Report on Agricultural Education. 
was exclusively to produce skilled farmers, whilst that of 
Glasnevin was mainly to qualify elementary teachers to instruct 
the pupils of rural schools in the principles of agricultural 
science. 
In 1848 the Lord-Lieutenant, Lord Clarendon, appointed a 
body of agriculturists, called Practical Instructors, to go about 
amongst the farmers, especially in the districts which had been 
ravaged by the famine, to urge them to improve their system 
of cropping, and to undertake the drainage of their farms. 
Sir P. Keenan thinks that no more fruitful experiment than 
this was ever attempted in the material interests of the country. 
The establishment of model schools by the Commissioners 
in different parts of the country cost no less than 115,000Z., 
and for some time they all enjoyed an immense popularity. 
But an agitation, originated by the Liverpool Financial Reform 
Association about a quarter of a century ago, arose against the 
whole agricultural system. This association disputed the right 
of the State to train up farmers and stewards at the public 
cost, and owing to the great hostility which was manifested in 
Parliament to the system, the Royal Commission upon Primary 
Education in 1870 recommended that the position of pro- 
vincial and district model agricultural schools should be revised 
by the Commissioners of National Education, and that their 
number should be reduced. 
In 1872, during Lord Spencer's first Lord-Lieutenancy, his 
Excellency directed his attention to a considerable extent to 
the farming of the country. He devised a scheme of prizes, 
and proposed to give annually for five years three prizes, to be 
called the " Spencer small farm prizes," to the occupiers of the 
three holdings in certain districts, which should be adjudged to 
be the most commendable on the score of neatness, cleanliness, 
stocking, (Sec. The Education Commissioners received this 
scheme with much satisfaction, and in each of the five years 
of the experiment the Commissioners received a report from 
their inspectors, which satisfied them that the scheme had 
proved to be a great success. 
In 1874 a committee was appointed by the Treasury to 
investigate the affairs of the National Board of Education. 
The Agricultural Branch of the National system naturally 
came under their survey, and they reported that, exclusive of 
Glasnevin, there were in the other twenty agricultural schools 
but thirty-three resident pupils. The committee recommended, 
therefore, that these farms which had been established at such 
great expense should be got rid of as speedily as possible. In a 
short time nine of these farms were sold, seven were surrendered 
to the landlords, one relet, and two handed over to local 
