AoL. IX. No. 216. 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



245 



to the soil, either directly or through the cattle pen; that is 

 if it is not desired to make an industrial use of them. The 

 employment of the largest nuts for planting is somel;me.s 

 strongly recommended: it seems in most cases that planters 

 do not agree with this, thinking that tile better plan is to 

 give the preference to nuts of medium size In a general 

 way, the largest fruits are naturally produced hy healthy and 

 vigorous trees; but the number given is relatively less con- 

 siderable; in addition, it is not rare to see cocoa-nut plants, 

 with fruits of medium size, giving a total crop which is larger 

 than that from a variety having big fruits; for that which 

 is lost in volume is almost always eompehsated for largely by 

 the number of nuts obtained. It has been noticed equally, 

 that the very large nuts are provided with a very thick coir, 

 and on the other hand, the nut proper only contains a thin 

 layer of albumen. These nuts belong more particularly to 

 the kind that is useful for drinking purpo.ses. They please 

 the eye but do not always merit the ]>lanter's attention. 



An idea of the thickness of the fibrous envelope can be 

 easily obtained by pushing a knife blade into it. 



A final condition of the very first importance that should 

 be fulfilled by seed cocoa-nuts is that of being perfectly ripe, 

 but not dry. Prudhomme points out that a means of discov- 

 ering if the stage of ripeness has been attained is provided by 

 shaking them. The water, which they .still contain in small 

 quantity, will cause a clear sound which is very easily heard, 

 and which diminishes in intensity on the commencement of 

 germination. Imperfectly ripened nuts, on being shaken, 

 give only a dull sound, which very little experience serves to 

 distinguish from the former one. Nuts which have arrived 

 at complete maturity while still on the tree should always be 

 preferred to those which have been left to ripen in the shade 

 after having been cut. 



Some kinds of nuts, even when ripe, contain a fair 

 amount of water, and it is necessary to dry them before sowing, 

 for if they are put into the earth immediately, there is a chance 

 that they will rot before they germinate. Drying should be 

 conducted in the shade; exposure to the sun may produce 

 a partial baking of the kernel, which vriW interfere with 

 germination. 



HALF-YEARLY EXAMINATION OF AGRI- 

 CULTURAL SCHOOLS. 



The following are the genera! reports of the Exam- 

 iner (Mr. F. W. South, B.A.) on the recent half-yearly 

 examinations of the pupils at the Agricultural Schools 

 in Dominica, St. Vincent and St. Lucia: — 



DOMINICA AGEIIULTUK.VL s( HOOL. 



Sixteen boys sat for this examination. Of these two 

 were seniors and fourteen juniors. The average percentages 

 of marks obtained were as follows: seniors 76"9: juniors 632. 

 The standard of both the seniors and juniors shows consider- 

 able improvement on last time. Marie was the best senior 

 and Balthazar the best junior: but Defoe, E. F. Francis and 

 N. Abraham also did weil. 



There was a very marked improvement in the Arith- 

 metic of the juniors and in the general appearance of the 

 papers, though attention should still be paid to the points 

 mentioned in the special report on the junior Dictation papers 

 and to handwriting and grammar generally. Of the other 

 subjects, the Chemistry of the seniors leaves room for improve- 

 ment, and the marks obtained by the jiinii'is in the Geography 



paper were poor, as the paper was of such a nature as the 

 boys should have been capable of answering well. 



On the whole, tlie result of the examination was quite 

 satisfactory, and indicates that the boys are receiving careful 

 instruction. 



ST. VINCBNT AOKIOULTWBAI. SSHOOL. 



Twenty boys sat for this examination. Four were seniors, 

 ten j«niors, three new boys and there were three probationers. 

 The average percentages of marks obtained were as follows: 

 .seniors 7.5.5; juniors 61"3; new boys 6r9; probationers 59 "S. 

 With the exception of the .seniors, these averages show an 

 improvement on those obtained at the last examination, 

 esi)ecially in the case of the new boys. The work of the 

 seniors was not so good as that sent in for the Decem- 

 ber examination David Derrick was again the best of 

 the seniors. Floris Simmons also sent in good papers. Of 

 the juniors, Bradshaw and Davis were practically equal, whUe 

 the two Haynes also did fairly well in this class. F>. Derrick 

 was the best of the new boys and C >tto Kirbj' the best pro- 

 bationer. 



English and Spelling were fair in the senior and junior 

 classes, but somewhat weak in the answers of the new boys 

 and probationers; the writing throughout was neat, and the 

 diagrams were good. The Arithmetic of the seniors was 

 again excellent, and that of the juniors showed very marked 

 improvement on last time's result. This subject was also 

 well done by the new boys and probationers. The Agricul- 

 ture of the new boys and probationers requires attention and 

 the same is true of the Botany of the juniors. The Chemistry 

 paper might have been better answered by both seniors and 

 juniors, and the Geography of these two classes left room for 

 improvement. The new boys and probationers, with the 

 exception of Isaac Phills, displayed an almost complete ignor- 

 ance of the last-mentioned subject. 



On the whole, the results of this examination are satis- 

 factory, and it is clear that the pupils are receiving very care- 

 ful attention. 



ST. LUCIA AGKICULTUKAL SCHOOL. 



Eleven boys sat for this examination. Of these nine 

 were seniors and two juniors. The average percentages of 

 marks obtained were as follows: — seniors 63'3; juniors 43"8. 

 The result for the seniors was fair, but the two juniors were 

 very weak throughout. H. Auguste was the best of the 

 seniors: G. Moise also sent in good papers. 



With regard to the English subjects, the Grammar of 

 the seniors requires attention. The hand^v^iting and general 

 appearance of the papers were satisfactory. The Arithmetic of 

 both classes, more especially the juniors, was not nearly so 

 good as last time, and the Chemistry of both classes was 

 distinctly weak. The juniors did not appear to have covered 

 the schedide laid down by Mr. Stockdale. Geography also 

 requires attention. Greater care should be exercised in 

 drawing diagrams, which should be of sufficient size to show 

 clearly the points required. More detailed information with 

 regard to the diti'erent subjects is contained in the separate 

 reports. 



It would appear that the somewhat lees satisfactory 

 results obtained at the examination are in part due to the 

 very rapid promotion which has been necessary, and are no 

 reflection on the quality of the teaching that the boys have 

 received. 



