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AGRICULTURAL  EDUCATION  EXHIBITION. 
It  was  very  gratifying  to  see  the  number  of  institutions 
devoted  to  either  agricultural  teaching  or  research,  or  to  both, 
which  took  advantage  of  the  Society’s  Show  at  Gloucester. 
It  was  noticeable  in  some  cases  more  especially  than  in  others, 
that  the  space  allotted,  which  of  necessity  cannot  be  large,  was 
barely  sufficient  to  allow  of  the  exhibits  being  seen  well 
enough  to  be  properly  appreciated.  It  therefore  becomes  a 
question  for  those  responsible  to  consider  whether  their  ex- 
hibitions are  not  getting  to  include  more  material  than  is 
desirable  or  even  warrantable. 
A considerable  portion  of  the  available  space  was  taken  up 
by  what  might  be  described  as  technical  exhibits  pure  and 
simple.  For  however  good  of  their  kind  many  of  the  specimens 
shown  may  have  been,  no  stretch  of  imagination  could  include 
them  in  a class  even  remotely  appertaining  to  agriculture. 
While  treating  of  this  matter  it  may  be  well  to  draw  atten- 
tion to  the  question  of  those  exhibits  illustrating  “ Nature 
Study  ” work.  That  this  subject,  granting  of  course  that  it 
be  skilfully  given  an  agricultural  bias,  is  of  inestimable  worth 
to  the  rural  community,  no  thinking  person  will  question. 
Nevertheless,  its  inclusion  at  the  expense  of  more  advanced 
matter  might  conceivably  become,  unless  due  caution  and 
discretion  be  observed,  a drawback  to  the  advantages  that 
ought  to  accrue  from  this  Exhibition. 
Exhibitors  in  this  department  of  the  R.A.S.E.’s  Show  may 
be  held  to  incur  some  responsibility  in  undertaking  to  illusti-ate 
to  the  farmers  of  England  what  they  are  doing  to  further  his 
interests.  The  agriculturist  going  round  the  various  stalls 
may  well  want  to  see  illustrations  of  the  latest  development 
of  knowledge  that  is  likely  to  help  him  in  his  business.  He 
may  reasonably  expect  to  receive  explanations  about  the 
various  exhibits  that  will  enable  him  to  understand,  and 
therefore  be  the  better  able  to  apply,  the  many  intricate  details 
which  freshly  acquired  knowledge  may  introduce  into  his 
practice.  Moreover,  in  the  case  of  every  intelligent  farmer  who 
happens  to  be  the  father  of  a family,  there  will  be  above  all  a 
desire  to  find  out  whether  the  College  dr  University  training 
available  is  so  ordered  as  ,to  be  of  the  utmost  possible  value  to 
his  son. 
In  the  present  state  of  agricultural  opinion  there  is  even 
more  remaining  to  be  done.  A certain  number  of  men,  not  so 
many  it  is  true  as  formerly,  but  still  numerous,  go  to  this 
particular  department  simply  to  scoff  at  the  education  which 
they  themselves  never  received.  To  convince  the  individual 
