Vol. X. No. 229. 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



45 



STUDENTS' CORNER. 



AGRICULTURAL EXAMINATIONS. 



Ill the last numlier of the Ajiirultund J'tws, a review 

 was given of the questions and answers in the recent Inter- 

 mediate Examination held in connexion with the Courses of 

 Reading of the Department. It is intended in the present 

 article to deal with the questions and answers in the Final 

 Examination, in the same manner. 



Like the Intermediate Examination, the Final stage is 

 divided into two part,s, one dealing with general subjects and 

 the other with such special subjects as might be offered by 

 candidates. The first part was subdivided into four parts 

 dealing with subjects under the following heads: A. Produc- 

 tion of ]>lants: B. Production of Animals; (J. (.'(instruction on 

 Estates; D. Economics of Planting. This plan enables the 

 questions which treat of the different parts of the work to be 

 classified definitely, and at the same time makes it possible 

 for them to be set in a broad manner, so that each candidate 

 can base his answers on his own experience, no matter what 

 the subjects of the questions attempted by him may be. In 

 the arrangement of the special subjects, the lines adopted for 

 the Intermediate Examination were followed; so that this 

 paper contains: Sugar Industry: General, Muscovado Method 

 and Vacuum Pan Method; Cacao; Limes; Cotton; Provision 

 Crops. 



Three questions were set in each of the four parts of 

 the general jiaper, six of which, only, were to be attempted, 

 while questions had to be chosen from all the parts. The 

 candidate was warned that the questions must be answered in 

 relation to the special crop subjects offered by him; that is to 

 say his answers were required to refer directly to the estate 

 work in which he had been employed. In part A, the best 

 answers were obtained to the first and third questions; with 

 regard to the first,however,somecandidatesdid not understand 

 that the answer was not meant to include an account of tran- 

 spiration by plants. Some of the answers to question 3 

 were good, while question 2, dealing with the ways in which 

 the chances of the introduction of fungus pests into an estate 

 may be lessened, was rarely attempted; it is necessary to 

 understand that answers to this should have reference to 

 legislation against the introduction of plant diseases into a col- 

 ony, as well as to the precautions that should be observed on 

 estates, in regard to the same matter. 



Part B of the general paper, which had to do with Pro- 

 duction of Animals, included questions which dealt with the 

 ways in which stock is useful on estates; the use of estate 

 products for feeding animals, and means for .supplementing 

 these; and the special characteristics of any estate animal that 

 might be cho.sen. The best answers were obtained to the 

 first question; although few of these could be termed good 

 on account of their incompleteness. Some knowledge was 

 usually shown of the use of estate products for stock-feeding 

 though there was a weakness in the direction of knowing 

 how these have to be supplemented. Few answers were 

 obtained to question 3, and none of these could be called 

 thorough, in any sense of the word; it appears that there 

 should be much more interest on the part of candidates in 

 regard to the extent to which various breeds of animals possess 

 characteristics which fit them specially for the kind of work 

 that is expected from them. 



As has been stated, the next papt of the paper dealt 

 with Construction on Estates. The first question required 

 an account of a piece of machinery or a mechanical instrument 



in use on estates; the second, a description of the way to make 

 a simple plan of a small estate, with drawings: while the third 

 had reference to the cheap provision and the usefulness of 

 fences. Some good answers to the first were obtained show- 

 ing, among other things, that there is an increased interest 

 in implemental tillage. It is a matter for regret that no 

 attempts to answer the second were made; candidates are 

 advised to give attention to simple methods of surveying and 

 plan-drawing, which may be feasible. One or two thorouo-h 

 answers were obtained in connexion with the points of useful- 

 ness of fences, and some of the candidates showed that they 

 had given intelligent consideration to methods by which 

 these may be provided cheaply, under conditions with which 

 they were familiar. 



Attempts were received to all the questions given under 

 the heading Economics of Planting. The first one asked for 

 an account of the way in which labour is provided for use in 

 the conditions under which the candidate had worked, as 

 well as suggestions for methods whereby it appears that 

 the supply of this could be made more regular; it evoked at 

 least one fairly good answer. Some of the descriptions of 

 the way in which the chief product on an estate on which 

 the candidate had lived is prepared and packed for export, 

 written in answer to question 2, showed that the candidates 

 posse,s,sed a good knowledge of the subject. Question 3 is of 

 much importance, and may be given here in full as follows: 

 State what records should be kept on an estate in relation to 

 (a) plants, (b) animals, (c) the produce of its main crop. 

 What are the uses of these records? The matters included 

 in a complete answer to this question are of the greatest 

 concern to a properly conducted estate, and candidates 

 should find it of much benefit to place themselves in a posi- 

 tion to be able to provide such an answer. 



It will be seen that these questions should be approach- 

 ed in a broad manner, and that in giving answers to them 

 the familiar conditions of estate practice should be kept well 

 before the candidate's mind. He is required to answer them 

 from experience, and to show that he has dealt with the 

 subjects with which they are connected in an intelligent and 

 practical manner. 



It is not intended to deal with the questions set in the 

 Special Subjects in such a detailed manner as has just been 

 adopted for those in the General Subjects; the parti- 

 cularized nature of the answers required prevents this 

 from being done in the space at command. Three questions 

 were set in each of the seven parts, answers to only three of 

 which, altogether, were expected. For those answers, the ques- 

 tions had to be chosen from both of the special subjects offered 

 by the candidates, and from those only; candidates offering two 

 sugar subjects were permitted, however, to select a question 

 froin each of these, and the third from their other special 

 subject. An important matter that was brought to the 

 notice of candidates was that two hours were given for 

 answering the three questions; this was because it was expect- 

 ed that they would be answered in as detailed a manner as 

 possible; so that candidates would require for the purpose all 

 the time that was given. 



With regard to the Final Examination, generally, it may 

 be said that candidates require a wider outlook on their 

 subjects and a broader way of dealing with them; though the 

 answers were not discouraging, considering the fact that this 

 is the first of the examinations in this stage. The circum- 

 stance that an examination has now been held, together with 

 the assistance given in the Agricultural Nous and by officers 

 of the Local Agricultural Department.s and others, should 

 speedily bring about an improvement in the standard of the 

 answers received in future Final Examinations. 



