Miscellaneous. 



540 



[June, 1910. 



of leaflets, but the issue of a leaflet 

 giving a list of all the implements kept 

 in stock by the department with working 

 drawings, has led to a large demand for 

 some of these implements, and another 

 leaflet describing the method of culti- 

 vation of American cotton has certainly 

 been of use in districts suited to this 

 variety. These leaflets like others now 

 in the press have, however, been 

 published in response to frequent letters 

 of enquiry. 



Punjab. — Leaflets were used in the 

 Punjab with great success in the cam- 

 paign against the cotton boll-worm in 

 1906. The area affected represented 

 quite two-thirds of the cotton area of the 

 province (or 700,000 acies) and concerted 

 action had to be arranged for in a 

 short time among a large population. 



Leaflets enjoining the ploughing up of 

 old cotton fields, the destruction of old 

 cotton stalks and the use of trap cr Dps, 

 as well as explaining the object of these 

 measures, were issued to the number of 

 about 75,000 in each case, to the sub- 

 ordinate revenue staff, for distribution 

 to all who could read. Illiterates were 

 reached through the subordinate revenue 

 staff, each man being directed to make 

 the purport of the directions known to 

 all in his circle. Rewards were offered 

 to those who did specially good work. 

 Leaflets containing directions for the 

 cultivation of American cotton have 

 also been of value. 



Burma.— In Burma where the standard 

 of vernacular education among the culti- 

 vating classes is high, there has been a 

 large demand for the simple leaflets 

 issued by the Department of Agriculture. 

 Enquiries have shown that they are 

 widely read and acted upon, and revenue 

 surveyors and other revenue officers are 

 encouraged to explain and discuss the 

 subjects with the cultivators, 



In general the experience of the past 

 four years tends to confirm the opinion 

 expressed at the meetings of the Board 

 of Agriculture in 1905, that li leaflets to 

 be successful in reaching their object 

 should be brief, perhaps not exceeding a 

 couple of pages and should contain one 

 definite fact or the description of a single 

 process which it is desirable that the 

 ryots should know and adopt, with 

 illustrations where necessary." The 

 vernacular translations of these leaflets 

 to be of real value to the cultivators 

 should only be entrusted to the most 

 practical of Indian assistants. The 

 translations should be essentially free 

 and couched in such language as will 

 make the matter absolutely clear to a 

 cultivator of even less than ordinary 

 intelligence. 



VII.— Utilization of the General 



Vernacular Press. 

 There has been little systematic contri- 

 bution to the general vernacular press 

 by the agricultural departments with a 

 view to the introduction of agricultural 

 improvements. In Madras, however, 

 monthly notes from the agricultural de- 

 partments are sent to papers where their 

 publication is likely to be useful, and in 

 addition, several special matters (such 

 as the advantages of transplanting single 

 paddy seedlings) have been From time 

 to time brought to notice in this way. 

 Similar means are adopted in the Punjab 

 where a press communique is issued 

 once a month to the leading English and 

 vernacular papers and has been dis- 

 tinctly successf ul where it is confined to 

 information on established success. 

 The press rendered great assistance in 

 the campaign against cotton boll-worm 

 in 1906, in drawing attention to what 

 was being done and awakening general 

 interest. 



In almost every province all the publi- 

 cations of the department, including the 

 local journal and leaflets, are sent to the 

 press and such matter is freely taken 

 and published. 



There seems little doubt, on the whole, 

 that widely circulating local papers 

 should be recognised as a medium of 

 reaching the cultivators, more parti- 

 cularly where there is no local agricul- 

 tural paper. No effort should be spared 

 to give contributions a popular read- 

 able form such as is likely to command 

 attention, 



VIII.— Agricultural Shows and 

 Exhibitions. 



Agricultural shows and exhibitions, 

 provincial or local, have been held in 

 every province in India. 



Large provincial shows have been held 

 in Bombay in 1904, in Calcutta in 1906 

 and in Nagpur in 1908 in connection with 

 large industrial exhibitions. 



Central Provinces.— Of these the 

 biggest and best was that held at 

 Nagpur in 1908. Its aim was almost 

 purely educative. A carefully selected 

 set of exhibits of all the different agri- 

 cultural products of the Central Provin- 

 ces andBerarand elsewhere was arrang- 

 ed, including improved appliances likely 

 to be useful here, from Europe and 

 America. All exhibits were labelled and 

 full information in English and Verna- 

 cular was given in each case on the label. 

 The agricultural exhibition was divided 

 up into sections with special assistants 

 in charge of each, who explained every- 

 thing to visitors in their own language, 



