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A “BORTNIGHTEY REVIEW

OF THE

IMPERIAL DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE FOR THE WEST INDIES.

LIBR
NEW YORK
BOT A Al
GARI

VOLUME I.

APRIL TO DECEMBER 1902.

ISSUED UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF THE

COMMISSIONER OF AGRICULTURE FOR THE WEST INDIES.

Barbados: Messrs. Bowrn & Sons, Bridgetown.

London; Messrs. Dutau & Co., 37, Soho Square, W.

Wealvaa VYuIT ROMS.

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Bilbebel hte Foe Fete e |

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A FORTNIGHTLY REVIEW

THE

Or

LIBRARY
NEW YORK
BOTANICAL

GARDEN

IMPERIAL DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE FOR THE WEST INDIES.

BARBADOS,

APRIL

25, 1902. Price ld.

CONTENTS.

PAGE. Pace.
Agriculture in British Notes & Comments—-(contd. )
Be Blonduras eer o | Jack-in-the-Box Tree... 7
3ats in Houses eee. 19M Sweet Potatos Fe
Yo os yeetle ri 5 ; -
Cacao Beetle ++ ++ 9 | Oranges, grafted s
Cacao disease ra Papain, Preparation of ... 4
’ Surinam... ... 14 | Publications of the
Cassava Poisoning ... ... 5 | Department 16
Department News Be erect TR) vst
Department Publications 16 | ~*“° ee Po? coi ;
Editorial 1 Barbados, Sugar Cane
ieee 2
: ; xperiments.... ... Ld:
Educational : Jamaica, BotanicGardens 13
Barbados... ... ... 11 | Reviews:
British Guiana soy ces The Butterfly Book 13
# Trinidad ores hec Lill -| The Insect Book... ... 13
Fisheries, Tarpon econ SerewaWWiorle 2. ae, oo) 18
Grape Cultivation in | Gtear Garner
Jamaica m 9) Ex 3 sin Britis]
Lawn mowings as manure.. 15 ae in British is
Market Reports Me eiog LD Mot aes ep ec a
Mosquitos and Malaria ... 12 Soe BES eee
Root disease Soot eben ie)
7 5 ciate
Notes and Comments :— Tobago Botanic Station ... 10
Banana. Disease z Virgin Islands, Agricul-
Cacao, Bloom on ii oe EES sep =o 10
Cacao in Africa... . 7 | West Indies :—
Coffee, New African... 6 Agricultural Institutions. 14
: S aEORE : :
Colonial Exhibitions... 6 Hand-books to ... ... 14

EDITORIAL.

With the view of supplying, in a popular form,
information of an agricultural character suited to the
requirements of the West Indies the “Agricultural
News ” is launched to-day,

Tt lays no clann to public recognition beyond an
earnest desire on the part of the Imperial Department
of Agriculture to instruct and assist all classes of the
community and to promote the agricultural interests.

of these Colonies,

Tt is hoped that the “ Agricultural News,” which
is proposed to be published for distribution by each
mail, will serve as an expeditious means of communicat-
ing with the numerous official and other correspondents.
of the Department, and that 1t may be of service, also, to:
members of the general public who desire to keep.
themselves closely im touch with agricultural efforts im
the West Indies and clsewhere.

A special feature of the “Agricultural News” will be.
information respecting the interesting work now going
on at the Chemical Laboratories, Botanic Institutions,
Experiment Stations, Agricultural Schools, Experiment
Plots, Agricultural Shows, as well as a record of the
very considerable activity manifested in promoting
agricultural education in the Colleges and Schools in
the West Indies.

It is hoped the “Agricultural News” wilk appeal

both to the planter and the peasant. As already

announced it will be regularly on sale by the Local
Agents of the Department, and this facet, combined
with the moderate price proposed to be charged for
it, should place it within reach of every person owning,
or cultivating, land throughout the West Indies.

bo

THE

AGRICULTURAL

NEWS. Aprit 25, 1902.

EXPERIMENTAL CANE CULTIVATION
AT BRITISH GUIANA.

The following is a brief progress report prepared
by Professor J. 'B. Harrison, C.M.G., on the experi-
mental sugar-cane calhinatiee carried on at British
Guiana from July to December 1901, in connection
with the Imperial Department of Agriculture :—

The area at the Botanic Gardens used for experi-
ments with sugar-cane is thirty- -one acres, while a
subsidiary area of five acres is being g gradually brought
under experimental cultivation at Onderneeming Se Jee
near Suddie, Essequibo. The fields in use at the "Botanic
Gardens comprise two at the back of the estate known

as the Old or South field, and the New or Northfield
and a small one of between three and four acres in

extent in front of the Gardens proper but in close
proximity to the nursery termed the Brickdam. field.
The fields at the back of the Gardens have been
enclosed with a barbed wire fencing, a draining engine,
and a sugar-cane mill have been placed there, while the
necessary offices, laboratory and manure sheds have
been erected neers the cost of doing which has been
borne by the local Government. hese are all now in
good order and are supplied with the apparatus, ete.,
necessary for efficient working.

During the period under review the fields have
been utilized as tollows -—

The South Field.—This contains an area of four-
teen acres. The manurial experiments initiated in 1890
have been continued. Owing to the late period in
which the work was taken in hand the canes were not
sufficiently matured for reaping during the October and
November crop season but will be reaped during the
March and April season. The western side of the field
has been occupied by beds of canes of the older known
varieties and of the earlier obtained seedlings. | As on
this part of the field the soil has become, mainly from
the defective drainage-conditions existent in previous
years, Ina state of temporary agricultural exhaustion,
I directed its temporary abandonment for cane culti-
vation when the canes were taken off it
the year. In the same field were large plots of selected
seedling varieties. These had not meats red trom the
drought, ete., to anything like the extent the manurial
experiments had done. Large crops were obtained on
these, and after weighing, ete., the canes were cistrib-
uted towards the end of the year in very large numbers
to the estates which had applied for taco A large
area of the field is occupied by the small plots on heh
the preliminary trials of se lected seedlings are carried
on and fortunate ‘ly this was not so adversely affected as
other parts were and interesting and valuable
results were obtained when they were reaped towards
the end of the year. The field is now in a satisfactory
condition, very ‘different, owing to Mr. Ward’s untiring
efforts and strict supervision, to that in which it was at
the commencement of the hz lf. ~year under review.

The North Field.—The area of the

fourteen acres. It has been

some

field is about
cleared from the dense

at the end of

bush which covered it, and the greater part of the large
trees growing upon it have Neamt cut down and removed.
As a commencement of this could not be made until
after the preliminary steps had been taken towards the
extension of the work undertaken since the Grant-in-
Aid became available in October 1899, a portion of it
has been in use since early in 1900 for the purpose of
growing selected cane seedlings. A larger portion was
gradually cleared, drained and brought into cultivable
condition and in July a considerable area was laid
out for an extension of the manurial experiments.
This consists of a series of experiments arranged to test
the varying requirements of the more promising varie-
ties of seedling canes for nitrogenous manures. Twelve

varieties are under observation for this purpose and
have made active and vigorous growth. It is intended
to reap them in October or September next.

The Brickdam Field.—This field is principally
occupied at present by a series of plots on which about
thirty of the most promising kinds of seedlings are
being grown as plant canes, Ist, 2nd, and 3rd ratoons.
It is a field of marked fertility, and the results obtained
upon it in the crop of 1900 and 1901 have been of
much interest. As it is situated at the top of the
Bnickdain and the electric tram cars pass by it every
quarter of an hour in the day, thus placing it within
easy access from all parts of the city, this field is well
suited for the important purpose w hich it serves as a
demonstration field on which the modes of growth ete.
of the most promising varieties of canes can be studied
by visitors. In addition to the plots contaiming varie-
ties of canes there is a considerable area occupied with
experiments laid down on the lines successfully follow-
ed in Java with the object of obtaining cross fertiliza-
tion of certain kinds of canes. In arranging this I had
the advantage of the assistance and advice of Dr. Went
formerly of Java, the well known authority on all
questions of sugar-cane cultivation.

During the latter months of the yeara large
number of seedlings were raised from the seed of twenty
selected varieties aa canes. Two hundred and fourteen
thousand seeds germinated and from these about
twenty-eight thousand plants have been reserved
the Gardens for further investigation. A large number
of seedlings in boxes have since been supplied to
Plantations Albion, Windsor Forest, Vryheid’s, Lust
and Hope, where the managers will carefully raise
them and study their es of growth ete. The
willingness and, in many cases I may say, the anxiety of
the managers of the sugar estates in the ¢ Colony to aid
us in our Seat and to carry it on beyond the limits we
are necessarily bound down to is a most gratifying
feature of the local work.

In July about five thousand eight hundred seed-
lings r: aised in the cultivation of 1900 were planted out
in the fields and have since been kept under careful
observation.

I propose that in future years a still more rigorous
system of selection shall be used both with reference to
the parent varieties and to the seedlings retained for
trial I believe that better results are likely to be
obtained in this manner than by raising and keeping

Woy Ie INOS He

THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS.

Ww

vast numbers of seedlings in the hope that by some
fortuitous chance one or more may turn out of value.

I visited the counties of Essequibo and Berbice
during the period under review and examined the very
extensive series of experiments being carried on by the
New Colonial Company on their estates in these coun-
ties in conjunction with ours at the Gardens. I have
also visited Plantations Diamond, Windsor Forest, and
some others in Demerara, examining the experiments
being carried on and giving any advice and assistance
in my power to the managers and others controlling
them. Mr. Ward visited other estates and rendered
valuable aid in this branch of work. . .

It has been arranged by the Board of Agriculture
that in future years the officers in charge of these
experiments shall be advised and assisted by a sub-
committee appointed by the Board, among the members
of which will be certain of the most experienced
planters in the Colony and the leading technical
experts: the actual executive control remaining in the
hands of the official or officials at present directing
them. This arrangement will in my opinion tend
materially towards the practical success of the Experi-
ments, and by its combination of practical expert
knowledge and experience with scientific skill should
increase the confidence of the planters of the Colony in
the reliability of any results published as obtained in
the experiments conducted in British Guiana.

ROOT DISEASE OF SUGAR-CANE.

Canes attacked by the common root disease of the
sugar-cane in the West Indies are familiar to the
planters. Such diseased stools are distinguished by
the fact that instead of forming cane the shoots con-
tinually bud from below giving rise to a dense tuft of
dwarfed canes. Such canes on examination are
to be covered at the base with a white, musty smelling,
fungus growth which causes the lower leaves to adhere
firmly to the stem ofthe cane. This fungus growth
belongs to a common toadstool—a species of Maras-
mius—which may be seen in large numbers on the
base of the shoots in wet weather. The fungus attacks
the cane in Java as well as in the West Indies.

seen

In consequence of the economic importance of this
root-disease attempts have been made to find a direct
remedy for this disease, that is to say, to find some
means of arresting the disease when it has once shown
itself. An experiment was made on October 17, 1901,
in which four plots of 100 holes each of first crop
canes attacked by the disease were treated as follows :—

1). Canes stripped, sprayed at the base with Bor-
; pray
deaux mixture and then moulded up.

(2). Canes stripped, sprayed at the base with Bor-
deaux mixture, limed at the rate of one quart of air-
slacked lime per stool and then moulded wp.

(3). Canes stripped, limed as in (2) and then
moulded up.

(4). Control plot—untreated. This was a_ better
plot than any of the above,

The canes were cut and weighed on February
27, 1902 and the following results were obtained.

Wis Of Wt. of

Plot. ; Total.
sound canes rotten canes.

