192 
Farming and Agricultural Training in 
X. — The North Lancashire Reformatory, Bleasdale, 
NEAR GaBSTANG. 
" On the average, 127 boys are maintained at the school, their ages heing 
confined to the limits enacted by Act of Parliament. The farm comprises 
153 acres. The boys are employed about eight hours daily at general farm 
work, under the charge of two labour masters, as well as road-mending 
(about 3 miles), draining, fencing, turf-cutting, &c. A cowman and six boys 
attend to the stock, and three boys are employed with the horses as well. 
All boys, whether engaged at farm work or at other kinds of work (tailoring, 
shoemaking, &c.), are paid for work done, and the amounts are entered to each 
boy's account, and they are fined for bad conduct. Separate plots of garden 
ground would not be considered a reward by our boys, as the time allowed 
for recreation at Keformatories generally is only sufiicient for regular games. 
At present there are 131 acres of permanent grass, 20 acres of arable land, and 
2 acres of garden, but these quantities include 66 acres just added (Feb. 2nd, 
1885). On the arable land the rotation of cropping comprises potatoes, oats, 
and seed-grass. ITie rest of the farm is used as permanent meadows and 
pastures. The live-stock consists of 3 horses, 16 cows, 6 two-year-olds, 18 
under two years, 1 sow, store pigs, and about 50 poultry. The general 
arrangements of the farm-buildings in the main are suitable and sufficient, 
and include covered manure-sheds and a silo. 
" The chief value of farm-work for our class of lads is that, being a healthy 
occufiation, it develops the physique of the stunted town-bred lads, and gives 
them a liking for work rather than for the idleness which too often has led 
them into criminal ways. The variety of work on a farm like ours develops 
the power of observation and does not prevent boys from getting on in other 
walks of life. But we generally find the less intelligent class of boys take 
to farm-work, and we encourage the more intelligent to follow the trades 
taught here. There is no difficulty in finding suitable situations for boys at 
farmhouses, when a boy is considered fit to be sent out on licence. For some 
years we have been engaged at reclaiming bog land, trenching, marling, &c.> 
and this work seems well suited for this class of juveniles. 
" The sales in 1884 were :— 
£ ». il. 
Oats 17 14 2 
Milk, butter, &c 31 12 6 
Vegetables 413 8 
Live-stock 131 411 
Sundries 1 10 0 
Supplied to school 207 19 10 
Total £394 15 1 
" I do not think that elementary education suffers at all in .such schools as. 
ours by its combination with practical work, but that the lads make as much 
progress with the ordinary subjects whilst at school work as do the lads in 
elementary day-schools. Our lads generally move up a standard in school 
every year, and in many cases two standards. In comparing the results with 
ordinary Botird Schools, it should be remembered that the majority of our 
lads are over the age at which boys are found at such schools, and they are 
treated more as striving lads who have left day-schools and receive their 
schooling in the evenings. 
" Alfred King, 
" Governor, 
" Bleasdale, near Garstang." 
