February I, 1890.] Sitppknttnt to the "Tropical Agriculturist." 
59i 
character might be, when once the benefits were ap- 
parent, the improved methods would he adopted. 
They had, therefore, every reason to be satisfied 
with the results, and every reason to hope as to 
the benefits ; and notwithstanding the deprecatory 
wish of the Director of Public Instruction (laughter), 
he thought there was every reason to wish blessings 
on the school- He, therefore, wished those who were 
leaving the school prosperity and hoped that then- 
career would be a useful one as well. (Applause.) 
The Hon. Mr. Mitchell said he thought he might 
be understood to express the feeling of all present 
that they had listened with great pleasure to the 
account that Mr. Drieberg had read to them of the 
working of the school in the past year. He thought 
they had every reason to be proud of the results. 
The Agricultural School, he believed, was commenced 
a short time before His Excellency came to the Island) 
and he was sure that the Director of Public Instruc- 
tion felt that he had had very great assistance and 
spmpathy and help and encouragement from H. E. 
With regard to the good the school was doing, no- 
body could be blind to that. Lads came from the 
country and studied agriculture there and went back 
to their villages or other agricultural schools ; and no 
one could be blind to the fact that very important 
results must follow from that in the course of time. 
He felt beholden to Mr. Drieberg and those assisting 
him, especially Mr. Silva, because they had taken 
a very great interest in a matter that he was him- 
self very much interested in — Cotton cultivation 
They had been endeavouring to extend the cultiva- 
ation of cotton, and he was sure that with their 
assistance it would be developed. In an institution 
like that, a study of English was, necessarily, involved, 
and they had seen that the study of it was carried 
on with very good practical effect. At the same time 
he deprecated — he would beg H. E.'s pardon for what 
might be thought his heterodox opinions— the study 
of English to such an extent as it was carried on 
now. (Hear, hear, from Mr. Green.) Of course, in an 
institution like that the study of English was neces- 
sary, as the text books were in English, but he 
thought they were affording means of acquiring that 
language to an extent that in its results would be 
appalling (Hear, hear.) He had received a number 
of applications for employment in the Cotton Mills 
from lots of young men who pointed out that they 
had passed examinations in English Literature, but 
they all wanted service as clerks. He believed there 
were numbers of young men who annually sought em- 
ployment as clerks under Government and Merchants 
and he confessed he did not know what was to be 
done with them. He thought that English education 
was so readily and cheaply afforded, that it should 
be restricted. What he wished to substitute very 
largely was industrial and technical education, and he 
would ask those who agreed with him to join in a 
crusade of that nature, because he thought the time 
was come when it was necessary that such a course 
should be taken. He remembered that in times gone 
by there was an industrial school in that very build- 
ing, and the Superintendent taught the boys carpentry 
and such like trades. But on the Superintendent's 
retirement, this was discontinued, he did not know 
for what reason, and the school was abolished. That 
was a great mistake ; but he trusted that before long 
a school of a similar nature would be started, and 
when started that it would receive a large amount 
of support. He would go the length of saying that 
they should diminish English education by its being 
taught only in the schools now in existence, and 
that they should make a technical and industrial 
education conditional for the receipt of Government 
grants. He could not say that he had any cut and 
dry scheme in regard to all this ; but he threw out 
his ideas that H. E. might think over them. As re- 
gards this school, and its work, he thought that the 
boys who now came to it came and prosecuted their 
studies with more encouragement than those who 
had gone before them. He thought that the conditions 
tinder which agriculture was now carried on were 
improved, and that the tax on grain, it was possible, 
would be modified. He trusted that year by year 
there would be an increase in the number of pupils, 
and that they would continue to do as much credit 
to the institution as those who had preceded them. 
(Applause.) 
•* — 
OCCASIONAL NOTES. 
Hellriegel's Theory.— The theory known by this 
name would seem likely to have a new one. At the 
annual dinner of the Agricultural Discussion Society in 
connection with the course at the Edinburgh University 
last month, Mr. Hunter, Analytical Chemist, Minto 
House, said that some of those present had already 
heard much of the great discoveries attributed to 
Hellriegel in connection with the question whether 
leguminous plants had the means of procuring nitrogen 
from the atmosphere, for the building up of their 
tissues, and the storing of it in the soil. But he could 
tell them that years and years before Hellrieg9l was 
heard of, their own Botanical teacher, Mr. McAlpine 
had not only demonstrated the presence and the powers 
of these micro-organisms in the wart-like tubercles 
on the leguminous plants, but had also taught in his 
class the facts which were now regarded as the 
discoveries of Hellriegel. Mr. McAlpine who was 
present, remarked that he could corroborate Mr. 
Hunter's remarks with regard to the functions of the 
tubercles on the roots of leguminous plants. Some of 
them were well aware that many years ago he lectured 
on this matter, and pointed out the great importance 
that this source of nitrogen would prove to the Agri- 
culture of the future. Mr. Archibald McAlpine, B. Sc. 
(London), is Botanical lecturer at Minto House — his 
lectures, largely attended, beiDg recognised by the Uni- 
versity. Personally a very retiring man, he is weli 
known as one of the ablest teachers, and a Botanist 
given to much original research. 