(1). 1092 72 1164

(2). 1106 20 1126

(3). 1411 34 1445

(4). (Control) 2132 65 2197

The result shows that the treatment is not likely
to be of any practicable use. The figures are of interest
however, as showing that in the whole plot of one-third
of an acre the tonnage of canes was at the rate of only
eight tons per acre. The importance of the disease is
evident. The indirect methods applicable to the disease
are based on the idea of starving the fungus by depriv-
ing it of suitable food. Fields attacked by the disease
should be first of all isolated by a trench from the rest
of the estate so as to prevent the fungus spreading
under ground. After reaping the stumps should be
dug up and burnt along with the trash remaining on
the field. After thoroughly ploughing up the field
some rotation crop should be planted atter which the
field could be again placed under canes.

In connection with these indirect methods of
dealing with the disease an examination of sweet pota-
tos froma cane field attacked by the root-disease of
the sugar-cane 1s of interest. It was noted by one of
the planters that where a hole of sweet potatos
oecurred near an old cane stump, the potatos became
covered with a white fungus growth. Examination
of these specimens showed that the fungus on the
potatos is probably the same as that which attacks
the cane. EKvidently, therefore, when a diseased field is
thrown out of cane cultivation the old stumps should be
earefully dug up and burnt before the planting of any
rotation crop.

MOTH BORER IN SUGAR-CANE. *

Throughout the West Indian islands the sugar-
cane crop is now being reaped and the young canes
have attaimed a certain height. This is the best season
for fighting the moth borer by cutting out deadhearts
and collecting the eggs. The work now done, in this
way, will produce the greatest result for the least
expenditure of time and effort. In Barbados there
appears to be no lack of moth borer this season and it
is to be hoped another year will not be allowed to go
by without a more determined effort being made in all
sugar growing Colonies in the West Indies to combat
this pest wherever present. The insect and the remedies
recommended for it have been fully discussed and full
information may be found in the West Indian Bulle-
tin. (Vol. 1. pp. 338-345 and Vol. IT. pp. 41-43).

Egg collecting is the simplest and cheapest
remedy and careful work in this direction would
prevent the later occurrence of deadhearts, since it
destroys the pest before it can do harm, In a dry
season such as the present, planters hesitate to cut out
many shoots in the young canes but there need be no

* Diatrea saccharalis, Fabr.

4 THE
hesitation in cutting off the eggs on the leaves.
Having got the eggs they should be spre sad out in the
stm near the young canes so that the parasites (those
friends of the sugar planter) may escape and find their

way back to the canes. At this time of the year there
are few parasites in the eggs. In a batch of five
hundred egg clusters rece sntly ‘ollec ted on an estate in

Barbados, ‘only one per cent. showed parasite attacks :
but as the season advances and the parasites have less

difficulty in finding an abundance of eggs on the young
canes, this proportion will grow much larger.

The planter can do much to encourage the
increase of the parasites, so that by the time the canes
are getting too tall to be searched for eggs the para-
sites inser numerous enough to do very effective
work in checking such moth borers as may still be
found in the canes. The time for this work is neces-
sarily short but the opportunity should not be allowed
to pass this year,

PREPARATION OF COMM@®RCIAL PAPAIN.

Tt is well known that the milk obtainable, especial-
ly from the fruit, of the papaw tree (Curica Papaya),
possesses the property of re mdering meat tender and in
fact of partially digesting it. Tn recent years. this
property has been “ative” by evaporating the milk
into a dry powder known as ‘papain.’ ‘There is a
moderate demand for this substance and where the
papaw tree is abundant it might be advantageous
to prepare it. The following account of preparing crude
or commercial papain has been contributed by the
Hon’ble Francis Watts, F.LC., F.C.S. :—

The preparation of crude papain is a comparative-
ly easy matter, provided that attention is paid to
certain matters of detail.

COLLECTING THE MILK.

The juice, or milk, which forms the starting- -point
is procured | by Sie a scratch or shallow incision in
the skin of the fruit of the papaw while im a green
condition. It is desirable to c ploy a bone or wooden
knife, like a paper-knife, for the Puna The milky
fluid rapidly exudes and may be ci aught in a cup he ld
beneath the fruit. After a time the one diminishes
and the liquid coagulates in the neighbourhood of the
this is carefully removed by means of the
bone or wooden knife and placed in the cup with the
milk already collected. The fruit is not removed from
the tree and it may be subjected to the operation of
tapping several times at intervals of two or three days.

incision ;

It is essential that no iron knife, or iron utensils,
pole be brought into contact with ae milk. Wood
- bone should be employed, and the milk should be
Paiected in. earthenware cups, or in glass
vessels, and not in tins, which are sure to blacken it.
After collecting, the
and then should be i in ie form of a snow- ewhite
possessing a somewhat pungent, but not putrid, smell.
It speedily decomposes if not rapidly dried, and, when

basins or

juice e soon becomes coagul ated
curd,

AGRICULTURAL

NEWS.

Apri 25, 1902.

decomposing, emits a most unpleasant odour. It is
necessary then that drying should be effected as speed-
ily as possible. When considerable quantities are bein
prepared, the collection of the juice or milk should be
undertaken in the early morning and the drying should
begin before midday. This ensures that by evening the
mate rial is in a sufficie ntly dry condition to keep with-
out deterioration until the following mor ning when the
drying can be completed.

DRYING THE MILK

The drying may be effected in several ways. In
dry, hot wenther the coagulated milk may be placed
in thin layers on sheets “of glass and exposed to the
sun. his, however, is rarely satisfactory on a large
scale, and it is best to adopt some form of drying appar-
atus. Drying is well effected by spreading the
coagulated milk on drying frames made by stretching
haan linen on light sacle frames, somewhat. like
those used for framing school slates: these may be of
any suitable size to fit cane drying apparatus employ ed.

Fie. 1.

Elevation.

A small American fruit drier will answer very well, or
a drying-stove (Fig. 1) may be constructed by build-
ing, 1n spiel a chamber about 3ft. high, 3ft. wide
and G6ft. long, (these dimensions can be changed
in accordance with the amount of material dealt

to be

A

HOT AIR CHAMBER
2

MMTV,

\SW

Section

: PY Rigel.
FIGS. 1 IND 9. DRYING STOVE, FOR THE one. OF PAPAIN.

(A). Opening, across winch the drying trays are supported.

along the line x. x. 0

Grate. (D).

(B). Iron plate. (C). Fire Chimney.

Wor IE INE Is THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 5
with). This is openat the top. About a foot from acid, o r hydrocyamie acid, easily recognizable by what

the top the chamber is divided horizontally into
two compartments by a sheet of iron, (B.) and Pree
this division a small fire grate (C.) is constructed :

the opposite end from the grate a chimney (Dae. is
placed to lead the smoke from the lower compartment.
(Fig. 2.) In order to obtain an even heat in the upper
compartment it is well to spread a layer of sand, one or
two inches thick, over the iron plates. The frames

eurying the coagulated milk are placed on the top of

the chamber, so as to form a lid or cover to the opening
(A.) when heat from the iron plate drives off the mois-
ture at a low temperature.

It is important that the temperature at which
drying is effected shall be as low as possible. Any over-
he: ubing destroys the active principle, so that a careless-
ly prepared product may be useless. In practice, the
temperature 1s kept as low as is consistent with getting
the substance dried before decomposition sets in: if
this can be done without the temperature of the tray
being raised above 100 deg. Fahrenheit so much the
better.

As the substance becomes dry it shrinks consider-
ably in bulk. The contents of several trays may now
be emptied into one and the drying continued. The
trays emptied are ready to receive another day’s supply
of fresh material.

Dryine must be continued until the substance is
crisp and in such a condition that it can be reduced to
a fine powder without any difficulty being experienced
from stickiness. The dried material should be ground
to a fine powder when the resulting product should be
a white or cream coloured powder with a characteristic,
but not putrid, smell. The powder should be packed
in tins or bottles, and carefully preserved from ence
with the air. Grinding is easily effected in a mill «
the type commonly employed for grinding coftee : w a
grinding it is desirable to have the papain slightly
warmed.

CASSAVA POISONING.

Amongst the important food plants cultivated
the West Indies is the ‘Cassava’ or ‘Manioe’ (Manihot
utilissima, amember of the Spurge Order, or Wuphorbia-
ceac), grown for the sake of the store of starch contain-
ed in its long, thick roots. Two kinds of cassava are
commonly recognised, the ‘bitter and the ‘sweet,’ and

sometimes considered to be two distinct species of

plants. Bitter and sweet cassava are put to separate
uses. From the bitter variety, after grating and
careful expression of the milky juice, a loti is Ghiamed
from which thin cassava cakes are made. It is also the
source of ‘farme’ and the tapioca of commerce. The
raw juice cooked and concentrated is known as
casareep. The sweet cassava is more commonly
eaten, as a vegetable, after boiling or roasting. Bitter
cassava in the fresh condition is well known to be
harmful and experiments have been made which prove
the extremely poisonous character of its milky Juice.
The poisonous constituent of the raw juice is prussic

18 ee n as the ‘smell of bitter alnnentiog Prussic acid is
fortunately apoison which itis comparatively easy to get
rid of comple tely. It is only neccessary to ensure that
the substance containing it shall be thoroughly heated,
and all the prussic acid present is destroyed and the
substance rendered perfectly harmless.

As already said, bitter cassava is universally
regarded as a poisonous substance. With regard to
sweet cassava, on the other hi und, opinions vary and
even in a standard book of reference on Chemistry it is
stated that ‘the milky juice in the sweet variety Is
innocuous, whilst that in the bitter is highly poisonous.’

Deaths from cating improperly prepared sweet
cassava occur from time to time in the West Indies,
principally amongst badly-fed or neglected children.
In order to prevent, if possible, the recurrence of such
accidents, it 1s desirable that the actual facts should be
publis hed and made widely known in the hope that
teachers and others may be able to put children on
their guard against the danger of eating sweet cassava
‘halle care has been taken in its preparation.

As long ago as 1877, Professor Francis, then
Government. °C heantes at Trinidad stated, as the results
of experime nts that sweet cassava root contained
considerable quantities of prussic acid. His work has
recently been repeated and extended by his successor
Professor P. C armody (Annual Report of the Govern-
ment Analyst, Trinidad, 1901, p. 15). From their
investigations it appears th: at sweet cassava not only
contains the poisonous prussic acid, but contains nearly
as much as bitter cassava, and that by mere chemical
analysis 1t would be impossible to distinguish between
the two. Professor Carmody was able to show that
whilst in bitter cassava the prussic acid is distributed
more or less uniformly throughout the tissues of the
root, in the sweet cassava it 1s located chiefly in the
skin and outer portion of the rind. It follows that in
order to prepare sweet cassava so that 1t may be a safe
food for human beings the following precautions should
be taken :—

(1) Carefully scrape off the skin and outer portion
of the rind, whereby the greater portion of
the poison will be removed.

(2) Thoroughly heat the remainder by boiling or
otherwise, so as to destroy and drive off any
remaining prussic acid.

Thus prepared sweet cassava is a thoroughly wholesome

article of food, as the experience of many who eat 16
regularly is sufficient’ to prove.

One other word of warning is necessary. Profes-
sor Carmody has indicated that alth ough all the prussic
acid origin: ally present in the root may be got rid of, it
is possible that a small further quantity may be formed
later by changes dependent on the addition of water.
Cassava sine has been cooked and then kept for some
time may still be a dangerous substance, and should
not be eaten. The rules to be followed in preparing
and eating sweet cassava are thus:—(1) Serape the
root. (2) Cook it well, so as to heat it throughout.
(3) Eat cassava only after it has been freshly cooked.

6 THE

EDITORIAL NOTICES.

Letters and matter for publication, as well as all speciinens
for naming, should be addressed to the ImperR1AL COMMISSIONER
or AGrRicuLTURE, Head Office: Barbados. It is particularly
desired that no letters be addressed to any member of the staff
by mame. Such a course will, entail delay in dealing with
them.

Communications should always be written on one side only
of the paper. It should be understood that mo contributions
or specimens will, in any case, be retuned.

All applications for copies of the ‘* Agricultural News ”

should be addressed to the Local Agents and not to the
Head Oftice. Where no Agents exist subscriptions at the

rate of 4/4 per annum, payable beforehand, will be received

at the Head Office.

