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Agriculture. From one to five lectures have been given on manures, feeding stuffs, grasses and clovers, etc., at 21 centres to an average attendance of 15. A scheme for the analysis of soils, manures, feeding stuffs, milk, etc., has now been in operation for two years and has proved useful both from an educational and a commercial point of view.

Field Experiments.-Alcogether 14 manurial experiments on mangolds, swedes, potatoes, grass, etc., were carried out at nine farms in addition to one experiment on the testing of varieties of clovers. Four of the lectures enumerated under the previous heading were explanatory of the results of these experiments. The manurial trials are in the main on the lines laid down by the Agricultural Education Association.

Experimental Farm.

Dairying. An itinerant school is maintained by the county and instruction is given in the making of butter and soft-cheese. The school visited 13 centres and remained for ten days for each single course. The number of pupils at the various centres varied from 9 to 35, 12 being the maximum accepted for any single course. The total number of pupils taking the full course was 231, whilst the total number of paying visitors who attended the school was 436.

Poultry Keeping.-Courses of five lectures and demonstrations were given at 18 centres to an average attendance of 33. Visits were also made to poultry yards and advice given and demonstrations held at the local agricultural shows.

Bee Keeping.-Instruction is given by experts from the Devon Bee-keepers' Association, and the County Council make an annual grant to the Association to cover lecture and travelling expenses. Courses of three lectures were given at 14 centres, and in addition the five experts employed made 1,038 visits and inspected 864 apiaries containing a total of 3,513 hives.

Farm Hygiene.

Farriery.

Manual Processes.-Five courses were given in ploughing of not less than three lessons each, 13 courses in hedging and ditching of from four to six lessons each, five courses in thatching, and rope and spar making of four lessons each, and 19 courses in sheepshearing of from four to six lessons each. Instruction was given to 29 in ploughing, 84 in hedging and ditching, 64 of whom took the full course, and 230 in sheep-shearing, 121 of whom took the full course.

Horticulture. From three to six lectures and demonstrations were given at 18 centres to an average attendance of 20. Throughout the year demonstrations were given in gardens and orchards,

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and instruction was given in pruning, budding, grafting, etc. In addition, experiments on the improvement of old orchards were conducted at two centres.

School and other Gardens.-There were four gardens attached to Day schools one of which was worked on the collective plot system and the remainder on the individual plot system. The total number of pupils who received instruction was 74. In addition there were 18 Evening school gardens at which 215 pupils received instruction.

Fruit Growing Stations.-The county contributes to the National Fruit and Cider Institute. (See page 73.)

Training of Elementary School Teachers.

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Organisation. The agricultural education work of this county is carried out partially by means of the above county staff instructors and partially through the agricultural department of the University College, Reading.

School or College. The agricultural department of the University College, Reading, receives an annual grant from the County Council. A small grant is also given to a grammar school in the county with an agricultural bias.

Agriculture. Instruction is provided in this subject by means of lectures and by visits of advice to farms, &c. Courses of four lectures each were given at two centres, of three lectures at one other centre, of two lectures at each of two other centres, while single lectures were given at four other centres. A single lecture was also given at each of two Farmers' Clubs. The average attendance was about 23.

Field Experiments.-These were conducted at 13 centres. They were chiefly on the determination of the differences in yield, size, and dry matter in swedes when grown at different distances apart, but also on the manuring of grass land and potatoes. A potato variety experiment was also carried out at one centre and a

lupin experiment at another. Three of the lectures enumerated under the previous heading were specially explanatory of the results of these experiments.

Experimental Farm.-The work on the experimental farm attached to the University College of Reading is conducted for the benefit of this county together with other counties associated with the College.

Dairying. Instruction is given in butter and cheese making by means of an itinerant school maintained by the county. The school visited six centres, at two of which a course of instruction in cheese-making was held, the course lasting for a month at each centre. Butter-making instruction was provided at the remaining four centres, three courses of 10 days each being held at one of them, while a single course was held at each of the others. The total attendance at the cheese schools was 35, about half the pupils taking the full course. The total attendance at the butter schools was 45, practically all taking the full course.

Poultry Keeping.

