44 



the fundamental facts and conditions of tropical agricul- 

 ture, which differ widely from those met with In tem- 

 perate agriculture. 



I have referred to the state of affairs as regards the 

 great estates and planting companies all over the British 

 tropics. The position is even less satisfactory as regards 

 the Europeans who go out as teachers in native schools 

 and colleges in the tropics, who, if they have enjoyed the 

 advantage of having studied in an agricultural college 

 at home before proceeding to their duties in the tropics, 

 which is not always the case, are placed in the false 

 position of having to teach agriculture under conditions 

 with which they are wholly unacquainted, and as to 

 which the special knowledge required can, under the 

 circumstances, only be gained whilst they are filling the 

 position of teachers and not of learners. Added to this 

 fundamental defect is that of unfamiliarity with tropical 

 climate and conditions of life and with the mind of the 

 native. After some years a few of these men acquire 

 under unsatisfactory conditions the knowledge required 

 and make efficient teachers, but there is little to be urged 

 in favour of such a haphazard method of dealing with 

 the subject. 



The case of Government officials in agricultural 

 departments in the tropics is more serious and 

 even less satisfactory, since men without any experience 

 of the problems of tropical agriculture are often 

 presented as authorities to the native agriculturists. 

 The natives are often men of large knowledge and 

 experience of tropical agricultural practice, which is the 

 foundation from which the European should work. A 

 number of men, especially those with previous agri- 

 cultural experience at home, have managed during their 

 periods of office to acquire sooner or later the necessary 

 fundamental knowledge and to become efficient officers. 

 This, however, is no excuse for not providing a proper 

 education for such officers adapted to the purposes in 

 view. Experiments and new departures in tropical 

 agriculture cannot be properly made or advice safely 

 given to natives unless the European officer is 

 thoroughly acquainted with the fundamental facts and 

 conditions of tropical practice. 



