ROYAL AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE, CIRENCENTER

Waikato Times, Volume II, Issue 91, 28 November 1872, Page 3

ROYAL AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE, CIRENCENTER

On tho day following the mile 0 f Mr Rowley's shorthorm * visited the Royal Agricultural College, desiring to note 10 progress of this valuable institution, which we had inspected for some year ,. Tho coll( , gu , V;H found(jd in m . an » school for fanners' .sous; , v farm of over 400 acres was a ui upon a long lease, and a programme laid out, embracing practical work on tho farm, and scientific teaching in 10 claw room. The idea was good, but too much in advance of tho day; consequently the college did not succeed, Was found necessary to raise the terms and alter the system, until at the present time it is beyond the rea-:h of the class for which it was originally intended. The present studuit.s are the sons of professional men, landowners, and clergymen, possibly in a few eases of large farmers. With a puvato room, i.e., a sitting room and bed room combined, 'ic charge is .£l5O per annum ; wherein the fee at the >peningof the college wai only JL'.'iO a year; a sum that < xpuuenee proved was insufficient to board the pupils, let it ono all the expenses of prolessorahipH, &c. The farm was lor many U'ur.i « source of annual loss; latterly, i.e., sinco 1805, the farm has been let to a tenant selected or approved by the college authorietics, and arrangements inaclo for the students to see the work, keep the accounts, <-'• Wo were agreeably surprised to find the plan much Jnoro Btieeessful than we anticipated. Much necessarily depends upon the hearty co-operation of the tenant; and the college are fortunate in having in Mr Russell Swanwiek, him.ielf an old (student, one who thorougly enters into the require iientu of the case, and who is willing to do all in his power tj carry on the work. Not only are tho students taken on tho farm by the agricultural professor, Mr Wrijjhton, but they are required to do practical work on the liir:n, and thus begin at the root of the matter, a-id qua ,: fy themselves for mastership by learning how work ought, to be done. This is a recent alteration, as praet'eal work was formerly voluntary. We trust that the experiment will prove suflieiently successful to ensure its perm::uMt adoption, for wo are certain, from personal experience, that no man is completely qualified to farm or to become a land agent who does not know how to conduct the operations which ho will havo to direct. Tho students are compelled t.o attend at the farm at certain times, and place themselves under the direction of the bailiff, who sets . them to work. We found two youths cleaning mangolds, others attending the pigman, and learning the management, whilst others were engaged with the sheep. Great ca"c should be exercised in providing as much variety of work as possible. Wo remember as one of the earlier students (wo speak of some twenty-five yoars ago) being set in the month of December, to top, tail, and heap swedes for two or three weeks together—a job of which we could have learnt the merits in one morning, and which, from the drudgery and misery we experienced, we thoroughly detested. This was mismanagement,, which wo trust those ill command would will avoid, and by a judieio.is variety mako the work interesting. There is so much that is constantly going oil, such change of operations, that a little forethought will sueeed in sketching a progianimo suflieiently attractive. After walking over a portion of tho farm, we would suggest that a few wheat hoes should be piocurcd, and some portion of the crops hoed on the first oppotunity. Simple as sncli work may appea-, it is frequently slurred over, unless tho master's eye is up to tho business. When the farm was first detached fiom tho colkge, a plot of about 20 acres was retained for experiment. It was soon found that this was diflicult to manage ; the area was too limited for satisfactory result s. Recently Mr Swanwick has opened the whole of his farm for experiments, so that Professor Wrighton can select any eiop or field lor his operations ; and that the chance of #etinig satisfactory results will bo increased. Tho students have every inducement to attend to the work on tho farm, not, only in the oiler of prices for accounts and journals, but in a severe examination for the diploma, conducted on the farm itself by some agricultural authority called in for the purpose.-No student has a chance of obtaining the diploma, which is tho college certificate of efficiency, unless he exhibits n satisfactory knowledge of practical matters, and the work that has taken plaec on the farm. The course of instruction extends over two years, and embraces chemistry, ino: ganie, organic, and agricultural, with practical instruction in analysis; this department, in tho hands of Professor Church, is very ably conducted, and forms a most valuable section, liotany and geology, in their relation to agriculture, are carefully taught; a largo garden adds interest to the study of the one, whilst an excellent collection of fossils, together with field work, affords the student practical acquaintance with the other. Professor Maebride conducts tho veterinary classes; a hospital is atlaehcd to the college, and the students have considerable opportunities of witnessing operations and studying treatment. This again is a highly important portion of the work. The Rev. J. Constable, tho principal, undertakes surveying and levelling, whilst the master of the art school teaches plain drawing. Lectures and classes on agriculture are given by Professor Wrightson. Practical instruction is also given, to those who desire it, in shoeing, carpentry, and butchering. The. studciits are