CH. Ill] DEPARTMENTS OF AGRICULTURE 215 



Experiments with the different cultivated crops of the 

 country must be carried out upon a special Experiment Station, 

 and if this can be upon a large enough scale to enable its crops 

 to be sold in the open market, under some name which will 

 conceal their origin, a much better commercial test will be 

 obtained. This is the system which was first adopted in 

 Ceylon, and is now being imitated elsewhere. Experiments 

 with machinery can also be tried upon the Experiment 

 Stations. 



Introduction of new and better plants from abroad requires 

 the aid of a Botanic Garden and Herbarium, and of a botanist 

 upon the staff. Plant breeding work, which bids fair to be 

 one of the most important duties of such a department, can 

 be carried on in the Botanic Garden, or upon the Experiment 

 Station. 



The aid of an Entomologist and of a Mycologist may be 

 necessary for the study of the local diseases, and the investigation 

 of methods of treatment. 



A Chemist is one of the most important officers of such an 

 institution, to analyse soils, manures, etc., control experiments 

 upon manuring, rotation of crops, and so on. 



A Veterinary Surgeon is required to attend to stock im- 

 provement, breeding, diseases, etc. 



If agricultural colleges are to be started (in general best after 

 boys have been gradually trained up through the school gardens), 

 the staff of such a department should be able to do much of 

 the teaching required, and the colleges should be situated near 

 to the Experiment Stations. 



Such a department will obviously require a somewhat ex- 

 pensive equipment in the matter of laboratories, library, and 

 so on. 



Lastly, the Board of Agriculture may be mentioned. It 

 should be advisory, not controlling, and should include represen- 

 tatives of all important departments, interests, and organisations 

 connected with agriculture, such as land, public works, adminis- 

 tration, the mercantile, planting, and peasant interests, and 

 so on. 



Such being a brief outline of the necessities at the head- 



