Vol. XVI. No. 408. 



THE AGRICULTUEAL JTEWS, 



387 



granting or the withholding of small increments affords 

 his tutor some tangible means of expressing approba- 

 tion or disapproval as circumstances may demand. 



'A very useful purpose may be served bj' arranging 

 that the cadetships of any particular place may be 

 regarded in the light of scholarships awarded by the 

 secondary schools of the districts. It is important 

 to maintain the intimate association between the 

 schools and the cadetship, and to insist on the con- 

 tinuity of the training: a system of cadet scholarships 

 tends to insure this. 



'The effort has been made in some institutions, 

 with a certain degree of success, to afford opportunities 

 for more extended practical training to some of the 

 cadets by filling certain minor posts in the institution 

 by means of cadets, who are allowed to hold these posts 

 for limited periods only, and who, at the expiration of 

 a specified time, are required to vacate them in order 

 to make room for others. Occasionally a vacancy may 

 occur on the permanent staff, ti> which a cadet may be 

 promoted. 



,The training of youths in local institutions like 

 the Botanic and Agricultural Experiment Stations is 

 of value to parents, in that the expense of the training 

 is likely to be i^uite moderate and within their means, 

 as frequently the cadet can live with his parents or 

 relatives; it is also of advantage to employers, for the 

 work and progress of the cadets may be kept under 

 observation, and promising youths may be chosen to 

 fill vacancies that arise locally. 



'In all of this there is little doubt as to the kind 

 of youth to be trained or the nature of the work for 

 which he is being trained. The cadet is taken to be 

 a youth who has a good grammar school or secondary 

 school training, which includes some Science subjects 

 such as Biology, Chemistry, and Physics, which subjects 

 he continues to study, if possible in his old classes, for 

 a year or so during his cadetship: he is being trained 

 in order that he may take up work on an estate or 

 plantation in a position of uunor responsibility, with 

 the intention of rising to positions of increased respon- 

 sibility, and ultimately of complete management or 

 control as time and circumstance permit. 



'It is to be observed that the systems of education 

 so far described are in successful operation in various 

 West Indian colonies. In some instance it may be sug- 

 gested that the work is proceeding so unostentatiously 

 and quietly that the authorities are hardly aware that 

 thov are in possession of fairly complete, and perhaps, 



moderately adequate systems of agricultural educatiour 

 which would be of still more service to the colonies if 

 they received greater official recognition. It is abun- 

 dantly clear to thoughtful minds that the quiet work, 

 of the Departments of Agriculture in advocating, and 

 in some cases providing agricultural education in the 

 West Indies, has already' had a far-reaching effect that 

 will be felt for some time, and this perhaps to an 

 extent not generally recognized.' 



The system thus described is in active opera- 

 tion in several colonies, and has already been pro- 

 ductive of good results. As stated, it is usually 

 worked through the medium of a form of Gov- 

 ernment scholarships held by pupils from the 

 Grammar Schools, the pupils receiving the small 

 monetary payments, regarded as part of the means of 

 training as mentioned above. It is to be remarked, 

 however, and this is a matter for i egret, that few 

 parents of pupils seem to recognize that training of 

 this nature is available to their sons independently of 

 the Government scholarships, and that it is open to- 

 them to make arrangements for their training at 

 institutions readily available to them. When this 

 becomes recognized, it is probable that the Govern- 

 ments of the several colonies will be required by the 

 pressure of public opinion to make larger and more 

 adequate provision for this form of training, for 

 it can be made extremely efficient, while it is remark- 

 ably economical in its cost. We have here a valuable 

 asset only partially developed, and one which with 

 moderate effort can be made, at any rate for the time 

 being, to afford at least much of the technical training 

 which there are demands for Agricultural Colleges to 

 furnish. The facilities thus already at the disposal of 

 most of the colonies will pave the way for these 

 colleges, and, even with their advent, the Botanic 

 and Experiment Stations will continue usefully to be 

 employed as training grounds, and will still remain 

 available to the many who may not be able to ga 

 further afield to these colleges. It may be suggested 

 that here there is an opportunity somewhat wasted. 



In order to make provision for directing and' 

 encouracing the study of youths who have already left 

 school, and are engaged in practical agricultural work, 

 the Imperial Department of Agriculture instituted in 

 19().S, and still continues, a series of Reading Courses 

 and Examinations in practicar agriculture. 



For interesting particulars with respect to these 

 examinations, reference can be made to the accounts 

 of them to be found in the several Volumes of this 

 Journal, from 1908 to the present. 



