As the Board of Trade have now made it compulsory that after 1st April, 1908, candidates for certificates of competency as Master or Mate should have a certificate of proficiency in First Aid to the Injured, the Governors hope that the class in Ship Surgery, Medicine, and Hygiene, which was started a year or two ago, and which is really in advance of the Board of Trade requirements, will be adapted so that it can be taken advantage of by candidates.

The report of the Headmaster for the past session was very satisfactory, the numbers attending the classes showing an increase in almost every

Number who have passed the Local Marine Board Examinations :

Number who have obtained Ambulance Endorsement to their
Certificates of Competency

21

X. THE WEST OF SCOTLAND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE (INCLUDING KILMARNOCK DAIRY SCHOOL).

I. INTRAMURAL WORK OF THE COLLEGE. (GLASGOW).

Botany

4

204

Total number of Individual Students in both Day and
Evening Classes

Total number of Enrolments in both Day and Evening Classes 588

The College Dairy School at Holmes Farm, Kilmarnock.

The Dairy School was open from 26th March till 28th September, and during that time courses of instruction were continued on the same lines as in former years, comprising regular daily instruction in Cheesemaking and Buttermaking.

Instruction was also given from time to time in the making of Stilton Cheese, Cream Cheese, and other soft cheeses.

The Special Lecture courses intended to prepare pupils for certificate and diploma examinations in Dairying were conducted as in previous years, the Junior for eight weeks in April and May, and the Senior for sixteen weeks in June, July, August and September. A series of ten

lectures on Poultry was included in the junior course, and one of twenty lectures in the senior course.

The total number of pupils enrolled during the session was 240. The average daily attendance was 30.

In the Special Classes 39 pupils enrolled for the Junior Course, and of these 14 gained the Certificate in Buttermaking and 17 the Junior Certificate in Dairying; 18 pupils enrolled for the Senior Course, and of these 11 gained the Senior Certificate in Dairying; while 13 pupils subsequently succeeded in passing for the National Diploma in Dairying.

The Examiners for the Junior Certificate were:-Theory of Dairying, Mr. Richard Henderson; Milking and Buttermaking, Mr. William M'Fadzean; Cheesemaking, Mr. Alex. Todd.

The Examiners for the Senior Certificate were :-Theory of Dairying and Botany, Mr. Richard Henderson; Chemistry, Dr Henderson; Bacteriology, Dr. Peter Paterson; Buttermaking, Mr. John Gilchrist; Cheesemaking, Mr. William M'Fadzean.

ADVISORY AND ANALYTICAL DEPARTMENT.

During the course of the session advantage, in an increasing degree, was taken of the privileges offered by the College under this department, and a number of inquiries were made by farmers, to which replies were duly sent by members of the staff. Advice was thus given on manuring, on the relative feeding value of certain crops, on the treatment of crops suffering from insect attacks, diseases affecting live stock, and on other branches of agricultural management. Samples of grass seeds were examined for purity and germination, and a largely increased number of milk samples were sent in for determination of butter fat. Examinations were also made of feeding stuffs for composition and purity.

II.-EXTENSION WORK.

(a) GENERAL AGRICULTURAL INSTRUCTION.

By arrangement with the County Councils or other Local Authorities continuous classes have been held in the following places :

5 186

Forestry Demonstrations.

Forestry

Agriculture

Cumbernauld

General Agricultural Science ·

KIRKCUDBRIGHTSHIRE

Paluackie

(b) AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENTS.

The experimental work of the College consisted of investigations into the manuring of the more important farm crops, the comparative merits of varieties of various crops, the destruction of weeds, the prevention of crop diseases, the feeding of farm stock, and other subjects. The experiments were carried out (a) at the Central Experiment Station, Holmes Farm ; (b) on farms in the contributing counties. These latter were in part arranged by agreement with County Councils and Local Committees, and in part by direct communication with the farmers who conducted them. Full details are given in the College Calendar.

Reports on the results of the experiments written by Principal Wright, Professor M'Alpine and Professor Berry, have been issued from time to time.

