Report on Agricultural Educalion. 
151 
The responsibilities of the director are very considerable. 
His duties are described in the Appendix to Mr. Jenkins's 
Report, and he is entirely under the Ministry of Agriculture. 
At the same time he is absolute master of the establishment, 
having the power of discharging and appointing the members 
of his staff", although their salaries are paid by the State. He is 
under certain obligations to the Government with regard to the 
school accounts, and must send a statement of the results of his 
farming operations, accompanied by the annual inventory, at a 
given date, to the Minister of Agriculture. 
IStaff. — The duties of the staff" are as follows : — fl.) The 
inspector-accountant must teach the apprentices a simple form 
of book-keeping, and must complete their elementary education 
as regards land surveying, cubic measurement, and levelling. 
He also has the superintendence of the dormitory, refectory, 
and other arrangements. (2.) The gardener-nurseryman must 
give the apprentices a knowledge of kitchen and market- 
gardening, particularly in pruning and grafting. (3.) The 
farm bailiff must teach them the use of the several implements 
and machines on the farm, and take general direction of their 
work. These three members of tha staff must be resident on 
the farm. (4.) The veterinary surgeon has under bis care the 
animals of the farm, and gives the apprentices demonstrations 
of simple operations, and teaches them how to give the necessary 
relief in cases of sickness. 
The Inspector-General of Agriculture is enjoined to keep 
a watchful eye upon the general management of the farm and 
school, and to report to the Minister from time to time his 
views on the subject. 
La Pilleti'ere. — It will be sufficient, I think, to give some 
account of one of these schools, namely, that of La Pilletiere, 
about halfway between Le Mans and Tours. The farm con- 
sists of 280 acres in pasture, clover, lucerne and a small 
quantity in vines. It is in a picturesque country of hill and 
dale, with meadows in the valleys, vineyards and pasture lands 
on the slopes, and a sufficient quantity of arable land to form 
ample means of instruction in a wide range of agricultural 
subjects. Four Charolais oxen and four horses are worked ; but 
the cattle stock consists of 40 Shorthorn cows, all the calves 
of which are reared, the best females being retained in the herd, 
and the remainder fattened for the butcher. The sheep stock 
comprises 150 head, and the breeding flock 60 cross Leicester- 
Merino ewes. The pigs are principally of native breeds, with 
an infusion of the Large Yorkshire blood. 
The course of instruction extends over three vears. The 
apprentices are mostly the sons of small proprietors and tenants 
