The agricultural institute at Sergipe was founded in January, 1860, upon the same basis as that at Bahia. It has attempted, though unsuccessfully, to found a model farm school.

The agronomic station at Campinas was founded in October, 1887, in the province of San Paulo, in the center of an important agricultural district. A German agriculturist, Dr. Dafert, of Bonn, was called to take charge of the station. The apparatus used at the station is also of German manufacture. Besides the director, the personnel consists of a secretary, two assistants, and a corps of laborers. Four distinct divisions of work are made: First, there is an analytical laboratory for the use of planters or dealers; secondly, a laboratory for the trial of fertilizers and the cultivation of new plants, as well as for improvement in staple crops; then there is a meteorological bureau, which is in correspondence with the meteorological institute at Hamburg; finally, there is an œnological bureau under the direction of an Australian specialist.

There are many other agricultural organizations in Brazil, among which may be mentioned the societies of Pernambuco and of Rio Janeiro. The latter dates back to 1820, and has always been of signal service to the agriculture of the country. It publishes a review, to which the State accords an annual subsidy of 6 contos ($3,400).

CHILE.

There is a national society of agriculture at Santiago, annually subsidized by the State in prizes given at agricultural shows, and for the cultivation of trees in public avenues and promenades, and also for the maintenance of a zoological garden.

URUGUAY.

A rural association has existed at Montevideo since 1871. This association is devoted to rural interests and to the dissemination of knowledge in all branches of agriculture, and has already rendered great services.

CHAPTER III.

CLASS 73 TER-ORGANIZATION, METHODS, AND APPLIANCES OF AGRICULTURAL INSTRUCTION.

By C. V. RILEY

Plans, models, and programmes of the agricultural primary schools, agricultural orphan asylums, farming schools, or apprentices' schools.

Methods and apparatus of instruction, fields for experimenting, etc.

Work done by pupils.

Plans and models of practical agricultural schools, of special schools of vine culture, horticulture, and forestry, etc.

Methods and apparatus of instruction.

Work done by masters; specimens of work done by pupils.

Plans and models of national schools of agriculture, of agricultural academies. Veterinary schools. Schools of forestry. Agricultural high schools; agro. nomical institutes.

Methods and apparatus of instruction.

Work of professors, specimens of pupils' work.

PART I.-FRANCE.

THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE.

"Of all branches of human industry," says the eminent and popular director of agriculture of France, M. Tisserand, in his report to the agricultural congress of 1889, "agriculture is assuredly that which occupies the greatest number of men, which comprises the most interests, and the progress of which counts for most in the development of the wealth of nations." And it would certainly seem that the French people bore these facts in mind, for probably in no other country in the world has agriculture received greater attention from the Government, or have the people-taking advantage of an extremely fertile soil and of a climate adapted to very diversified branches of cultivation-striven more to improve their agriculture by means of the application of science, by mutual counsel from societies or syndicates, and by a very complete system of agricultural instruction placed under the immediate supervision of the Government. At this Exposition, agricultural instruction was for the first time made the object of a special classification, and the whole of one of the galleries upon the Quai d'Orsay was allotted to it. The ministry

H. Ex. 410-VOL V-11

of agriculture set the example by exhibiting statistical charts and various objects, illustrative of its organization, and including samples of the prizes awarded at regional fairs and other competitions. The new decoration of the Mérite Agricole, instituted in 1883, was displayed and was held up to all sincere agriculturists as a goal to be striven for, only inferior to the historic Legion of Honor. All the principal agronomic schools sent full and interesting exhibits of the work done by their professors and pupils, the whole making a most instructive display.

Previous to 1789, 50 per cent of the total population of France was engaged in agricultural pursuits. At the present day there are in the country 6,913,500 cultivators, who, with their families and employés, form a population of about 18,250,000 persons living upon husbandry alone, or about 47 per cent of the present population.* There are at present 5,670,000 holdings in France of which 2,167,600 occupy less than 1 hectare, 2,635,030 occupy from 1 to 10 hectares, 629,394 occupy from 10 to 30 hectares, 240,000 occupy from 30 to 100 hectares, 30,000 occupy over 100 hectares.

