September i, 1887.] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST: 
205 
ings are rare. What measures are taken to instruct 
these millions in their calling and how do such work ? 
It was only about 1790 that legislators gave a serious 
thought to agriculture. It was theu proposed to nomin- 
ate a special minister to take charge of that im- 
portant branch of national wealth. Later, other pro- 
jects were mooted, as the founding of farmers' societies, 
prize meetings and practical instructors to make known 
the advantages of sowing wheat in autumn. 
Prussia was earlier in the field, as Frederick II. 
between 1763 and 1788, expended 160 million francs 
on agricultural schools and yet Prussia both in clim- 
ate, soil and resources was much inferior to France. 
Indeed, after the battle of Iena in 1808, Prussia al- 
though defeated and numberiug but 7 millions of 
population, immediately founded the famous agricul- 
tural school at Moegliu with Thae'r for director. 
Tallyrand presented to the Constituent Assembly a 
project for agricultural education, and Lavoisier ap- 
plied his chemical discoveries on his Vendomois estate. 
But it is to F. de Neufchateau, which reverts the 
honor of suggesting the Agronomical Institute or 
university in 1800 and which was realized half a 
century later. 
The Revolution and the Napoleonic wars left France 
no time for the arts of peace. The restored Bourbons 
did nothing for agricultural education. The only 
effort in that sense during their reign was by Mathien 
do Dombsale, whose name is a household word with 
French farmers. In 1818, he established at Roville near 
Nancy, a kind of experimental and model farm of 
2b'0 acres and with difficulty obtained by subscription 
a sum of 45,000 fr. to work his plans. He translated 
the works of Thae'r and Sir Johu Sinclair. The in- 
stitution disappeared iu 1842, but Dombsale had left 
his mark ; he succeeded in popularizing the three- 
course rotation and of substituting a root crop for 
the idle fallow. He implanted also numerous other 
good points of husbandry, and above all, he formed 
pupils to propagate his ideas, the most eminent of 
whom was M. Keiffel, the founder of the Regional 
School of Agriculture at Grand Jouan iu the department 
of the Loire-Iuferieure, and, which is at present 
flourishing. 
In 1792, it was suggested that the elements of agri- 
culture be taught ouce a week in the primary or 
national schools. Both the teachers aud the populations 
petitioned for that advantage, but nothing came 
from this excellent inteutiou. And strange, in 1833 
when Guigot propounded his vast scheme of national 
education, he completely overlooked the paramount 
claims of agriculture. It was ouly in 1838 the idea 
was boldly taken in hand, when Parliament was asked 
to attach chairs of agriculture to the normal or train- 
ing schools for teachers. It was but logical to de- 
(Band that to teach agriculture the teacher should 
himself bo taught. This plan was sanctioned by a 
decrow in 1839 and a few Departmental Training Schools 
had their professor of agriculture and school-furm. 
At best it was only an experiment. 
Five days after the successful revolution of 1848, 
a decree was published to enforce that of 1339 ro- 
lative to agricultural professorships being attached to 
the normal colleges ; it was also urged to teach the 
principles of rural economy in the national schools. 
The authorities were still handicapped by the political 
situation of the country. Louis Philippe's government 
had granted subsidies to three agricultural colleges 
created by private enterprizi — Grignon, Grand Jouan 
amlLi Saulsiic, helped school-farms and nominated in- 
spectors of agriculture. Hut it was M. Tourret, Minister 
of Agriculture, who, iu 1848, brought forward a vast 
schemo for agronomical oducatiou. It was to embrace 
three degrees like the general instruction of the 
couutry— primary, secondary and superior. In other 
words model-f irm schools, regional or departmental 
OOllegea and u Central University or Agronomical 
Institute. The base of this p'an exists. 