divided into three classes; each class accompanies the agricultural professor on the farm twice a week, when all the work going on, and machinery employed is fully explained. It is evident from the above that the willing student will find abundant material for his 'energies ; and as a preparation either for modern farming, land agency, or the colonies, a, couple of years at Cirencester may be well spent. The horse may be taken to the water, but cannot always be made to drink ; the most valuable instruction may be offered and refused. We wen; glad to learn that recently L'ie standard has been considerably raised, and as the institution is now in demand, and vacancies are at once filled up, the incorrigibly idle and ill-affect ed can be removed ; and though we unfortunately did not meet with the Principal, who was from home, we saw and heard enough to convince us that the discipline is attended to, and that the character of the institution is improved. The students whom we saw ranged from eighteen upwards. The students aro stimulated in their work by having to attend weekly examinations, the marks for which are allowed to count in the sessional examinations. We can speak from experience as to the great importance of these frequent tests of progress. For tho first and second classcs two scholarships are offered, which arouse lively competition. "All work and no play" would, according to tho old adage, " make Jack a dull boy," and whilst work is the order of the day, healthy sport, such as cricket, football, fives, and annual athletic sports, are encouraged. The college farm, comprising about 500 acres, is principally situated on the great oolite, and subsoil varying from a shaly stone to clay, which latter occurs occasionally in small beds. The surface soil is more or less tenacious in character, containing from 50 to 60 per cent of clay. The porous subsoil, however, facilitates drainage ; hence most of the land is well adapted for sheep, which form a prominent feature. The grass land is naturally weak ; originally only forty acres, latterly consideiably increased by the laying down of as much more. The farm is not suitable for cattle rearing, and only sufficient cows are kept to supply t-lie college with milk. Possibly hereafter more may be done in this direction, which will be advantageous to the students. Mr Swanwiek has recently paid great attention to his sheep, and by liberal and judicious outlay in the purchase of rams is rapidly improving his flock. We were much pleased with his shearling rams and theaves, and shall expect to hear of their success at the summer shows. The rams were on seeds, with cut rye supplied in the truoghs ; the theaves, or more properly ewe tegs, were eating green rye. The sheep intended for exhibition were confined in sheds and yards, adapted to shelter both from extremes of cold and heat. About 200 ewes are kept, and the produco this spring is about 30 per ccnt increase, which is good for Cotswolds. The ewes and lambs were running on seeds and sainfoin. The lambs looked harsh in their coats, as though not very thriving. There is a great difficulty in carrying them on, as considerable variety of food must be provided. We had not time to go all over the farm, and did not see the succession crops of vetches, which should soon supply one description of food, and on which some of our best floekmosters like to wean.—At present Mr Swanwiek's name is best known in connection with the Berkshire breed of pigs, of which he has the finest collection in the kingdom. We had quite a treat in going all round his show pigs, and seeing the different lots preparing for exhibition. His judgment and enterprise have met with deserved success. We may mention that a boar shown at Wolverhampton in 1871 was sold to go to Canada for £60, and there took the first prize amidst a great many competitors. Frequently pigs have been sold at from £20 to £30, and young pigs are in good demand at highly satisfactory prices. We were delighted with two sows preparing for Cardiff, of the Stumpy and Sally strains. The old boar, with his great length and splendid head, is also a sight to see, as also the younger beauties. With a stock of over 200 of all sorts, a lot of rich manure is made ; and this being supplemented by a liberal outlay in artificials, we found the land in good condition as far as the elements of fertility are concerned, but not so clean as could be wished. The conch grass was very prevalent in some of the fields, especially in a crop of wheat after seeds. The explanation given was that the clover had been kept down for three years in consequence of tho failure of young seeds, and during that time the weed, which it is impossible with a stony subsoil to eradicate, had got ahead. We have known land when laid down with sainfoin, apparently perfectly clean, after four or five years one mass of twitch and broom grass; evidently rootlets had been left- in the subsoil from which a terrible crop had sprung. Whatever allowance may be made for the peculiarity of the seasons and the nature of the soil, we think there is no excuse for the amount of weed we saw; and we trust that this defect, which must cause adverse criticism, often much beyond the mark, will receive attention. The wheat was a thick, strong plant; nitrate of soda, at the rate of 1} cwt. per acre, was being applied, and there is every prospect of an abundant crop. Steam cultivation is hired for occasional work, aud we saw Fowler's engines

working their drag harrows oil land for barley, and raakin u capital seed bed. Altogether we were much pleased with what we saw at the college and on the farm ; and having recently had several inquiries resnecting the institution, we thought it .well to give a short ae. o mt embodying the requisite information.