Vol, XIII. Na 308. 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



01 



AGRICULTURAL EXAMINATIONS. 



GENERAL REVIEW. 



Having presented, in the last three issues of the Agri- 

 cultural News, the results of, and the questions set at, the 

 recent examinations by the Imperial Department of Agri- 

 culture, it is proposed to give now a brief account of the 

 way in which these examinations are conducted, and to 

 review in a general way, the opinions of the examiners on 

 the year's papers. 



Although known in some quarters as Reading Course 

 Examinations, the tests under consideration have for their 

 object the determination of not only the candidate's knowledge 

 of such facts as may be learnt from books, but also his 

 acquaintance with practical agricultural science and the 

 management of an estate. In order to arrive at a satis- 

 factory decision as to the candidate's ability, oral examin- 

 ations are held in each island as well as written ones. 

 The oral examiners always include for the intermediate and 

 final examinations at least one planter, and in the correction 

 of the written papers, a provisional marking is made by the 

 local examiners. In the preliminary examination, the "iva 

 voce consists almost entirely of questions concerning elementary 

 agricultural science, supplemented by the inspection of speci- 

 mens in connexion with which the extent of' the candidate's 

 practical knowledge is brought out. 



In the intermediate examination, the purely scientific 

 part consists principally of economic entomology and 

 mycology. Since the greater portion of the examination com- 

 prises the special crop subjects, the importance of a viva voce 

 examination is rendered very evident for the purpose of 

 arriving at a definite conclusion as to what the candidate can 

 actually do on an estate. At the same time it is appreciated 

 that a written examination is especially useful for testing 

 the candidates intellectual powers and grasp of principles 

 and relationships. The combination therefore enables an 

 opinion to be expressed of a reliable kind which, considering 

 the comparatively high standard of marking, lends to those 

 certificates which are awarded, a very real value. 



The final examination, as perusal of the questions will 

 ehow, is principally intended to test the candidate's ability as 

 a planter; that is to say, his capacity for managing an estate. 

 Academically it is the object of the final examination to 

 discover whether the candidate is really educated agricul- 

 turally, and with this aim in view the questions are framed 

 along very broad lines to give the candidate scope for dis- 

 cussion, and for putting forward his own ideas. 



In the recent examinations, turning to the report of the 

 examiners, we find that in the intermediate, the answers 

 were, on the whole, below pass standard. Many of the 

 questions were answered too briefly, particularly since 

 instructions were given for the candidates to incorporate 

 their practical knowledge in answer to those questions which 

 allowed of this being done. Again, several of the answers bore 

 evidence of the fact that the information was derived purely 

 and simply by the aid of memory from books. This 

 impression was in many instances confirmed by the local 

 examiners' report, thus showing in this particular way, how 

 useful is the combination of the written and oral test. 

 Generally speaking, the efforts of the candidate, in regard to 

 drawing, were very poor and untidy, and more attention 

 ought to be devoted to this matter. 



In the final examination, the general results were more 

 satisfactory than in the case of the intermediate. One paper 

 which obtained a first class certificate was comparatively 

 good, but would not have obtained the distinction it did 



if it had not been for the eminently satisfactory report 

 of the local examiners. In all the questions there seemed to 

 be a common lack of original thought and many points on 

 which discussion was requested were dealt with in many 

 instances by the writing down of some mere statement of 

 fact. Final students should endeavour to realize that it is 

 the systems and organization of an estate that they are 

 expected to understand together with the general principles 

 of the application of science to agriculture. Their reading, 

 therefore, should be made as wide as possible, and they 

 should endeavour to regard estates in the light of large 

 machines and study the working and the relationships of the 

 various essential parts. 



The following is a list of the local examiners, to whom 

 the thanks of the Imperial Department of Agriculture are 

 due for their invaluable help: — 



<:RENArjA. 

 Mr. G. G. Auchinleck, B.Sc, F.C.S., Superintendent of 



Agriculture. 

 Mr. H. Jones, B.A., N.D.A., Headmaster, Boys' Secondary 



School. . 



DOMINICA. 



Mr. Joseph Jones, Curator, Botanic Station. 



Mr. G. A. Jones, Assistant Curator, Botanic Station. 



Hon. J. C. Macintyre, Harnpstead estate, 



ANTICUA. 



Mr. H. A. Tempany, B.Sc , F.I.C., Government Chemist and 

 Superintendent of Agriculture for the Leeward Island.s. 

 Mr. V. M. Wiel, B Sc, Assistant Government Chemist. 

 Mr. T. -Jackson, Agricultural Superintendent. 

 Mr. R. S. Goodwin, Collins estate 

 Mr. John Roden, Gambles estate. 



ST. KITTSNEVIS. 



Mr. F. R. Shepherd, Agricultural Superintendent. 



Mr. J. Robothom, N.D.A., Agricultural and Science Master, 



Grammar School. 

 Hon. B. S. Davis, Lamberts estate. 

 Mr. C. Forbes Todd, Molineux estate. 



At the Head OflSce in Barbados, the papers and reports 

 were finally dealt with by Dr. Francis Watts, C.M.G., 

 Imperial Commissioner of Agriculture, and by Mr. W. R. 

 Dunlop, Scientific Assistant. 



The remaining questions of the Final paper were the 

 following: — 



CACAO. 



1 . Describe fully the soil and locality suitable for laying 

 out a cacao estate. 



"2. Discuss in its broad aspects the manuring of a cacao 

 estate (including mulching). 



3. Give a full general description of the types of build- 

 ings and machines necessary for handling efficiently a cacao 

 crop on an estate of .50 acres. 



LIMES. 



1. Give a full account of the after-cultivation necessary 

 on a newly established lime estate. 



2. Give an account of the manufacture of citrate of 

 lime. What advantages are derived from its manufacture 

 as compared with concentrated juice? 



3. What pests and diseases do you consider most 

 formidable in the locality you are acquainted with? State 

 the methods you would adopt for keeping them under control. 



