28 COMMISSIONER OF AGRICULTURE AND DAIRYING 
By Mr. Erb: 
Q. But they select large beets after testing. 
A. They select medium, smooth beets first and from these rows they take the larger 
on the average if they are smooth. 
By Mr. Robinson (Elgin) :- 
Q. They don’t test the whole of the beet but only a small portion of it. 
A. They take out a little core and go leave the beet in a condition to grow when it 
is planted. 
Mr. WricHt.—Mr, Chairman, the professor has given us a very good idea in one 
respect as to what Sir William C. Macdonald is doing for the cause of education in 
general, and particularly with reference to farming. Now we have not too many men 
like Sir William C. Macdonald, and perhaps there are only three other men who stand 
out pre-eminently in this country as those who have assisted the cause of education— 
McGill, McMaster and Lord Strathcona. Now I would like to have Professor Robert- 
son give us some idea some other day as to the other work he is doing with the as- 
sistance of Sir William C. Macdonald in the matter of education as it bears on the 
cause of agriculture. You know a large work has been done and is likely to be suc- 
cessful in a large number of public schools for the carrying on of manual training, 
and I would like to know if he could give us some information about it. It is hardly 
under the Agriculture Department, but he might be able to give us some information 
which I think will be valuable to the Committee and the country. 
Professor Rospertson.—If the Committee likes I will be very willing to come before 
them in that way. I have the authority of the Minister, I had the authority 
of the government some years ago, to take what time was necessary to administer the 
Macdonald Manual Training Fund to establish manual training in Canadian schools. 
I did not do that as Commissioner of Agriculture, but as James W. Robertson, of 
Canada. We have manual training established and maintained by the Macdonald fund 
in twenty-one towns. The local authorities in many other places are this year sup- 
porting the classes themselves. There are forty-six manual training teachers on the 
pay roll, from British Columbia to Charlottetown, whom I pay monthly. Sir William 
©. Macdonald has further given me a large sum of money to use in the improvement of 
rural schools and in the giving of object lessons of school gardens and instruction in 
domestic subjects. 
Mr. Ross (Ontario).—That is nature studies ? 
Professor Ropertson.—Nature studies, household economy and manual training, 
having the children trained to exercise their intelligence on the things they see about 
them. I am a citizen of Canada and I have the consent of the Minister of Agriculture 
to use what time I need, even in office hours—my leisure time is my own—in order to 
carry on this most valuable work which Sir William’s wisdom, good-will and generosity 
have made possible. It is rather a big scheme. I gave an address recently in Halifax, 
N.S., and the legislature accepted the policy as a whole. They are, going to establish 
a college of agriculture at Truro and have a Bill before the House, voting $36,000 to 
assist in the consolidation of rural schools. I am fo go before the legislature of New 
Brunswick next week. While education is a provincial matter, I am not interfering 
with provineial rights, but am co-operating with the provincial authorities to bring 
about improvements which they also desire. 
Mr. Ropinson (Elgin.)—What does this manual training consist of? 
