1907.] Manual Processes of Agriculture. 751 



In order to assist County Councils in making provision for 

 this class of instruction, the Board hav^i obtained information as 

 to the facilities already available. This information is published 

 in the Report on tne Distribution of Grants for Agricultural 

 Education {Cd. 3,317, price rod.), and supplies particulars as to 

 the courses of instruction, number of pupils, competitions, &c. 



It appears that instruction in manual processes is given in 

 fifteen counties, the subjects comprising ploughing, drilling, 

 grass mowing, setting out roots, harvesting, setting up sheaves, 

 stacking, thatching (including rope and spar making), hurdle 

 making, basket making, sheep shearing, milking, hedging and 

 ditching, land draining, pruning, grafting, budding, hop drying, 

 and fruit packing. The most general subject, however, is 

 hedging and ditching, which is taken up in almost all the 

 counties, while ploughing and thatching are taught in more 

 than half of those counties which have made returns. 



Two counties have mentioned shepherding as having engaged 

 attention. This can hardly be classed as a manual process, but 

 mention may be made of the way in which instruction is pro- 

 vided in Dorset by means of a yearly examination of shepherds 

 and their pupils. Owners who wish so to do enter their 

 flocks for the sake of their shepherds, who are, during the 

 season, examined in a very thorough and practical manner. 

 The examiner for the year is a local farmer who is associated 

 in this work with the county staff instructor in agriculture. The 

 two visit each flock two or three times during the season, care- 

 fully examine its condition, take note of the percentage of 

 lambs reared, put searching, but informal, questions to the 

 shepherd as to his management of the flock in health and 

 in disease, and finally examine his pupil. According to the 

 answers of this last, not only are marks awarded to him for 

 the competition in which he takes part, but reward is accorded 

 to^the shepherd who has him under training. This work has 

 now been in progress for several years, and the good results 

 accruing from it are becoming increasingly apparent, especially 

 in getting the men to manage their flocks in an intelligent and 

 open manner. 



