R 



\ 



th^Tare deduced. It must also be borne in mind 

 that thevare a mere approximation, and even liabe 

 to objections j but if we take the other elements 

 into account which modify this force, we believe it 

 will prove as correct a mode as can at present be 

 suggested. . _ _ — ~-TTT~ 



June. I Jaly. 



East of England. 



Mean temperature 



Maximum temperature 

 Minimum temperature 

 Kan^e of thermometer 

 Evaporation in inches) 



West of England. 



Mean temperature 



Maximum temperature 

 Minimum temperature 

 Range of thermometer 

 Evaporation in inches 



Eastern Counties 

 of sc0t2and. 



Mean temperature I 39 3 



Maximum temperature 45,3 



Minimum temperature 33.3 

 Range of thermometer I 12.0 

 Evapor?Hon in inches! 1.0 



March .j April, j May. 



43 1° 



1.8 

 35.4 



15.4 



1.6 



45 3 



5U.7 



39.9 



10 8 



1.2 



47.4° 

 571 

 37.7 

 19.4 

 2.5 



49.2 

 54.(5 

 43.9 

 10.7 



1.2 



54.7° 

 66.0 

 43.5 

 22.5 

 4.0 



54.2 

 60.6 



47.9 

 127 



2.0 



43.2 

 50 8 



35.7 



15.1 



1.8 





50.1 

 58 

 42.3 

 15.7 

 2.0 



60.8 P 

 71.7 



49.9 

 21.8 



3.7 



59.4 

 67.5 

 51.4 

 16.1 

 3.0 





56.2 

 64.7 

 47.8 

 18.9 

 2 9 



63.0° 

 74.1 

 51.9 

 22.2 

 4.2 



61.9 

 68.9 

 54.9 

 14.0 

 2.5 



range from 



53 S 



50.5 



1G.1 



3.0 



from 16 to about two acres, and to the workhouse 



schools, from 37 to three acres. 



Compared with the present depreciated value of 

 land in Ireland, the rents of these farms are, in many 

 instances, very high; but, probably, leases were 

 entered into by the commissioners and patrons of 

 schools, in times more favourable to the landed pro- 

 prietary than now ; and the proximity of farms to 

 cities or thriving towns will satisfactorily account 

 for the high scale of rents, which 

 U. 8s. 10d. to 10^. (in a few cases lower), per acre. 



On the farm at Glasnevin only are any hors 

 kept : the total of beasts of labour on the other farm 

 is two mules and 23 asses ; and only in two cases is 

 there more than a single ass on the farm. Spade 

 labour— possibly in some instances occasionally hired 

 horse work — is to be assumed as the modus operandi. 



There is also another class of model agricultural 

 schools, whose establishment was suggested by Lord 

 Monteagle, as likely to be productive of peculiar 

 advantages, where local circumstances permit : these 

 are called central Model Agricultural Schools, being 

 designed to afford opportunities of instruction to the 

 pupils of national schools within the range of a 

 convenient distance. Lord Monteagle has esta- 

 blished one at Mount Trenchard, his Limerick estate, 

 and the others have been formed in Cork and Gal way , 

 on the properties of J. R. Barry, Esq., and Sir 

 Thomas Bukke, Bart. 



These model schools are of a two-fold description : 

 u Those under the immediate control of the Commis- 

 sioners, and those conducted under the superintend- 

 ence of local patrons or managers. To the former 



- -, in which the acricul- 



class belong those of 

 turists act merely in the capacity of stewards, being 

 paid a certain salary per month, with furnished 

 apartments in the establishment. They are supplied 

 with the necessary live-stock, seed, implements, &c, 

 and are required to furnish weekly farm reports, and 

 monthly accounts of all receipts and disbursements 

 on account of the farm, certified by proper vouchers. 

 In addition to the management of the school farms 

 on the most approved principles, and the practical 

 instruction of the pupils, they are required to give 

 scientific instruction in agriculture to the resident 





The evaporation is calculated on the supposition 

 that the mean dew-point is 2° higher than the mean 

 minimum temperature. It will be observed that the 

 evaporation is not in the exact proportion to the 

 range of the thermometer, because the force of the 

 vapour increases in a greater ratio with the increase 

 Of temperature. It will be found that 10° of dryness 

 of the air, with a mean temperature of 80°, would 

 evaporate as much as 32° of dryness when the mean 

 temperature is 46°. In this case we have supposed 

 the minimum temperature and the dew-point to be 

 equal. It must be apparent that the force of eva- 

 poration is just as important an element as the 

 amount of rain which falls ; for, when the earth is 

 watered by the rains of heaven, and as plants must 

 have a certain quantity to sustain their growth, the 

 effects of this combination of the atmospheric con- 

 dition becomes a most important inquiry. The 

 amount of evaporation is very different in the east 

 and west of England ; but it will be seen the latter 

 agrees more closely with the cyphers for Scotland. 