Correspondents sending newspapers should be careful to
wish to bring under notice.

mark the paragraphs they

Aor, IE

FRIDAY, APRIL 25,

NOTES AND COMMENTS.

1902. No. J.

Colonial Exhibition at the Royal Exchange.

The Exhibition of Colonial products opened at the
Royal Exchange in London by the Lord Mayor on
March 10, appears to have been an unqualified success.
The West Indies were not largely represented, but the
Impenal Department of Agriculture forwarded speci-
mens of sugar-cane, Vals, sweet, potatos, pigeon peas
and other ‘products which attracted attention. The
following is an extract from the feaflet circulated in
the West Indian Scetion, in charge of Messrs.
Philip & Co :—

‘The main products of the British West Indies are sugar-
log-wood, nutmegs, limes, arrowroot,
riun, bananas, oranges, pine-apples, cocoa-nuts, sweet potatos,
yams, maniot, etc In some of the islands cattle and horses
are profitably reared. Asphalte is obtained from the famous
pitch lake in Trinidad, and gold, diamonds and valuable
timber from British Guiana. he climate of the West [Indies
is the most perfect in the world, and the islands are well

James

cane, cacao, coffee,

worth a visit, especially as a happy way of escaping the
English winter. There are several good lines of steamers,

the Royal Mail Steam Packet Company, leaving Southampton
every alternate Wednesday. Elder Dempster have
several fast steamers, to develop the Fruit trade between
Jamaica and this country, and Messrs. Scrutton, Sons & Co.
and W. Smith & Co, have also cargo steamers trading with
the West Indies.’

Messrs.

ED + a
Toronto Exhibition, 1902.

The desirability of encouraging closer trade rela-
tions between the West Indies and the Dominion of
Canada is recognized on both sides. An excellent
opportunity for bringing the produce of these Colonies
under the notice of our fellow subjects in Canada is
offered by the Great Fair to be opened in the City of

AGRICULTURAL

NEWS.

1902.

Aprin 25,

Toronto on August 26 next. Toronto itself is a city
of 225,000 inhabitants and is the centre of a large
manutacturing district which contains a number of
towns with populations of from five to twenty thousand.

The Imperial Department of Agriculture has
already been in official communication with the several
Governments of the West Indies and furnished particu-
lars of the proposed Exhibition. Messrs. Pickford and
Black are prepared to carry, freight free, to Toronto all
West Indian produce packed and delivered alongside
their steamers, and they further undertake to unpack
such produce and arrange it 1m an attractive manner at
the Exhibition. It is important that all exhibits be
ready to be shipped from British Guiana, Tobago and
Grenada by S.S. ‘Dahomey’ on July 5, and from all

other Colonies (except Jamaica) by the ‘Ocamo’ from
23 to 30 July next. An attractive booklet containing
information respecting the West Indies and their

products will be prepared by this Department for distri-
bution at the Exhibition.

=? ee

A new African Coffee.

The Cottee known as the Highland Coftee of
Sierra Leone was introduced to the West Indies about
six years ago through the instrumentality of the Royal
Gardens, Kew (New Bulletin 1896, p. 189; with plate.)
It is quite distinct from either Arabian or Liberian
Coftee and is admirably suited for cultivation from sea-
level up to an elevation of about 800 feet. The
botanical name ( Coffed ste nophylla) that is narrow-
leaved coffee’ is a good name, as by this character and
its small, dark-purple berries, it is readily distinguished
from all other coffee. ‘Stenophylla’ coffee has no-
where been more successful than under Mr. Hart’s
care at the Royal Botamie Gardens at Trinidad. It has
grown there into tall handsome bushes ten to twelve
feet high, loaded with berries. It is singular that it
has shown a marked tendency to be eross-fertilized by
Liberian coffee, so that in the second or third genera-
tion its original characters have almost entirely disap-
peared. If this coffee is desired to be kept distinct, 16
must therefore be cultivated away from other coffee
plants.

a +

Value in London Market.

As is well known the price of Coffee, just now, is
very low. In some cases it hardly pays the cost of
cultivation. On the other hand there is a continued
demand for good coffee and it may be anticipated that
in the ordinary course of ‘ebb and flow’ of prices a time
will arrive when coffee will again be as remunerative as
cacao and ‘other A sample of ‘Stenophylla’
coffee, grown and cured at the Trinidad Botanic
Gardens, was lately forwarded by this Department to
Messrs. Wilson, Smithett & Co., 39, Mincing Lane,
London, E. C., and they report as follows :—

‘The cotfee roasts evenly and the infusion is good, better
indeed than could be expected from the appearance of the
raw bean, This variety of coffee is not known on the
London muket, but might readily become a marketable

cre } S.

MOU er eNOS alte THE

AGRICULTURAL

|

NEW3s.

product. Owing to the present low price of ‘Santos’ [Brazil
Coftee ] we could not value it, in the present state of the

market, at above 38s to 40s per ewt. in bond.’

Messrs: C. M. & C. Woodhouse of Mincing Lane
also report as follows :—

‘We look favourably upon the sample and see no reason

why the coffee should not finda ready sale. To-day’s value
is about 42s. per ewt.’

Seeds of ‘Stenophylla’ cottee, in moderate quanti-
ties, are probably obtainable at all the Botanic

Institutions, in the West Indies.

—=rnb >

The Production of Cacao in Africa.

A West Indian merchant writes to Te 1
say that ina few years’ time Africa seems likely to
prove a formidable rival to South America and the
West Indies as a producer and exporter of cacao and
those interested in the West Indian possessions of the
United Kingdom and anxious to see the islands more
prosperous will do well to watch how the cultivation of
eacao is being pushed on with satisfactory results
throughout the continent of Africa. This year the
German colony of the Cameroons hopes to ship 3,000
Dags of cacao, to be increased, it 1s estimated, to 10,000
bags in 1906. Our correspondent adds :— Mr. MeClou-
nie, head of the scientific department of British Central
Africa, reports the successful shipment from Kew and
receipt at Lomba of 210 plants, which had been planted
out and were doing well. Lagos is also going in for
cacao, and one of her planters is now travelling in the
West Indies to see how the estates are managed in
Trinidad and Grenada.’ He also says that the little
Portuguese island of St. Thome has greatly increased
its export of cacao in ten years, the shipments i in 1891
being under 4,000 tons, whilst last year very nearly
16,000 tons of cacao were exported.

Times to

EE Ee

Bloom on Grenada Cacao.

Messrs. Cadbury Brothers, the well-known manu-
facturers of cocoa and chocolate, near Birmingham,
haye drawn the attention of this Department to a bloom

that appears on ‘ quite a number of the best brands of

Grenada cacao and is always an indication of superior
quality.” More recently samples of Grenada cacao with
the characteristic bloom referred to were received direct
from Messrs, Cadbury Brothers. A careful examination
revealed the fact that the so-called bloom consisted
almost entirely of mucilage cells and bacteria. It has
gp uaely been produced by checking the fermentation
at a certain point and ‘subjecting the beans to an
aneipiont fermentation before or after the final curing.
Messrs. Cadbury add ‘we cannot say that any mark
invariably has ‘the bloom’ while at certain seasons
“others show a very good bloom.’

OO +O

Disease of Bananas in Egypt.

The Department has been consulted in respect. of

a disease affecting the Chinese banana cultivated in
lower Egypt, especially in the neighbourhood of Alex-
andria, Apparently one cause of the disease is the

presence of Nematode worms de stroying the roots.
Similar worms ( Heterodera) have been eee n to attack

sugar beet: also bananas cultivated at the Botanic
Garden at Berlin: and probably bananas at Fiji (Aveu
Bulletin, 1890, p- 272; 1892 p 48, and 1894, p- 281).

The remedy suggested is the use either of slacked lime,
lime mixed with soot, or lime from gas works. The
application of these substances would be likely to be
beneficial to the plant itself, as well as fatal to the
worms.

Sweet Potatos.
The following note is taken from
Agricultural Reporter of April pie

the Barbados.

The light showers, totalling in one district for the fort-
night 68 parts, have been of some little benefit : although
not enough to water, yet cooling and refreshing to thirsty
plants. To!atos are fortunately plentiful and cheap. People
cannot starve when LOOlb of these nutritious roots can be
obtained for ls. 8/7. It is pleasing to see that the efforts of
the Imperial Department of Agriculture to introduce these
vegetables into England are being sustained. These and the
many other valuable foodstuffs which we produce, now almost
valueless catch crops, would materially swell our exports were
their food value sufticiently known and appreciated. At

present even our little potato trade with Trinidad and
Demerara has been stopped by the smallpox scare. [t is the
office of the Lmperial Department of Agriculture to take

these minor products in hand, to encourage
their growth, to popularize and to market them.

and improve
a
The success

of the Department means much to the West Indies. Under
fostering care Minor will grow to Major, and the danger of
the eggs in the one basket system be at least lessened. The

Department’s work is good, and when the initial task is

complete, and the foundation laid, its result will be more
manifest. At all events the West Indian agriculturist now
thoroughly understands that agriculture, the world over,

depends necessarily for success not on one but many produets.

<<a > _—_—_

Jack-in-the-Box Tree.

In some of the Islands of the West Indies, oceurs
but by no means commonly, a tree known locally as
‘ Jack-in-the-box,’ a name ‘probably derived from its
curious fruit. The botanical name of the plant, Hernai-
dia sonora, commemorates Francisco Hernandez, physi-
cian to Philip IL of Spain, and a writer on natural
history, who travelled in the West Indies in the
sixteenth century. ‘Jack-in-the-box’ is not a native
of the West Indies, but of the East Indies and the
Pacific Islands. According to the Treasury of Botany:
‘The bark, seed and young leaves are slightly purgative.
The juice of the leaves is a powerful depilator; y, destroy-
ing hair, wherever applied, without pain. Recently
inquiry from the U nited States, has been made at the
St. Vincent Botanic Station, concerning this plant, and
the Curator has furnished ten pounds by weight of the
fresh leaves for experiment purposes. A report on the
value of these leaves will be awaited with interest. It
would be of advantage to learn whether this plant 1s
used for remoying hair or for any other purposes in
these Colonies.

8 THE

AGRICULTURAL

NEWS. Aprin 25, 1902.

WEST INDIAN FISHERIES.

The Tarpon.

One of the best of game fishes in the tropics is the
Tarpon. Although not much has been written on the
occurrence of this fish in West Indian waters it 1s
important for winter visitors to know that tarpon fish-
ing, as good as that in Florida, could be had here by
those who are keen on the subject.

It is not proposed, at present, to do more than
mention the tarpon as a West Indian fish and suggest
to those, who are in a position to do so, to communicate
the results of their own experience for publication in
these columns.

The following interesting particulars have been
received from the Hon. Louis J. Bertram, Auditor-
General of Jamaica, formerly Auditor of the Windward
Islands :-—

“T understand you want to know something about

Tarpon. This magnificent fish is found all over the West
Indies under the following names ‘Kuffum’ in Demerara,
‘Grande Eeaille’ in Grenada and the French Islands and

Tarpon elsewhere. We in Jamaica have landed them with
the rod up to 85 pounds, but much bigger ones have been
: a : j :
caught in nets. They are found in the sea, in creeks, in
rivers and in salt ponds. Levera Pond, Grenada, is full of

them and also Lake Antoine. It would be interesting to
prove the latter statement as it seems a mystery how they

could ever have found their way into that extinct crater.
Their bony scales make it extremely difficult to gaff them,
the safest place being in the gill. I landed one for Captain
Montgomerie that way the other day, also the 85 pounder
previously mentioned. We have caught them with white-
bait, grey mullet, fly and prawn. By the way, I forgot to
mention that you have lots of them in Barbados. The
favourite food of the Tarpon is certainly whitebait, and it was
a lovely sight to see them taking the handfuls that we threw
them from the stern gallery of H.M.S. “Charybdis.” Any
further information you may desire I shall be very happy to
give you.

