AGRICULTURAL DEPARTMENTS AND RESEARCH 79 



estates and one coffee estate in collaboration with the 

 managers. The botanist drew up a scheme, according to 

 which some thirty trees were selected by the managers on 

 each estate; these were kept under observation by the 

 managers, who noted down particulars as to the appear- 

 ance of diseases, yield, quality of produce, etc., in accord- 

 ance with the scheme made. As a result of these obser- 

 vations some of the trees have been eliminated, only the 

 very superior ones being kept. The managers then 

 carried out experiments to surround the selected trees 

 by suitable cages to prevent pollination from neighbour- 

 ing trees. This year (1914) seed will be collected, and 

 the descendants of each tree will be grown in separate 

 fields, so that the planters, together with the botanist, 

 will be able to form an opinion as to the value of each 

 strain of coffee and cocoa plants. Putting it into a few 

 words : the scheme was made by the botanist, the work 

 was done by the planters, and only occasionally was it 

 necessary for the botanist to visit the plantation to see if 

 the work was going on satisfactorily and to help in 

 eliminating difficulties. 



Such experiments are not only valuable for obtaining 

 improved races of coffee and cocoa, but at the same time 

 the planters are educated to become plant breeders. 



The advantages of collaboration between the scientist 

 and the practical man have also been proved in the efforts 

 made in Java to improve the cultural methods of the small 

 proprietors. 



At first the Government established several " demon- 

 stration fields," on which the travelling instructor had 

 different plots, made by his own workmen, to demonstrate 

 new cultural methods or new crops to the Javanese small 

 proprietors. The effect, however, was very poor. 

 Whether the Javanese farmers inspected the demon- 

 stration field or not they kept to their old methods. 

 Therefore, another way was tried. The travelling in- 

 structor now selects a few of the most intelligent and 

 most forward of the small proprietors, and induces them 

 to apply the new methods or to try the new crops on 

 their fields. If it is a success they adopt the new method, 

 and it is remarkable how quickly the neighbours follow 

 their example. 