 In regard to their indications, we might point out 

 many farm practices which are similar in the west 

 of England and in Scotland, but which do not obtain 

 a place in those of the eastern counties. But our 

 object is to show its specific effects on vegetation, 

 which form the foundations of our system of agri- 

 culture. 



We do not attach any undue value to meteorological 

 figures, for they must be made use of with much 

 caution. There are so many elements in the ques- 

 tion that are very apt to be overlooked, some of 

 which we are entirely ignorant of their special 

 effects. But the progress which this subject has 

 already made, and is rapidly making, gives us hope 

 for still greater advances. It is entirely out of the 

 question to look for a correct theory of agricultural 

 chemistry, until we master some of the meteorological 

 aspects of the subject which lie before us exposed 

 on the very surface of our agricultural systems. Let 

 us, then, as far as possible, seize with a firm grasp the 

 facts which are provincially well known, but do not 

 hold where other circumstances interfere as dis- 

 turbing elements. The analysis of these circum- 

 stances may enable us to judge whether our new 

 guide, the chemist, is always working in the right 

 direction, and taking the shortest way to arrive at a 

 sound system of theoretical agriculture. B. 



• The Commissioners of National Education in 

 Ireland have issued a copious and very interesting 

 report of their proceedings for the year 1850. With 

 the general subject of it we, in our capacity of agri- 

 culturists, have no immediate concern ; but in that 

 portion of it, which embraces agricultural education 

 we have a direct legitimate interest. We shall 

 therefore notice— succinctly, however— that divi- 

 sion of the able report (presented by Dr. Kirkpa- 

 teick the inspector), which supplies information 

 respecting the agricultural schools which the com- 



The tabular statistics exhibit three classes of 



schools, viz., model agricultural, ordinal I ricul- 



tural, and workhouse schools. b 



j Of the first class, there are 17 in full operation, 



formation °P erati ™> and three in course of 



( A^M 6 1 EST* d T\ ? ere were 37 in opention 



(April i, 18ol), and of the third class three. 



, The aggregate number of pupils in these schools — 



lln^^^^/^'^^^^der instruc- lmrae diate profit, in order to pursue "and illustrate 



tion in the industrial classes of minor school - ru a 



area of land .,*, culture by CZCTlJotl 



" / are m connection with the mnrM *•»:*• 

 school at Glasnevin, near Dublin! The nuSf 

 attached to the other niodel schools varffrom S 

 t^eightacres ; to the ordinary agricultural Sot 



pupils, and those composing the agricultural class 

 in the school. In the second class, where the esta- 

 blishments are under the direction of local managers, 

 the teacher holds the land as tenant, and farms on 

 his own account, having all the profit that remains 

 after payment of rent and other charges. This class 

 consists of two divisions, — 1st, school farms of from 

 6 to 12 acres, where both the agricultural and 

 literary departments are conducted by the same 

 person, who receives 10/. per annum in addition to 

 his class salary as a literary teacher; and 2dly, 

 school farms of 12 acres and upwards, in which the 

 literary and agricultural departments are under the 

 management of separate persons. In those cases the 

 literary teacher is paid at t the usual rate, and 

 receives the school fees of the children. The agri- 

 culturist receives a fixed salary of 30/. per annum, 

 together with the profits of the farm, and 12/. per 

 annum for each resident agricultural pupil who may 

 be placed under his instruction." 



These are very moderate salaries. To the teachers 

 of ordinary agricultural schools the commissioners 

 pay 51. per annum in addition to his cla salary for 

 giving agricultural instruction, and with a stipu- 

 lation that 3 acres, at least, be in connection with 

 the school. In an economical point of view the 

 system of allowing the master to farm on his own 

 account, and merely paying him 12/. a year for the 

 board of each pupil, is unobjectioi ble. It is the 

 principle acted upon in the French departmental 

 colleges, where the master is paid the sum of 300 

 francs with each of 20 pupils— the department pay- 

 ing for six, and the Government for the remaining 

 14. But there is • — ■- - - ° 



first-rate farmer 



the 

 be 



requisite 

 included 



great difficulty in finding a 

 who combines in himself all 



among 



which 



love 



must 



liberality and 



an enthusiastic 



qualifications, 



firmness, and yet 

 mildness of disposition, with 



of his profession, moderated with prudence 

 At the death or retirement in any way of a tenant 

 teacher of this kind, it is easy to conceive the con- 

 fusion that must affect the whole school which he 

 kept together, and the difficulty that might arise in 

 reorganising it. 



