88 Notes on Agricultural Education at Home and Abroad. 
could not provide teaching power, but that it might undertake 
the task of examining those who had received their education 
elsewhere ; a.nd that, by prizes and certificates of merit, it could 
recognise the knowledge otherwise acquired. The result has 
been that the Council has dealt with this question tentatively 
and in a spirit of compromise. To promote higher or scien- 
tific agricultural education, the Senior Examinations were in- 
stituted in July, 1867 (the first examination taking place in 
April, 1868), when money prizes and certificates of merit, toge- 
ther with the life membership of the Society, were offered as 
rewards to successful competitors. These examinations have 
now, with slight modifications, been held for twenty-two years. 
They are searching in character, and require a high standard 
of attainment in the science (chemistry) and practice of agri- 
culture, bookkeeping, land surveying, and agricultural engineer- 
ing ; while botany, geology, agricultural entomology, and ana- 
tomy, are subsidiary subjects. Out of 237 candidates who have 
presented themselves, 61 have gained first-class and 30 second- 
class certificates. Amongst these, students from Cirencester, 
Downton, and other agricultural institutions have distinguished 
themselves, and the honourable certificates of the Society have 
been carried off by English, Scotch, Irish, and Indian subjects 
of Her Majesty, and at least on one occasion by foreign students. 
To show how very little there is of scientific teaching of agri- 
culture in England, it may be remarked that the majority 
of the successful competitors are from one college, and there are 
comparatively few candidates from any other source. 
In 1873, a desire was expressed to encourage the attendance 
of farmers' sons at the county schools, which were then generally 
being established, and it was thought that in those schools both 
general education and specific teaching in agriculture might be 
combined. To promote this object the Council decided to offer ten 
scholarships of 20/. each to youths who could pass an examina- 
tion in agricultural subjects, and who should then proceed to a 
farmer or land agent, or continue at school for another year. 
During the sixteen years in which this scheme has been in 
operation, twenty-two schools have sent up candidates, and 
fifteen of these schools have furnished successful pupils. The 
area over which the schools have extended has been large, 
and the popularity of the examinations has increased. 
We have now to consider what is being done by our own 
Agricultural Department : and after examining the recent 
lieports from foreign countries, we may endeavour to suggest 
the lines on which our own Government should take action. 
In consequence of the recommendations made by a recent 