Advantages of Budded or Grafted Orange Trees

The budded or grafted orange
trees of approved merit in the place of seedlings are shown
in many ways, such as the early fruiting of the tree ; its
freedom from thorns; ease with which the tree can be
pruned ; the improved quality of the fruit, especially as
regards a smaller proportion of rag and absence of seeds ; the
regular bearing of the trees ; uniformity of shape and grade,
ete.: whereas in the case of szedling trees, though they often
produce fruit of high flavour and especial merit, they are
usually very thorny ; slow to come into bearing ; irregular
bearers, carrying a heavy crop one year and a small crop the
next, and the fruit possesses numerous seeds and is full of
rag, as well as being uneven in grade and shape. Inferior
seedlings are not worth propagating, as the fruits are usually
of poor flavour, have a heavy skin, and are full of rag and
seeds : in brief, they are not worth cultivating, as they cannot
compete in the open market against better varieties.

(Queensland Agricultural Journal.)

advantages of growing

SCREW WORM AT ST. LUCIA.

An inseet pest of some importance is now at work

in St. Lucia among cattle ‘and domestic animals.
This is the fly known as the ‘Screw Worm,’ the mag-
got of which infests cuts, bruises, ete. on living

animals, sometimes causing their death. The insect is
known to range through South America northwards as
far as Canada, though but few of the West Indian
Islands appear to suffer from it. Trinidad and St.
Vincent are known localities for the fly and St. Lucia
is now suffermg from a somewhat serious outbreak.
Probably the attacks in St. Lucia will lessen if care is
taken to check the increase on living animals, by
dressing all wounds and exposed spots on cattle with
antiseptic and strong smelling dressings. Every stock
owner in the West Indies should know of the presence
of this pest which may possibly extend its ravages to
neighbouring islands, ‘and it will be well to bear this
disease in mind and be able to treat it. A summary of
what is known of the insect and its habits in St. Lucia
has been published as Pamphlet No. 14 of the Depart-
ment Series. This can be obtained from the local agents
of the Department, a list of whom is given on the last
page of this paper. This information ill prove useful to
all who are interested in cattle and domestic animals in
these islands. The pest need not be feared if its attack
is recognised and the simple precautions found useful

in St. Lucia and elsewhere are adopted in good time

AGRICULTURE IN BRITISH HONDURAS.

The new Colonial Secretary (Mr. P. C. Cork, former-
ly of Jamaica) has, already, shown a deep interest in
agricultural matters in British Honduras. Recently Be
a meeting, with the Governor in the chair, he read :
paper entitled “Hints on Agricultural Heqelonmianad
containing useful information in regard to the culti-
vation of cacao and coffee, pine-apple and other plants.
He also touched on drainage, the selection of seed,
gathering and packing fruit and labour saving apph-
ances. Mr Cork concluded as follows :—

‘T find a very general impression here that agriculture
does not pay. It certainly will not pay unless the agricul-
turist knows his business and does it. In other tropical
colonies I have seen hundreds of thousands of people living
solely by the cultivation of the soil. I have seen profits of
from $50 to $100 per annum per acre made out of bananas
and equal amounts made from cacao. I have sugar
estates, a few hundred acres in extent, yield net profits of
$25,000 in one year. But I have also seen failures: and I
have no hesitation in saying that failures are in most cases
due to the man who grew the crop and not the crop itself.
The man who goes blindly to work suffers the calamities
which overtake the blind, and he who has -not energy and
perseverance must not expect to reap the rewards of industry.
If we can, as the result of this meeting, form a society for
mutual assistance and instruction, and if we can set our
people’s minds to work, we will create enthusiasm and enthu-
siasm will prompt men to greater exertion resultmg im
increased prosperity to the community.’

seell

Von. No. I. THE
THE CACAO BEETLE. *
This insect is familiar to cacao planters of Grenada
and Trinidad, as one of the most serious pests of

the cacao tree in those islands. Its habits and
methods of attack were observed by Dr. Morris in
Grenada and recorded in the New Bulletin for 1891,
p. 148. The beetle is of a moderate size, black with
white markings, having the long jointed antennae
that Brnracierice the longicorn family of beetles. Most
of the beetles of this family are wood borers, a large
number of species being found in the West Indies as in
other tropical places.

Cacao BEETLE AND Grup.
3oth natural size.

The habits of this beetle are similar to those of its
allies. The female is easily recognised as being larger
than the male, and lays its eggs on the bark. The grubs
that hatch eat into the bark and later tunnel in the
hard wood, growing finally to a considerable size and
making a correspondingly’ large tunnel. This they fill

with duet and refuse, and in old trees the presence of

this dust on the bark is a sign of the presence of the
grub in the tree. When this is seen, the grub should
be killed. If it is near the surface it Brould be carefully
cut owt, and the hole tarred over; when it les deeper
a piece of stout wire may be used to extract it.

Should the grub be neglected, it will presently
attain its full size and transform to the chrysalis imside
its tunnel. This is the usual resting stage, when the
body of the beetle 1s gradually built. up From the mate-
rials stored up by the grub, and finally the perfect insect

merges. This, ike many other beetles, is most active
es night, flying strongly, and in the early morning the
bee tles may be found ina sluggish condition on the
branches of the cacao trees. W hen they are plentiful
they should be collected at this time. At Grenada,
gangs of children do this work and the beetles are
gathered, placed in a kerosene tin and killed by the
application of a little kerosene,

The insect is recorded from Venezuela, Colombia,
Surimam, British Guiana, Trimidad, Grenada, and
Guadeloupe. Probably it occurs in other localities and
cacao planters throughout the West Indies will do well
to bear it in mind and check its attack as soon as it 1s
observed.

* Steirastoma depressum. L.

AGRICULTURAL

NEWS. 9

GRAPE CULTIVATION IN JAMAICA.

The following observations on grape cultivation
are taken from the Annual Report for 1901, of the
Hon. W. Fawcett, B.Se.. F.L.S. Direetor of Public Gardens
and Plantations, Jamaica :—

EXPERIMENTAL CULTURE.
Grape vines were cultivated for a few years at Hope on
a fairly large scale for the purpose of obtaining definite infor-
mation on certain points of importance. The questions
to which answers were required were stated in the Annual
Report for 1897, as follows :—
(1.) Which are the best varieties ?
(a) the heaviest cropper ?
(4) the finest looking grape ?
(c) the best traveller ?

(2.) The best methods of training,
fences or otherwise.

(3.) The best method of root cultivation.

(4.) The best method of pruning.

whether on arbours,

The results obtained by Mr. Cradwick are as follows :-—

(1.) (a) The heaviest cropper is what was provisionally
called the ‘Hope Wonder’ which is the. common
black grape of the Savannahs, called in England
Barbarossa,

The Muscat of Alexandria, and Liguanea are also
very heavy croppers, but except at Shaftston have
not been ripened satisfactorily.

(>) Barbarossa is, on account of its rich bloom and
very large berries and bunches, the handsomest of
all the varieties tried.

(c) Not having yet exported grapes we have not
been able to ascertain which travel the best.

(2.) The arbour system is much the best ; the vines in
Jamaica cannot be restricted, and the great point in
favour of the arbour system is that the bunches
hang below the leaves, twigs and branches, and do
not get rubbed by them when the breeze blows.
With the other systems it is impossible to keep the
leaves and twigs from rubbing the bloom off the
bunches which of course irretrievably spoils their
appearance.

The best method of root cultivation has proved a
wide question. On dry gravelly places like Hope,
subjected to dry winds, the roots should be kept as
far below the surrounding level as possible. On
badly drained lands the raised beds answer much
better. Perfect drainage is the one thing that
grape vines must have. On the dry deep red_ soil
of the Savannahs little need be done, except to
give as much water as possible, and mulch heavily,
so as to keep the roots moist. Cow manure may be
applied on any soil in unlimited quantities, its
great value as a holder of moisture being quite as
much in its favour as its manurial qualities. It
has been found absolutely necessary to provide
ample root space as the vine in Jamaica must be
continually extended or it loses its vitality and
becomes unfruitful.

=
ey)
—

The spur system, with such modifications as have
been found necessary by experience to suit the
different. varieties, is the best. For instance with
Barbarossa, (a rampant grower) many of the growths

(4.)

are so strong that to attempt to prune them
back to the orthodox two eyes would
simply ruin them ; in seme cases they have been
left as long as 10 to 12 joints. Other growths can be
cut back to one eye, even in some cases removed
altogether. The same applies to Muscat. Then again
the pruning is largely dependent on the state of the
vine : if the resting season has been prolonged and
dry, the vines can be pruned much closer than after
a resting season which has not been as favourable.
Some varieties seem to rest more completely under
similar conditions than others, for instance, Alicante
and Black Hamburgh. The Muscat and Barbarossa
are nearly always growing slightly, but yet are the
greatest croppers of all.

one or

VIRGIN ISLANDS

Agricultural Efforts.

The Virgin Islands and their have
hitherto received but little attention as compared with
other portions of the West Indies. In 1899 a grant
was made in their behalf by Parliament. As a_ result
the Imperial Department of Agriculture directed its
efforts to provide an Experiment Station and a centre
of distribution for economic plants with a practical
Avriculturist in charge.

The Station was started in November 1900 at the
“Lower Estate” situated in a valley near to Road
own, in Tortola, and within a few minutes walk of the
Janding place. The property consisting of 165 acres,
was purchased by the Imperial Department of Agricul-
ture and anarea of about 20 acres, adjomime the old

resources

sugar works, was set apart for experiment plots,
nurseries &e. The remainder of the land was let to

the former tenants of the Estate on special terms.
The soil in some parts is fairly good and a moderate
water supply is available, but only in the lower part of
the estate.

The work during 1901 consisted of clearing the
jand and preparing the experiment plots. Attention
was also given to planting wind-belts, deepening the
water course which passes through the Station, con-
structing roads and drains and other work of this
character. A nursery was also started and at the close
of December 1901 it contamed upwards of 200,000
fimes and other economic plants,

A house for the Agricultural Instructor has siice
been provided and a small Chatanooga sugar-rill
with an evaporator erected: the latter, with the
object of crushing the tenants’ canes and enabling them
to maintain themselves while establishing their lands
in other and more permanent crops.

In order to improve the breed of ponies and small
stock im the Presidency, a pony stallion and several
sheep and fowls have been introduced by the Imperial
Department of Agriculture. These are kept at the
Kxperiment Station where suitable buildings have been
provided for their accommodation.

In addition to the maintenance of the Station, the
Agvricultural Instructor is required to visit the holdings

1p THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS.

Aprin 25, 1902-

of small cultivators throughout the Virgin Islands and
to assist and advise people generally with regard. to-
the best methods of cultivating their lands.

Two courses of Lectures in Agriculture to Teachers
in Elementary Schools were delivered by the Travelling
Superintendent of the Department in September 1900
and November 1901. These were suecesstully carried
out and greatly appreciated.

Two Agricultural Shows have been held at Tortola
in July 1900 and September 1901,

The Experiment Station and all Agricultural
Agencies in the Virgin Islands are supported out of”
the Agricultural Grant-in-Aid. The Imperial Com-
missioner of Agriculture and the Travelling Superin-
tendent regularly visit this remote dependency and
every eftort is being made with the aid of the Commis-
sioner, (Dr. Cookman) to assist the people to extend
the cultivation of remunerative crops. Recently Mr.
W.C. Fishlock, formerly of the Royal Gardens, Kew,
has been appointed Agricultural Instructor of the
Virgin Islands, and it is anticipated that the Experi-
ment Station and other efforts will thus be strengthened
and tmnproved,

BOTANIC STATION TOBAGO.

