Report on Agricultural Education. 
161 
received their education at the village primary schools, and 
have subsequently learnt practical farming on their father's or 
on some other farm in the manner already described. Many of 
these latter are aided in their expenses of living in Copenhagen 
by the bursaries or scholarships above mentioned. It is a note- 
worthy feature that under this organisation the son of a large 
landowner of the highest rank may sit in the class-room next to 
the son of a small peasant-farmer, and will be on good terms 
with him ; whereas once outside the College walls the former 
mixes in the best society in Copenhagen, and the latter retires 
to his humble attic. The proportion of the farmer class of 
students to the whole has increased from about 6J per cent, at 
the first establishment of the College, to 30, 40, and even 50 per 
cent, of late. 
The greatest encouragement seems to be therefore given to 
the hard-working or clever sons of the peasant-farmer, and it is 
evident that these facilities are being taken advantage of in an 
increasing degree. An interesting history of a student was 
given to Mr. Jenkins by Professor Segelcke. This young man 
was the son of a Jutland farmer, holding only 25 acres of land. 
He was one of four children, the eldest of whom, having 
qualified herself as a governess, is eprning her living in this 
capacity. The young man in question was educated at the 
national school of his father's village until he was 14 years 
of age, after which he worked on a farm in the neighbour- 
hood as an ordinary indoor labourer until he was 20. The 
money which he saved during this period he afterwards spent 
in acquiring a better education at one of the higher schools. 
The next year was occupied in serving his time as a soldier, 
which is compulsory in Denmark to young men of all ranks. 
His next step was to obtain employment as a farm labourer 
on a farm belonging to an agricultural school (landboskoler), 
receiving instruction in the theory of agriculture instead of 
wages. He was now enabled to obtain complete instruction at 
the same school, partly by means of a Government grant, which 
was awarded to him in recognition of his exertions, and partly 
by making himself generally useful in the school and on the 
farm. Having then obtained a recommendation to the Royal 
Veterinary and Agricultural College, the question to be solved 
was how to defray the expense which the acceptance of this 
nomination would entail. The total cost of the course of two 
years at Copenhagen could not be estimated at less than 70/., 
of which about 20Z. would be covered by the Government 
grant. He succeeded in borrowing 12Z. from a relative, his 
father undertaking to pay the balance. He left the College 
with the highest certificates and testimonials, and was thus 
VOL. XXI. — S. S. M 
