46 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



February 6, 1909.- 



AGRICULTURAL SCHOOLS. 



The usual half-yearly examinations of the agri- 

 cultural schools at St. Vincent, Dominica, and St. Lucia 

 were held in December last. Below are given those 

 portions of the reports of the examiner, Mr. F. A. 

 Stockdale, B.A., F.L.S., which are of general interest: — 



ST. VINCENT. 



Fifteen boys sat for the examination. Three took the 

 papers set for the senior class, ten those for the junior class, 

 -and two were new boys. The average percentages of marks 

 -obtained by the three classes were as follows : Seniors, 75-5 ; 

 juniors, ()fi-0 ; and new boys, 61-0. These percentages show 

 <:onsidcrable improvement over those obtained in the last 

 ■t'xamination, and indicate that the examination results of the 

 school have gveatly improved. 



Agriculture has shown improvement, and many of the 

 papers were highly satisfactory. Marked progi-ess has been 

 made in t'hemistry. It is hoped that continued attention 

 will be given to this latter subject in order that the improve- 

 ment may be maintained. 



Aiithmetic was the weakest of the more important 

 .subjects, and should receive attention before the next 

 examination. In fact, it might be advised that extra time 

 he allotted to this .subject during the coming half-year, 

 ■jis it was inclined to be weak at the examination conducted 

 .last June. Geography has improved and the t'omjiosition 

 papers may be considered to be fairly satisfactory. 



(Considering the papers as a whole, this examination 

 indicates that the ptipils at this school have been receiving 

 -very careful attention, and that they have a creditable 

 elementary knowledge of the scientific principles underlying 

 agriciiltuial practice. With good practical grounding, these 

 pu|)ils should not fail to be of value to the agriculture of the 

 colony. 



DOMINICA. 



Seventeen boys sent in papers for exaniiiiation. Two 

 took the i)apers set for the senior class, thirteen those for 

 the juniors, and there were two new boys. The average 

 "[)ercentages of marks obtained were as follows : Seniors, 

 72'.'V; juniors, 57'1 ; and the new boys 62'5. There is 

 a distinct falling off amongst the junior class, ]>articularly 

 when it is con.sidercd that Arithmetic produeeil a large 

 proportion of marks. 



The pa))ers sent in by the two .senicjr b(J3S were, on the 

 whole, satisfactory, with the exception of Agriculture — 

 a subject that should receive further careful attention. 



The work i>f the junior class is still very poor. The 

 science .subjects have made practically no progress during the 

 the past half-year, and as they ■were unfavourably reported 

 upon at the last examination, it is necessary that every etfort 

 should be made to give this class particularly close attention. 

 Out of thirty nine papers on .science subjects submitted by 

 this class for cxaminiition, only fourteen obtained more than 

 half marks. Not a single paper in Agriculture was worthy 

 of over half marks. 



Tlie general school sulijects have again shown some 

 improvement, .\rithmetic was very .satisfactory anil some 

 further inipioM nieiit has been made in Geography, but 

 attention shouhl still be given to the latter subject. 



The new boys sent in fair papers. Their .\rilhmctic 

 was very gooil. Tiic Geography marks of tlu'se ]iupils have 

 been witlilield, pending an investigation. 



ST. I.l( lA. 



Twenty-three pupils sent in papers for examination. 

 Eight took those set for the senior class, twelve those for the- 

 juniors, and there were three new boys. The average per- 

 centages cli-marks of the three classes were as follows : Seniors, 

 t)2.'$ : juniors, 440 ; and new boys, .53'7. The.se percent- 

 ages show imi)rovements since the last examination, 

 especially in the senior cla.ss. 



The work of the senior class was, on the whole, fairly 

 satisfactory. Considerable improvement has been made in 

 Agriculture, and souie good answers were submitted in tbis- 

 subject. Chemistry and Botany have slightly improved but 

 the pupils should still receive careful attention in thes* 

 subjects. 



The Arithmetic of this class has made but little progres.s. 

 .since the la.st examination, and nuist receive close attention. 

 Some improvement has been made in Geography, but the 

 pupils should be given further careful in.struction in this 

 subject. 



The work of the junior class is not yet .satisfactory. 

 Only three boys obtained over .50 per cent, of the total' 

 marks. Two of these have only been admitted to the school 

 since the last examination and have niade • marked progress. 

 Some improvement has been made in the science subjects, 

 especially in Agriculture and Botany, but the pupils require- 

 further very careful instruction in these .subjects. 



The Arithnietic has made practically no progress since 

 the last examination, and it is neces.sary that extra time 

 should be given to this subject during the next half-year, in 

 order that improvement may be shown at the next exami- 

 natio)i. Geography and Composition should also receive- 

 attention. 



BROOM CORN CULTIVATION AT 

 ANTIGUA. 



The Curator of the Antigua Botanic Station in hia~ 

 latest report gives particulars of experiments carried 

 out with broom corn at Skerrett's in the past season. 

 Two plots, each one-tenth of an acre in area, were 

 planted with the crop. The following details are taken 

 from the repoit : — 



One of the plots of broom corn was planted on June 21,, 

 1907, the seeds being sown .3 feet apart on 4-feet finished 

 banks. Reaping conunenced on October 1 and fini.shed oit 

 October 31. The weight from this jilot was 74 lb. of dried 

 broom corn. 



The second \>\ot was planted on June 28 ; reaping 

 conunenced on September 2 and finished on October 4. The 

 seed was sown 6 inches apart, on rows 18 inches ajiart. The 

 weight from this plot was 77.', lb. of dried broom corn. 



The ditlerence in the results from these two methods of 

 planting was .3,', lb. in favour of the 1^ inch x (! inch planting. 

 This is not great, but the corn produced on the more closely 

 l>lanted plot was .souLewhat finer than that on the other plot. 

 This is a point of some importance, as it has been reported 

 that broom corn grown in Antigua is somewhat too long and 

 coarse. Later ex|)eriments point to larger yields than above 

 recordeil from close i)lanting. 



Broom corn experiments have b ;en carried on in Antigua 

 for a number of years, the object being to obtain a renutnora- 

 tive cro|) which may prove u.scful in a rotation of crop.s, and 

 for whiih a fair and large market is oiien. The want of 

 I brooMi corn cleaner has liandicapped the growing of this 

 crop in the past, but as a cleaning machine has been im[)orted 

 during the year, this difficulty will not be felt in the futurci 



