Welsh Journals

WALES AT WORK. AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION. During the last fifteen months considerable progress has been made in connection with the development of Agriculture in Wales, particularly as regards Agricultural Education and the improve- ment of Live Stock. In November 1912 Mr. Runciman inaugurated at Aberystwyth the Welsh Agricultural Council and outlined the various schemes which he had in view for the advancement of Agriculture in the Principality. The establish- ment of the Welsh Agricultural Council, which has met regularly since its inauguration, was an important step forward, for the Council is intended to act as a link between the agriculturists of Wales and the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries and to bring to the notice of the Board the agricultural needs of Wales, especially in relation to the Development Fund. At the same time the President of the Board appointed Professor Bryner Jones M.Sc., as Agricultural Commissioner for Wales. Part of the duties of the Commissioner is to advise the Board upon all matters relating to Agriculture in Wales, particularly those connected with Agricultural Education and with Live Stock improvement. In his capacity as Com- missioner he also acts as Chairman of the Welsh Agricultural Council, on which every county in Wales including Monmouth is represented. The organisation of the Council was completed by the appointment of Mr. W. S. Jones, MA., M.Sc., as Inspector and as Secretary of the Council and of its Standing Committees. Of such Committees there are three-a Live Stock Committee, which acts as an Advisory Body under the Live Stock Scheme, and two Education Committees to deal with Agricul- tural Education within Aberystwyth and Bangor College areas respectively. The business of the Council is transacted from Aberystwyth where the Welsh Office of the Board of Agriculture is located. Substantial grants are available from the Development Fund for increasing facilities for Agricultural Education. Steps have already been taken by the majority of the Welsh Counties to avail them- selves of these grants, and it is hoped that as the result of the assistance thus received, it will be possible to appoint an Agricultural Organiser for each County in Wales. In this way Wales will be brought into line with Ireland and Scotland. Grants have already been made to the Agricultural Departments of the Colleges at Aberystwyth and Bangor for the purpose of providing special officers whose sole duty will be to give technical advice to farmers. Two such officers, viz, an Adviser in Agricultural Chemistry and another in Agricultural Botany, have been appointed at each of the two Col- leges, and they have, even during the short time in which they have been at work, been able to demonstrate that exceedingly valuable work can be done in this direction. The work of these expert advisers will be co-ordinated with that of the County Organisers to whom reference has already been made, and the peripatetic work in the rural districts will thus be linked up with the higher work of the University. The Advisers at Aberystwyth are Mr. R. G. Staple- don, M.A., (Agricultural Botany) and Mr. J. Jones Griffith, B.Sc., (Agricultural Chemistry) and at Bangor Mr. J. Lloyd Williams, D.Sc., (Agricultural Botany) and Mr. G. W. Robinson, MA., (Agricul- tural Chemistry.) Towards the end of last year an important depar- ture was made in connection with the Live Stock Improvement Scheme. Grants were sanctioned to the Agricultural Departments of the Aberystwyth and Bangor Colleges for the purpose of appointing in connection with each of the Colleges, a Live Stock Officer whose duty it will be to superintend the administration of the Scheme in their respective College areas. At Aberystwyth the post has been filled by the appointment of Mr. D. D. Williams, who had for many years been attached to the Agri- cultural Department of the College and had rendered much valuable service as Lecturer. The corres- ponding post at Bangor has been conferred upon Mr. R. N. Jones, Brynmelyn, Corwen, who is well-known throughout Wales as a Breeder and as a Judge at the leading shows. The two officers have already taken up duties and nearly all the Welsh Counties are engaged, with their assistance, in making arrange- ments for putting the Live Stock Scheme into operation. For advisory purposes Wales is divided into two areas, the Bangor Area consisting of the counties of Anglesey, Carnarvon, Denbigh, and Flint and the Aberystwyth Area consisting of the remaining counties. Wales is also divided into two areas for the purpose of the Live Stock Scheme but, for the convenience of working, the counties of Merioneth and Montgomery are included in the Bangor Area.