THE 



TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST 



AND 



MAGAZINE OF THE 



CEYLON AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



Vol. XXXVII. COLOMBO, AUGUST 15th, 1911, No. 2. 



CONTINUITY IN AGRICULTURAL 

 MATTERS. 



Not only is contiguity required in 

 dealing with agriculturists, but also 

 continuity, and this is one of the weak 

 points in the present organisation of the 

 island from an agricultural point of 

 view. If a given improvement is to be 

 introduced into a certain district, not 

 only must it be demonstrated near to 

 the people, but it must be continuously 

 demonstrated. If it is demonstrated in 

 one season to be a success, and then 

 taken away, the man who sees it will 

 say that it was removed because one 

 was afraid (or certain) that it would 

 not succeed twice running. Successful 

 results must be shown for at least four 

 or five seasons running before people 

 can be expected to imitate them, other 

 than perhaps one or two of the most 

 intelligent agriculturists. 



For this reason it is important to try 

 doubtful experiments only in Experi- 

 ment Stations — and to some extent in 

 school gardens— and to demonstrate to 

 the people, on the spot, only those which 

 are unquestioned successes. If, for 

 example, there be any doubt whether 

 a new variety of some local crop be a 

 success, it can easily be tried all over 

 the island by being distributed to. the 

 school gardens, and then demonstrated 

 to the people in those districts where it 

 succeeds. 



In the same way, agricultural shows > 

 as we have already pointed out, should 

 be continuous in any district where 

 they are started, or the good they do is 

 merely evanescent. Whereas, if they be 

 continuous, some good may be expected 

 to follow after they have been held four 

 or five times in the same place. 



But this is a topic on which one might 

 write for long, and we aim always at 

 keeping leaders short. 



