49 
would, therefore, be equivalent to about two years’ work 
at a university or college at home in which actual 
residence, apart from vacations, does not much exceed 
six months in each year. In the ordinary sense there 
will be no vacation for European students in the 
college in the Tropics, because no vacation is really 
needed under the conditions of life proposed, whilst the 
difficulties of providing for a satisfactory vacation in 
the ordinary sense within the island are considered to 
be insuperable. Suitable opportunity for recreation will 
be provided within the discipline of the college. Parents 
in England who wish their sons to take up tropical 
agriculture as a career will therefore be assured of a 
satisfactory supervision during the year of study in 
Ceylon. The cost of board, residence and instruction 
for the year is estimated at £150, which having regard 
to the longer périod of the curriculum, is rather less 
than the cost of an agricultural college at home. 
It is very desirable that scholarships should be offered 
of this value to students at agricultural colleges at 
home, in order to render easier the special training of 
the most promising of those students who wish to take 
up tropical agriculture. Private benefaction might well 
assist the scheme by providing such scholarships. 
It is to be hoped that it may be possible to provide in 
Ceylon for the realization of the scheme. If not, 
Southern India offers many advantages, and there are 
some who desire to see the college founded in the 
Federated Malay States. In dealing with the question 
in detail, it is important that certain facts should be 
kept very clearly in view. 
The college should be Imperial in its educational 
character, and open to properly qualified candidates 
from all parts of the Empire, without distinction of 
race. 
The college will provide a training and experience in 
tropical agriculture for those who are already qualified 
in general agricultural principles and in the sciences 
connected with agriculture, as evidenced by the posses- 
sion of the diploma of any recognized college or 
university. 
The Imperial College, while having close relations 
with the Government Department of Agriculture in the 
4 
