The County Councils of Le;cestershire, Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, and the Lindsey
Division of Lincolnshire have lately clubbed together to found an institution for teaching all that can be taught in regard to dairying and cheese. making. This institution, which is to be called the Midland Dairy Institute, is situated at Kingston-on-Soar, on a farm of 160 acres, half arable and half pasture, and will give teaching to a very large number of students of both sexes. The best ways of making fourteen different sorts of cheese will be taught. The Duke of Devonshire, who opened the new buildings on Tuesday, said, as he always does on such occa- sions, some very sensible things. Science was a very im- portant aid to agriculture ; but great industry, unwearied carefulness, and "not only strong limbs and hands, but also the trained eye and habits of observation," were, he pointed out, essential elements to the success of the profession of a farmer. No amount of scientific knowledge would enable him to dispense with these. His account of the genesis of the depression was interesting. At first the farmers lent on Protection ; when that prop was withdrawn they sought relief in the reduction of rents. But rent-reduction had nearly reached its limits, because it was making the possession of land unadvantageous. "Rather than submit to further re- duction of rent, in my opinion landlords will be disposed to sell their estates, or the greater portion of them, for what they can get, and endeavour to see whether they cannot make an income out of them by cultivating the remainder of them for themselves." Considering what is expected from them in the shape of permanent improvements, and looking at what is generally done by landlords in the matter of per- manent improvements, the Duke doubted whether many tenant-farmers would consider their position materially improved, even if they could get rid of rent altogether and be in the position of occupying freeholders with all charges which that freehold entails.
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