100 
Technical Education in Agriculture'. 
in tlie Science and Art Department this country possesses an 
organisation wliich lias done more than any other institution to 
foster and encourage the system of evening classes — a system 
which is being wisely followed in connection with the further 
extension of the study of agricultural subjects. 
So long as the Science and Art Department retains the 
subject of the Principles of Agriculture, rural authorities 
will be well advised to avail themselves as much as possible 
of the privileges it offers. The value of the Department 
should not be underrated ; it has a comprehensive organisa- 
tion, and a large sum of money is annually at its disposal. 
Most of this money is paid to teachers on the results of the 
examination of their pupils. It is possible, in some rural 
districts, to group the science subjects of the Department in 
such a way as to provide a comprehensive curriculum. Machine 
construction and drawing, mechanics, physics, and steam — take 
these four subjects, and apply them to the principles of agricul- 
ture in the case of an intelligent boy who is going to spend 
his life upon the farm. A knowledge of this group of subjects 
would make him a very handy man amongst the machinery which 
is daily becoming more indispensable to the farm. Moreover, 
from studying such a group of allied subjects, a boy would 
acquire knowledge that would help him to become an efficient 
farm labourer, and enable him to rise to a good position as a 
farm bailiff. Another natural group of subjects comprises physics, 
chemistry, geology, botany, and animal physiology. A boy need 
not — it would be advisable that he should not — take all these 
in one winter ; he might spread his studies over several winters, 
and it is a great advantage for the country boy to have such 
resources to fall back upon in the winter evenings. ^ 
There is one subject which must not be overlooked, and that 
is mathematics. A conclusion based upon my fourteen years' 
professorial expei'ience at agricultural colleges is that a lad 
who is fairly competent in mathematical studies is a good 
medium to work upon. Those interested in the welfare of any 
young agriculturist should take care that in his school days 
the study of mathematics is not ignored. The time devoted to 
acquiring proficiency in arithmetic, geometry, mensuration, and 
the elements of algebra and trigonometry — the latter really in- 
dispensable in the case of surveying — will never be regretted. 
Model Farms. 
We have yet to consider the question of instruction in the 
practice of agriculture, involving, as it does, personal acquaint- 
