348 



Miscellaneous. 



representative. It will bring all the farmers of the State into more intimate know- 

 ledge and touch with the work of the college and station, and will help to give the 

 various agricultural organizations an individual interest in the institution. It is a 

 recognition of the relation of the college of agriculture to the farmers of the State, 

 and of the fact that the college to be most effective should understand and appre- 

 ciate the agricultural needs, problems, and aims of that class of people. 



Professor Bailey's remarks to the delegates upon the purpose of the college 

 farm are of interest as representing the prevailing views of agricultural educators 

 upon this point, and as showing the gradual evolution of ideas which has taken place. 

 The purpose of the farm in connection with collegiate instruction in agriculture has 

 been a fruitful topic of discussion ever since the establishment of agricultural colleges, 

 and the prevalent notion regarding its relation to instruction has undergone many 

 changes. 



Professor Bailey presented abstracts of letters bearing upon this point from 

 deans and professors in some of the leading agricultural colleges. The general con- 

 sensus of opinion was that the college farm should be looked upon as an outdoor 

 laboratory for instruction in those things which require contact with practical 

 things, rather than as a model farm or one for growing maximum crops, or for giving 

 students a large amount of practical training. 



"It seems to me," Professor Bailey said, "that we have now come to the 

 final and proper stage or idea, that the college or university farm must be a labor- 

 atory. The pattern farm, model farm, commercial farm, and illustration farm are all 

 incidental and secondary to this general purpose. ... A college farm is a means 

 to an end. The end is the teaching of students; the grooving of maximum 

 crops may or may not be the best way of attaining this end. We hope to conduct 

 our farms on the best business principles and in conformity with the very best farm 

 practices ; we expect to make them interesting and attractive to students and 

 visitors ; nevertheless, the laboratory utilization of these areas is to be our first 

 consideration. If we are not using farms as a means of training men, then we are 

 not using them for pedagogical purposes, and the future will not justify our posses- 

 sion of them."— Experiment Station Record, Vol. XVII, November, 1905, No. 3. 



The Gampola Agri= Horticultural Exhibition. 



I have the honour to report as Judge on Classes 1, 2 and 3 of the Gampola 

 Show, held on 30th and 31st March, 1906. 



At the outset it should be remembered that, from a horticultural point of 

 view, no more unsuitable time of the year could have been selected for a show in 

 this district, and the object of holding it now was presumably to avoid clashing 

 with other shows. 



Class 1, " Flowering Plants in Pots," &c, was extremely poor, there being 

 only two exhibits, and one award made, which was for fair specimens of Begonias. 



Class 2, " Cut Flowers," was somewhat better, but the exhibits were most 

 carelessly labelled by the show clerks. For the 37 prizes offered there were some 

 twelve competitors, and these were chiefly for Roses and Lilies. 



Class 3, " Ferns and Foliage Plants in Pots," was very poorly represented, 

 there being only six entries for the 19 prizes offered. These exhibits included,' 

 nevertheless, a few well-grown ferns and palms. 



H. F. MACMILLAN, 

 Curator, B.B.G., Peradeniya, 



