12 



immense premises for its lecture halls, its laboratories 

 and its collections. 



The intention of the Go v.ernment in founding the Agricul- 

 tural Institute was to train a body of men who having been 

 equipped with the necessary scientific acquirements, and 

 having undergone a practical agricultural training, could 

 be capable of superintending in an intelligent and remune- 

 rative manner their own properties or those confided to 

 them. Spread over the whole country they were to become 

 the apostles of agricultural progress, the pioneers of new 

 methods based upon science. They were further to be 

 capable of directing the many new agricultural indus- 

 tries which were springing up every where, such as sugar 

 refineries, distilleries, the manufacture of fertilisers, etc. 



A farm was added to the Institute for the practical 

 instruction of the pupils. It was not intended as a model 

 farm; there exists no farm of that class. 



It served as a workshop for the practical application of 

 the principles taught. 



The various operations of agricultural enterprise can 

 there be seen at work and the greatest pains are taken 

 that every lesson to be drawn from the farm-school shall 

 be made clear to the students. At the commencement the 

 farm comprised an area of 38 hectares but was soon 

 enlarged to 58 hectares ; to day the total area occupied by 

 the buildings, courts and gardens is 69 hectares. 



The first members of the teaching staff were nominated 

 by Royal Decree in October 1860, but the lectures did not 

 commence until January 1861. 



The post of Director has been successively filled by : 



Mr. Lejeune from 1860-1881 ; 

 Mr. G. Fouquet from 1881-1882; 

 Mr. Genonceaux from 1882-1890; 

 Mr. C. Hubert since 1891. 



ORGANISATION 



The Institute is placed under the supervision and under 

 the administration of a Commission, consisting of seven 

 members nominated by the King, the members being 

 reelected, in two groups, every three years. The 



