Vol, XV. No. 359, 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS 



45 



AGRICULTURAL EXAMINATIONS. 



In the last issue we published the results ni the recent 

 •examinations conducted by the Imperial Department, together 

 with the (jitestions set in the Preliminary Examination paper. 

 The following are the Intermediate papers. 



Intek.meiuate — ( Jknekal. 



(Of the twelve questions set, the candidate was not to 

 attempt more than eight, in which t|uestions I or '2 and •'! or 

 4, a)id question 12, were to be included.) 



1. (iive an account of the root borer of the sugar-cane. 

 What other cultivated plants is it known to attack l 



2. Compare the life-history of the cockroach with that 

 <)f a butterfly, and point out as many differences as you can 

 between the adult forms of the two insects. 



3. Give a short account of any two of the following: 

 (a) a fruit disease, (b) a leaf disease, (c) a stem disease, 



(d) a root disease. 



4. Describe the making and the uses of any fungicide 

 you are acquainted with. 



5. Give in outline an account of the composition and 

 properties of the soils in your island. 



(3. Describe the diti'erent stocks that may be used in 

 the grafting and budding of citrus. Explain their relative 

 advantages. 



7. What is your definiticju of a pure strain of, say, 

 cotton, or Indian corn? What precautions must be taken to 

 maintain a i)ure strain under estate conditions? 



.s. State exactly how any two of the following products 

 are graded: (a) sugar, (b) cotton, (c) oranges, (d) onions, 



(e) cacao. Why is grading necessary? 



9. ^^'hat are the physical and chemical effects of 

 a vegetable mulch on the soil? 



10. Give an account of the relative capacities of 

 different tropical crops to withstand exposure. 



11. What measures might be adopted to increase the 

 amount of pen manure produced on your estate? 



12. Describe in outline the experimental work carried 

 out during the past three years at the Botanic or Experiment 

 ytiition in your island. Indicate along what lines the 

 most useful results have so far been obtained, stating your 

 reasons. 



Intermediate — Special Crop Sijb.ject.s. 



SUOAE INlJliSTKY. 



Fart I. — (ieneral. 

 (Six of the eight questions, only, were to be attempted.) 



1. Give an account of the areas under different 

 varieties of sugarcane in your island. What do you regard 

 as the most promising of the newly introduced varieties? 



2. How is the supply of humus maintained in the soil 

 of cane fields? Describe concisely the methods employed. 



3. State briefly your views as to the use of artificial 

 manures for sugar-canes. 



4. What cultivation do you recommend for ratoon 



canes? 



5. What precautions should be taken in selecting cane 

 cuttings for planting? 



6. Describe an insect pest of sugar-canes and state what 

 precautions may be taken against it. 



7. Describe a fungus disease of sugar-canes and state 

 ■•what precautions may be taken against it. 



8. Give an account of the manner in which, in youp 

 opinion, proper provision may be made for securing aa 

 adequate supply of cane cuttings for planting in the case of 

 an estate selling its canes to a central factory. 



OOTTOX. 



(Six of the eight (juestlons, only, among which qui'sticju 1 

 must be included, were to be attempted.) 



The material required in connexion with question 1 

 was provided by the Presiding Examiner. 



1. Make an examination of the sample of seed-cotton 

 provided, and express the results of the examination in the 

 form of a table. 



2. What do you consider the best system of seed supply 

 for local planting? State its advantages. 



3. Describe the arrangements you would make in 

 connexion with the picking of a 10-acre field of cotton. 



4. Explain the meaning of the terms (a) waste, (b) nep, 

 (c) strength, (d) fineness, (e) hank, as applied to cotton. 



5. What maladies are the bolls of cotton subject to'? 

 How do you attempt to control them' 



6. Give a general account of the cultivation of cotton 

 in I'Otation with sugar-cane. 



7. Show approximately what it costs a peasant to gniw 

 an acre of cotton. 



ij. What experiments are you aware of that are in 

 progress at the present time in the West Indian islands in 

 regard to the manuring of cotton. 



PROVISIONS. 



(Six of the eight questions, only, among which ques- 

 tion 1 was to be included, were to be attempted.) 



1. How are yams usually cultivated? Canyon suggest 

 any improvements (a) for localities with good rainfall, 

 (b) for dry localities? 



2. In connexion with the growing of Indian corn, 



(a) how much seed per acre is required and how is it planted; 



(b) what yield would you expect under average conditions of 

 soil and rainfall? 



3. Do you recommend 'burning' land? (iive your 

 reasons for and against, if any. 



4. Describe how you would establish a 2-acre field in 

 onions. 



5. (iive an account of the grading and co-operative 

 marketing of onions. 



6. Mention three varieties of sweet potato which yoa 

 have found satisfactory. What do you consider a good 

 yield, and what do you understand by the good cooking 

 qualities of a sweet potato? 



7. What are the principal salad vegetables? Give in 

 outline their chief cultural features. 



8. What are the principal grass and fodder crops la 

 your island? Are these adequate for the requirements of 

 animals all the year round? If not, can you suggest any 

 solution to the difficulty? 



Information appears in a recent issue of the Barbados 

 Agricultural Reporter to the effect that an Export Association 

 has been formed in (.'inada whose primary function will be 

 of a two-fold character. In the first place it will seek 

 to create a strategical position for the whole of the 

 Canadian industries, and in a seconil place to form the work 

 of a commission agent in bringing foreign markets within, 

 reach of the wide range of the smaller manufacturers. 