There is difficulty in finding a qualified teacher, 

 and so disinterested as often to forego certain and 



iitloiL 



a system which may require time for its completion 

 and development— and free from the penuriou^neM 

 which would tempt him to overwork and under- 

 feed his pupils. Yet, on the other hand, a well 

 qualified teacher, subject to the control of any com- 

 mittee of men, whose collective wisdom might be 

 very inferior to his own good judgment, might find 

 his movements sadly impeded. To compare little 

 things with great, he might be tortured, impeded, 



and prev 



ledge would suggest as th 



of NVellington was thwarted and p^ll^H* 



paratively ignorant and feeble miS ?L exe * b ? £ 



b est course, - • k 



a subordinate command on the , ip of X ^ «5 

 The Commissioners are quite rli pa , m - 

 grand establishment under the r * Wir '- 



nevin. The principle of central i, 9 r° ntro1 ' a 

 certain extent most desirable in the^t^ »• » 

 cation, as in other things; W e ther e foi m ° f «^ 

 the reporter s sentiment, that "the Jiff Conc « 

 tural schools throughout the coun^^ 



23Td" whi - h the Glasnevi " "•*' ■ fon8 



previous 



. "V LUB wasnevin p<s(,h-. ^* 



■rive a supply of youths, well fitS 



s training for the W sntZ T3l^ 



instruction and practice which felSjJ 

 Acting on this principle, it is intended t 0p >' 

 free scholarship in each of thereat 1 *'i 

 for the most deserving pupil in ^ J*** 

 trial classes whichhave been formed ^ 



the agricultural schools. In these 

 pupils are paid about 

 hours' work 



Id. 



sordid aH J 



f Nveial of 



• <% ^r aU± W 



, and this has been found ^ ** 

 tive stimulus to industry. The 



sighted parents have been occasionally "u ""^ 

 Ireland to object to the employment of their S * 

 in the culture of school-fields and ga£tfe 

 pecuniary recompense. If the local supporters ofl 

 model or ordinary agricultural school pay adLi 

 four or six boys, the Commissioners will „ aT !V 

 responding number— Id. to each individual • 2 

 the prospect of being promoted from theimtaS 

 class to a free scholarship will be a still straT 

 incentive to good conduct and energetic indc 



A considerable portion of Dr. Kirkpateick's r. 

 port is occupied with 



extra* 



is occupied wnn very important 

 from the reports of her Majesty's 



denionstrati 



schools in England, which tend to demonstrate 

 the beneficial results likely to arise in some English 

 parish schools (agricultural and horticultural] \k 

 combining industrial with literary education. Tie 

 system about to be pursued in this respect at tk 

 Battersea training-school and at Kneller-park an 

 pecially referred to ; and an answer to those karf. 

 less people who dislike the notion of instructing tba 

 labouring classes— beyond the merest shadow «f 

 elementary education— is thus given in the words 

 of the Rev. M. Miciiell :— " The only method of 

 overcoming this feeling, it seems to me, is to male 



the schools really practically efficient, by tea 

 in them such subjects only as may conduce to foaa 

 the mind of a labourer, and fit him for his fate 

 career. And it should be borne in mind Hat tie 

 education required for a town boy is widely different 

 from that needed for an agricultural labourer. T 

 object to be pursued is to fit the child forh: root 

 occupation and status in society, not to rahi km 

 out of it. If he wishes to rise he must elevate bia- 

 self. He must look to his own or his parents' 

 exertions, not to the help of the State or charity, to 

 place him in a more advanced position in life, laa, 

 therefore, led to think, that if it were possible lr 

 attach land to every school, for the scholars to be 

 trained in agricultural pursuits, it would be in 

 great improvement. The employers of labour jooj 

 then see that a positive advantage was attained, a 

 the parents might also be induced to make soli 

 further sacrifice to procure an evident ; w«J 

 benefit, which, however, it may be regretted h» 

 most of them the only, or at least, chief object* 

 they send their children to school." 



If much may be said in favour of connecting 

 and gardens with the English workhou^ag 

 to train up pauper children to pleasing and c , 

 labour, more may be urged in regard to u 

 workhouses in this particular ; for the plan 

 that Ireland is pre-eminently an a^cultuB^ 

 and that an immense portion fJ«J m 

 labourers have already emigrated, or * w *^. 

 wasting influence of famine and povert) . ^ 



house child, then, practically tough wb» ■ 



to the siiccewful cultivation of the roll, ?" 



dered valuable to the State, ^PP^ ,ti ao<** 

 n himself; the well-paid labour of ^ 



assuredly, be required in Ireland, wnen ^ 

 ettl -lown to the serious work ot mi j 



We wkh (iod speed, then, to the Conm fe 

 National Education in Ireto^i £ tion *t 

 f. ter that system of agricultural ™f l [m » 

 in the words 8f Professor Johnsto^ refl d 



schoolboys of our days the agricultural 

 the future." M. D. 







1 



cates 



which it was grown 



profit* : that de"" 



. xeellence of the prouucv , -^ wIli)B - 



than upon the totter : "f-SoS * ** 



the samples of colonial produce shoe 



^S upon » ff ££U £ 