This Station was started in June 1899 at Dealtair,
a valley situated opposite the landing place at Scar-
borough. The site was selected m 1898 by the
Imperial Commissioner of Aoriculture and the Snper-
intendent of the Royal Botanie Gardens of Trinidad.
The soil is fairly good and there is a regular supply of
water from a small spring’on the land. The first vear’s
work consisted of clearing and preparing the land,
making roads, paths and drains and starting a nursery.
The latter in 1899 contained 1600 economic plants. In
1899 and 1900 the laying out of the Station was
greatly advanced. In the latter year the nursery was
increased to 7,500 economic plants, of which 2,157
were sold, bringing in an income of £15. 7.3. A large
number of cacao and other plants were distributed tree
to settlers on Crown lands and others. Latterly, a
house for the Curator, an office and a shelter for visit-
ors have been provided. Also a new entrance render-
ing the Garden accessible from the landing place.

Attached to the Station is a travelling Agricul-
tural Instructor whose chief duty it visit. the
holdings on Crown lands and advise and assist the
settlers, About 500 acres are estimated to be now in
course of being planted, by settlers, in cacao trees.
The Agricultural Instructor also assists generally in
promoting planting industries in the island.

is to

The Station is mainly supported from the funds of
the Imperial Department of Agriculture, but the grant,
is supplemented, to some extent, by the Government of
Trinidad. The Curator and Agricultural Instructor
are departmentally under the Superintendent of the
Royal Botanic Gardens at Trinidad. The Station is
occasionally visited and inspected by the Imperial
Cominissioner of Agriculture,

THE

EDUCATIONAL

Barbados.

The following reports on the result of the Exami-
nations in Natural Science and Agriculture, held in
December last, at Harrison College have just been
published. The satisfactory character of these reports
is admitted, to be largely due, to the assistance given
by the Imperial Department of Agriculture in provid-
ing a Lecturer in Agriculture to the Science Depart-
ment at Harrison College. It is, however, very
gratifying to learn that Professor d’Albuquerque and
his colleagues, according to the Cambridge Examiner,
are now “supplying a training of the highest value in
Agricultural Science.”

To the Secretary of the Local Examinations aud Lectures Syidi-
cate of the University of Combridge.

Stir,
IT beg to present to you a report of my recent examination
of the Harrison College, Barbados, in several branches of

Natural Science.

A paper on Practical Chemistry was set to each of two
divisions. In the case of the Upper Division the work consisted
of fairly advanced Qualitative and Volumetric Analysis ; and in
the case of the Lower, of Elementary Qualitative Analysis. 1
was pleased to find that these subjects had been most carefully
and efficiently taught. The methods used, the results obtained,
and the system and style of the written description of the work,
were alike excellent in almost every case. IT am convinced that
the subject has been so taught as not only to make the candi-
dates accurate analysts, but also to impart a sound knowledge
of the scientific principles underlying the methods employed in
the laboratory.

The Theoretical Paper on Agricultural Chemistry was again
well done, and marks obtained were uniformly high.

The answers to the paper on Agricultural Botany showed
that this subject had been as efficiently taught and as intelli-
gently studied as that of Chemistry. Almost all the questions
were well done.

The least satisfactory work submitted to me was in
Agricultural Physiology and Entomology. The highest mark
obtained was 79 per cent., a very creditable total to which
several candidates approximated. But marks as low as 16 and
27 were awarded, and five of the papers failed to secure ‘half
marks.’ One cannot therefore bestow upon the work in this
department the same unqualified praise which that in the other
subjects so well merited. T should mention that through a
nnisunderstanding [ omitted to set a paper of questions in. this
subject, thinking it to have been included amongst the more
technical subjects the examination of which was entrusted to
another examiner. Such a paper was however set in Barbados
by the Professor of Chemistry, and the answers were looked
over and marked by inyself.

The college is certainly to be congratulated upon the
results of the Examination ; it would seem to have been making
rapid progress in standards and efficiency, and in supplying 2
traiming of the highest value in Agricultural Science.

I have the honour to be, Six,
Your obedient Servant,
(Signed) F. R. TENNANT, M.A.,
Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge.
12 February, 1902.

GENERAL REPORT.

Di

Beamination iin Agriculture held at Harrison

College,
Barbados, December 1901.

The five candidates have all passed, obtaining from 54 to

AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 1}

68 per cent. of the total marks obtainable. A very uniform
standard was maintained throughout. The Paper on ‘Prinei-
ples of Agriculture’ was well done, showing that the subject
had been carefully taught and an intelligent grasp of the subject
had been obtained. Twas disappointed in the local and tropi-
cal information sent in, and think more attention should be
given to tropical conditions in studying this subject. The
Technical Tropical Agriculture was fairly done, but I expected
greater detailed knowledge. Perhaps it would be well to
supplement the text books available by a little move up-to-date
technical information. In ‘Tropical Agriculture’ the Yam and
Cocoa were well handled, but the information on Bananas and
Pines was almost valueless. IT would suggest the inclusion of
papers in the Agricultural Journals of the West Indies as a
desirable addition to the standam text book in this subjeet.
The Practical Chemistry was well done throughout in method.
Two students attained a good standard of accuracy in the results.
On the whole, the results are very gratifying as proving the
possibilities of Agricultural Edueation in the West Indies.
HERBERT H. COUSINS, M.A., F.C.S.,

Examiner.
January 14 1902.

British Guiana.

Tne Inspector of Schools has issued in a separate
form an Essay written by Mr. T. Bruce James at an
Exanunation in Agricultural Science held at Queen’s
College, Georgetown, in January last.

After referring to the educational value of scienti-
fic teaching in developing the faculty of observation, in
training the reasoning faculty, in mducing the habit

_of attention to details, and in awakening a spirit of

inquiry the writer passes on to the practical effects of
teaching Agricultural Science to children as follows : —

Agricultural study im school introduces children to the
cultivation of the soilin a pleasant manner, and is likely to
leave the two happily associated when childhood has passed into
manhood and the stern realities of life have to be faced. Tt is,
therefore, calculated to produce in the rising generation an
improved disposition towards Agricultural pursuits, and a wise
determination to make the fullest use of the advantages with
which benign Nature surrounds them. And when they have
turned to farming, the primeiples they had learnt in childhood,
and which they will now be able to apply to practical agricul-
ture, may save them from serious errors which those who
preceded them imay have made in consequence of lack of
knowledge. Knowing that in Agriculture as in other branches
of human industry there isa cause for everything, they will
probably put more brains into their work than would otherwise
have been given to it; while the rich legacy of knowledge
which will be theirs to enjoy, will put them on vantage ground.
for the proper treatment of the soil and of their crops, enabling
them not only to ameliorate present conditions, but to hand
down to posterity possibilities of wealth that may lead to such
an era of prosperity as the most optimistic dreamer had not
ventured to anticipate.

Trinidad.

The following interesting remarks, on the need of
agricultural education, are taken from Little Folks?
Trinidad, a short descriptive historical and geographi-
cal account of the island compiled for use in the schools
of the Colony (Port-of-Spain; Davidson and Todd,
1901) :—

: Since

the material prosperity of the people mainly

2 THE

depends on the produce of the soil, how saddening it is

to see that agriculture is still in a backward-state. It is
true that cultivation is daily extending more and more, but

it is painful to see that the average planter is not a bit wiser
than his great grandfather was, and is still ignorant of the
simplest laws of husbandry. The sugar planters and the
owners of large cacao estates pay attention to improved
methods in tillage, and invoke the aid of science to their
assistance ; but the peasant proprictors usually cultivate
their holdings with the greatest disregard to the most palpa-
ble teachings of agricultural science, and for the most part
solely depend on nature for the growthand improvement
of their products.

With a view to instruct the people in the elements of
scientific husbandry, the Government has introduced the
subject of agriculture into the public schools of the island.
This is, indeed, the wisest step which could have been taken
towards the welfare of the inhabitants of Trinidad, and to
ensure the solid progress of this fine Colony. It is to be hoped
that the rising generation, in whose interest this has been
done, will take advantage of the great boon.

Ignorance of the noble science of agriculture has hitherto
created an aversion for the dignified occupation of the
husbandman. Let us hope, then, that as this interesting science
becomes better known, the people will learn to regard agricul-
ture as the most manly profession they can possibly follow.’

MOSQUITOES AND MALARIA.
The following extract is taken from Circular No.
25, issued by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Ceylon =

‘To Laveran (a distinguished French physician) is given
the credit of having first tiene od the miero-organism in
the blood of persons suffering from malaria. Manson, an
English doctor famous for his studies im tropical disease,
definitely formulated the theory suggesting the relation in
which the mosquito might stand towards malaria. Major
Ross of the Indian Medical Service, demonstrated the correct-
ness of the theory, which has since been corroborated and
amplified by Italian scientists, notably by Celli,
Grassi, Bignami, and Ficalbi.

It would be difficult to name any biological discovery
that has been worked out more carefully and patiently to its
The development of this microscopic blood
parasite has been traced,—stage by stage,—first in the blood
of man, then through the stomach and tissues of the mos
quito, till it reaches such a position that it must inevitably
enter the human system when next the mosquito
draught of human blood.

several

conclusion.

takes its

Negative proof of the correctness of the mos-juito theory
of infection is afforded by the fact that Doctors Sambon and
Low lived a whole summer in the deadliest part of the
Roman Campagna, escaping infection by retiring each night
into a mosquito-proof hut.

Celli made practical experiments on railroad employés
in Italy. A certain number of these were protected by the use
of mosquito-proof dwellings, and almost completely avoided
the fever which attacked a large majority of the unprotected
men.

Positive proof has been provided by the well-known case
of the deliberate infection of Dr. Manson’s son, who permit
ted himself to be bitten, in England, by infected mosquitoes

AGRICULTURAL

NEWS.

Apri, 25, 1902.

specially imported from the malarious districts near Rome ;

with the result that an attack of the typical form of Roman
fever was induced thereby.

DEPARTMENT NEWS.

Mr. W. C. Fishlock has been appointed by the
Secretary-of- State, on the recommendation of the
Imperial Commissioner of Agriculture for the West
Indies, Agricultural Instructor for the Virgin Islands,
to date from April 1, 1902. Mx. Fishlock was trained
at the Royal genie Kew, and latterly has been
attached to the Gardens at Kensington Palace. Before
proceeding to the Virgin Islands, Mr. Fishlock is
spending a short time at Fi Nresten in studying tropical
pl mting as carried on in that island.

Mr. Francis Watts has lately been engaged, with

Mr. Lunt, in 8 off the canes and analysing the
juice from the Experiment sugar-cane plots in the
island of St. Kitts. The results, which will require

some time to work out, will be published in the yearly
report to appear im the autumn of this year. Mr.
Watts’ last report published in two parts was regarded
as a very valuable document. A summary of it
appeared in Pamphlet No, 12 of the Department
Series: Seedling and other canes in the Leeward
Tslands 1900-1901.

It is not improbable, though not yet definitely
settled, that the next West Indian Agricultural
Conference, in January 1903, will assemble at Trinidad.
This Colony is, just now, the most prosperous of any
in the West Indies and it offers spec ‘ial features of
interest to scientific and technical visitors. Sir Alfred
Moloney, the Governor, who has for many years taken a
deep practical interest in agricultural developme ni, tes
left his mark m every Colony he has administered,
prepared to offer a hearty welcome to the members of
the Conference and to assist in the arrangements.
Altogether a Conference at Trimidad should be thor-
oughly successful and tend to advance the general
interest of scientific agriculture in the West Indies.

BATS IN HOUSES AND CHURCHES.

The following note by the Rev. Canon Ellacombe
is contributed to The Country, tor March, 1902:

‘In many country houses, and in many churches, bats are
an offensive nuisance, and it is not easy to get rid of them.
But they can be cleared out of any house or Church by
following a very simple plan grounded ona knowledge of
their natural habits. If there are bats in a church, open the
doors on a fine summer evening about dark ; the bats will go
out hawking for insects. In half an hour's time close the

doors. Most of the bats will still be outside and unable to
get in. Repeat this on other evenings, and little by little
the bats will be fewer and fewer, and will find roosting-

places elsewhere.’