The capital employed in agriculture exceeds 100 milliards (or 100,000 million) of francs. The animals used are valued at 5,775,000,000 francs, the seeds at 50,000,000, and the material at 1,395,000,000, a total of 7,220,000,000 francs. The crude products are worth 14 milliards and the wages paid exceed 4 milliards annually.

At the head of this enormous interest, regulating it by just laws, guiding it by wise counsel based upon scientific discoveries and teachings, providing it with instruction and protecting it under the Government, is the ministry of agriculture, completely organized and composed of some of the foremost scientists of the world.

Before its elevation to the dignity of a separate ministry, the agricultural service of France was, from 1828 to 1881, successively attached to various other ministries, notably to those of commerce, and the interior or public works; but by a decree of November 14, 1881, signed by President Grevy and M. Gambetta, it was made an independent ministry, and has since remained so.

The minister of agriculture is aided in his duties by four directors, each presiding over a special directorship, and also by a superior council drawn from these directorships, and convened whenever its advice is requested by the Chamber of Deputies.

Of the four directorships that of agriculture is the most important; it is presided over by the director of agriculture, who holds the next rank to the minister, and it is divided into three bureaus: (1) Agricultural instruction and encouragement; (2) veterinary schools and service; (3) legislation, finance, and Phylloxera. In addition to these there is the statistical service.

*On May 30, 1886, the total population of France was 38,218,903.

The second directorship is that of forests, and consists of the following bureaus (1) Litigation, forestry instruction, acquisitions; (2) wood-cutting and other revenues; (3) clearing, reforestation, etc.

The third directorship, that of stud (Haras), is divided into two bureaus: (1) Administration of establishments, and replacing of horses, (2) encouragement of equine industry.

The fourth directorship is that of waterworks, and comprises two bureaus (1) Police and care of watercourses; (2) the budget, canals for irrigation and submersion, locks, inspection, etc.

There are also various councils, committees, and commissions for the consideration of technical affairs, as follows: Superior commission upon Phylloxera; consulting committee upon epizootic diseases; council for perfecting veterinary schools; consulting committee upon agricultural stations and laboratories; council of administration of forests; consulting commission for agricultural water works, and superior stud council.

Upon the directorship of agriculture depend three important exterior branches of service: The inspection of agricultural instruction, that of agriculture proper, and that in connection with the Phylloxera.

The inspection of agricultural instruction was created in December, 1883, and is composed of one inspector-general, at a fixed salary of from 6,000 to 10,000 francs, with 5,000 francs allowance for expenses; two inspectors, with salary of 5,000 francs each and an allowance of 3,000 francs each for expenses. These three officers divide France between them, following certain railway lines, viz: (1) Along the lines of the Chemin-de-fer du Nord, that of l'Est and that of ParisLyons-Mediterrannée, as far as Lyons. (2) Along the Chemin-defer de l'Ouest, de l'Etat, and d'Orleans. (3) Along the P. L. M. from Lyons through the south of France, including Corsica and Algeria. These officers have the inspection of regional schools under their charge, their duties being to examine into the manner in which they are conducted, the number and character of the pupils, and their general maintenance. They also have the inspection of the practical schools, of which they must examine the situation and the basis upon which each is established, the care taken of them, etc. They also preside at all investigations, conduct all examinations for admission and graduation, and examine the departmental professors, not only as to the instruction which they give at the normal schools, but also as to lectures which they hold in their departments. They also preside at the competitive examinations held for the appointment of such professors, observe their influence in the Department and see that advice given by them is intelligently followed.

The inspection of agriculture was instituted in 1841, and there are at present four inspectors-general, besides one inspector for each of