LIBRARY 

 NEW YOKK 

 BOTANICAL 



IMPERIAL DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE FOR THE WEST INDIES. o.kobn. 



A FORTNIGHTLY REVIEW 



OF THE 



Price P/. 



Courses of Readiug and Examina- 

 tion in Practical Agriculture. 



T the West Indian Agricultnr.il Confer- 

 ence held at Barbadcs in Jaiiiiarv of 

 thi- pre.sent year a sugcjestioii was 

 brought forward by Dr. Francis Watts, C.M.G., that 

 something might be done, through the Imperial 



Department of Agriculture, tc establish a recognized 

 standard of proficiency among uverseers and managers 

 of estates, by the institutitiii of courses of reading ou 

 practical and theoretical agriculture, which should 

 afterwards be followed by examination for certificates 

 of proficiency (see Aijricuhvixil 3Vm>, Vol. VII, p. 84). 

 It was pointed out that such courses, which should deal 

 with general agricultural principles, and also have 

 special reference to the cultivation of local crops, should 

 be the means of assisting overseers and others to take 

 a more intelligent interest in their work. 



Further, the establishment of means for im- 

 proved education and more extensive knowledge on 

 mattsrs relating t-.> their work for those engaged in 

 practical agricultural operations should form an impor- 

 tant means of assisting the agricultural industries of 

 these islands, the management of which will, in course 

 of time, rest so largely in the hands of men of the class 

 indicated. It should also materially improve the pros- 

 pects of these men. 



The proposals made by Dr. Watts were received 

 with a great deal of interest by the representatives 

 attending the Agricultural Conference. Since then 

 they have been unanimously .■i])proved by the Agri- 

 cultural Societies of Barbadcs, Antigua, and St. Kitt's. 



A scheme of reading courses in practical and 

 scientific agriculture, together with a syllabus of 

 examinations for certificates of competency has there- 

 fore been prepared, full particulars of which are given 

 in a leaflet that has just been issued by the Imper- 

 ial Department of Agriculture for distri1)ution through- 

 out these colonies. 



