822 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



Julius Schueh, assistants; (4) moor culture, uses of peat, moor culture station at 

 Admont, and heating materials, William Bersch, chief, and Dr. Zailer, assistant; 

 (5) chemical-technical investigations for private persons, J. F. Wolfbauer, chief, 

 and Edward Hoppe and Adolf Halla, assistants; (6) chemical-technical investiga- 

 tions for officials, Franz Freyer, chief, and Theo. Schmitt, assistant. 



Tea Experiment Station in India. — In accordance with plans previously noted 

 (E. S. R., 16, p. 217), the Indian Tea Association has established an experiment sta- 

 tion at Heeleaka, near Moriani, Assam, known as the Heeleaka Experimental Station 

 and located on a tea plantation set out in 1862 and 1865. The object of this station 

 is to study some of the partly solved problems concerning the character of soil suited 

 to tea production, the best methods of production, and the best system for the reno- 

 vation of deteriorated tea, as well as many other less practical but no less fundamen- 

 tal problems concerning the relation of the various operations of tea culture to the 

 composition of the tea leaf, and hence to the quality of the tea. The experiments 

 undertaken thus far have dealt solely with problems of tea culture, but it is proposed 

 to take up also the equally important problems of manufacture. 



Poultry Fattening Station in Ireland. — The Department of Agriculture and Tech- 

 nical Instruction for Ireland has established a station at Avondale, Rathdrum, for 

 training young men in the breeding and fattening of poultry, with a view of pre- 

 paring them to undertake the management of fattening stations in other parts of the 

 country. Apprenticeships may extend over a period of from 6 to 12 months. 



Experimental Farm at Nangeenan, West Australia. — The Western Australia depart- 

 ment of agriculture has started an experimental farm at Nangeenan, 95 miles east of 

 Northam, for the purpose of testing the possibilities of agriculture in the dry region 

 east of the Avon Valley. The farm was located in June, 1904, but no crops were 

 grown until last year. The results of the first season's tests were encouraging, indi- 

 cating that with proper care in preparing the ground and putting in the crops good 

 yields can be had. 



International Conference on Plant Breeding. — The Third International Conference on 

 Plant Breeding w T ill be held at Westminster, England, July 30- August 3,1906. 

 Prof. W. Bafeson will be president of the conference. 



Conference for Education in the South. — The^sinth Annual Conference for Education 

 in the South will be held at Lexington, Ky., May 2-4. One session of the confer- 

 ence will be devoted to agricultural education, at which addresses will be delivered 

 by Dr. James W. Robertson, of the new Macdonald College at St. Ann de Belle vue, 

 near Montreal, and Dr. Seaman A. Knapp, of this Department. Among those who 

 are expected to give addresses at other sessions are Prof. N. S. Shaler, of Harvard; 

 Dr. Brow r n Ayres, of the University of Tennessee, and Hon. John W. Yerkes, of 

 Washington, D. C. 



Agricultural Schools in Porto Rico. — The Report of the Commissioner of Education 

 of Porto Rico for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1905, shows that during that year 11 

 agricultural schools were maintained. This is 3 less than were maintained in 1904, 

 the decrease resulting from inability to secure teachers properly qualified to give 

 instruction in agriculture. The average daily attendance at these schools was 41, 

 and the average number of days actually taught was 170. 



The reports of superintendents of different districts indicate varying degrees of 

 success in carrying on these schools, depending largely upon the ability of the teacher 

 and his attitude toward the subject. The superintendent of District No. 2, with head- 

 quarters at Carolina, reports very enthusiastically concerning the agricultural school 

 in his district. He says that the pupils have produced a good crop of cane, and have 

 demonstrated that vegetables can be grown to advantage. The superintendent is 

 convinced that "agricultural schools can be made a success if we have men who 

 know^ how to work, and will get right out and work with their own hands, as this 

 teacher has done." 



