24 AUGUST 1844, Page 4

SCOTLAND.

An important step has been made to promote agricultural education in Scotland. Daring the late agricultural meeting in Glasgow, a number of gentlemen favourable to the establishment of elementary schools for

the purpose met in the Merchants Hall ' • when, besides gentlemen con- nected with the Agricultural Chemistry Association of Scotland, several strangers attended ; including Lord Wallscourt, Lord Clements, Lord Ranelagh, Sir Robert Bateson, Sir R. Houston, and others. The Lord Justice Clerk took the chair ; and Professor Johnston explained the object of the meeting. Mr. Skilling, superintendent of a model-farm at Glassnevin, near Dublin, under the Irish Board of Education, made a statement of the measures carried out by that Board since 1838. There are now three thousand teachers under the Board ; there are seven training-establishments to supply teachers, but there will shortly be twenty-five ; and it is intended to plant one in every county of Ireland. Mr. Skilling described the plan pursued at the Glassnevin training- school, established in 1838 : the class of labour is limited to spade- husbandry, only the spade and wheelbarrow being used— The scholars, amounting to sixty or seventy, were lodged near the farm, and fed from it. After being engaged on the farm in the mornings of five days in the week, they went into the town for their literary education ; but the whole of Saturday was appropriated to examinations. They had a garden, and, in connexion with it, a competent gardener, who lectured for one half-hour in the morning ; and he (Mr. Stilling) also lectured to the young men on agricultural subjects. At stated periods, the teachers attended the farm, and witnessed every practical operation which was going on upon it. They observed every system of cropping, and got explanations on every subject with which they were unacquainted; and the result was, that when they went away at the end of the course, they were found to be vastly improved in the scientific knowledge of agriculture and its practical details. During the course, they were enabled to obtain a considerable knowledge of agriculture, chemistry, and geology ; they also received practical information as to the principles of rotation in cropping, the cultivation of green crops, and the like. The practical errors which ex- isted as to the management of land were also pointed out to them—such as the loss caused by bad fences, seedling-beds for weeds, &c. ; and, on the other hand, they were shown the advantages of draining, and opening and turning the land, and the beneficial results of these on the general management. This model-farm had not only paid its rent, but returned a profit of 150/. or 170/. a year. Afterwards, five boys educated in a training- school at Larne, in the North of Ireland, were introduced and ex- amined— They seemed to belong to the better class of peasantry, being clad in homely garbs ; and they appeared to be from twelve to fourteen or fifteen years of age. They were examined, in the first instance, by Mr. Gibson (Inspector of Schools) on grammar, geography, and arithmetic; and scarcely a single question did they fail to answer correctly. They were then examined by Professor Johnston on the scientific branches; and by Mr. Finnie of Swan- ston and Mr. Alexander of Soutlibar on the practical departments of agri- culture. Their acquaintance with these was alike delightful and astonishing. They detailed the chemical constitution of the soil, and the effect of manures, the land best fitted for green crops, the different kinds of grain crops, the dairy, and the system of rotation. Many of these answers required consider- able exercise of reflection; and as previous concert between themselves and the gentlemen by whom they were examined was out of the question, their acquirements seemed to take the meeting spite by surprise; at the same time that they afforded it the utmost satisfaction, as evincing how much could be done by a proper system of training. The youths and their teacher retired amidst much applause.

Lord Clements bore testimony to the eagerness for instruction evinced by the peasantry near his property, in the wildest part of Connaught ; men twenty years of age coming from a distance of many miles to at- tend the school. Mr. Atlee, the teacher of an agricultural school on Lady Noel Byron's property at Ealing, reported the success of that establishment : there were at that moment five hundred applicants for admission to the farm as boarders.

Principal blacfarlan advocated education in agriculture ; but exhorted the meeting to carry on their improvements in accordance with the feelings of the people, not shocking their habits by rash innovations. He moved a resolution, that elementary instruction should be afforded to the rural population of Scotland. This was seconded by Mr. Alex- ander of Southbar, and carried unanimously.

Colonel Lindsay, of Balcarras, declared that the people of Scotland must make haste lest they should be behind in the progress of improve- ment— He must congratulate these young men from Ireland on the admirable dis- play they had made. To be a Scotsman was often found a recommendation in procuring employment elsewhere ; but these young men from Ireland would soon show to Scotsmen that they were behind the Irish, and that, if they would maintain their high character for industry and intelligence, they must be instructed as they were. These lads from Ireland had evinced so much agricultural information, that, when ready for employment, they had only to ask to obtain it. He was almost ashamed to admit his belief, that there was not a similar class of youths in Scotland who would answer the questions as these Irish lads had done.

Sir Robert Bateson explained the good done by the Templemoyle Agricultural Seminary.

On the motion of Mr. David Mylne, a Committee was appointed to carry out the object of the meeting ; which separated with the usual compliment to the Chairman.

A subscription has been opened to construct baths for the working- classes at Greenock.

Joseph Stadman Madison, recently appointed, on the strength of his certificates, Superintendent of Police at Dundee, was arrested by the High Constable of York, for embezzlement, on the night of the very day that he commenced his duties at Dundee.