A FORTNIGHTLY REVIEW 



OF THE 



IMPERIAL DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE FOR THE WEST INDIES. 



LIB* 



NHH' 1 



Vol. XIV. No. 331. 



BARBADOS, JANUARY 2, 1915, 



Phice \d. 



The Educational Functions of Agricultural 

 Departments. 



work of disseminating knowledj 



■ ynB H t. woik oi disseminating Knowledge on 

 ^ ^agricultural subjects is a mosl important part 

 id' tlic functions of di pavtments of agriculture. 

 This is done bj publications of different kinds, with 

 varying aims, and intended to meet the needs of many 

 different readers. But doubtless it very often hap- 

 [ •< 1 1 ~ in spite cf all efforts I mil his needs, that 

 a reader of the publications oi an agricultural depart- 

 ment becomes somewhat disappointed in not finding 

 the thing thai he specially wants at the time. It is 

 rather unreasonable for readers oi such publications t" 

 feel, that because each number does not happen to 



supply just the kiml oi' information wanted at the 

 moment, they are not fulfilling their purpose. 

 Such a frame of mind results from overlooking the 

 fundamental fact thai tin- publications of a scientific 

 department arc meant to lie educational in the broadest 

 sense. 



In any system of education, the mere imparting 

 of a certain number of tacts, or tin- endeavour to 

 instruct tin- a special purpose or for a particular object, 

 is rightly condemned as mere cramming. Education 

 must he a leading up to an adequate appreciation of 

 principles, based of course on particular tacts, hut 

 conducing to a broad and generous outlook. This has 

 to he especially the aim of the instructor in agricultu- 

 ral science. So the aim of the Imperial Department 

 in its publications has consistently been, not only to 

 give information about isolated facts or processes, but 

 also to place those facts or processes in their true 

 relation to agricultural principles. For this reason the 

 publications of the Department are. in some measure, 

 meant to form a series. The remarkable progress 

 which the science of agriculture has made in the 

 last thirty or fortj years rendered ii necessary in the 

 interests of the planter or tanner, that he he enabled 

 to refer without difficulty to the result^ obtained by 

 the men who have devoted their attention to fche 

 elucidation of questions connected with his business. 



So the Agricultural Neivs is designed to supply, 

 in a, popular form, items of information on agricul- 

 tural subjects, which seem to meet the require- 

 ments, or to advance the interests of those interested 

 in the agriculture of the West Indies. For this 

 purpose extracts are made in its pages from the 

 latest publications relating to agriculture, and hints, 

 or even instructions are given with reference to the 

 cultivation of various crops, or with, reference to other 



