Dec. lo, 1874J 



NA TURE 



105 



enlightened agricultural practices are based. The result 

 is, that he grows up in complete ignorance of the rudiments 

 of agricultural science. 



How is this state of things to be remedied ? In other 

 words, how is a suitable amount of agricultural science to 

 be imparted to farmers ? 



In answering this question it is important to distinguish 

 batween ordinary working farmers who receive their edu- 

 cation in Primary schools, and farmers who are able to 

 pay for a higher education, such as is afforded in boarding 

 schools and seminaries and other institutions of the same 

 grade. 



As regards the first of these two classes, I would say 

 that I see no reason why an adequate amount of agri- 

 cultural instruction could not be imparted in the primary 

 schools. All that is required is a suitable text-book 

 or two, and such a system of inspection as will ensure 

 that the book shall be read, and all difficult passages 

 explained by the teachers. This simple system of agri- 

 cultural education has been tried in Ireland for many 

 years. It has laboured under many difficulties ; but as 

 it has succeeded admirably wherever it has been fairly 

 tried, I can have no hesitation in recommending it for 

 adoption elsewhere. To those who desire to introduce 

 it into England I would say, before you start, see that you 

 are upon the right rails, and that you use the proper 

 instruments. In a movement of this kind all sorts of 

 people will come in with all sorts of advice ; the busiest 

 and most active of these may be ignorant of the ABC 

 of science and of enlightened agricultural practice. Keep 

 clear of these people. If not, you will either fail altogether, 

 or effect little good, like many others who, from time to 

 time, have embarked in agricultural education. 



I look to the diffusion of sound notions of the elements 

 of agricultural science in the way pointed out, as the best 

 means of removing prejudice, and of increasing the agri- 

 cultural produce of the land in the hands of small farmers. 

 It is by no means so easy to devise, for the wealthier 

 farmers, a system of agricultural education which will be 

 successful. The words " agricultural education " have led 

 to much confusion of thought ; and confusion of thought 

 on any subject works mischief. Some persons use these 

 words in a way which would imply that the farmer should 

 have a special system of education peculiar to himself, 

 from the moment he enters school till he leaves it for 

 good. Of course this is not the case, and it is certain 

 that in the case of large farmers we must look more to the 

 effects of a good general education than of special instruc- 

 tion. The first truths of physical science, of chemistry^ 

 and natural history should enter into the curriculum 

 of every middle-class school and college in the country. 

 This knowledge will be useful to the student, no matter 

 what his future calling may be. As regards the farmer, it 

 may be remarked that, without a knowledge of mechanics 

 he cannot be in a position to buy implements and machines 

 to the best advantage, or to understand how to apply 

 horse-power and other forces in the most judicious 

 manner. Look, for example, at the loss of power daily 

 caused by ignorance of the elementary principles involved 

 in common draught. Look at the loss entailed on farmers 

 in the simple matter of common gates for want of know- 

 ledge of the means of resisting strains, and of other 

 principles equally el"mentary. It has been shown 



that in the production of animals and plants very 

 great mistakes are committed for want of knowledge of 

 physiology." This science should, therefore, be taught in all 

 our middle-class colleges and schools attended by farmers. 

 We must not, of course, neglect mathematics, the study 

 of which is the very best training for the mind. If 

 the large farmer be well instructed in all the sciences 

 named, agriculture will keep pace with other pursuits 

 in which scientific knowledge is required. It is in 

 the universal inculcation of this scientific knowledge 

 that I look mainly for progress in the management of 

 large farms. I do not wish to undervalue, and I cannot 

 in these papers overlook, special agencies for imparting 

 agricultural knowledge to this class. I refer to agricultural 

 colleges and agricultural schools. Viewing the subject 

 theoretically, one of these institutions would seem to be 

 the most perfect place at which the future farmer could 

 spend a year after leaving school or college, and before 

 he enters into practical work. He could attend lectures, 

 and he ought, one would suppose, to be able to see 

 theory reduced to practice. 



But after having carefully inquired into the working of 

 these institutions at home and in parts of the Continent, 

 I am bound to say that their theoretical value has not 

 been realised in practice. In point of fact, taking them 

 as a whole, their history has been peculiarly unfortu- 

 nate. I shall refer to this subject more fully hereafter. 

 At present it is enough to state that with few excep- 

 tions agricultural schools and colleges have failed ; and 

 success in the exceptional cases has turned upon the 

 peculiar fitness of the individuals on whom the manage- 

 ment has devolved, and who by force of character have 

 produced striking results. A general failure in working 

 out a comprehensive system cannot be accounted for 

 by the shortcomings of individuals. The failure of an 

 institution here and there, for a time, can often be traced 

 to the inefficiency of the person or persons at the head 

 of them ; I have before my mind numerous examples of 

 the kind ; but in accordance with a well-known law, suit- 

 able men would arise if the demand existed. And why 

 has this law not prevailed in the case of agricultural 

 schools and colleges ? The apparent answer is, that 

 farmers everywhere have not sent their sons to these 

 institutions in sufficient numbers. And why ? In an- 

 swering this question it has been invariably stated that 

 farmers as a class are slow to do what is for their good ; 

 to me this off-hand sort of reply has always appeared 

 most unsatisfactory. Farmers, like every other class, 

 find out, after a time, what is for their good. Intelligent 

 farmers, like intelligent men in every walk of life, 

 study their own interests. Owing to their isolation, or 

 want of daily intercourse, they do not move in the path 

 of progress as rapidly as the manufacturing classes who 

 live in cities and towns, and who are brought into daily 

 intercourse with one another. But when we find farmers 

 standing aloof from any system established with the 

 intention of serving them, we may take it for granted 

 that there is something inherent in the system which re- 

 quires to be adjusted or is inimical to success. What is 

 this something in the history of agricultural colleges 

 and schools .' For obvious reasons I cannot fully state 

 my experience on this question ; but I can say that 

 the answer will be partly found in the pecu'iar state 



