252 



The memorandum is followed by a series of " suggestions for 

 the encouragement of rural education." These include the 

 establishment of junior naturalist societies and boys' agricultural 

 clubs, nature-study exhibitions, and school museums of local 

 natural history, together with a suggestion that facilities should be 

 provided for the training of teachers in rural subjects. — (Nature, 

 June 6, I907-) 



BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



Extracts from Proceedings. 



The usual monthly meeting of the Board of Agriculture was held 

 on 20th November ; present — Hon. H. Clarence Bourne, Colonial 

 Secretary, in the Chair, Director of Public Gardens, Island Chemist, 

 His Grace the Archbishop, Superintending Inspector of Schools, 

 Messrs D. Campbell, G. D. Murray, Conrad Watson and the Sec- 

 retary, Mr. John Barclay. 



Cotton— His Grace the Archbishop said he had to leave the 

 meeting early and he asked permission to speak on the subject of 

 cotton to which he had referred at the previous meeting. He said 

 he felt deeply that something ought to be done at the present 

 time in order to get the cotton industry started amongst the small 

 cultivators among whom their chief duty largely lay. They first 

 ought to issue an authoritative statement as to the most suitable 

 land, proper seed to use, and suitable times to plant, all brought 

 up to date with the knowledge they had now available. A great 

 deal had occurred to discourage them but there had been also 

 some encouragement. He had written Mr. Sharp on the subject 

 in order to avail himself of his experience and he asked that Mr. 

 Sharp's reply be circulated amongst the members. 



Mr. Fawcett mentioned that the A.B.C. of Cotton Culture issued 

 by the Imperial Department of Agriculture covered all the 

 ground mentioned by the Archbishop and was most complete in 

 every detail. 



His Grace said let them draw from it all the knowledge they 

 could but their statement or pamphlet must be local, to deal with 

 suitable localities for cotton and suitable times to plant which the 

 A.B.C. could not cover. 



Mr. Watson said he was sorry he could not agree with His 

 Grace. In the other West Indian islands settlers had failed at first 

 in the cultivation of Sea Island Cotton: it was the most difficult crop 

 to grow he knew of. and required special attention, care, knowledge 

 and promptitude such as settlers would not be likely to give, and if 

 large proprietors could not succeed, small settlers could not. He 

 thought it would be better to delay inducing small settlers to 

 plant until large fields had been grown, when, if there was any- 

 thing in it, there would be plenty of buyers and small settlers 

 would soon grow the cotton. 



His Grace said he could not adopt Mr. Watson's conclusions as 

 regards small settlers in Jamaica. They had had a good deal of 



