AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION. 395 



striking proof in the production of Guinea-grass. This fodder is 

 extensively cultivated in the neighbourhood of Port- of- Spain, and 

 its culture is, in general, methodically pursued : the field is care- 

 fully prepared, manure applied whenever procurable, and the 

 whole regularly weeded. Now, why is the cultivation of Guinea- 

 grass better conducted ? Because it gives a quick return and in 

 constant succession; because the sale of it gives daily bread. On 

 the other hand, corn, plantains, yams, and other roots require four, 

 six, and even twelve months to reach maturity ; and besides, these 

 all except plantains yield but one crop, so that the provision 

 grower is obliged to wait four, six, and twelve months, ere his 

 labour becomes remunerative ; and he must, also, replant after 

 the crop has been taken off. Now, in case his land has been 

 under cultivation for years, and has become exhausted, the pro- 

 vision grower gets but a poor return : but he knows of only one 

 method for restoring to it some of its former fertility to leave it 

 fallow. Did he possess experience and theoretical knowledge, he 

 could obtain from his field, by proper management, all sorts and 

 successions of crops in greater or less abundance. In agriculture, 

 as in commerce, skill and industry are capital vested at a high 

 rate of interest: but, in agriculture as in commerce, none become 

 skilful except by proper training ; in both, teaching is necessary, 

 and in both, the result of teaching is too apparent to be denied. 

 Exhausted land, judiciously treated, may give as good, nay, better 

 returns and larger profits than virgin soil thriftlessly laboured ; 

 whilst, under injudicious management, the richest soil may soon 

 become exhausted. Of these axioms, all our small proprietors are 

 thoroughly ignorant; neither will they acquire sounder views, 

 unless they are instructed to that end. 



I have no doubt that, should the available amount of labour 

 now existing in the colony be judiciously directed and properly 

 employed, there would be, not only a sufficient supply of all the 

 necessaries of life ; but there would also remain a surplus, appli- 

 cable to the cultivation of the staples. It is therefore evident that 

 any measure which would tend to afford practical experience and 

 theoretical knowledge, must be beneficial. It is, I believe, again 

 evident that this object can be obtained only by the establishment 

 of model farms or estates, whereon the cultivation, not only of the 

 staples, but of all the alimentary articles, should be conducted 

 according to the most approved methods. 



