The Sun.
London, England, 1846-12-26 00:00:00

THIRD COURSE.

" A general course of farm management during the
year." " The various operations of ploughing (science
of ditto), sowing, harrowing, digging, mowing, reaping,
and housing crops." " Management of cattle, various
breeds of ditto, feeding for milk and flesh, medical treat-
ment of cattle and horses, dairy management, milk,
butter, and cheese, feeding of pigs," &c.
All these subjects are discussed during the time of
training. The men take a deep interest in the matter,
and are extremely anxious to acquire knowledge; being
mostly . from country parts, the sons of labourers or
farmers, and having previously some practical know-
ledge, they become very clever before the course is
over, and always excel at the examinations. They ac-
quire this knowledge with much facility, and they agree
in stating that they can teach it to the children with
the same facility, much easier and quicker than the
common branches of a mathematical and commercial
education. As a reward (to the teachers having a few
acres) for proficiency in the management of their small
holding, and for an efficient manner of teaching the
science in the school, a small premium or gratuity be
given them annually to pay the rent of their holding, or
so, according to merit, upon the report of the agricul-
tural inspector or superintendent; one or more of these
superintendents to be appointed by the Board for the
purpose of looking after such matters, and particularly
the district agricultural schools.
There can be no doubt but agricultural schools and
model farms attached, established on correct principles,
and conducted on a proper system, &c., placed in diffe-
rent parts of the country, would tend more than any-
thing else to accelerate the progress of agricultural im-
provement. The people must have an example before
their eyes of superior management and modes of money
making, before they will give up their absurd practices,
and adopt an improvement. These schools and farms
would be the central situation and the medium of con-
veying information through an extended district. It is
on such farms that absurd practices can at once be broken
through and exposed, and a new principle carried out
with success. These ought to be experimental as well
as model farms ; for they ought to be not alone placed
in different situations and localities, but on different soils
and in different heights in the atmosphere, by which the
most valuable and important experiments could be
carried out. In fact they might be an immense and
efficient machine for disseminating in the shortest
possible time, and at the lowest possible cost, a su-
perior and important education through every part c,f
the country. The great question next arises, how is this
machine to be constructed in the shortest time, in the
simplest manner, and at the cheapest rate ? for expensive
machinery is entirely out of the question in this country,
and cannot be a proper example. My own opinion is,
that in establishing such schools and farms in any part
of Ireland, or on any gentleman's property, no portion c f
the public money voted by Parliament for the education
of the poor, ought to be expended in making perma •
nent improvements on, or embellishing any private pro-
perty. I should say that a landlord who is to enjoy the
benefits of such an ins:itution among his tenants, and
secured in the due payment of the rental, is entitled to
give a lease at a fair rent, according to the quality and
situation of the land, and construct all the necessary
farm buildings, likewise make, or assist to make, all
permanent improvements, such as fencing, draining, &c.
The Board may be fairly called on to build and furnish
a school-room, but no more. They ought also to train
and prepare a competent teacher at the model farm
establishment, Glasnevin, and give him a fixed salary as
an agricultural teacher. There ought at all such dis-
trict schools to be two teachers, an in-door literary
teacher, and an out-door agricultural head teacher, the
latter to pay the rental and all expenses of the farm, and
to have the produce and income tor his use, the same as
he model-farm, Glasnevin, Lough Ash, and Cloghan.

ANOTHER FALL OF SNOW, AND DETENSION OF
THE MAILS.—A considerable quantity of snow has fallen
in various parts of the country, which has again had the
effect of detaining the mails atne.st generally; and Thi r -
day na.,rning it was announced that no hiss than six.
one bags were overdue, comprising the Dublin, Belfast,
Cork, Clonmel, Derry, Drogheda, &c. ; tht,
Ripon, and others from Wales ; Shropshire, Bertford -
shire, Monmouthshire, Staffordshire, D. rsetshire, De-
vonshire:, &c. At eleven o'clock the Devonshire mail
came in.

The new line of railway from Carlisle to Lancaster
has been opened for two trains in each direction, and the
trains have arrived at their destination without interrup-
tion from snow, notwithatanding its elevation in places is
nearly 1,000 feet above the sea.
DARING AND EXTENSIVE BURGLARY.—On Wed-
nesday morning, between one and two o'clock, the resi-
dence of the Misses Rawson, No. 4, Tilney-street. South
Audley-street, was entered by burglars. The ladies are
at present on the continent, and they had left the man-
sion to the care of a steward, who, however, did not
sleep upon the premises, only being there in the day-
time to receive letters &c. On the previous evening. he
had left the house perfectly secure. Yesterday morning
ho went as usual, and on opening the front door, he NI as
surprised to see the hall strewed with articles of wearing
apparel and several small articles of jewellery. He
immediately went to the Vine-street police station,
and gave notice to the inspector on duty, that the
house had been broken open. Inspector Whale and
Sergeant Grey at once proceeded to the spot, and on a
careful examination of the premises found that the thieves
had effected an entrance by scaling a wall, fourteen feet
high, in the rear of the premises, and from thence, after
breaking open two doors, they had proceeded to the
upper part of the house, where they broke open the
wradrobes, and took every article that they could lay
their hands on. They even tore the silver handles from
a quantity of knives and forks, and took the silver tops
from the cruets. They also broke open a jewel case,
which contained several valuable antique articles of
jewellery. Four empty wine bottles wore found on the
. drawing-room table, from which it appeared that the
thieves had regaled themseltes previously to taking their
departure.
IMPORTATION OP ORANGES. Three vessels ar-
rived from St. Michael's, on Monday, at the wharfs ad-
joining the Custom-house, having, together, 1,477 large
boxes, and 290 small boxes of the superior kinds of
oranges, the production cf the place; and on the follow-
ing day, five vessels arrived from the same place, having,
collectively, 2,201 large, and 267 small boxes of this
esteemed description of fruit, which is just now becom-
ing ripe.