The Dominion. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 7, 1909. AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 631, 7 October 1909, Page 6

The Dominion. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 7, 1909. AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION.

• The necessity .for" establishing some definite and coherent system of agricultural education has received a good deal of attention during the pAst few months, and although nothing that, can be called a practical advance has been recorded, the people, who appreciate the vast importance to New Zealand of agricultural efficiency. may trusted to keep' the question alive. The first thing to .be achieved is the conversion of the' University Senate to the view that agriculture is a proper subject for inclusion in the University syllabus,' for,-.if the : University will lead in the matter' there should bo no great difficulty in making arrangements for the study of agricultural science. At tho Conference of tho A. and P. Associations in August last Mr. J. G. Wilson outlined a clear and simple. scheme. His idea embraced the foundation of a Chair or Chairs of Agriculture,; and the acquisition 'of areas for practical experiment. What should be aimed , at, as we pointed out some weeks ago, is, not the provision of agricultural .training for •intending farmers; —although that would boexcolleiif if it wore'' feasible—but . the training of mon in agricultural research, ,! who'would give lectures and' instruction and issue pamphlets and. books and papers for the guidance of the farmer. The 'Manchester University, so we learn from the Manchester Guardian oi August 25, has just decided upon. tho step which the New Zealand University must take before very long. A course has been drawn up leading to the degree of Bachelor of Science in Agriculture, the scheme resting on the. co-operation of the University with the Agricultural College at Holmes Chapel, which is under the control of the Cheshire County Council.*,

The main purpose of the College, like that of Lincoln: College, in Canterbury, is tho seicntifie training of young men in the practical work of a farm; but by its affiliation with tho University , its students -will be'able to add a course of higher scientific, study to their "work, while the University student taking the' agriculture course will ■ benefit from the' daily routine of the farm. Professor Weiss, Dean of the Faculty Of Science at the University, explains that tho objest is ''to irtake educational provision for those who intend to become' teachers in agricultural colleges, or to take some of the higher-posts in'farm management or the management of large estates. The course of.the student wishing to take the new degree begins with a year of classes in pure science at the University. In the next year the Btudent, besides attending certain senior classes at the University, will commence practical agriculture; at Holmes Chapel, and in tiie third year he will spend most, of his time, at the farm. At Holmes Chapel tho students qnjoy the great advantage of actually living on a' farm, and seeing: the working and management of it all the y6ar round. , The fctudiirits a,t some agricultural colleges in the country only visit farms day by day, and therefore are not s6 closely in touch with the routine of faf m life." The University of Manchester is in a happier position than our own ill'already possessing lecturers who five attention to applied agriculture. In order to carry out a schcme like that described it would be necessary for our university colleges,;or that collego which would specially interest itself in tho subject, to establish some new lectureships. We should require, for example,' lecturers in Economic zoology and in economic botany. . ..

We, are accustomed to bear that Britain Jags very far behind New Zealand; in most fields of practical , progress. There are many people who believe that British agriculture instill pursued along medieval lines and who were not a bit surprised when Sib Robert BtOVI recently declared in effect that the New Zealand former iB incomparably suporior to his British .brother. This idea is ijuite erroneous. Even at the ancient Universsity of Cawbridgd agricultural exporimente of tho highest valuo have been! quietly, progressing for many years past. Tho principal problem occupying tho Department of Agriculture at the University has been the improvement of wheat by the production of varieties combining high cropping powor, high baking quality, and immunity'from rust. The experiments have followed lines similar to thoso adopted by MENDEf. in his breed* ing of'peas. ■ Hundreds of varieties wero brought from all parts of tlio world, and an extraordinarily extensive system of cross-pollination has . been carried , out; Tlie work of Mandolian breeding has also

been carried out with respect to sheep, and a successful war has been carried on against bovine and canine diseases. The fact that the,agricultural production New Zealand is an increasing quantity has been a strong factor against enthusiasm for cxtremo efficicncy. "Wc are growing. Look at the statistics. -.What more do'you,want?" This is a very common attitude, but if it could only becomo generally understood that improved methods and more intense cultivation would send our agricultural production up still higher, and thus benefit everybody in tho country, thero would be little further delay in establishing a scheme that would enable our farmers to take the fullest advantage of Nature's lavish generosity.