TECHNICAL EDUCATION IN TROPICAL AGRICULTURE II 



and picks up his technical training as he goes along. 

 What is to be done in the tropics to improve upon this is 

 a matter presenting some difficulty. 



In some Colonies it is possible to afford much useful 

 training by using the botanic and agricultural experi- 

 ment stations as training ground for youths from the 

 secondary schools, just as it is possible to use them for 

 training pupils from the elementary schools. In some 

 West Indian Colonies where this scheme is in operation 

 the term "cadet" is employed to indicate the student 

 from the secondary school, the term " agricultural 

 pupil " being reserved for the boy from the elementary 

 school; it will be found in practice that distinctions such 

 as this have their value. 



During the first year of a cadet's training he should 

 remain closely associated with the secondary school, and 

 should continue to attend such science classes as may be 

 considered most likely to be useful to him; the remainder 

 of each working day should be occupied in connection 

 with the practical work of the botanic and experiment 

 stations. The situation of botanic and experiment 

 stations near populous centres usually minimizes the 

 difficulties attendant upon this divided course of work. 

 For the first year of his training, at least, a cadet should 

 be regarded as within the jurisdiction of the school for 

 purposes of discipline. 



The kind of training a cadet may receive will depend 

 upon the nature of the work of the botanic and agricul- 

 tural experiment stations of any given district, and this in 

 turn will be determined by the nature of the agriculture 

 of the surrounding district. This has its advantages, for 

 the cadet will thus find his work and training approxi- 

 mating closely to the requirements of the district in which 

 he is placed and in which he may probably have to seek 

 employment; and, further, this amount of specialization 

 permits of a cadet being able to spend some time in more 

 than one institution, and so acquiring, if necessary, a 

 wide range of agricultural experience. The chain of 

 botanic and experiment stations established throughout 

 the West Indies offers unusually good facilities for study 

 and training, of which advantage is being taken. 



