THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



JaSI u;y 



1915. 



subjects with which the planter is concerned. The 

 regular reader of the Agriculti vol . v . <<-.-■ will doubtless 

 find, from time to time, some notice of the poinl on 

 which he is looking for information, and aim 

 certainly, references to authorities on the subject. 



Then there comes in the Pamphlel Serii - These 

 Pamphlets are issued 1>\ the Departmenl as corapen- 

 diums of knowledge on various matters of standing 

 importance connected with West Indian agriculture; 

 they are written or compiled by men with scientific 

 acquaintance of the subjects ol which they treat; and 

 a^ far as possible thej are expressed in language which 

 avoids unnecessary technicalities. Should the planter 

 ui-.li to study more deepl} the scientific aspects of 

 any question, the articles contributed to the West 

 Indian Bulletin deal with this side of agriculture 

 and kindred topics, especiallj in relation to this pari 

 of the world. Eowever, as the publications referred 

 in above cannot pretend to be a comprehensive 

 encyclopedia, it may occur that the seeker after 

 knowledge is still unable to find what he want--. 



The besl course then is. first to refer to the officers 

 of the Agricultural Department of the island or colony 

 in which hemay happen to reside; they probably will be 

 able to poinl out to him the source from which he may 

 gather the desired information, or in case of their 

 inability to do so on the spot, refer for further informa- 

 tion to the Bead Office of the Imperial Department. 

 And even then, should the specialists of that Office be 

 unable to elucidate the point, they can refer to the 

 best authorities in the world for information of tin- 

 highest: value, and of most recent date, which they will 

 lie glad t" communicate for the guidance of any 

 investigator, either as regards books to be consulted, or 

 :m\ other neei ssarj light mi the subject. 



So much for the position of agricultural depart- 

 ments as to their work in disseminating agricultural 



knowledge, and as to their ability I" do SO. lint there 



is the other side of the question. The agriculturist in 

 the West [ndies, as in all other countries, must do his 

 share of tin- work, and that is by making use of 

 agricultural publications, and bj asking questions, 

 whenever In- finds himself at a h>s^ for information, 

 from the authorities. It is (utile for a man in feel 

 dissatisfied with nut finding what he wants in the 

 publications or books in which In- may have access, 

 when, by asking a question in the proper quarter, he 

 can almost certainlj receive tie desired information. 

 Throughout the world, and verj noticeablj in the 

 United States, the value of the publications of agri- 

 cultural departments in then educational aspect is 

 becoming more ami mure realized. Vast sums of 



mone\ are spent without hesitation mi this portion of 

 the work of tie departments, because the farmers 

 recognize thai in the progressive science of agriculture 

 there is no standing still, and that there is something 

 ie w for them tn learn everj year, which concerns their 

 business as vitalh as the invention of the latest explo- 

 sive i irns tin. ill nf war. Tiny must learn these 



new things, if the} are tn continue tn lie good farmers. 

 This is also true of the planter in the Tropics. He 

 keep abreasl nf the know ledge ol t he I ime. 



If the work of the agricultural departments con- 

 sisted merelj in telling planters how tn An what thej 

 have In, -n doing themselves for years, the need or use 

 ul them would soon cease in exist. Hut thej aim to 



do i v: they aim in teach planters tn think and reason 



I'm- themselves; and this the} endeavour in effect 

 by means of their publications, a\ Inch Inane- to thenoti 

 nf the planter new thoughts, new results, new methods, 

 which the\ must exam refled upon, ami experi- 

 ment with tin- themselves. 



The day is past wln-n it wast sidered that very 



little education ami practically no reading was required 

 fur a planter. Agriculture is now recognized as a science 

 which needs tin- best educated men. and needs the 



> tinual application of education to tin- soluti tits 



problems bj those who practise it. In this way 

 profession of agriculture is elevated from mere drudgerj , 



as a means of making a livelih I. tn its proper 



position, as an occupation capable of employing the 

 highest intellectual powers of any man, and of affording 

 Ins intellect continual pleasure and satisfaction. 



SUGAR INDUSTRY. 



ABSTRACTS OF PAPERS READ AT INTER- 

 NATIONAL CONGRESS. 

 Mi. \V. R. Dunlop, Scientific Assistant in tin- Imperial 

 Department of Agriculture, at present in London, has 

 forwarded the following abstracts of papers dealing with 

 sugar, read at the International Congress, London, l'.*14: — 

 THE SUGAR c.\Xi: IX INDIA. Bj C.A. Barber, U.S.-. 



[n discussing the central Factor) question in regard to 

 I mill, the writer says the want oi success lias been due to 

 several causes. Tin- class of factory ami kind of machinery 

 may nut have been those beat suited for tin- thin North 

 Indian canes. Local conditions nf land tenure, tin- supply of 

 canes to the factory, or the qualitj ol tin- Jaggerj or gur 

 made, were probablj nut sufficiently considered. Dr. Barber 

 thought there was great scope for research in connexion with 

 the centra] factory ystem in North India, where a taste for 

 white sugar is rapidly growing stronger. 



CLASSIFICATION OF SUGAR-CANE. By C. A. 

 Barber, I •.Sc. 



Tin- writer has been making interesting observations on 

 ;n- . chiefrj in connexion with i phological charac- 



