544 
Report on Agricultural Education. 
year, the nature of the seasons, the consequent vicissitudes of 
the crops and live-stock, and, in short, a general statement 
of the farming and its results, showing a due appreciation of 
modifying causes. Mr. Jenkins says it need not follow that 
the two years should be passed on the same farm, or even in the 
same country, provided that the authorities approved before- 
hand of the action of the scholar. 
There can be little doubt that, were this recommendation 
carried out, there would be, in a short time, a larger number of 
qualified teachers of agricultural science for schools of different 
kinds in the kingdom. 
Mr. Jenkins thinks that the Agricultural Colleges, properly so 
called, require no propping from the State. Some may consider 
that, because the Government grants 150Z. a-year towards the 
stipend of a Professor of Agriculture at Edinburgh, and has 
established a Chair of Agriculture at the Normal School of 
Science at a cost of 200/. per annum, the two Agricultural 
Colleges are equally entitled to a subsidy ; but, as a matter of 
fact, these latter are frequented by the sons of gentlemen, who 
can well afford to pay at a remunerative scale, whereas the other 
institutions aided by Government grants could scarcely exist 
without them. 
With regard to the intermediate agricultural education, Mr. 
Jenkins quotes at great length the opinions of the Rev. J. J. 
Merriman, D.D., the head-master of the Surrey County School, 
at Cranleigh. Dr. Merriman thinks " that much good might 
be done to future farming, if those destined for tenant-farmers in 
the future could receive instruction in it before entering upon it 
as an occupation. Such education could only be given with 
advantage to youths who had already acquired a fair amount of 
liberal education, including, of necessity, mathematics and 
physical science, and at a cost within the reach of tenant-farmers ; 
and where the youths had the opportunity of personally, taking 
part in farming operations, conducted on good methods, such as 
would make an ordinary farm pay. 
" The only plan by which these circumstances could be 
secured would be to attach to schools a special farming depart- 
ment, in which a number of boys, who had already got near the 
top of the school, should be carefully taught the principles and 
practice of farming, and should take part in farming operations 
on a farm connected with the schools, which should be conducted 
upon paying principles, and not as a mere experimental farm." 
The cost of all this is of vital importance. Considerable 
capital would be necessary for stocking the farm, &c. None of 
the schools to which a farm would be likely to be attached would 
be rich enough to find this capital. Dr. Merriman, therefore, 
