374 Agricultural Education in the Netherlands, [aug., 



lodging, or live at home on their fathers' farms. There is 

 no entrance examination, but pupils must satisfy the Director 

 that they have sufficient general education to take the course, 

 and that they have had experience of farm work. They must 

 be at least sixteen years of age. The tuition fees are under 

 ijs. per winter. Nearly all the pupils are the sons of farmers 

 and have been engaged for some years in practical farm 

 work. 



The subjects of instruction include the following : — 

 Soils, manures, and crops; the feeding and breeding of live- 

 stock; veterinary hygiene; dairying; agricultural economics; 

 book-keeping, and elementary science. The hours of instruc- 

 tion average about twenty-five a week. The teaching of the 

 first winter is generally devoted to natural science, chemistry, 

 and botany, all bearing on agriculture, while in the second 

 winter the more practical subjects are taught. Instruction is 

 chiefly given in the lecture-room, as laboratory work, except 

 of a simple character, is not considered suitable for this class 

 of student. A veterinary surgeon in practice usually gives 

 instruction in farm live stock and veterinary hygiene. This 

 kind of teaching is not objected to by veterinary surgeons in 

 the Netherlands, as they have found by experience that a 

 farmer who has passed through these winter schools is much 

 more likely to make use of their services, and, what is more 

 important, to send for them before it is too late. 



Two of these schools were seen at work, one at Goes, in 

 the Province of Zeeland, and the other at Zutphen, in the 

 Province of Guelderland. 



There are no farms connected with these schools. At 

 Zutphen the zoological lecture-room is especially well 

 equipped with specimens, such as the actual mouths of 

 horses, to illustrate the appearance of teeth at different ages, 

 and the teaching specimens of this kind are of a very com- 

 plete character. At both Goes and Zutphen the students had 

 the appearance of being thoroughly practical young fellows, 

 varying from seventeen to twenty-two years of age. 



The Directors of these schools are in close touch with the i 

 agriculture of their provinces. One of them answers about j 

 700 letters from farmers, asking for advice, every year. At j 

 Zutphen the instructor in dairying acts as dairy specialist for ! 