Worse Novas

THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 13

RECENT REPORTS.

Jamaica. Annual Report of the Public Gardens and
Plantations, 1900-1901. By W. Fawcett, BSc. PLS.
Director.

This Report contains valuable notes on cultivated plants.
The Banana industry_is steadily increasing. The exports for
the year ending 31st March 1901 were over eight million
hunches, of the value of £618,636. Experiments at Hope
({ardens show that the Navel Orange, on rough lemon or sour
orange stock, and the Grape fruit are suited to the dry hot
plains of Jamaica. About 70,000 plants and seeds of cacao
were distributed. Tho Guango tree (Pithecolobium Saman)
is recommended as a good shade-tree for coffee in the plains.
Nutmegs are being grafted and 70 plants were established
during 1901. Rice seed of various varieties was obtained
from Caleutta. About three and a half acres contammg 62
varieties of sugar canes were maintained. Cane D. 95 is
regarded as very promising. Mr. Faweett reports that there
isa general awakening to the behef that Sugar should again
be made a staple crop in Jamaica. There is a large demand
for new eanes and 15,617 plants were distributed m 1901.
An experiment with tobacco was tried with 27 acres on a
heavy soil and 1} ona light soil. The services of a Cuban
tobacco planter were engaged to cure the crop. The practi-
cal instruction to pupil apprentices, to boys at the Hope
Industrial School, to teachers in Elementary Schools and
students at the Training Colleges was continued on extended
lines. Much good is being done by these means. Altogether
Mr. Fawcett shows in this report an excellent record of use-
fulness and Jamaica owes a great deal to the admirable
Department under his charge.

Barbados: Report of the Agricultural work for 1898-
1901 carried on under the direction of the Imperial Depart-
ment of Agriculture by Professor J. P. LT Albuquerque, M.A.,
FIC. F.C.S. and Mr. J. R. Bovell, F.CS., FLAS. 1901.

This is a bulky volume of 178 pages entirely devoted to
an account of the raising of new seedling canes, in testing
these and other canes under estate conditions and in careful
research into the effects of artificial and other manures. Also
in estimating the value of certain leguminous crops as animal
fodder and green dressings.

The information contained in this report has already
been summarised in Pamphlet No. 3, Cultivation of Seedling
and other Canes at Barbados, 1900 and in the West
Indian Bulletin, Vol. ii, pp. 23-26. Also in Pamphlet No
10, Experiments with Manures and Leguminous plants at
Barbados 1898-1901,

The manurial experiments were carried on at Dodds
Reformatory (St. Philip), at Belle estate (St. Michael), and
Hopewell estate (St. Thomas). The Experiments with seed-
lings and other canes were made at local Stations in the parish-
es of St. Michael, St. Philip, Christ Church, St. John, St
Joseph, and St. Lucy. The Experiments with Leguminous
plants were carried on at Waterford estate (St. Michael).

The land required for these Experiments, containing in
the aggregate 80 acres, was placed at the disposal of the
Imperial Department of Agriculture by the planters, free of
cost, and the cultivation was carried on, in each case, under
norial estate conditions,

It is impossible after a careful perusal of this Report to
fail to appreciate the valuable services rendered by the inde-
fatigable labours of Messrs. d’Albuquerque and Bovell. Both

these eminent investigators have devoted many years in the
endeavour to assist the sugar planters in Barbados and it is
confidently anticipated that these, as well as the further
experiments now in hand, will prove of permanent benefit to
the sugar cane industry.

WORKS OF REFERENCE.

The Butterfly Book by Dr. W. J. Holland. (New York,
Doubleday, Page & Co. 12s. Gd. net.)

Dr. Holland is to be congratulated upon having brought
out this beautiful book on the butterflies of North America,
thereby placing this part of the insect world within the reach
of every one interested m Natural History.

There are few books on insects which appeal to the
unscientifie reader, without bewildering him with technical-
ities or lengthy latin names, but we certainly place this
among the foremost as a book that everyone can pick up and
enjoy. A notable feature of the book is the numerous
coloured plates, which are exact photographic reproductions
of the appearance of the insects, unmarred by the idiosynera-
sies of the artist.

There need be no difficulty in recognizing the numerous
butterflies common to the Southern States and the West
Indies, and the book may serve equally as a help to the
collector and a genuinely interesting account of this popular
order of insects. The book should find a place in pubhe
libraries throughout these islands, both as a reference book
for those in search of information and as a book likely to
encourage a love for nature and a taste for the beautiful.
Were there space we would quote some of the delightful
sketches and poems that close the chapters ; but we must
rest content with commending this book to the notice of
the reading public generally.

The Insect Book by Dr. L. O. Howard. (New
Doubleday, Page & Co. 12s. Gd. net.)

York,

This book is a companion volume of the preceding, anc
forms the second of a series of four which are designed to deal
popularly with the insect world as found in the United
States. Dr. Howard discusses the insects not included in
butterflies, moths and beetles ; he takes the reader through
those little known and difticult groups of insects including
the bees, wasps and ants, the flies, the bugs, the dragonflies
and all the miscellaneous orders of insects which bewilder the
student of entomology. With each group are plates, plain
and coloured, forming accurate photographic representations
of a large number of msects, comprising many West Indian
species found also in the Southern States.

The subject is treated with a simplicity that makes the
hook read more like a novel than a scientific account of so
many complex groups of insects. The curious habits and
customs of the insects, their manner of providing for their
young, their ever varying and beautiful instinets, all are here
diseussed in plain language such as all can understand. For
the student as for the unscientific reader, the book is one to
be kept for reference and for enjoyment ; what has been said
of Dr. Holland’s ‘Butterfly Book’ applies equally to this, and
we hope the high standard of these two volumes may be
maintained in the ‘Moth Book’ and the ‘Beetle Book’ which
are needed to complete the series.

There are few books dealing popularly with the insect
world and none combine in a better form simplicity, interesf,

14 THE

AGRICULTURAL

NEWS. Apri 25, 1902.

and thoroughly up-to-date knowledge. These are the only
books that give in a concise and readable form reliable
information concerning the insects of these islands ; and for
this reason, as muchas for their excellence, we commend
them to the general reader in the West Indies.

CACAO DISEASE IN SURINAM.
The following Proclamation, dated April 5, 1902,

has been issued at St. Lucia against the importation of
cacao seeds or plants from Surinam and other parts of

South America :—

“Whereas it has been represented to me by the Inperial
Department of Agriculture for the West Indies that a fungoid
disease known as the ‘ WITCH BROOM,’ is a serious enemy
to Cacao plantations and it is important that the disease
should be kept out of all the Cacao-growing areas in the
West Indies. .

And whereas the said disease has lately appeared in
Surinam and is believed to be gradually spreading over
Cacao cultivated areas on the Continent of South America.

Now, Tuererore, [., Harry LANGHorNré THompson,
Knight Commander of the Most Distinguished Order of Saint
Michael and St. George, Administrator of the Government of
the [sland of St. Lucia, in virtue of the power and authority
in me vested by the Plant Protection Ordinance, 1895, do
hereby prohibit, from the date hereof and until further
notice, the importation into this Colony, directly or indirectly
from the Continent of South America, East and South of
the Isthmus of Panama, of any Cacao plants or parts or
portions whatever of a Cacao tree.’

Similar Proclamations are
Colonies.

being issued in other

HAND-BOOKS TO THE WEST INDIES.

The following Hand-books afford interesting information
of a descriptive, statistical and general character respecting
the West Indies. They also contain particulars respecting
the imports and exports and the agricultural resources of the
Colonies enumerated :—

Hanp-Book or Jamaica FoR 1902, comprising Histori-
cal, Statistical and General Information concerning the Island.

T'wenty-second year of publication. London : Edward Stanford,
26 and 27 Cockspur Street. Jamaica: Government Printing

Office, Kingston.
Brrrisn GuiANA Direcrory anp AtmManack for 1901.
Georgetown, Demerara: C. K. Jardine.

Topaco YEAR

TRINIDAD AND Book, 1902. Thirty-seventh
year of issue. Compiled by James Henry Collens. —Port-of-
Spain: Muir, Marshall & Co.

AND GENERAL CoMMERCIAL DIREC-
Port-of-Spain : Mole Brothers.

Toe Mirror ALMANACK
TORY OF TRINTDAD AND ToBaco.

Tue Grexapva Hanp-sook, DirecrorRy AND ALMANACK FOR
vHE YEAR 1902. Compiled by the Colonial Secretary. London ;
Sampson Low, Marston & Co., Ltd.

Lucia Hanp-sook, Drrecrory, and ALMANAC
Compiled by Everard G. Garraway, Castries, 1902,

Tar Sr.
1902.

FOR

INDIAN GENERAL
Fraser. Bridgetown,

Tar Barsapos Direcrory anp West
Apvertiser, 1901. Compiled by 3. J.
Barbadcs : King & Co;

LiGHTBouRN’s West Ispry DirECTORY
Direcrory. J. N. Lighthbourn, St. Thomas,

Np COMMERCIAL

AGRICULTURAL INSTITUTIONS IN
THE WEST INDIES.

Jamaica Board of Agriculture :
Sydney Olivier, C.M.G.; ican retary :
B.Se. 3 Publication —Occasional Bales

Chairman: The Hon’ble-
R. Buttenshaw, M. A.,

Jamaica Agricultural Society (with thirteen affiliated
Branches). Kingston, Jamaica. President : Sir Augustus W.L.
Hemming, G.C.M.G. Deputy Chairman: Hon’ble Wm. Faw-
cett, B. Se. , F.L.S. Secretary: John Barclay. Publication :
“Journal of the Jamaica Agricultural Society.”

Royal Jamaica Society of Agriculture & Commerce &

Merchants’ Exchange, Kingston, Jamaica. President : Howble
Lieut-Colonel Ward, C.M.G. Secretary: J. L. Ashenheim.
Publication > Annual Report.

The Institute of Jamaica: Kingston, Jamaica. Chairman:

Sir Fielding Clarke. Secretary :
of Museum :———
Jamaica.”

Frank Cundall, F.S.A., Curator
Publications ‘Journal of the Institute of
“Jamaica in 1901.”

Andrew Horticultural Society.
Hon'ble Win. Fawcett, B.Sc.
F.L.S.

Kingston & St.
Jamaica. President :
William Harris,

Kingston,
Secretary z

British Guiana Board of Agriculture, Georgetown, Demera-
ra. Chairman: Hon'ble A.A. Ashmore, C.M. G. Dey Chair-
man: J. B. Harrison, C.M.G., M.A., F.1.C., E.G.S.. GS!
Secretary: Oscar Weber.

British Guiana Royal Agricultural & Commercial Society
Georgetown, Demerara. President : Luke M. Hill, B.A.,
M.1.C.K. Secretary : Thomas Daley. Local Secretary : (Berbice, }
Dr. C. F. Castor. Assistait Secretary and Librarian: J. Rod-
way, F.L.S.. Cirator of Musewm : Richard Evans, M.A., B.Se.,
Publication : * Journal of the Roy: 1 Agriculture and Commer-
cial Society of British Guiana.’’——

Trinidad Agricultural Society, Port-of-Spain, Trinidad.
President: Sir Alfred Moloney, K.C.M.G. Sceretary : Edgar
Tripp. Publication: ‘ Proceedings of the Agricultural Society
of Trinidad.”

Grenada Agricultural Society, St George’s, Grenada. Presi-
dent: Sir Robert B. Llewelyn, K.C.M.G. Secretary: W. E.
Broadway. Publication : Minutes of Meetings.

Barbados General Agricultural Society & Reid School of
Practical Chemistry, Bridgetown, Barbados. President: Sir.
George Cc. Pile, Kt. Necretary : Jeo Poyer. Publication :
** Barbados Agricultural Gazette and Planters’ Journal.”

