220 
Supplement to the Tropical Agriculturist: 
[Sept. 1, 1897. 
ture, manures, crops, stock, &c., should be pub- 
lished in English, Tamil, and Sinhalese (if possible 
wilh illustrations), and circulated free among the 
agricultural classes with the help of the Eevenue 
Officers. This is a convenient and recognized 
means of reaching the people which is adopted 
by Agricultural Departments in India and else- 
where, and from my own e.vpeiience in the pub- 
lication of the “Agricultural Magazine’’ and in 
the issue of leaflets in the vernacular (now un- 
fortunately abandoned for want of funds) I cun 
state that the means have proved effectual in 
evoking an intelligent interest in much that should 
concern the cultivator of the soil. 
Students to be token on Tour . — In order to make 
the course of training at the school as thorough 
as possible, I would recommend that the students 
be taken on tour during one month of the year, 
so that they may gain practical acquaintance with 
the cultivation of Ceylon products as carried on a 
commercial scale. The necessity for supplement- 
ing what is at the best a limited knowledge of 
practical — but more or less e.vi>erimental — agri- 
culture gained at a college, by the wider and 
useful experience that would be afforded by such 
tours, is recognized by the promoters of agricul- 
tural education iji England and India ; and it is 
a pity that any element should be wanting in the 
course of training provided at the school which 
would tend to make that course as comjjlete as 
it might be, and go to disprove the charge that 
the students are lacking in practical experience. 
The Superintendent of the School to itinerate . — It 
is very necessary that provision should also be made 
to enable the Superintendent to itinerate through 
the Province.? in order to study native agriculture 
in all its phases, and acquaint himself With the 
special features which characterize the various 
forms of cultivation in the Island: to find out the 
needs of the people, to confer with village autho- 
rities, and, where opportunity offers, to advise and 
instruct with reference to agricultural praclice. 
As the result of these tours the Superintendent 
should furnish reports to Government. 'I think it 
would be an encouragement to the native culti- 
vators to have some one taking an active interest 
in their work and welfare I do not mean to in- 
sinuate that no such interest is evinced by the 
Government Agents and Assistant Government 
Agents. They are no doubt doing all they can in 
the cause of native agriculture, but the duties of 
the Superintendent in this connection will be of 
a special nature. During such tours much can be 
done in the way of distributing seeds, leaflets, &c. 
There are whole Provinces — and many districts — 
that I have not yet had an opportunity of visiting. 
A practical acquaintance with the methods and 
forms of culture adopted in different Provinces and 
districtsshould place me at a great advantage when- 
ever I am called upon to report and advise in my 
official capacity (or when privately consulted) on 
agricultural matters. Some of these tours of in- 
spection might be undertaken during school vaca- 
tions. 
A Clerk to be attached to the School Staff . — I 
would urge that a clerk, on a salary of say E25 
per mensem, be attached to the school, t.) under- 
take the comparatively large amount of clerical 
work and book-keeping which has to be attended 
to in connection with the School and Dairy Farm, 
the greater part of which at present falls to the lot 
of the Superintendent. The appointment of a 
clerk should relieve me con.siderably, and by con- 
fining me less to my office leave me free to do more 
work of an important practical nature. I may 
mention that a properly furnished office room, to 
which the many business callers at the school 
could be shown, is a great want. 
E.i'penditure on the School. — There is a general 
impression abroad that the expenditure on the 
School of Agriculture is excessive; and in consider- 
ing the cost of the institution to Government the 
fact that there is a considerable revenue from the 
school and the establishment appertaining to it is 
seldom recognized. The work of an agricultural 
school or college, if it is to be at all effective, must 
be based on a comprehensive and complete scheme, 
and the necessary funds should be available for 
carrying out the details of such a scheme. 
Savings and Estimates. — The following state- 
ment shows how Governmtnt will practically save 
a sum of nearly R9,000 from January, 1897 : — 
By the abolition of agaicultural in- 
stiuctorships, 6 at 11528 per annum 
and 6 at 11396 per annum ... 5,541 
By raising of the fee for agricultural 
students from R5 to KIO per mensem 
(a measure which came into force in 
January, 1896) the vote for dieting 
students will be practicallj- saved ... 3,000 
By 1 apse of vote for travelling by 
Superintendent to inspect the agricul- 
tural instructors ... 200 
Total ... 8,714 
I beg to recom neud that part of this saving 
be utilized for better equipping the school and in 
giving a more useful and practical turn to the work 
connected with the agricultural branch of the 
Department of Public Instruction. The following 
is an approximate estimate of the cost of carrying 
out the recommendations made in the above 
reports : — 
Cost of extra hands, 2 at Rio and 2 at 
RIO ... ... ... 600 
Cost of laying out and maintaining pre- 
mises, including cost of implement.^, 
manure, fences, cart, bulls, &c. ... 800 
Exchange and purchase of seeds and 
plants, storing, maintaining nur- 
series, distributing, &c. , together 
with cost of implements for trials 
and report ... ... ... 800 
Cost ot printing and circulating leaflets, 
&c. ... ... ... 400 
Vote for itinerating by Superintendent 600 
Cost of taking agricultural students on 
tour ... ... ... 800 
Salary of clerk ... ... 300 
Miscellaneous ... ... 700 
Total ... 6,040 
I have endeavoured to make the estimates as 
low a^ possible. Considering the cost of a visit to 
the E i.stern or the Northern Province, the vote for 
itinerating by the Superintendent is by no means 
high. The miscellaneous vote would provide for 
the undertaking of special experiments under e.x* 
