1.907.] Agricultural Schools in Germany. 691 



same steady progress that has characterized it during 

 past years, and on all sides there is abundant evidence 

 of the broadening of the educational basis, of the widen- 

 ing of public interest in the subject, and of an increase in 

 the number of pupils. During the past year, it is estimated, 

 some 1503 pupils pursued courses within the walls of 

 the various institutions, while about 32,500 attended local 

 courses provided by, or in association with, the central 

 institution. It is gratifying to find that farmers are utilizing 

 more ani.l more the organisation of the collegiate centres for the 

 supply of information on the practical details of their business. 

 The number of direct inquiries by practical farmers that are 

 addressed to the members of the staffs with regard to such 

 subjects as manures, foods, seed-mixtures, insects, and diseases 

 is annually increasing ; while the scheme instituted by the 

 Board, under which dairy farmers may be kept informed of the 

 periodic and individual fluctuations in the quality of milk, is 

 attracting more and more attention. 



In previous Reports the Board have endeavoured to supply 

 specific information in regard to special aspects of rural education,, 

 and in the present volume the subject dealt with is the " Pro- 

 cesses of Agriculture." The Board have found that in conse, 

 quence of information in regard to the organisation of school 

 gardens being made readily available as in their last Annual 

 Report, many local authorities have given their attention to 

 the subject, with the result that this valuable educational agency 

 is being much more fully u.ilized than formerly. It is to 

 be hoped that a similar result will follow the distribution of 

 information on the Processes of Agriculture, a subject which is 

 intimately associated with the efficiency of rural labour, and with 

 the success of agricultural operations. ■ 



A method of agricultural instruction which has proved very 

 successful in Germany is the system of winter schools. These 



acquired at school, and to instructing the pupils in the princi- 



Agfplcultural 

 Winter Schools 

 in Germany. 



are intended for the lower ranks of the 

 agricultural population, and the various 

 courses are carefully framed with a view to 

 consolidating and extending the education 



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