B.—sb.

62

exceeding four in number), which will be given on Mondays and Fridays, between October, 1897, and the beginning of March, 1898. Admission to these lectures must be free. Local committees are expected to provide a room suitable for the lecture, to advertise the course in their own district, and to furnish the Agricultural Sub-Committee with a full report on the lectures at the close of the course. The County Council pays the lecturer's expenses. As only a limited number of lectures can be given, early application should be made. Practical Agriculture. —The Joint Committee is prepared to receive applications from local committees, agricultural societies, or farmers' associations, for grants in aid of practical instruction in agriculture, horticulture, and bee-keeping, on condition that full reports of the work done and a statement of accounts are furnished to the Committee. This includes (a) experiments with manures or seeds on grass or arable land, and (b) instruction and advice in agriculture, horticulture, orchard management, market-gardening, and bee-keeping. Migratory Butter Classes. —The Joint Committee is prepared to provide a teacher of buttermaking free of cost, and supply the necessary utensils to carry on classes in farm-houses or other suitable places. The number of pupils allowed to attend such classes is not less than six nor more than eight. The teacher will also be prepared to visit, on invitation, any farms within reasonable distance of the place where the classes are being held, to advise on dairy management. Migratory Cheese Instruction. —The Joint Committee is prepared to send the instructor in cheese-making to farm-houses during the season free of cost, who will remain at each farm for the period of one week, on the condition that he receives free board and lodging. Instruction in Poultry-keeping. —The Joint Committee is prepared to consider applications for the services of a lecturer and make grants in aid: the applications should state (a) the names of the places at which it is proposed to have the lectures; (b) the number of lectures required in each place; and (c) that admission to the lectures will be free. Analytical Department. —Analyses of feeding-stuffs, manures, soils, and water will be made at especially low rates for farmers living in the Administrative County of Lancashire, provided that such analyses be required for bond fide agricultural purposes. For scale of fees apply Mr. A. J. Cooper, Harris Institute, Preston. Agricultural Scholarships and Exhibitions. —The Technical Instruction Committee offers each year a number of senior agricultural scholarships of the annual value of £60, and of junior agricultural scholarships of the annual value of £30, which are tenable for a term not exceeding three years; a number of agricultural exhibitions of the value of £10 each, tenable for one year, are also offered for competition annually. Further particulars, and the conditions on which all the above-mentioned privileges may be obtained, can be had on application to the Director of Technical Instruction, Agricultural Department, County Offices, Preston. Free Classes in Agricultural Subjects. The Technical Instruction Committee of the Lancashire County Council is prepared to allow a sum not exceeding 10s. a week to each student, approved by the Committee, who attends a full course of agricultural instruction, sanctioned by the Technical Instruction Committee, at the Harris Institute, Preston (and other classes as may be required by the principal of the Agricultural School), during the session commencing the 4th October, 1897, and, ending the 29th April, 1898. The student must make at least two-thirds of the possible attendances, and also sit for the examination at the end of the session. There will be an interval of about three weeks at Christmas and two weeks at Easter during which no classes will be held. The sum allowed may be spent on board and lodgings in Preston, or on travelling-expenses from home to and from Preston, and, where possible, railway contract tickets must be obtained. The council of the Harris Institute is prepared to recommend lodgings, and, in addition, to allow each approved student to attend the School of Agriculture, as well as appropriate evening classes, free of all charge, provided the students make the required number of attendances and sit at the examinations. Students must be over fourteen years of age, and must be resident in the Administrative County of Lancaster, which includes all places within the area of Lancashire, except Stalybridge and Todmorden, and the County Boroughs of Barrow-in-Furness, Blackburn, Bolton, Bootle, Burnley, Bury, Liverpool, Manchester, Oldham, Preston, Bochdale, St. Helens, Salford, Stockport, and Wigan. But, by special arrangement, the County Borough of Wigan has been merged in the administrative county for technical-instruction purposes only. Students must in all cases make application to enter the classes on the proper form, and no claim for allowance will be entertained which has not been approved by the Technical Instruction Committee. Where travelling-expenses only are claimed, a statement of the cost of the contract ticket must be sent in with the application form, and such expenditure must be approved by the Technical Instruction Committee.* The payment of the allowance will be made after the close of the session in May, 1898, on a claim in writing, accompanied by a satisfactory report from the principal of the Harris Institute, being submitted to and approved by the Technical Instruction Committee. Holders of Lancashire County Council agricultural scholarships of the annual value of £30 and upwards are not eligible to receive any allowance. Application to attend these classes must be made to the Director of Technical Instruction, Agricultural Department, County Offices, Preston.

* The principal railway companies have agreed to issue contract tickets to the students for seven months at proportionate rates.