Vol, SVlil 



No. 4U. 



THE AGKICULTITRAL NEWS, 



'^^ 



ia this direction will be afforded by all governments, buD 

 it is still amatter for debate as to the extent to which 

 protoction may bo afforded beyond this. It will be 

 ■v,\^.:v to rely upon industrial efficienpy than upon 

 fiscal protection, once protection is afforded agJiinst 

 unfair and unjust n odes of trading, 



There is no doubt that as the present world tangle 

 iuightens out there will arise keener an! keener 

 :npetition in most industries, until possinly a state 

 01 commercial equilibrium is reached which may 

 rosemble the condition looked for by certain economists 

 ot' a bygone school, when each coii'ntry will produce 

 those commodities for which it and its people have 

 the greatest natural aptitude, and exchange them for 

 other commodities produced by other people in like 

 case. But to arrive at this condition, a period of 

 competition and stress mu.st be passed through. 



There is one feature of this struggle which causes 

 it, to differ iin a conspicuous manner from the physical 

 gtruf'^le of which there has been such. awful experience; 

 it is this, that there is no long conceiiiing of knowledge 

 from competiturs, nor can there be. Inror[natiou concern- 

 ing' changes o.nil developments in iiidustiies and in the 

 scientific discoveries which infliieiioe them is passed 

 from hand to haml with increasing swiftness; there is 

 now no monopoly of knowledge, therefore, those who 

 lack knowledge, or neglect to secure it, will be at so 

 great a disadvantage in the struggle that they cannot 

 long survive. The penalties for ignorance and error 

 will be swifter and harder than they have ever been, and 

 ku.iwloda-e of mistakes will pass M competitors with 

 painful nipifiity. Tlic world has shrunk in size, owing 

 to the devi'lopuifut of rapid means of communication, 

 both as regards comnuinication of ideas and of niati'rial 

 things— cables, wireless telegraphy., telephones, steam- 

 ships, airplanes, all add to tiic iTildisity of competition 

 ;ind to the reward of efficiency. 



There is nothing in this niduslrial war to prevent 

 those who have industrial and scientific knowledge and 

 skill from going over to the ranks of competitors; this 

 makL'S it neC(>ssary to realize that those who are 

 a.ssoeiated in the working and sustaining of any indus-. 

 try must be linked together by bonds of common inter- 

 est, an idea which lies at the moi, of all industrial 

 co-.jperatiou. All concerned in an enterprise must, f.el 

 that they benefit directly by its success. If they do not, 

 there is none of that moral odium attaching to military 

 jipying to prevent them from going over U^ the ranks 

 of competitors. This is a fundamental truth which 

 .should not be disguised; its recognition must influence 

 xhe relationship between ,all concerned in any iiidn.stry — 



capitalists, scientific advisers, and industrial wcirkers. 

 There must be common interests and the working 

 together for a common good. 



All this implies that there must be a wider recog- 

 nition of common in'eri-Ls and common aims; it implie«- 

 the conscious taking of tiiought for the preservation 'tf 

 industries to any particid;ir country or colony; it will be 

 insufficient to lea^ve these, matters, as in the past, to 

 individual (interprise and open competition; the indus- 

 tries of a country must be organized and studied, so that 

 every natural, or obtainable, advantage may be availed 

 of to ensure the stability of the enterprise and the wel- 

 fare and comfort of all ene;aged in it. 



SCHOOL GARDENS. 



The question of the educational value of .school gaiviens 

 has been consistently advocited by the Imperial Departtnent 

 of Agriculture, Several publications have hocn is,sued with the 

 object of giving assi.stance to teachers in this direction. T'la'e. 

 of these publications may be mentioned as of special vnlue; 

 {l)A^.i/u/v Teachi/ig; hy SW Francis Wats; (2) Hints for 

 School Gardens, by Mr. A. H. Kirby, and {."5) Exercises for 

 Indoor Gardening, also by Sir Francis Witts. The se'.'onl 

 of these is out of print, but % new edition is being pvepAreA 

 which will shortly be issued 



Nature study is a subject of high educational value, and 

 although it is doubtless true that agriculture cannot be ooiii- 

 pletely taught in primary schools, only good can resu't in an 

 agricultural country from leading the elder chi'drea to- 

 acquaintance with some nf the principles that underlie the art 

 of agriculture. Hence in primary schools the subject of nature 

 study is best taught through school gardens. The chief olijeot- 

 of such gardens is to intere.st the pupils to make observations 

 at first hand on nature to learn to keep their eyes open, and 

 to take note of changes in earth and air an 1 in all life rhat 

 depends on them for sustenance. Ad article by .Mr. G. Driebe.rg, 

 Superintendent of school gardens in Ceylon, which appeared 

 in the Tropical Agriculturist, September 1918, puts the main 

 object of school gardens in a very concise firm which we . 

 reproduce below. 



'The main objects uf 8cho)l gardo-ing may be thuf 

 summarized: (1) to train the children to habits of observa- 

 tion and to .serve as a basis for nature study; (2) Co brighten 

 the .surroundings of the school i (3; tc relieve the routine of ." 

 indoor work with uuldior work of a pleasant and recreative 

 nature; (4) tti instil onier, neatness and go'Kl ta.ste: (.oito- 

 cultivate a love of gardening; (G) to teach the dignity of 

 labour, and to encourage an honest pride in the outcome of" 

 the work of one's hands. 



Indirectly the school garden also serves: (1) as a train- 

 ing ground where children learn the cultivation of plants, and' 

 lay the foundation of practical agriculture; ('Ji as a means of 

 di.'jspminating useful ."ei'ds and plants; and (M) as an ageDcy- 

 for the spread of information regarding new crops, and how 

 to deal with them 



There are difficnltit'." in e»tablisfa'ng .-Jiihool gardens sue 

 as >oouring suitaHle land and a satisfactory water .-"upjilyU 

 The objection of ptrtnts to their children doing !uinaa. 

 labour is also iiomeiiiiies a serious obs'acie. But L.y oo-op.^ 

 eration ViftWfen agriciltura! and educational department.-! 

 such difficulties and obstacles can >.e in.ide to disappear 



