The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1879-09-20 00:00:00

FARMERS' EDUCATION.

The Times has published the following interesting letter
on the subject of instruction in agricultural science :
Sir,—Taking up a seven-day old Times, my atten-
tion was attracted by a very sensible letter contained
In it, on the subject of farmers' education. The writer,
Mr. R, Jasper More, began by saying how important
it was that Government should aid in the establish-
ment of one or more institutions for the promotion of
instruction in agricultural science, and he then went
on to suggest that a State school should be esta-
blished, a school that should meet the requirements of
the sons of tenant farmers by supplying them with
education at the r:4e of from £4O to £5O per annum.
As this matter is one of vital importance to England
at the present juncture, and as it is not unlikely that
before long Government may be induced to take some
such steps as those indicated by Mr. More, the public
may not be uninterested in hearing certain details
relative to the Agricultural Institute of Gembloux,
which might well serve as a model for anything of the
sort here.
This institute was founded at the cost of the Belgian
Government in 1861 for the higher study of agricul-
ture. It is most favourably situated, not very far
from Brussels, and in sufficient proximity to flourish.
ing breweries, distilleries, Stc., to enable the students
to familiarize themselves with the working of the chief
agricultural industries.
A large farm of 66 hectares is cultivated by the
institute and furnishes the students with an opportunity
of practically testing the knowledge they have acquired.
Not only do they thus get acquainted with every kind
of agricultural operation, but they are also able to
witness the economic vicissitudes of an agricultural
capital profitably laid out. They further possess vast
chemical laboratories, splendid technological collec-
tions, all those agricultural machines and instruments
that were formerly in the Belgian Industrial Museum
at Brussels, and, in short, everything that can facili-
tate their scientific studies.
In return for all these advantages, including board
and lodging and instruction from an admirably quali-
fied staff of professors, the students pay the almost
nominal sum of 700 francs—that is, in English money,
just £2B; while, if the students are externes, or day
scholars, they are only charged £l2 per annum.
Foreigners, it is true, are made to pay at a somewhat
higherrate, but even then the boarders pay only £4O and
the day scholars £l6.
The scheme of instruction at Gembloux, moreover,
is not only superior to that adopted by Cirencester
College in point of cheapness, it also indisputably
carries off the palm in the matter of elaboration and
extent. For instance, in his third year the student
has to attend a course of lectures on rural economy,
and twenty of these are devoted to political economy.
Now, Cirencester College does not give the most
elementary instruction in this important science,
neither does it teach meteorolgy, agricultural tech-
nology, sylviculture, and many other subjects of equal
, value.
How is it, then, that the State Institute of Belgium
offers so much at so smal la cost ? It will be at once
Supposed that it is most extensively subsidized, and
that in all probability the people of Belgium pay in
increased taxes what they save in small school lees.
But facts fail to bear out this assumption. True, the
Belgian State defrays the cost of the whole of the
theoretical instruction. But, compared with the
benefits the institute oonfers on Belgium, how small is
this expense ! Last year the sum paid by the Govern-
ment was approximately only £4,509, while as to the
preliminary cost of founding the institute the total
amount granted by the Belgian Chambers only came to
£5,560. Part of this sum, moreover, went to the
farm attached to the school, which is now entirely
self-supporting, and which has increased its capital
most satisfactorily, so that if it were to pay back
the original outlay, it would still have some few
thousand pounds to the good.
Since then, it is clear, from this example, that a
State College for the study of agriculture, similar
to the Belgian one would involve no great expendi-
ture on the part of our Government, there seems no
good reason why a national experiment of this sort
should not be tried.
It must be borne in mind that the good accruing
would not necessarily bear any proportion to the
numbers availing themselves of the institution, It is
not only by teaching the students of the institute that
the professors of Gembloux have done so much to ad-
vance Belgian agriculture, Their scientific writings,
their translations, the numerous conferences which
they hold in every province of Belgium—to say
nothing ..of the practical application of new theories
which occurs on the farm of Gembloux—may be said
to be every way as important ap the lessons they in-
culcate from their professorial chairs. And it is be-
came I would wish to see England enjoying similar
advantantagee that T now emphatically express my
agreement with Mr. Mora and second his demand for
a State qollege and all Its 4ttendant benefits--I am,
Sii.,Vbiere faithfully, J., EftIOA..
Hotel de Flandre, Spa, Sept. 8.

At the meeting on Tuesday, at Glasgow, of the
Caledonian Railway Company, the directors report was
adopted, and a dividend declared at the rate of 2i per cent.
per annum. The chairman, Mr. Lll stated that the want
of meant had caused a large decrease in the receipts from
passengers, and bad trade a great reduction in minerals and
goods traffic, but the road was in excellent order for busi-
ness when it came, the block system and steel pails being
upon all the paain linpe.