862 



PARLIAMENTARY PUBLICATIONS. [Dec. 1895. 



schools with school farms attached are examined in the practice 

 as well as the theory of Agriculture, and special agricultural fees 

 are paid on the proficiency of the pupils and state of the farms. 

 The total number of pupils examined in Practical Agriculture, 

 by the Agricultural Superintendent, within the results year, 

 was 576, of whom 505 passed. 



Thirty schools have school gardens attached. The pupils 

 examined for practical knowledge displayed in the management 

 of these gardens amounted to 54-3, of whom 443 passed. The 

 Albert Agricultural Institution at Glasnevin has been attended 

 by 128 students. The Munster Institution, Cork, continues to 

 make good progress. 



The female Dairy Instructors appointed to visit centres 

 throughout the country for the purpose of giving instruction in 

 imf>roved methods of butter making, were, in 1894, engaged 

 principally in Cork and Kerry. The reports received of the 

 results of their teaching demonstrated the advantage of the 

 system of itinerant dairy instruction. Large numbers of 

 persons of the agricultural classes attended the lectures and 

 practical demonstrations on butter making, and much interest in 

 the subject appears to have been awakened. 



The male Dairy Instructor reported upon 100 creameries 

 during the year. The suggestions of the instructor were mainly 

 designed to promote improved methods in respect of the structure 

 and management of the creameries. 



A special class for the instruction of creamery managers was 

 held last year at the Munster Agricultural and Dairy School, 

 and was attended by ten persons. These students were examined 

 at the close of the session, and certificates of proficiency were 

 awarded upon their completing six months of successful creamery 

 management after the course of training at the dairy school. 



It was also decided to give a course of special dairy instruc- 

 tion to creamery managers at the Albert Institution, Glasnevin ; 

 and in future, so long as it may be desirable to do so, a session 

 for these managers will be held at the Institution in each year. 



The course of instruction embraces the science of chemistry 

 as applied to dairy practice, the keeping of accounts, the practice 

 of butter and cream making, the testing of milk, and the feeding 

 of farm animals. 



During 1894 experiments upon means for protecting the 

 potato from disease by dressing the crop with a preparation of 

 copper sulphate were carried out at the agricultural establish- 

 ments at Glasnevin and Cork, as well as at certain School farms 

 in the country. The experiments on the farjQS with this antidote, 

 extended over several years, tend to show that the copper 

 sulphate remedy, if properly applied, is a powerful aid in the 

 prevention of potato disease. 



Other experiments of interest to agriculturists have also been 

 carried out at these agricultural establishments. 



