AGRICULTURAL DEPARTMENTS AND RESEARCH 8 1 



the funds available, with the scientific men we can get 

 for the work, and with many other conditions which 

 often compel us to arrange things differently from the 

 scheme I propose. 



It may be well at this point to mention the conditions 

 obtaining in the Dutch East Indian Colonies. 



As regards the estates, several private experiment 

 stations have been established, each being devoted to one 

 or to a few special cultures, like tea, or coffee and rubber, 

 etc. They are situated in the centre of the districts where 

 the particular crops are grown. This makes them very 

 suitable for experimental and demonstration work on the 

 plantations. The staff of scientists, however, is not 

 always large enough to do all the research work as 

 completely as is desirable. On the other hand, the 

 Department of Agriculture can hardly ever be made 

 sufficiently large and extensive to do all the local experi- 

 mental work in the field. Under the present Director of 

 Agriculture arrangements have been made to ensure as 

 far as possible a proper division of work, and there has 

 been loyal co-operation in this respect, much of the 

 research work being done by the staff of the Department, 

 and much of the field work by the scientists of the stations. 

 In order to keep in close touch with each other combined 

 visits are made frequently to the plantations, and once 

 a year all the scientists of the stations and of the Depart- 

 ment meet for a few days to discuss the work and the 

 way of collaborating. 



As regards the small labourers, each district has its 

 own agricultural instructor; these instructors have all 

 taken a course of study at the Agricultural High School 

 in Holland, and have passed additional examinations in 

 Buitenzorg. Their duty is to carry out the experiments 

 in collaboration with the native small proprietor; the 

 laboratory work or research work, in the strict jense 

 of the word, is done by the botanists, entomologists, 

 geologists, or chemists of the division to which the 

 subject belongs, be it the investigation of a plant 

 disease, a manurial experiment, or any other investiga- 

 tion. Between the workers in the laboratory and the 

 agricultural instructors frequent interviews are held, and 

 6 



