540 



REPORT 1880. 



In 1876, 150 candidates presented themselves for the Science and Art Depart- 

 ment's certificate, of whom 9-4 per cent, failed. In 1880, 3,062, or 200 times more, 

 presented themselves, and of these 21 '6 per cent, failed. 



The Department should encourage the teaching of the principles of scientific 

 agriculture in elementary schools to a class composed of children in the last year 

 of their compidsory attendance ; and no teacher should be considered eligible for 

 such a position who has not the Department's Agricultural Certificate. Further, 

 there ought to be a central school in each parish, where the principles and practice 

 of agriculture should be taught. Such schools might, with good management, be 

 made almost self-supporting ; but if not, the deficiency should be made up partly by 

 the State and partly by the parish. Proprietors should take the lead in organising 

 committees to encovu'age popular lectures, and every eft'ort should be made by them 

 to increase our agricultural knowledge. Every restriction should be removed whicli 

 at present hampers production :' and with institutions to gviide our agricultural 

 population, such as I have endeavoured to sketch in the foregoing pages, the pro- 

 ducing powers of our soil woidd be considerably increased, as well as the intellec- 

 tual resources of those who till it, while, as a consequence, higher aims and aspira- 

 tions woidd be held out to the latter. 



In conclusion, I have to tender my most sincere thanks to Count Giovanni 

 Gigliucci, Lieut.-Ool. Donnelly, E.E. ; Professor Wilson, Edinburgh University ; the 

 Principal of the Roj-al Agricidtural College, Cirencester ; Dr. Gilbert, and other 

 gentlemen for statistical and other knowledge relating to this most important subject. 



Table I. 

 Showing the Population, Eevenue, Subsidies Granted, Peecentage op 

 Kevenue, and Amount per Head of Population paid towards Agricul- 

 tural Education in the following Countries : — 



Population 



England and Wales 

 Scotland . . . , 

 Ireland 



United Kingdom 

 Germany . . . 

 Holland . . . 

 Austria . . . 

 Belgium . . . 

 Italy .... 

 France . . . 



22,712.26fi 

 3,360,0] 8 

 5,411,416 



31,48.3,700 

 42,727,360 



3,.579,527 

 35,904,435 



5,336,185 

 26,801,154 

 36,90.5,788 



Revenue 



85,399,000 

 33,087,529 

 9,652,058 

 39,256,514 

 11,148,483 

 57,023,358 

 108,043,200 



Total 

 Subsidy 



.-6 



412 



562 



6,069 



7,043 



33,582 



9,640 



14,888 



800 



10,048 



5,798 



% of 

 Revenue 



•008 



•1 



•1 



•037 



•007 



•03 



•005 



Amount 

 per Head 



^(jorf/- 



lo 



i of a Id. 



f, Ota Id. 



lO " 



1 V -?- 1 /7 



10 

 Jl_ 



lu 

 Tci 

 lA 

 loo 



Table II. 