The results of the experiments formed the basis of the Extension Lectures given by the College Staff during the past session in the contributing counties. These lectures were delivered by Principal Wright, Professors M'Alpine and Berry, and Messrs. J. Struthers and Wm. G. R. Paterson.

Extension Lectures were delivered during the session at a large number of centres in the counties named below. (Full particulars of these lectures will be found in the Calendar issued by the Governors.)

Demonstrations by the Staff at the College Experiment Station took place in 1906 before 1,246 visitors, drawn principally from Farmers' Societies.

DAIRY EXTENSION WORK.

A Short course of instruction in Dairying was given at Daligan, Dunbartonshire.

By arrangement with County Associations Mr. William Stevenson, B.Sc., N.D.A., N.D.D., gave instruction in Cheesemaking and advice to Cheesemakers in Ayrshire, Dumfriesshire, and Kirkcudbrightshire.

Ayrshire.--Demonstrations were made and instruction given in Cheesemaking at 53 centres. Visiting Dairies for 29 days.

Dumfriesshire.-Demonstrations were made and instruction given in Cheesemaking at 12 centres; average attendance, 12. Visiting Dairies for 12 days.

Kirkcudbrightshire.-Demonstrations were made and instruction given in Cheesemaking at 8 centres. Visiting Dairies for 38 days. Total visits,

285.

SPECIAL REPORTS ON THE SCHOOLS OF ART,

BY ALEXANDER ROCHE, Esq., R.S.A., SESSION 1907-8.

ABERDEEN GRAY'S SCHOOL OF ART.

Perception of beauty and delicacy of touch are apparent in the Still-Life Studies done in black and white, and colour at this school.

The principle of putting down the deepest dark and highest light, and referring all intervening tones to them is not sufficiently understood or carried out in paintings and drawings. These key-notes of dark and light should always be stated and the other tones correctly related to them. Only in this way can accuracy of tone or colour be given. Neither is the

actual reproduction of the tones and colours of the objects set up to be copied, sufficiently realised. Thus, objects of a rich or dark nature are set in front of pupils, who are expected to give a true representation of such dark objects in grey pencil or weak water-colour, when charcoal or oil paint are the only mediums which can give their richness and depth.

Though the teachers state in a general way that pupils are taught to see masses of light and shade, and one shape of colour lying next anothermosaic-like-and to represent things so on their paper or canvas, one constantly finds a wire-like outline round edges of these masses or colours, where no line can possibly be seen in Nature. Outlines are abstractions. They only stand for the beginning or edges of tones or colours, and are used by artists as frank conventions. From the work shown in this school it is not sufficiently clear that students understand this. One sees set in front of the student, a white cast of leaf or ornament, softly relieved on a white ground-white against white-where all is melting; and the representation given of this cast is a chart of dimensions of the projecting parts, in a sharp hard line, which is quite opposed to the spirit of the thing being copied. Were the student to grasp the idea of indicating the size of the masses with a sympathetic line-faint in one place, sharp in another -the method would be intelligible, but the even wire-like outline is both unsympathetic and false. In this connection one has to commend a plan carried out in one of the departments of the school, namely, the eyetraining which comes of studying objects at some distance off, putting down what is seen, not known. Some studies of leaves, plants, etc., shown illustrate the success achieved. This principle carried into other work is desirable, and will help to correct what is complained of above.

There might be more study from the nude than there is at present; and if students could make one study in the painting-school, and have the same model in the same pose, at the modelling-class, the new point of view, and the difference in the medium of expression would result in their realising more intelligently the construction and form of the figure.

The existing minute which insists on the model being swathed round the loins, should be cancelled. None but teachers and students should be admitted into the Life-rooms.

The practice of representing what is before the eye for a long period is so detrimental to the inventive faculty that it would be desirable that the class for design should come earlier in the course than is the case here.

The modelling work shown is of a high and most praiseworthy order. The masters of the various departments are earnest and enthusiastic.

DUNDEE TECHNICAL INSTITUTE (ART CLASSES).

The headmaster is making a courageous fight against difficulties in this school, where there is clamant need for accommodation. Teaching, at present, is being done under great disadvantages, as the class-rooms are unsuitable in lighting, size, and number, for the purposes of an Art School