AGRICULTURAL COLLEGES.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 11551, 6 April 1903, Page 5

AGRICULTURAL COLLEGES.

THE BENEFITS TO BE OBTAINED.

LECTURE BY MR LOWRIE.

The Committee of the Lincoln Farmers' Union had' a happy idea when they asked Mr Ix)wric, director of tlie Canterbury Agricult ur.il Collego, to deliver a lecture befoi* tha iinimal mooting of their members, wr_ic_ was hold on Friday night at Linool_, oa the uibjecf of the benefits that accrue from agikultural collegia. In addition to his wido experience of giicli institutions, Mr Lowrio .possesses the faculty of placing betwo an audience liis ideas in concise form. He kept his audience interested for over an hour, and! at. tlie conclusion. of his lecture ha answered a number of queauions arising out of his remarka Mr Lowrie said he had been tho more ready to speak on tlie subject proposed by the Committee because, in coaver«atio_ witfj farmers in the district and elsewhere he found! that there existed by no means a clear understanding as to what the objects cf agricultural colleges were, and what benefits were derived from them. Some. held that tlie members of the College et-ff should devote (themselves to investigat"n_ agricultural problems and directly advance- by their researches the agricultural practice of tho colony. Others thought it should bo a model farm. Ho could! not sympathise with those who held the latter view. He knew it was 6he aim of the Board of Governors to make one of tho first purposes of the College the 'imparting of technical education in agriculture, and that consequently agricultural awsearch or experimental work took a secondary place. Experimental work, lie pointed out, must be done by mem with scientific ta_nj_£, and if men to whom this work was entrusted had to teach, and superintend the operations of uninformed) students, their experimental work would not amount to —tu_h. In addition, this claas of work in New Zealand wus done by the Agricultural Department, and dona well, as those who bad read, the Department's reports would agree. Tiheec reports, he considered l , comparefavourably with any similar reports issued by amy part of the world. ft was not, therefore, necessary for 'Lincoln College, for instance, to duplicate the work of the Department, or even work on different lines, but "b_was important that they should oo_s_*! Ehemselvea to tins ed*icaiio_ of the youth who attended, and to allow their experimental work to bo more a __nonstration of the principles taught that* otherwise. Some parents wished their sons kept eH_er to practical work or to class work. Tha Board, he thought lightly, discouraged the former class. His experience of agricultural colleges -was that a etuc-nfc required instruction both in practical and «~ie___o agriculture. Those who did not want outdoor work were few in number, and usually sons of farmers who had experienoo of farm work, came to tlie College to learn the principles of their business, and to acquire scientific knowledge in relatic- to agriculture. He thought they would do weH to encourage this latter To restrict the instruction at the College to indoor woerk would not redound to its rep—t_tion, ns they would be gen-ding out men who could 1 not use their hands. In the three years* course, tbo intention was to combine practical and scientific teaching. Tho College was an educational institution, and they must recognise that education consisted itot altogether in teaching science or in practical work, but in inculcating habits of punctuality and diligence. He found t>hat at Lincoln College tlw karebsc pox p of —da work was iv this latter direction. Mr Lowrio then dealt exhaustively with tiic subjects taught at the College, pointing ! out their importance and) practical value, referring cspec—illy to the _rainago of land, the instruction regarding live, stock with regard to veterinary subjects. Spestking of wool, he dwelt on the necessity for farmers having some knowledge of t"i_*woolsort*ra' ait. There was not us yet a woolcnwwcr at -lie College, but ho swould like to nee tho College develop in that direction, and a woolclareser's wervkos obtained. Referriog " to the botanical work done, and the study of grasses, he said that looking round ——i seeing tho everlasting ryegrass one woodered whether a better knowledge of grasses would not work out to tlie advantage, of Canterbury farmers. He advocated mixing grasses, and said better pasture would be obtained by doing so. Regarding the instruction given ancut diseases of wheat ■ and oats, he showed how in (several instances smut and other fungoid parasites could be effectively dealt with. He also referred to the importance of a knowledge; of meteorology, and to the instruction given in mechanics, especially with regard to thesteam engine. Tho Chairman, after Mr Lowrie had answered a iruinbsr of questions, moved a: ■hearty vote of thanks to Mr Lowrie for _» able and interesting addrees. Mr H. E. Peryman seconded the motion, ; and said that lie wished l some of the objectors to tho College had been present to bear Mr Lowric's address, for he was sure that after doing so they would have very different opinions Tcgardi_g the institution. Tlie vote of thanks was carried by acclamation, and briefly acknowledged by Mr Lowrie.