COURSES OF INSTRUCTION.

The courses of instruction are arranged to cover a period of two, three, or four years, and are as follows:

:

1. The London University B.Sc. Agric. course. (See "Annual Report on the Distribution of Grants for Agricultural Education and Research, 1904-5," page 321.)

2. The Diploma course.-This course extends over three years, and after passing the necessary examinations and submitting the prescribed botanical, entomological, &c., collections, survey and plans, &c., a student is awarded the College Diploma, honours being obtained if he has gained distinction in his special subjects.

This

3. The Certificate course. years, and is designed to meet the requirements of those students course extends over two who cannot take all the subjects of the Diploma course.

During the first year attention is chiefly given to the purely scientific subjects which form the necessary foundation of agricultural science--chemistry, botany, veterinary anatomy and physiology, zoology, mechanics, &c. At the same time instruction in agriculture proper is given both by lecture and demonstration on the farm. A basis of knowledge having thus been laid, the lectures in the second and third year deal with the application of the sciences to agriculture-agricultural chemistry, agricultural botany, veterinary medicine, diseases of crops, insect pests, land surveying and levelling, &c., &c.

The third year may also be devoted to the special requirements of the student,

The morning hours are allotted to lectures and laboratory work; the afternoons are occupied by the various practical classes on the farm, the fruit and hop plantations, the dairy, poultry workshops, glasshouses, &c.; and there are usually lectures in the evening.

Manual work on the farm is not compulsory, but every facility is given to students who wish to make themselves practically familiar with farm labour.

The College also prepares students for certain external examinations, the National Diploma in Agriculture, and the examination of the Surveyors' Institution, &c.

All students residing in College must take one of the specialised courses, and no student can be admitted who wishes to depart from these courses, unless he requires practical farm instruction only, in which case he will reside at the farm and attend the agriculture, veterinary science, and book-keeping lectures at the College and the workshops. A special certificate can be obtained by these students.

REPORT.

The alterations and extension of buildings referred to in last year's report have been completed. The chemical laboratory has been enlarged by the addition of a room for private research; the botanical laboratory has been enlarged; the old drawing office and lecture room have been enlarged so as to make a large lecture room and research room for veterinary science purposes; while a new drawing office is being built over the administrative offices which have been newly erected.

Private generosity has also provided a large gymnasium and room where meetings and concerts can be held.

A new electric light generating station has been formed out of part of the old shops, while a new carpenter's shop has been added on to these buildings, the iron work shop having been enlarged.

The horticultural work at the College has been strengthened by the appointment on the staff of Mr. W. P. Wright, as superintendent of horticulture.

There has been a considerable increase in the number of enquiries from farmers, and more analyses have been made of foods and manures. The reduced fee now charged for milk analysis has had a good effect, and a large number of samples have been sent in.

The courses at this College, as may be seen, have been somewhat re-arranged; and as a consequence, certain students who were entered last year as being in the second or third year of their Diploma course, but since then have elected to remain on at the College and take a Degree, have had to be grouped now under their respective years in the Degree course.

Those taking different courses at the College during last session may thus be stated to have been as under :Degree Course

The above students came from all parts, but eight were in receipt of scholarships from the county of Kent and four from Surrey.

Those enumerated as farm students have to attend lectures at the College in agriculture, veterinary science, and book-keeping.

A large number of old students are now farming at home, and many in the Colonies; while several others, though not actually farming, are now connected with agricultural pursuits. It is interesting to note from the returns from this College, as from elsewhere in the country, that many men brought up in towns are now turning their attention to agriculture.

A course for elementary school teachers was held at the College for two weeks in the summer. The course involved instruction by means of lectures and laboratory work in botany, chemistry, entomology, &c., together with practical work in horticulture and bee-keeping.

The course was attended by 20 teachers from Kent and 35 from Surrey.

EXTERNAL WORK.

Lectures. In Kent, lectures numbering from one to three at each centre, were given on agricultural subjects to various farmers' clubs and associations. The numbers present were not recorded. Lectures on veterinary science were given at ten centres, at nine of these, courses of three lectures were given, a single lecture being given at the remaining centre. The average attendance was 19.

Courses of four lectures on the practice and science of horticulture were given at two centres, of three lectures at seven centres, and of two lectures at one centre, while a singie lecture was given at three other centres. At five of these centres the lectures were given before Gardeners' Societies. The average attendance was 26.

were given at two centre and one at Lectures on hortiCourses of three

In Surrey, lectures on agricultural subjects centres, three lectures being given at one another. The average attendance was 75. cultural subjects were given at 12 centres. lectures were given at five of these, of two lectures at three others, while single lectures were given at the remaining four centres. At eight of the centres, the lectures were given before Gardeners' Societies. The average attendance was 57. Courses of lectures in poultry keeping were given at two centres, three being given at one and six at the other centre. The average attendance was 17.

Field Demonstrations.-In Kent, the experiments, manurial and otherwise, on hops, mentioned in previous reports, were continued at three centres.

In Surrey, a manurial experiment on the same crop at one centre, also previously mentioned, was similarly continued.

Farriery. In Kent, the travelling farriery school was located at four centres for varying periods, instruction in practical work being given for two hours each evening the school was open. The total pupils numbered 52, of whom 37 took the full course offered, while the remainder attended for periods involving two to six lessons each.

EXPERIMENTAL FARM.

As foreshadowed in last year's report, the College has now acquired additional land. This will be of considerable advantage in many respects. It practically adjoins a portion of the old farm, but is altogether of much better quality.

A number of field trials are always in progress, but mainly of a demonstrational character, such as comparisons between different varieties of the same crop, in order that students may have as much brought to their notice as possible.

The stock kept have been mentioned in the previous report and were sufficient in quantity, when the new farm was taken on, for it to be largely stocked from the old one without much having to be purchased from the outside.

The fruit plantations are making satisfactory growth, although the late season was not on the whole a good one for the production of fruit. Instruction is given to the students in vegetable growing also, and a glass house has now been erected for forcing and other purposes.

FINANCES.

The total expenditure during the financial year including the upkeep of the farm and the expenditure on the household, but not including capital expenditure, amounted to £17,414. The receipts comprised fees from other than county scholars £5,353; sales of produce from farm, garden, &c., £2,931; miscellaneous £50; grants from the Kent County Council including scholarships and also external expenses, £3,876; grant from the Surrey County Council for the same, £2,377; and the grant from the Board of Agriculture of £1,000.