Reformatory and Industrial Schools. 
213 
II. — Kent County Industrial School for Boys, Kings- 
north, NEAR ASHFORD. 
" An area of 80 acres of land was purchased by the county specially for the 
School in 1874. The school uses 73 and 7 are let. Accommodation is pro- 
vided for 200 boys. The average number Ibr the year 1884 was 178. A 
few cases are admitted at 8 and 9 j'ears of age, but 10 is quite young enough ; 
the boys leave from 14 to 16. Their future careers are very various. The 
army and navy certainly hold out the most inducements. We have sent 
74 out of 154 ; as many as 12 have gone after trying other occupations, 
The boys are employed in working 73 acres, nearly all by hand labour, 
and in cultivating fruit and all kinds of vegetables required for the use of 
the establishment. The surplus is sold. No separate payment, excepting the 
case of 14 boys, who have the care of horses and cows, and then it is dd. per 
month extra to the mark system prevailing in the school — which carries 
about 6 marks a day — and every 12 earns a Id. There are 38 acres of 
permanent grass ; 15 acres of arable, chiefly wheat and tares ; 16 acres of 
garden, and the buildings, yards, and playground occupy about 4 acres. No 
rent is paid for the land ; but 3 acres of hop land and 3 J meadow are let 
for 9Z., and a cottage and 5 acre of orchard and garden for 15?. The only 
payments for labour charged to the farm are the wages of a bailiff and two 
labourers ; the remainder is charged to the House Staff. We grow more 
potatoes than usual in this part of Kent, as they are required and profitable ; 
and also green crops — early food (tares, &c.) — for cows. The live-stock consists 
of 2 cart-horses, 1 donkey, 13 cows, about 30 pigs, 60 fowls, and 4 store geese. 
" The receipts for farm-produce in 1884 and 1885 were as follows : — 
1884. 
1885. 
£ 
s. 
d. 
£ 
8. 
d. 
12 
3 
61 
11 
5 
19 
4 
17 
15 
2 
11 
18 
3 
18 
5 
10 
81 
5 
0 
35 
7 
0 
19 
9 
15 
1 
3 
Pork 
2 
10 
0 
7 
4 
0 
'. 13' 
"4" 
0 
18 
13 
0 
5 
0 
0 
£153 
1 
7 
. .. £166 
4 
8 
Sold to the School : — 
MUk 
312 
8 
0 
329 
18 
9 
.. 27 
6 
0 
78 
12 
4 
167 
6 
2 
140 
4 
2 
9 
3 
6 
8 
12 
6 
19 
4 
50 
13 
6 
559 
3 
0 
. .. 608 
1 
3 
4 
7 
. .. £774 
5 
11 
" The prices obtained are : — Milk, Is. per gallon ; butter, Is. 6d. per lb. ; 
pork, Id. per lb.; vegetables, market i3rice. The farm-buildings consist of 
lodges and yards, which are built by the carpenter and boys as required. 
Agricultural work is excellent tor the development of the system physically; 
only one boy has been rejected for the army, although we admit from the 
crowded courts and alleys of Deptford, Greenwich, and Woolwich, and other 
towns in the county. With regard to the future of the boys, farm work 
is useful, principally in view of emigration, for which these boys are eminently 
fitted. The passage money stops the greater number. A few boys work 
