( 256 QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL, [1 Ocr., 1898. 
| THE STUDENTS. 
There are at present thirty-six students on the roll and in residence. 
They work on alternate days in field, garden, carpenter’s shop, dairy, and 
class rooms, and the course of study is so arranged that every student is afforded 
an opportunity of gaining instruction in each of the branches taught. The 
staff of teachers is not large, but sufficient for present purposes. They all 
speak highly of the steady attention to work shown by the lads under their 
charge, and, as work and recreation are judiciously blended, the most perfect 
discipline is maintained. The average age of the students is eighteen years, 
but several are over twenty-one years of age. Most of them are fairly good 
ploughmen, can drive an engine, have a fair idea of house-building, and some 
of them can Jay and connect waterpipes with any plumber; in fact, the whole 
of the new system of pipes has been laid down by them under the super- 
vision of Mr. Quinn, the resident engineer. Surveying they are also taught 
by Mr. Pitt. The favourite occupations appear to be ploughing, gardening, 
and dairying. 
On Sundays most of the lads attend the various Church services at 
Laidley and Gatton. The Church Chronicle of 1st September says :—“‘ We 
are pleased to note that several students of the Agricultural College have lately 
been attending tho services here [Gatton] or at Laidley. Owing to provisions 
kindly made by the Principal, all the students desirous of attending the 
services are afforded every opportunity of doing so. We hope that more will 
avail themselves of the facilities offered.” 
VISITORS. 
During the past three months many neighbouring farmers, and others 
from a distance, together with visitors from Toowoomba, Ipswich, Brisbane, 
and other places, have spent a day or two looking round the farm. It being 
the winter season, there were no field crops to be seen, except lucerne, oats, 
and barley; but from what could be observed of the work going on in 
preparation for the coming season, it was obvious to the visitors that the farm 
would be a sight worth seeing three months hence. It is the wish of the 
Principal that visitors to the College shall, previous to looking over the grounds 
and buildings, notify him of their visit, when he will arrange that they shall be 
shown over the farm and introduced to everything that is worth inspection. 
All visitors are invited to inscribe their names in the visitors’ book in the hall. 
Training at Agricultural Colleges. 
Tira an idea should prevail, with many of a community, that the training of 
students at an agricultural college should be confined to instruction in agri- 
culture pure and simple is not to be wondered at. By the majority of town 
dwellers, and indeed by most people not engaged in the industry, the term 
“agriculture”? is held to mean ploughing, harrowing, rolling, sowing, planting, 
cultivating, and harvesting. How very far short does this notion of husbandry 
fall of the requirements of the present day! The mere fact of crop-growing 
is only an accessory to the deeper knowledge of the science of agriculture 
imperatively demanded, if the farmer is to make a success of his profession. 
Climates, soils, and seasons vary ; hence locality, fertilisers, and times of sowing 
have to be studied by every man who expects to make a living from the 
soil. Year by year—even month by month—new implements, new fertilisers, 
new methods, are brought forward. ‘These require intelligent study; and how 
can they be intelligently studied by him who can but plough, sow, and reap after 
the fashion of his forefathers? He needs as much training as the engineer, 
