II. AGRICULTURAL INSTITUTES 



a) State Agricultural Institute of Gembloux 



Historic. The State Agricultural Institute was foun- 

 ded at the time of that remarkable scientific forward 

 movement when agriculture, freeing itself from vngue 

 theories, entered boldly upon new and experimental 

 paths. It was established by the law of i8 th July 1860 and 

 organised by a Royal Decree of the following 3o th August; 

 it has consequently entered upon its 44 th year of work. 



Belgium had allowed herself to be outdistanced in agri- 

 cultural education by her neighbour?. She had, indeed, 

 possessed since 1849, schools intended for this form of 

 instruction but these were organised on different lines in 

 the various provinces; the teaching was but of secondary 

 importance, on efficient staff was lac king in almost every 

 case; and the schools were but little used and were 

 successively closed. Only Thourout Collrgo. (Western 

 Flanders) which was better organised and combined 

 practical woik upon a farm of some importance with 

 lectures from well instructed teachers, continued fairly 

 prosperous. The lease however expiring in 1859 the 

 Government was unable to accept the onerous conditions 

 required, by the proprietor for a renewal and it was 

 therefore closed. It was at this } oint that M. Rcgier, the 

 Minister of Agriculture at that period convinced of the 

 necessity of agricultural teaching in our country and of 

 lifting it to a higher plane, resolved to endow our country 

 with an Upper Agricultural Institute, modelled upon 

 similar foreign establishments, especially those of Grignpn 

 and Ilohcnheim. 



Installed in the magnificent buildings of the old abbey 

 of Gcmbloux, in the heart of the country, in the centre of 

 an agricultural district, surrounded by industries depen- 

 dent upon agriculture, the Institute is provided with 