Lucia— Presi-

St. Lucia Agricultural Society, Castries, St.

dent: Sir H. L. Thompson, kK Cline G Secretary : R. G.
McHugh.
Dominica Agricultural Society, Roseau, Dominica. Pres-
ident: The Hon'ble Hesketh H. Bell. Seeretary: E. A. Agar.
Antigua Agricultural Society. President Secretary :

W. N. Sands.

Kitts-Nevis President : Honouw-

G. Todd.

Agricultural Society,
A Smith.

[Further particulars of Agricuitural and Horticultural
Tustitutions in the West Indies would be gladly received for
this list. Also fixtures for Agricultural Shows for 1902. ]

able FE.

See retary:

Wows dis 38@s Ue

THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 15

LAWN MOWINGS AS MANURE.

The value of dead leaves and other vegetable
matter as a means of increasing the fertility of the soil
has often been insisted on in publications of the
Department. The following extract from the Garden-
ers Chronicle for January 11, 1902, indicates the value
of a too often neglected ‘waste product’ :—

‘A gardener having an accumulation of rotten grass
which had been deposited in a heap when the lawn was
mown, tested its value as manure, and he found it to be a
very strong and efficient fertiliser. Since that he has always
had set aside the mown grass as manure, instead of taking it
to the rubbish heap, as is the custom with many.’

COMMERCIAL.

With the view of assisting in finding a market for the
<lisposal of local produce, arrangements have been made with
the following Agents in these Colonies who will be prepared
to receive consignments and obtain the best prices for them.

It is desirable that inquiry be made, beforehand, as
to the terms on which such produce will be received, and
whether the market is favourable or not.

It is particularly urged that no shipments be made until
an assirance has been received from the Agents themselves
that they are prepared to accept such shipments.

Agents in the West Indies.

BRITISH GUIANA—
B.S. Bayley, Water Street, Georgetown.
TRINIDAD—
J. Russell Murray, Port-of-Spain.
BARBADOS —
T. S. Garraway & Co., Bridgetown.
ST. LUCIA—
Captain H.

Henville, Contractor and Agent, Castries.

MARKET REPORTS.

London, April 1, 1902.—Messrs. J. Hates Carrp & Co.,
and GILLESPIE Bros. & Co.

Ators—Socotrine 80/- per ewt. Cape, 30/- to 36/- per cwt.

Bers Wax—Jamaica, £7. 12. 6. to £8. 0. 0. per ewt.

Cacao—Grenada fair to good 56/- to 60/6 per ewt. Trinidad
65/- to 70/- per cwt.

Carpamons—Mysore 1/2 to 3/- per lb.

CorrekE. Jamaica good ordinary, 36/- to 39/. Fair 60- to
65,-. Costa Rica good to fine 88/- to 105/- per ewt.
Peaberry 103/- to 110/- per ewt.

GriNcerR—Jamaica Bold dark, 40/- per ewt. Fair and clear
45,- to 53/6 per ewt.

Hoxey—Jamaica in barrels 13/6 to 17/- per ewt. In
15,- to 20/- per ewt.

Line Jurce—Raw 1,- to 1/2 per gallon.
per pipe.

Macre—1 4 to 17 per lb.

Nvurmecs— 10d. to 2/- per lb.

Om or Liwes—Dominica distilled 1/- per 1b. Hand pressed
4 4 per Ib.

Pivento—2#d. to 3d. per lb.

Rupper—Para, 2/1 to 3/2 per Ib.
to 2.4 per Tb.

tins

Concentrated £12

Central American 1,8
African 1/11 to 2/9 per Ib.

Sucar-—Crystals, 15/9 to 16/ per ewt.
Muscovado—nominal.
Molasses—nothing doing.

TAMARIND rt.

Locwoop

Fusric—No sales

New York,—March 21, 1902.—Messrs. GintesrPre Bros.

& Co.

Bayanas—Jamaicas, 9 hands $1.05 to $1.10, 8 hands 7dc.
to 80c. per bunch.

Cacao—African 123c. to 13e. Caracas 14$c. to 15je.
Grenada. 12}c. to 124c. Jamaica Ile. to 11 fe.
Trinidad 13hc. to 14j¢. per lb.

Cocos-Nurs—Jamaicas $21.00 per
$14.00 per M.

CorreE—Good ordinary Rio 53c.
@ 68. to Te. per Ib.

Gixcer—Ozdiniry to small medium 7e. to 8c. per Ib.

Pimenro—Good quality 5c. per lb.

Rosper—Nicaragua Scrap 594 to Sle. per Ib.

Gaayayuil Strip 44c. to 48e. per th.

M. Small TViinidads

and fair quality Jamaica

INTER-COLONIAL MARKETS.

Barbados,—April 12, Messrs. T. 5.

Arrowroor—good quality, $2.75 per ewt.
Cacao-—none in market.
CorFEE—Jamaica and Rio $9 to $10.25 per LOOIb.
Hay—$1.30 per 100Ib.
Morasses—8e. per gallon and $4.00 for package.
Ontons—$4.00 per LOOLb.
Poratos—Nova Scotia $1.75 to $2.00. Bermudas $3.50 per
barrel.
Rrce—Ballam $4.50 per bag. Patna $3.75.
Sucar, Muscovado, in hogsheads,—$1.05 per 100]b. and
$5.09 for hogshead
in bags, —$1.25 per 1001b.

Garraway & Co.

British Guiana—March 27,
Richter.

ArrowRroot—$6.50 per barrel.

Cacao—(nominal) Ile. to 12e¢. per lb.

Cassava StarcH—$5.00 per barrel

Cocos-Nuts—$8.00 to $10.00 per M.

CorreE—Rio and Jamaica 12c. to 13e. per Ib.

Eppors—$1.20 per LOOLb.

Oxtons—-Lisbon (retail) 4e. to 5¢ per Ib.

Pra Nurs—American (retail) 4$c. to 5c. per 1b.

Prantarns—24c. to 40c. per bunch.

Poratos Enevisn-—$2.00 to $2.59 per barrel.

Rice—Ballam $4:90, Patna $5.65 per bag.

CREOLE Rice 20c. per gallon, retail.

Sweer Poraros—$1.20 per LOIb.

Tannras—$1.20 per LOOIb.

Yams—$2.00 per LOOIb.

Morasses—First Yellow 17e. per gallon including package.

Sucar—Dark Crystals $1.65 per 1001b. Yellow Crystals
$2.25 to $2.40 per 1001b.

Trwerr—Greenheart 32c. to 40c. per cubic foot.

WaALLABA SHINGLES—$3.00 to $5.00. per M.

Trinidad.

1902. Messrs. Weiting &

March 26, (Messrs. Gorpon, Granr & Co.)
March 27, (Messrs. Rust, Trowpripce & Co.)

Cacao—$13.00 to $14.00 per ewt.

CorreE—-(Venezuelan) 7c. per Ib.

Hay—(scarce) $1.40 per 100Ib. _

Ontons—(retail) 3c. per Ib.

Poratos Encrisn—$1.60 to $1.65 per LOOLD.

Rice—Ballam $4.70. White Table $5.75 per bag.

Morasses—12e. per gallon and $5.00 for package.

Svucar—(for local consumption). Yellow Crystals $2.20 to
$2.40 per 1O0lb.

16 THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS: Aprin 25, 1902-

Publications on sale of the Imperial Department of Agriculture

FOR THE WEST INDIES.

he ‘WEST INDIAN BULLETIN.” A Quarterly Scientific Journal.

Votume [ contains full reports of the West Indian Agricultural Conferences of 1899 and 1900; also papers or
Moth-borer, Sugar-cane experiments, Agricultural education, Cacao diseases, ete.

As only a very limited number of copies of this Volume are now available, the parts can no longer be sold separately.
Volume I complete, in the original paper covers as issued, post free, 5s.

Votume IT contains the report of the Conference of 1901, with the President’s Address, papers onthe Sugar
Industry, General and Educational subjects in full. Amongst the topics treated of are Recent Experiments with Sugar-cane,
Sugar-cane diseases, Rubber planting in the West Indies, West Indian Fisheries, Cacao diseases, Rice, Sweet potatos, Citrate
of Lime, ete. The Volume is illustrated by two coloured plates and other illustrations.

Price in original paper covers as issued, post frea, 2s. 9d.

Votume IIT. Number 1. Agricultural Conference of 1902; President’s Address, Minutes of the proceedings and
papers relating to the Sugar Industry and Agricultural Boards, and the Report of the Chemical Section.

Price 6d. Post free.

Number 2. Conference of 1902 (continued). Educational papers, ete. (In the press).

PAMPHLET SERIES.

The Pamphlets are written ina simple and popular mamer and the information contained in them is especially
adapted to West Indian c.nditions. They contain amongst other subjects, summaries of the results of the experime nt work on
sugar-cane and manures, the full official reports of which have only a limited circulation. The following list gives particulars
of all the pamphlets which are still available. The missing numbers are out of print and can no longer he supplied :

(3.) Seedling and other Canes at Barbados 1900. Price 2d. Post free 24d.

(5.) General Treatment of Insect Pests, 2nd Edition Revised. Price 4d. — Post free 4301.

(6.) Recipes for cooking Sweet Potatos. Price 2. Post free 24d.

(7.) Seale Insects of the Lesser Antilles. Price 4d. Post free 5i/.

(8.) Cultivation of Vegetables in Barbados. Price 2d. Post free 24/7.

(9.) Bee-keeping in the West Indies. Price 4c’. Post free 5d.
(10.) Manures and Leguminous Plants at Barbados, 1898-1901. Price 4¢/. * Post free 5i/.
(11.) Hints for School Gardens. Price 2d. Post free 24.
(12.) Seedling and other Canes in the Leeward Islands, 1900-1901. Price 2d. Post free 2d.
(13.) Seedling and other Canes at Barbados, in 1901. Price 4d. Post free 5i/.

(14.) Screw worm in Cattle at St. Lucia. Price 2d. Post free 24.

‘NATURE TEACHING.’

A text-book based upon the general principles of Agriculture for the use of schools, prepared by the Honourable
Francis Watts and others. (Pages XII to 199) The Plant, the Soil, Plant food and Manures, Weeds, and Insects are sueces-
sively treated, aud the information given is illustrated throughout by simple experiments which can readily be carried out
in an ordinary school. ‘The Book is mainly intended for the use of Teachers. Price, limp cloth 2s. or ina superior style
of binding 2s. 6d. Postage, in either binding, Bhd extra.

The “AGRICULTURAL NEWS” A Fortnightly Review.

The “ AGRICULTURAL NEWS” will contam extracts from ofticial correspondence and from progress and
other reports ; notes on interesting points connected with the work carried on at the Government Laboratories, Botanic
Stations, Experiment Stations, Agricultural Schools, Experiment plots, School plots, Agricultural shows, Lectures to teachers,
ete., the occurrence of disease, the arrival of new plants and animals, the flowering and fruiting of plants of special note, the
appointment, promotion and removal of officers, the weather, and, in fact, any information indicating what is going on in each
Colony and the progress made in Agricultural matters throughout the West Indies.

The “ AGRICULTURAL NEWS” will be printed in’ time to be distributed, regularly, by each mail, and
will be on sale by the local agents of the Department at one penny per number. The subscription price, including postage,

is Is. Id, per quarter, 2s. 2¢. per half-year, or 4s. 4d per annum. The work of distribution is intended to be carried on mainly
by the local agents or through the post.

Agents.

The following have been appointed agents for the sale of the publications of the Department :

London : Messrs. Dunau & C On lait Soho Square, W. Barbados: Messrs. Bowen & Sons, Bridgetown. Jamaica :
Tau Kpucationat Surety Company, 16 King St., Kingston. British Gadana : Mr. C. K. Jarprne, ‘Daily Chronicle * Office,
Georgetown. 7'rinidad : Messrs. Munro, & Co., Frederick St., Port-of-Spain. Grenada: Messrs. FP. Marrast & Co., * The
Stores, St. George. St Vincent: Mr. W. C. D. Prouproor, Kingstown. St. Lucia: Mr. R. G. McHuen, Castries. Dominica -
Messrs. C. F. Duverney & Co., Market St., Roseau. /ontserrat: Mr. W. Leewettyx Watt, Plymouth. Antigua: Mo.
i. Forrest, St. John’s, St, Avtts: Messrs. 8. L. Horsford & Co., Basseterre.

