural 

 research and statistical institute, devoted 

 to preventive and curative medicine in 

 stock and plant diseases, the analysis of soil 

 foods, the observation of world crop condi- 

 tions, and the investigation ot promising 

 new crops and varieties of crops, and to 

 meteorological observation. 



Perhaps an objection will be taken to this 

 plan of agricultural education that it is mixed 

 up partly with a plan to remedy the drift of 

 English lads into ' blind-alley ' occupations. 

 Admittedly. The two evils of idle hands and 

 idle lands will be found to stand together on any 

 close investigation of British social life. Agri- 

 culture is the one industry in the British Islands 

 that is capable of a great expansion. There is 



