54 TECHNICAL EDUCATION IN TROPICAL AGRICULTURE 



ovary, ovules. Fertilization : how brought about, 

 agencies, wind, insects, etc. Seeds: structure; seed 

 coat; embryo; cotyledon; plumule and radicle; albuminous 

 and ex-albuminous; methods of dispersal in nature, wind, 

 water, animal. Structure of fruit, e.g., sandbox, etc.; 

 wings. Conditions necessary for germination: air, 

 moisture, and suitable temperature. Propagation of 

 seeds : conditions necessary in nursery beds, sowing, etc. 



Weeds: Definition; injury caused by, to cultivated 

 crops; rob the soil of moisture and available plant food 

 by competing with them: overshading, etc.; importance 

 of preventing multiplication of; methods of eradication. 



Soils. Formation confined to disintegration of rocks, 

 vegetable decomposition, and alluvial soils. Classification 

 and physical properties : clay, sand, and humus, deep and 

 shallow soils. Principal chemical constituents of: phos- 

 phates, nitrates, potash, sodium, calcium, magnesium, 

 iron, and silica. How soils are exhausted : repeated in- 

 judicious cropping, weeds, sun's rays. Methods of 

 improving the physical properties and chemical con- 

 tents of soils : digging, draining, liming, mulching, 

 manuring, etc. 



Practical Work. 



Use of various tools, especially digging fork, spade, 

 hoes, rakes, rubber tapping implements, line and tape 

 measures. 



Preparation of nursery seed beds, methods of sowing 

 seeds, pricking out and potting seedlings. 



Propagation of various plants by cuttings, layering, 

 budding, and grafting; watering, holing, and weeding; 

 pruning and training trees. Conservation of moisture 

 by surface tillage, and mulching and weeding estab- 

 lished crops. Digging, lining, holing, and laying off 

 of a plantation of cocoa; making drains; and general 

 principles of method of forming a school garden. The pre- 

 paration for the market of cocoa, coffee, ginger, copra, 

 and such crops as may be ripe at the time of holding the 

 class. Taught to recognize the more important economic 

 plants and the chief ornamental plants. 



