COURSE OF HORTICULTURAL STUDY AT THE ACADEMY AT LEIDEN
Requirements.—Instruction received at the High School, or diploma for Secondary Primary Instruction, knowledge of foreign languages.
Fees.—For the theory lessons, one hour a week, fl. 30 for three months; for the theory lessons, two hours a week, fl. 50 for three months; for the theory lessons, three hours a week, fl. 60 for three months. The course extends over one and a half to two years.
There is also a similar course of study at the Gröningen Academy.
Other Schools of Gardening in Holland are:—
The Sempercrescens at Naarden, Bussum. (Fees, fl. 300, implements and tools, fl. 10.)
Flora Horticultural School at Watergraafsmeer (Middenweg, 89). Age of admission, 14. Fees, fl. 250; implements and tools, fl. 20 knowledge of the Dutch language, writing, arithmetic, geography, are necessary.
A course of study is given by Mr. van der Wissel, Huize Soltane, Epe.
ITALY
WOMEN’S INSTITUTE OF AGRICULTURE AND DOMESTIC ECONOMY,
Cascine, Florence, 1907
This institute was founded on the initiative of several ladies, with the object of instructing girls in the different branches of agriculture and domestic economy, by giving them theoretical and practical ideas, which will enable them to employ their valuable energy in the domain of agriculture and good house-keeping.
The school opens its classes in November. The training lasts six months.
The classrooms are in the left wing of the grand ducal palace, on the Piazzole del Re, in the public park of the Cascine, very near the station of the electric tramway, which places the school within twenty minutes from the centre of the town.
The close vicinity of the horticultural establishment of the Royal School of Pomology and Horticulture, possessing gardens, hot-houses, orchards, vineyards, and kitchen gardens covering more than 50 acres of ground, together with the splendid position of the institute in the middle of the Cascine Park, combine to offer the best possible conditions for the practical teaching of agriculture, horticulture, dairy work, bee-keeping, etc.
The curriculum includes agriculture, house-keeping, hygiene, chemistry, book-keeping, cooking.
The programme of each class is as follows:—
Agriculture.—Elements of morphology or vegetable physiology. Climatic conditions. Elements of agronomy. Cultivation of herbaceous plants. Fruit culture: starting an orchard, and cultivation of pear, apple, peach, cherry, plum and apricot trees; storing and drying fruit; jam and preserve making. Vine and olive tree culture. Horticulture: laying out a small kitchen garden, and the cultivation of the principal kinds and varieties of vegetables. Gardening: flowers and ornamental foliage plants, trees and shrubs; plants for the house, flower cutting and arranging.
House-keeping.—I merely mention here those points which are connected with horticulture, such as:—
The cellar.—Storage of wine and oil.
Fruit store-room.—Heating and lighting apparatus; how to use and clean them.
Hygiene.—Open air and close air, meteorological factors.
Water.—Its qualities.
Soil.—Its fertilisation and sanitation.
Chemistry.—Bodies, simple and composed. The soil in its relation to plant life—artificial manuring; air, light, heat, water, drink, food, seasonings. Practical experiments.
Book-keeping.—Domestic and patrimonial administrations; compilation of inventories; current accounts; buying and selling; State funds; plain book-keeping and other methods; book-keeping for business on a small scale; auxiliary books; special accounts and their books; registry and balance account; exercises in domestic and agricultural book-keeping.
Cooking.—The lessons will be as much as possible demonstrative, and accompanied by manual practice of the more important operations of agriculture (grafting, pruning, sowing, etc.), of agricultural industries, and also of house-keeping and cooking. Holiday re-unions will be held under the supervision of the patronesses of the institute, and instructive excursions will be made.
Admission.—For the theoretical and practical classes the girls must be at least sixteen years old.
A formal request on official stamped paper must be presented, together with the legalised birth certificate and documents proving that students have obtained—either at private or public schools—the necessary education in all ordinary knowledge. There must also be a certificate of good health and of vaccination.
The admission fee is 10 lire (8s.), besides the payment of 40 lire (32s.), to attend the lessons. At the end of six months, after a theoretical and practical examination, a certificate of steady attendance and progress will be given.
Non-residents can inquire about good and inexpensive lodgings in Florence from the secretary of the committee of patronesses.
There will also be a few places for non-students who wish to attend some of the lectures. They must address their request to the director of the institute and pay 30 lire (20s.) for each course of lectures they wish to attend.
Arrangements will be made for non-students attending several classes.
STUDENTS AT HASTUM SCHOOL, NORWAY.