The farm-schools wire to bring home, and on the 
spot praetied improvements to the cultivate r* ; tin y 
were directed by competent teachers and unnamed 
nt their own risks and perils; conducted iu accord- 
ance with and subject to olticial programmes and 
inspection; pupils were to remain three or four years ; 
were admitted by local jury who granted them certi- 
ficates on leaving, the State's aid was limited to an 
annual donation of 250 fr. per pupil. 
Above the farm-school was the regional or de- 
partments' Agricultural College, of which that at 
Grand Jouan founded in 1810 was the type. These 
colleges were to represent a well-defined and amelior- 
ated type of culture, harmonizing with a group of 
deportments or a region ; science was to march 
here hand in hand with practice; the state worked them 
at its own expense ; conducted experiments, and the 
pupil boarders paid 750 fr. a year ; there were a few 
sizarships reserved for the prize pupils of the farm- 
schools, all pupils had to give a certain time to the 
labors of the farm. 
The third degree or superior was the Agricultural 
University or Agronomical — the more generic and milder 
term — Institute. It was to effect for agriculture what 
the other high schools did for the army, engineers 
and manufcturers. The graduates were somewhat like 
architects, who are not compelled to be masons or 
carpenters; or as the engineer, not required to work 
at the anvil. The institute was to turn out men 
capable of grasping the whole range of theoretic and 
scieutfic farming economy and the best professors in 
the land were to be engaged. Students were to re- 
main two years at the institute ; on the expiration of 
which, diplom is were accorded by a jury of ex- 
aminers, and three of the most successful were em- 
ployed by the Government to report on the farming 
of a foreign country or on a home mission. In De- 
cember 1848, the Government allocated crown lands at 
Versailles for this institute, and named 9 professors 
it had in 1851 upwards of 51 pupils and 150 free 
auditors. It was suppressed in 1852, being not only 
considered expensive, but its range of studies too 
high and not suited for the small properties of 
France. On this point Boussingault pertinently observed 
progress is propagated from high to low—even to 
the utmost limits, but it never remounts. 
In 1850, only two regional colleges were in ex- 
istence, Grignon near Paris founded by Auguste Bella 
and a joint stock company iu 1830, and that of 
Grand Jouan in Britany also a private speculaiion. 
The college of S.iint-Angean in the centre of France, 
in a mountainous and pastoral region closed, and that 
of Saulsaic was transferred and recast into the pre- 
sent institution of Montpellier. For a time the farm 
schools were very popular, but they became enveloped 
in the net-work of abuses which prevailed during 
the sinking days of the second Empire. In July 1875, 
the first reform of agricultural education after an 
inquiry took place in 1875 : the aim was the suppression 
of the farm-schools — at one time they numbered 59 — 
now only 19— and the organisation of " Practica 
Schools of Agriculture " as now existing. These are tol 
be established by three or four departemeuts clubbing 
together and to be worked at the risks and perils 
of the director. The State ouly pays the educatioual 
staff ; if very poor, however, it will aid a little in 
the material organization. The minister of agriculture 
selects the farm, fixes the price of boarding; pro- 
grammes and type of cul ure to be followed. A local 
council superintends the working, and certificates of 
competency are granted to the pupils, and which, as 
in the case of after colleges, accord the conscript to 
servo one instead of five years under the flag. There aro. 
16 of these practical schools, and the average number 
ol professors to each varies from 6 to 12 — Chemistry, 
Zotechny, Botany, Physics, Book-keeping, Horticulture 
&c. are some of the branches taught. 
In 1876, the legislature revived the Agronomical In- 
stitute, but fixed it iu Paris instead of Versailles. It 
has an experimental farm at Vincenues close to the 
Alfort Veterinary College of 250 acres— not destined, 
however to turn out either agricultural laborers or even 
working fanners, but rather Master Agriculturists. 
The professors in each of their walks are tlw_ most 
eminent, and the educational st iff numbers 51 individn ils. 
It must not be forgotten that the elements of agri- 
culture aro now taught iu every primary school and 
as obligatory, as reading, writing aud arithmetic. 
