The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE. SATURDAY, NOV. 3, 1888.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 2546, 3 November 1888, Page 2

The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE.

SATURDAY, NOV. 3, 1888.

Equal and exact iiistice to all men. Of whatsoever statu or persuasion, religious or political.

This iinportauco of iillbrding agricultural education to people engaged

in rural pursuits is making itself feit more and more every day. There lias boon a great advance made in Great Britain in this direction, and the Home Government are lending itself to tho furtherance of technical and scientific knowledge in all branches of farming industry by substantial assistance. Few are more devoted to the interests of agriculturists and their improved practical education than Professor Wallace of the University of Edinburgh, who has already done such invaluable service in their behalf. The most recent concession obtained by himhas been agruit in aid of giving instructions in the principles of agricultural science to this teachers of country schools, in order to qualify them to conduct evening classes in their respective districts for the benefit of farmers and labourers who cannot attend the regular course of lectures at the University. It would be of very great benefit to this colony, whose welfare depends so largely on the produce of her soil for export in the primest condition to foreign markets, if technical instruction in agricultural science and chemistry, and in practical farming, were added to the regular curriculum of the national schools. The attention the English Government lnive been giving during recent years to the state of agricultural affairs was provoked by the disastrous depression which had overtaken those industries. Professor Wallace, in the course of his opening lecture to a number of country teachers, said adversity had taught the farmer many salutary lessons. Till quite recently farmers thought they could learn nothing new from science, but their reverses lntd convinced them that it was necessary to apply themselves to the knowledge and use of the new and more economical scientific processes that had been introduced in all departments of their calling. With the adoption of chemical manures and an aggressive conpetition from abroad, the whole aspect of agricultural pursuits has been changed, and the necessity is recognised for securing the highest improvements on all products of the field and dairy. Butter and cheese from the Continent, then from across the Atlantic, and now from the Antipodes ; live stock front Canada, and dead meat from South America and the Australasian colonies, have driven the British farmers from their ancient conservatism, and urged them to adopt the armour of modern times in defence of their own position and existence. Speaking of the objects of the special classes for teachers, the Professor observed, with much truth, that "it is intended merely that tho teachers should, by building on the foundation of a good general education, become literary exports in the subject of agriculture, and bo able to direct the ° youthful mind in proper grooves ; above all, to encourage the development of the power of observation, for which there is so much necessity as a training for every walk in life, and so much scope and material constantly at hand in a country place. It is a notorious fact that boys are reared in our rural districts without knowing, and J. might add, without noticing intelligently the thousands of objects of interest around them. Trees, flowers, grasses, beasts and birds are, with a few insignificant exceptions, sealed books, as it were, to the rustic youth the instruction he receives at school deals with altogether different subjects, barren of interest to youth as ' compared with the book of Nature when properly opened and explained. We should have a \ wider and deeper interest in the things of the country taken by boys 1 belonging to the country, and less of : growing tendency to crowd into

lar«.o urban cities—in many cases much to the disadvantage of those who go." Professor Wallace looks upon it as an imperative duty on the part of the Government, to devote their efforts to the disseuiiuation of tlio scientific principles of agriculture under modern aspects and improvements, and thus fit tlie present and rising' generations of our yeomanry to undertake the practical part ou an equal footing with the most advanced agriculturists of other countries and with the best opportunities for success and profit. The training of touchers of country schools in agricultural knowledge should be made a feature in our national system of education, which should be relieved of much of that useless and merely ornamental cramming' that at present distinguishes it, and utterly fails to fit our youth for the real battle of life. We see the bulk of our young men forsaking the country in which they have been born and reared, owing, in a great measure, to tlie neglect in their education to train their ideas and tastes to the cultivation of the soil and enter upon an industrious rural life. Yery few of our young women are inculcated with the practical views of a country life to lit them to become the wives of agricultural settlers and the mothers of a sturdy yeomanry—the backbone of every country. The curriculum of rural schools should not bo without agricultural instruction, as most fitted for the youth of a rural and agricultural population. With teachers competent to impart the required knowledge and with suitable text books embracing the necessary subjects, an important advance would be made in tlie development of agriculture, and would bestow an impetus to settlement that would add very materially to the progress and ultimate wealth of the colony.