Canterbury Agricultural College

OUR ILLUSTRATIONS.

LINCOLN SCHOOL OF AGRICULTURE

THE School of Agriculture at Lincoln, about fourteen miles from Christchurch is one of the most important branches of the Canterbury College group of schools. There are people, severely practical, who consider this school more important than the head college, because it educates in the most necessary and useful of all callings, and embraces the most valuable forms of knowledge. The School of Agriculture is certainly a very important institution, and it is a pity similar institutions do not exist in every province. The school proper in which the director, masters, and students live, and which contains lecture rooms, laboratory, library and technical museum, is a handsome building of brick and stone, which, together with the outlying farm buildings, cost £34,043. But it is only part of the real school, for attached is a farm of 660 acres, on which the students put into practice what they are taught in theory. The School of Agriculture was formally opened in July, 1880. It then had 16 resident students and three out students. Now it has 47 resident students, and many applications have had to be refused, as every available room is occupied. The object of the school as set forth in the prospectus is to afford a thorough knowledge of the practice and science of agriculture, and in addition such a useful and liberal education as will be suitable for future requirements.

The charge for board and lodgings and instruction is £20 per term or £40 per year ; for instruction without residence £5 per year ; and some students, at the discretion of the director, can receive payment for work done on the farm.

The course of instruction includes agriculture under Mr J. Bayne, which in its widest sense means the whole science of modern farming ; chemistry under a thoroughly qualified lecturer, Mr G. Gray, which, besides taking in advanced agricultural chemistry, means lectures on wider subjects in connection with the same thing ; natural science under Mr P. Marshall, including botany, entomology, apiculture, physiography, and meteorology ; mathematics, land surveying, book keeping, and mechanical drawing under Mr C. E. Adams; veterinary surgeon under Mr J. R. Charlton, a wellknown surgeon.

When a student has gone through a course of both practical and theoretical teaching, it is his own fault if he does not know how to make the best of whatever land he attempts to farm. The students are examined in both practical and scientific subjects, and if they pass the final examination receive a certificate, which certainly should entitle them to a position of trust on any farm in the country, or the knowledge they have gained enables them to manage their own farm in the most advanced and scientific manner.

The object of the school as definitely pointed out is to teach young men the art and practice of agriculture, and no one can deny that the school possesses every feature necessary for this work ; but there has been lately a strongly-expressed desire that the school should widen its scope and give the benefit of its experience and experiments to the country. This is a reasonable desire. Such institutions founded with the public funds ought to aim at doing the most good lor the community. There are undoubtedly many things tried at the school or rather on the farm, the results of which are of importance. During my recent visit there Mr Bayne showed me some hundreds of experiments with seeds, methods of cultivation, in progress. In one field alone there were forty experiments with fertilisers, every detail of which was booked, and the results of which will be given in due time. In another field there were seven different experiments with wheat—new wheats, wheats sown with anti-rust dressing ; there were experiments with imported seed potatoes. Every experiment was being carefully watched, and the results recorded from start to finish. All this is of great use to both student and farmer, and as I have stated, whatever is of practical value or worth knowing will be made known by Mr Bayne. As for the school itself, I suppose there are few finer buildings of its kind anywhere. Our illustrations show something of its size and appearance, but its internal arrangements are even better than its outward show. There is no doubt that students have not only great facilities for learning, but also for learning under thoroughly comfortable circumstances. It is entirely their own fault and much to their discredit if they do not learn what will make them valuable members of the community.

Some time ago one of the leading Canterbury papers pointed out that there was no instance since the school was founded in which it had taken the lead in any new departure, or supplied our farmers with an item of information, valuable or otherwise. This charge, I think, will not continue under Mr Bayne’s directorship. There is so much that the school can do, so much that it is already doing, that only a practical leader is needed, and that leader, I think, will be found in the new director. Of course, a lot depends on the Board, for they have practically control over everything, but they will carry out the important trust which the country has given them for the country's good, if not, they are unworthy of the trust. —.New Zealand Farmer. 

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/periodicals/NZGRAP18950518.2.5

BIBLIOGRAPHIC DETAILS

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XIV, Issue XX, 18 May 1895, Page 459