Agricultural Education in France. 203 



the study of particular matters such as entomology, seed - 

 testing, fish-breeding, wine manufacture, and so forth. M. 

 Tisserand also reported as many as 3,362 "fields for experi- 

 ments in all departments." Mr. Austin Lee gives the number 

 of agricultural stations and laboratories as 59 in 1898, in 

 addition to six of special types attached to the Institut 

 Agronomique in Paris. While not giving the total number 

 of the fields of "experiment"' and of "demonstration," 

 it appears from his report that these are in the proportion of about 

 1 to 4 or 5 ; and he states that " the first serve for experi- 

 ments respecting the adaptability of different kinds of 

 plants and crops to various soils, for the testing of chemical 

 and other manures, etc.," while the demonstration fields are 

 subsidiary to these, and the professors who look after them, 

 using- their knowledge of the general conditions which 

 obtain in their several departments, " aim at producing the 

 best possible crops, in order to convince the sceptical of the 

 success of their methods by ocular demonstration." 



Coming to the national institutions supported solely by 

 the State, some embracing a general agricultural education 

 in their curriculum, others of a purely technical character, 

 a steady though not very extensive growth may be noted. 



Three regional schools of agriculture exist, viz., Grignon 

 (Seine-et-Oise), Montpellier, and Rennes, whose aims are " to 

 raise the educational standard of the rural landed proprie- 

 tors and farmers." One which was originally founded at 

 Grandjouan is now carried on as a practical school, the 

 national school at Rennes having been established to take 

 its place. This last is in the centre of an important cider- 

 making and grazing district, and special attention is 

 paid to these two subjects. A school similar in character 

 to the national schools, but established by private means, 

 is the Institut Agricole at Beauvais, originally men- 

 tioned by Mr. Jenkins, and referred to in Mr. Austin Lee's 

 report. It is carried on by a religious body, and is said to 

 be the most important agricultural school, unconnected with 

 the government, in France. 



Among special government schools, the National School 



