14 TECHNICAL EDUCATION IN TROPICAL AGRICULTURE 



far described are in successful operation in various West 

 Indian Colonies; in some instances it may be suggested 

 that the work is proceeding so unostentatiously and 

 quietly that the authorities are hardly aware that they 

 are in possession of fairly complete and, perhaps, 

 moderately adequate systems of agricultural education, 

 which would be of still more service to the Colonies if 

 they received greater official recognition. It is abun- 

 dantly clear to thoughtful minds that the quiet work of 

 the Departments of Agriculture in the advocating, and in 

 some cases providing, agricultural education in the West 

 Indies has already had a far-reaching effect that will be 

 felt for some time, and this perhaps to an extent not 

 generally recognized. 



In order to make provision for those engaged in 

 agriculture who have passed the school age and are 

 engaged in practical, wage-earning work, the Imperial 

 Department of Agriculture for the West Indies instituted 

 in 1908 a series of reading courses and examinations in 

 practical agriculture. The reading courses that are 

 recommended cover the general ground of planting 

 experience, and are calculated to maintain both a scientific 

 and practical economic interest in the work of estates or 

 plantations covering the wide range of tropical crops. 



Lectures and courses of instruction are frequently 

 arranged by the officers of Agricultural Departments, in 

 order to assist students who are following the reading 

 courses and preparing for examination. 



The examinations are divided into three grades : Pre- 

 liminary, intermediate, and final, with three classes in 

 each grade. Except in the case of the preliminary, it is 

 an essential condition for admission to examination that 

 the candidate has been practically engaged in the form of 

 agriculture for which he submits himself for examination ; 

 mere book work or class instruction is held to be 

 insufficient to qualify for admission. 1 



1 Interesting information in this connection may be obtained 

 from the following references in the Agricultural News : Vol. viii, 

 pp. 90, 341, 365, 381 ; vol. ix, pp. 375, 381 ; vol. x, pp. 29, 31, 45 ; 

 vol. i, pp. 13, 29, 45, 61, 365, 381, 3Q7, 401, 413; vol. xii, pp. 13, 

 29; vol. xiii, pp. 13, 29, 45, 61. 



