December i, 1891.] 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
385 
AN AGRICULTUKAL COLLEGE FOR 
TRINIDAD 
is suggested in the Agricultural Record for August 
in an elaborate article by the editor, entitled 
Report of the Teohnical and Practical Teaching of 
Agriculture in England and lielginm, with suggestions 
for the formation of a Holiool iu Trinidad. 
After stating and reviewing the systems of agricul- 
tural teaching in Britain and Belgium, the question 
of a local institution is thus dealt with : — 
A comparison between the Euglisli and lirlgian 
system is very inBlrnotive. In Riigl.aiid where so 
much has been done by private rnnuifioence or cor- 
porato bodies, not only in agricultural education, but 
also iu the arts and scieuoi B, the learned profossions, 
in charitiee and other public matters. In Belgium on 
the contrary the State taking everythiug into its own 
hands. One result of the English system is, as 
I have already ineiitioncd, that there is no uniform 
system ot teaching, or BtsnJatd of qualiliration, the 
toirdenoy being rather to aim at tho minimum and 
so-called practicnl attainments. In Ttiuid.ad it is 
cspooially useful to study these dill'oreut systems, and 
most people will admit that while in lioth conntries 
odnentiou is as far-renebiug as possible, that in this 
t.'olony with its struggling and nudoveloped indnstries 
and its numerous and nniustriioted class of small pro- 
prietors and tho Complete abaence of private enterprise, 
the sugar propriutors excepted (they being all abseutees) 
a sohemo of education in Agricultnio should bo 
framed moro after tho Ri lgian system, this being less 
devoted to dsiry work, stock, and minor matters, whioli 
conld bo learned anywbero, and do not immediately 
couourn us. Another illusion would bo dispelled which 
has been hitherto a onmplotj stumbling-block in the 
way of establishing a school in Trinidad, viz; that a Model 
Farm must enter into any project of the kin i. It will 
bo seen that both in England and Belginm it is fonnd 
better and cheaper to obtain assistaueo iu practical 
teuobing from neighbouring estates, and it will coma 
liko a revelation to some, that all tho casentials fur 
a first class Agricultural College already exist in Trini- 
dad and more cr less iu the oilier West Indian 
Oolouies. Another important consideration (in both 
oonntriea) is the importance attached to iustmetion lor 
schoolmasters and rural teaching (for peasants) by 
means of itinerant professors, and lectures, and denion- 
stratioMS. Nowhere iu the world is there a greater 
wealth of vegetation, combined with dense ignorance 
of the elementary laws of plant life, and scientiflo 
cnituro than in the West Indies, and it would well 
repay any amount of expense nud trouble if a better 
knowledge of the selcotion of seed, gralling, and pru- 
ning, treatment of blight and the more skilful prepara- 
tion of the various products could bo instilled into 
the rural popniatiou in there parts. Tbe present means 
of teaching available in Trinidad as referred to, com- 
priais : 
1. A well furnished Chemical Laboratory. 
2. A well appointed Botanic Garden with all sorts 
of Horticultural operations always going oa nud a 
perfect Herbarium. 
3 . A very oomploti.’Oovcrnmeut Dairy and Stock Farm. 
4. Tho Experiinontal Farm at ^Ohagnauas, proved 
to be suitable, and which should bo nsed as a depot 
and school of forestry. 
5. Technical leaching by Officers of tho Public 
Works Department in land iiiettsuronieut, suivoying, 
etc. • 
ti. The asaiatanco of adjacent estates of which 
many accomplished Managers wonid no doubt willingly 
assist. 
* In Grenada Sir W. H. Hutchinson, whoso effoits 
to improve tho well-being of all elassts under his 
government are cynically termed •• philanthropic ” by 
tho “ AVest Indian in London,” suggests that the 
Public AVorks Department might serve as a teohnical 
school in many liranches of trade ; if so, there i« no 
donbt that tho South Konsington anthoritieB would 
render every assistanoe, and in Trinidad this sugges- 
tion would fall in with tho odnoatioual schoino of the 
Yiotoria lostitnto, 
49 
7. The propinquity of tho Oatholio, and Royal Col- 
leges, and Nopinqu Schools to the Victoria Institute, 
of which the Agioultiiral School would form a part. 
