OF FARMERS' SONS 313 



instruction at a low cost, not in technical farming and grazing, 

 but in the applications of science to husbandry. In the first 

 year 150 candidates underwent examination in the principles of 

 agriculture, Cirencester, Glasgow, Edinburgh, and Aberdeen 

 contributing pupils and students, some of these being persons 

 desirous of qualifying themselves to act as teachers. In 1877 

 no fewer than 800 candidates came up, and it is considered prob- 

 able that in the present year there will be a still larger number. 

 Of these, however, only a small proportion came from England 

 Scotland and Ireland supplying the large majority. According 

 to the last official returns, the pupils under instruction in agri- 

 culture were as follows : In England and Wales, 223 ; in Scot- 

 land and Ireland, 915 ; making a total of 1138. This probably 

 arises from the fact that little has been done in England for 

 enabling the advantages offered to be made use of for the sons of 

 farmers. 



Your Committee are aware that a most admirable course of 

 study in the principles of agriculture is open to young men in 

 the Royal Agricultural College at Cirencester and elsewhere ; 

 and that the Royal Agricultural Society of England is accomplish- 

 ing a valuable work by its annual examinations in scientific and 

 practical agriculture. Nevertheless, a great need still exists for 

 local classes, at which, by means of courses of lectures, boys in 

 rural districts may receive some elementary instruction in the 

 application of chemical, geological, botanical, and other sciences 

 to the various branches of husbandry. With the help of the 

 Government grant, and for fees not exceeding a few pounds, 

 students could attend such lectures by qualified instructors at 

 various rural centres. 



In order to secure a share for agriculturists in the advantages 

 offered by the Committee of Council on Education for science 

 teaching it will be necessary in some localities to establish new 

 centres, but in many cases it will suffice to provide new r classes 

 in connection with existing schools where these are already 

 established in county or market towns. 



The initiation in the matter consists in forming a small local 

 Committee of gentlemen of recognised position, to obtain suitable 

 rooms for classes, to make application to the Science and Art 

 Department for a qualified instructor in the principles of agri- 

 culture, and to superintend the system of local examinations. 

 In rural districts it might be desirable to arrange for a teacher 

 to visit different towns and villages in rotation. 



This report also was " received and circulated," and the 

 Committee was reappointed. In the following December 

 their second report was presented and adopted. It was as 

 follows : 



In accordance with the instructions of the Council on the 5th 

 March last the Education Committee caused the report which 



