213 



Another says : — "I went last month to the agricultural school at 

 Hope, and I was astonished to see the cleverness of the boys who were 

 there under training. Their labour was of a class that we cannot get 

 here at any price. The headmen on our estates cannot do the work in 

 pruning, budding and the like, that these boys were doing. The boys 

 were town boys who were sent there through the Courts, but we want 

 that education for our country boys, for they will come back and put 

 that education into use." 



The Commissioners recommend that the School should be enlarge^ 

 and that "provision should be made for resident or non-resident boys. 

 This suggestion they consider very important, as in this way ''the best 

 scientific instruction in agriculture can be given to boys of all classes 

 in the island." 



At the Conference at Barbados I read a paper dealing with the 

 history of the School, and the methods of instruction adopted.* 



Travelling Instructor. 



Mr. Cradwick's valuable work as Travelling Instructor is being 

 continued, and is much appreciated. At the Barbados Conference I 

 gave an account of the work done in Jamaica. t 



Agricultural Conference at Barbados. 



In accordance with certain of the recommendations of the West 

 Indian Royal Commission, an Imperial Department of Agriculture has 

 been established in the West Indies in charge of Dr. Morris as Com- 

 missioner of Agriculture with head quarters at Barbados. 



The Secretary of State for the Colonies directed that Dr. Morris's 

 suggestion for a conference of the chief chemical and botanical officers 

 in the West Indies should be carried out, and desired that representa- 

 tives from Jamaica should take part in it. 



The Conference was held at Barbados X under the presidency of Dr. 

 Morris on 7th and 9th January last. Mr. Francis Watts attended 

 as the chemical representative from Jamaica, myself as the botanical 

 representative, and Rev, Canon Simms as the exponent of views on 

 higher agricultural education. 



On the first day Dr. Morris delivered a presidental address, and the 

 following papers were read : — 



Sugar cane manurial experiments. — By P;of. d'Albuquerque. 

 Field treatment of the diseases of the sugar cane in the West. 



Indies.— By J. R. Bovell. 

 Central Factories.— By F. Watts. 



Cost of growing sugar canes in Barbados. — -By J. R. Bovell. 



* Agricultural Instructions in Agricultural Schools in Jamaica. W, 

 India Bulletin, I. 1, page 103. 



t Practical Field Instruction in Jamaica. W. I. Bulletin, I, 1, page 108. , 

 X West Indian Bulletin, I. 1 . 