If the eyllalms of South Kensington is adopted, soma 
modifications would have to ho introduced, and if tbe 
Trinidad scheme is bronght nnder their system of 
examination, some special forma of qnostions wonid 
have to be devised, bearing on tropical AgricaUnre. 
Our present colonial staff wonid bo sufficient, with 
the addition of a Professor of Agrioniture, having aa 
a speciality Entomology, Economic Geology, Physios, 
Draning, eto. It should be his business also to under- 
take peripatetic work in the most important rural 
districts. Tbo subdivision of the difTerect oonrses of 
iectnres cto„ would bo a very simple matter of detail, 
dtudenis passing in honours should be sent for one 
year cither to Belgium, London (Cambridge) or the 
United Sialcs,and part of the money of the present Olaa- 
sical Scholarships might be dovotid to this purpose. 
The College would be very nearly self-snpport- 
ing if a modernto fee was required from tbe 
pnpils, aUbmigh tbo Government would naturally be 
obargcable fur itinerant teaching, and for tbo oonrsee 
for ecboolmastcrs. Inasmuch the Professor of Agri- 
culture wenid bn somewhat of a specialist and confer 
groat public heiielit by studying the various inaoots.t 
fungi, etc., which affect onr crops, his salary ought to 
be cliarged to the Government. 
Another important matter wonid be tho compilation 
of auitable text-books. This might be easily dona 
after the model ef Professor Tanner’s excellent little 
work, if his permission could bo obtained. 
Tbe course of lecinrea given by the different (oachors 
shonld bo priutod in the shape of notes. 
PEARL SHELL AND BECHE-DE-MER 
FISHERIES. 
The Commis«ionor of Fifberita, Mr. W. Seville- 
Kout, FX.8 , &,c.» has returned to Brisbane by the 
Ciutra from his extended Norihern tour. Among 
the more prominent results accomplished in connection 
with lu9 trip, that of the discovery of uiothet*of* 
prarl shell in conaidorable abundance in the vicinity 
of the Wolfoaloy Islands, in the Gulf of Gsrpentatia, 
Olid fiUo the continued success of the pearl shell 
nursery establiHhed by the Commitsionor of Fisheries 
at Thursday Islond over two years ogo,, have been 
already recorded. Mr. SavUIe*Kent has devoted a 
considerahlo interval on this ocoA(>ion to visiting tho 
bdcbe'de*mor stations thronghoot the Groat Barrier 
system, the result of which will take the form of a 
report for tho oontiideration of tho Governmenti em* 
bracing n comprehensive scheme for tho aabuvision 
of tbe entire b^olie-dc-mer producing grounds into 
sectional areas, to be let on lease by publio auction 
or to be placed temporarily in reserve for resuscita- 
tion, R.s may seem desirable, on lines corresponding^ 
generally with those upon which the oyster fisheries 
are conducted. A searching investigation has proved 
beyond question that the b^ohc*-de-tner grounds 
are much overfished, more particularly iu the 
neighbourhood of tho fhippiug ports, and where 
they are neceseutilv of n.o»t easy access, Tho 
opinion obtained from tbo leading boat and station 
o wners ongsged in this trade is greatly iu favour of 
the new regulatrons soggestod, and the carrying out 
of which is calculaied to add eubstaniially to both tbe 
intrinsic value of the fishery aud to tho revenue 
returns. A .n?ic qua «on of the new regime proposed 
will ba the appointment of district inspectors and the 
eystomatio patrol of tho fishing grounds, and the need 
for this is already widely recognised on independent 
grounds, and in tlie interests of both the employers 
nud tho native labourers engaged iu tho fishery. 
^ Iq Grenado I am informed that it is proposed 
to engage a Trofossor of Entomology to study this 
subject especially, with a view of finding remedies 
for tho destructiou of such as afiecl the different crops 
of that ielaud. 
