52 
others, would be welcomed by all those who, as 
specialists, planters, merchants, or manufacturers, are 
connected with the subject of agricultural production in 
the British tropics. 
A British institute of the character indicated would, 
of course, be affiliated with the various agricultural 
societies in the British tropics and with the International 
Association, and would, with great advantage, take over 
the work at present performed by the British Committee 
of the Association. 
The best methods by which those countries which 
are connected with the International Association can 
co-operate in its work and strengthen its action are 
to be considered at a meeting of the members of 
the Association at the close of this Congress. I feel 
satished that the large work which lies before the 
International Association will be best promoted by a 
scheme involving the affiliation and close co-operation 
of a society or institution in each of the European 
countries interested in the advancement of tropical 
agriculture, and our Continental colleagues have 
expressed the wish that this opportunity should be 
taken to elicit the views of the British members on this 
important subject. 
GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS OF AGRICULTURE. 
The organization of Government Departments of 
Agriculture is a subject of much importance, intimately 
connected with that of technical education. I referred 
to some of its aspects in a Presidential address to the 
Section of Chemistry and Agriculture at the meeting 
of the British Association in 1906. It must be admitted 
that generally in the British tropics the organization 
of Agricultural Departments is still primitive and 
wanting in principle. Owing to causes to which I have 
alluded, it is not easy to find a supply of men educated 
and otherwise qualified to fill official positions of 
authority in the subject. 
It is now recognized that the Director of a Govern- 
ment Agricultural Department in the tropics, or, as 
he is more usually called, although with some risk of 
misunderstanding, the Director of Agriculture, should 