Bee Keeping.

Farm Hygiene.-Instruction is given in this subject, so far as it refers to sheep, by means of an annual examination of shepherds and their pupils in two districts in the county. The examinations are carried out through a Farmers' Club in one case and a District Manual Instruction Committee in the other, and the method adopted is for the examiners to visit the flocks, whose shepherds have entered for examination, at least twice during the season, when notes are made as to the condition of the flocks and the answers given by the men to the questions, as to management, &c., which are put to them. The number of sheep in the flocks visited last season was 36,500, and 103 shepherds and boys. entered for examination. The competition is stated by farmers to do much good.

Farriery.

Manual Processes.-One course was held in each of the subjects thatching, grass-mowing, and ploughing, and two courses each in hurdle-making, hedging, and sheep-shearing. A minimum of ten hours' instruction is required for each course. The total attendance at the above courses was 177, and about 72 took the full course.

Horticulture.-A course of six lectures was given in this subject at each of 12 centres, to an average attendance of 28. Eighteen meetings were also held in farm orchards and numerous visits paid to private gardens where in some cases demonstrations were held.

School or other Gardens.-Gardens were attached to nine Elementary Day schools, and instruction was given to a total number of 152 pupils. One was worked on the collective plot

system and the remainder on the individual plot system. Evening school gardens were also provided at 13 centres, and instruction was given to a total number of 136 pupils.

Fruit-growing Stations.-Small fruit plots (four rods in extent) are provided at six Elementary schools and four continuation schools. Spraying has been carried out at all of these centres as well as pruning demonstrations open to the public.

Training of Elementary School Teachers.

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Organisation. The agricultural education work of this county is conducted partially through the Armstrong College, Newcastleupon-Tyne, and partially through the above county staff instruc

tresses.

School or College.-The Agricultural Department of the Armstrong College, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, receives a large annual grant from the County Council.

Agriculture.-Courses of one to seven lectures each on agricul tural subjects were given at 12 centres, through the Armstrong College, to an average attendance of 36.

Field Experiments.-Experiments, mostly on the manurial requirements of root crops, potatoes, meadow hay, &c., were carried out on 17 farms through the Armstrong College. Six of the lectures enumerated under the previous heading were specially explanatory of the results of these experiments.

Experimental Farm.-A grant is made annually to the Armstrong College for the purpose of carrying out investigations on a large dairy farm where a byre of ten cows is available for experiment.

Dairying.-Instruction is given by the staff instructress whose whole time is employed in the county. A fixed school is maintained by the county at the Armstrong College for a period of eight weeks in the year. Twelve pupils were in attendance during the course. An itinerant school is also maintained by the county, by means of which instruction is given in the making of butter and soft-cheese. The school visited seven centres during the year.

At one centre it held three courses, at four other

centres two courses each, and at the two remaining centres one course each. The length of each course, with one exception, was ten days, and 124 pupils took the full course of instruction offered. Evening classes were also given at four centres, the average attendance being 42.

Poultry Keeping.-Instruction is given in this subject by the staff instructress by means of lectures and practical demonstrations. Eight courses of four lectures each were given at seven centres to an average attendance of nine.

Bee Keeping.—

Farm Hygiene.

Farriery.

Manual Processes.

Horticulture.

School or other Gardens.-There was one garden attached to an Elementary Day school at which 13 pupils received instruction. Fruit-growing Stations.

Training of Elementary School Teachers.

ESSEX.

County Staff.

See the County Technical Laboratories, Chelmsford (page 62).

Organisation. The agricultural education work of this county is carried out entirely through the staff instructors employed at the above institution.

School or College.-The county maintains county lecture rooms and laboratories at Chelmsford, as mentioned above. The Agricultural Department of the University of Cambridge also receives an annual grant from the County Council.

Agriculture.-Instruction is given in this subject by means of definite courses at the county laboratories and also by means of external lectures. Courses of one to four lectures each were given at 15 centres during the year to an average attendance of 19. Field Experiments.-These were conducted on 17 farms. They consisted chiefly of investigations into clover sickness, growth of sugar beet, manuring permanent pasture, rotation crops, and

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