Printed at Office of Agricultural Reporter, 4, High Street, Bridgetown, Barbados.

——<f

NESEY Lee

SN

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OF

: at 2 agen - ye SE, eB

FORTNIGHTLY REVIEW NI

IMPERIAL DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE FOR THE WEST INDIES.

A

Ty

LIBI

THE

iw
J

Vou. I. No. 2 BARBADOS, MAY 10, 1902. Price ld
CONTENTS. ae ; : : ph
of Boards of Agriculture at Jamaica and British
a] el ? wD . . s . .
Pace. Pace. Guiana. The creation of these Boards is an impor-
RAG AICS 96 | Notes ax ! Big COMt ; 4 a , =
Bee Keeping, Jamaica Gee 26 Notes and ( omments :—contd. tant event in the agricultural history of the West
Boards of Agriculture ... 17 Cane Crop in Europe, Produe- : . Ne ey p
Cacao Flower... 25 | tion of Beet Sugar, A New By- Indies. Several valuable organizations, Botanical,

Product of sugar, New Varie-
ties of Bananas, Peppers or
Chili Peppers, Planting
Orange Trees, Cotton Produc-

Central American Rubber
as shade for Cacao
(illustrated) apa poo 4h

Chitin... ... ... «.. «.. 28 | tions in the West Indies,

Department News ... ... 28} Journal Jamaica Agricultural

Departinent Publications... 32 Society, Voleanic ash at Bar-

bados, Agricultural develop-
ment in the Bahamas, Mivor

Industries in Ceylon ... .., 22

Dominica :—
Agricultural Progressat.. 25

Cacao Drier (with dia- Onion Industry in Cuba ... 20

gram Te. ee ond @iiliestsq sca ese) en ee:

StockasWarnien = en eee LON mEOultryaeme sce Meee ices seen eO
Educational :-— Recent Reports :—

Cambridge Local Exami-
nation... noe
Educational efforts in the
West Indies... 27

British Guiana, Botanic
27 Gardensiie-sies ere) cen 29
Louisiana, “Feeding of
Plantation Stock ... 29
Fisheries :— Ceylon, Cacao Canker 29
‘ 3: c , ,» Lace /ATLK CT eee Se
Artificial propagation of — St. Lucia, Agricultural
Sea-Eggs ... ... ..- ae Prettorts eam. sunita 20
mePon em ., 24 Scale Insects on Young
ED ACKING ee esse «<< OU) Plants .. 25
arde DLESPeesmiccss svn 20! fe
end nae $6 | ee
oO eee eee aoe . 0
PRS CRER Cy ee a : The Bird-Lime Tree... 28
20 ar Sle Ss Car © .
ie miss Seed Corn, Saving of ... 26
INCUSErY ees. se0 ea LS) || 7
: = Sugar Cane :—
Market Reports... ... 3 . : “Wz: 3
Experiment at St. Kitts... 18
Moulds 500° 0 z :
West Indies :—

Notes and Comment: i ritaie :
Agricultural Shows, ‘reativg Agricultural Institutions.. 30
Hand-Books to, ... ... 30

Cane Plants with Tar, Sugar

Boards of Agriculture.

Nis T the recent West Indian Agricultural
- Conference an interesting account (since

S published in the West Indian Bulletin
Vol. III, pp. 93-96) of the

was given formation

Chemical and others, existing in these Colonies have
hitherto been working on independent lines, and much
The object of the

Boards of Agriculture is to combine all the functions

time and energy have been lost.

of these organizations, bring them under the immediate
cognisance of the Government and promptly put them
into practice. The fundamental difference between, a
Board of Agriculture and an Agricultural Society, is
that the former is an administrative Department with
power to control public officers and furnished with
funds voted by the Legislature. An Agricultural
Society, on the other hand, may or may not include
scientific and technical officers in the public service
amongst its members; but, in any case, it has no
power to direct or control them, and its functions,
usually, are to advise and suggest rather than take
independent action.

As stated by Mr. Olivier ‘for general purposes of
business it 1s unquestionable that when a Colony has a
Colonial Secretary whom the Board of Agriculture
can regard as a sufficiently competent Chairman, it
is a distinct advantage to have him in that post.’
Mr. Olivier, himself, is Chairmanof the Agricultural Board
of Jamaica and Mr, A. A. Ashmore, the Government
Secretary, is Chairman of the Agricultural Board of
British Guiana. At Jamaica the Board includes, in
addition to the official, scientific and technical officers,

18 THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS.

May 10, 1902

able representatives of the sugar and other industries
and members of the mercantile community. The
Secretary is the Agricultural Lecturer connected with
the Imperial Department of Agriculture. Mr. Olivier
adds :*On the whole the Board is a very strong and
active body and has thoroughly justified its existence

..... since it has been organized the island has
made a great deal more progress in agricultural educa-
tion than in any like period in the ‘past.’ At British
Gaiana Professor Harrison is Deputy-Chairman of the
Board with the Immigration Agent-General, the
Inspector of Schools, the Inspector of Prisons, the
Superintendent of the Botanic Gardens and_ the
Government Veterinary Surgeon as official members.
There are several ae planters as unofficial mem-
bers, as well as the Chairman of the Agricultural and
Commercial Society. The main work is proposed to
be accomplished by circulating papers and ripening
matters for settlement before being brought up at the
general meeting. There are nine sub-committees
dealing with Sugar-cane Experiments, Agricultural
Education, ye Stations, Agricultural Exhi-
bitions, Stock . e So far, the work undertaken by the
Board at British coos has been eminently useful and
practical.

It may be added that the Boards of Agriculture in
Jamaica od British Guiana are heartily co-operating
in the work of the Imperial Department of Agriculture.
The Commissioner of Agriculture is ex officio
member, with a seat at the Board, during his visits to
the Colony. Whether, as Mr. Olivier anticipates,
Boards of Agriculture would prove of considerable
advantage in other Colonies is impossible to determine
off-hand. There can, however, be no doubt that
there is required, all over the West Indies, wider
organization, greater concentration of effort and a
more intimate knowledge of the difficulties and cireum-
stances of those engaged i in agricultural pursuits. The
various Agricultural Societies have done, and are still
capable of doing good work: but in many cases they
are cramped by want of funds, and in these days of
universal depression there are few men that can spare
the time and energy necessary to carry them on ettec-
tively. A Board of Agriculture, provided it is well

organized and supphed with funds, might prove of

great service at the present juncture; and the question
whether one should, or should not, be formed in any
particular Colony deserves the serious attention of the
Government and Legislature.

THE SUGAR INDUSTRY IN THE LEEWARD
ISLANDS.

The following extract is taken from the address
by Sir Henry Jackson! K.C.M.G., to the Legislative
Council of the Leeward Islands, on March 13 Jasti:—

“The convention for the abolition of the bounties, so
long desired and so arduously striven for, has been signed
with effect from September, 1903, but it has yet to be
ratified by the different Governments which sent delegates
to the Conference... ...

The abolition of the bounties is, however, but the first

step towards a renewal of stability in the sugar industry of
these islands, since it does but remove the bar which kept
cane and bounty fed beet sugars from competing in the same
market, and an industry conducted on the unprogressive lines,
which have hitherto been unfortunately unavoidable in
these islands, cannot hope to survive in open competition.

The beet industry of the continent has been over stimu-
lated by years of liberal bounties, and vast capital has been
invested in it by men of energy and intelligence, who will
strain every nerve to retain their command of the market.
They have been able to attord costly experiments to secure
the richest varieties of beet, and to pay high premiums for the
invention of machinery designed to yield the greatest return
at the cheapest rate from the raw product.

Happily the sugar growers in these islands have not
been idle, as, though the means as yet at their command
have not allowed of the necessary improvements to machinery,
they have not failed by continued experiments to endeavour
to secure the best varieties of cane. ‘Those experiments must
continue until the desired result be obtained, and every

advantage must be taken of the advice and assistance
afforded by the Imperial Department of Agriculture, so
generously supported in these islands by His Majesty’s

Government, and whose value is being daily more appreciated.

The provision of the newest and most economical appli-
ances for extracting the juice is not at the moment within
our reach, but it seems reasonable to hope that the abolition
of the bounties may be an inducement to Capitalists to come
forward with the means to provide for the construction of
well-equipped Central Factories.

SUGAR-CANE EXPERIMENTS AT ST.
KITTS.

The following brief report has been contributed by
Mr. Francis Watts date 2d April 21,1992 -—

During my recent visit to St. Kitts, where I remained
five weeks, “the work of reaping the sugar-canes under experi-
ment was practically completed. This involved the reaping
and analysis of the canes from between 400 and 500 plots.
The Easter season occurred during thes> five weeks so there
was some: lost time and comsequently high pressure during
the working period. One series, namely, the ratoon manu-
rial experiments at Buckley's, could not be reaped during my
stay. These canes will be reaped and the results caleulated
on the basis of the weight of cane per acre, instead of on the
sugar in the juice as determimed by analysis.

Little or nothing can be said concerning this work until
the results are tabulated, though attempts were made, with
some success, to caleulate the results obtained from the
variety plots in different parts of the island, and to inform
the planters of the chief poms of interest to serve as guides
in any op erations now proceeding, and thus avoid their
waiting for a long time for the information ; of course
this information is of a purely provisional character and not
to the prejudice of the regular report.

It is gratifying to be able to say that very great interest
is taken by the planters in the experiments, particularly
those with varieties, and I must add that every one gave us
most ready assistance in carrying out our work. As soon as
we can get the report finished—we are pushing forward the
preparation as rapidly as possible,—I propose to return to
St. Kitts for a day or two to meet the planters and go through
the report with them at a meeting to be called for the pur-
pose. This may lead to interchange of views from which we
may all benefit.

Vou. L- No. 2.

THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 19

DOMINICA.

Cacao Drier at the Botanic Station.

A good deal of consideration has lately been given
by the Imperial Department of Agriculture to the
question of drying cacao by means of artificial heat.
At Trinidad and Grenada cacao driers of various kinds
are in use toa limited extent; but, so far,a really
efficient cacao drier, at a moderate cost, is still a
desideratum in these Colonies. At Dominica no attempt
appears to have been made to experiment on a large
seale with cacao driers, and during the wet seasons
that sometimes prevail in that island considerable
difficulty had been éxperienced in curmg: the produce
by the ordinary method of sun-drying. With the object
of assisting planters in obtaining an inexpensive and
reliable machine, a cacao drier somewhat on the princi-
ple of those tried in Ceylon was erected by the
Department at the Botanic Station in 1901. ( West
Indian Bulletin, Vol. I, pp. 171-174 with figure ). Mr.
George Whitfield Smith, the Travelling Superintendent
of the Imperial De-
partment of Agricul-
ture, who experiment-
ed with cacao driers in
Grenada many years
ago, visited Dominica
for the purpose of
advising in the erec-
tion of this drier. By
the aid of the accom-
panying diagram (Fig.
4) the Dominica drier
may be briefly exp!ain-
ed. In the first place,
it should be mentioned
that the dryimg box
as shown in the dia-
gram, for protection
against the weather,
is placed under a shed 32 ft. long, by 18 ft. wide,
by 10 ft. high, to the eaves of the building.
Portions of this shed are closed on the weather
side but open on the others. The box itself con-
sists of a frame of pitch-pine scantling (2 in. by
3 in.) covered with grooved and tongued white-pine
boards, the whole resting on mason-work pillars 3 feet
6 inches in height. The measurements of the drying
box as shown in the wood-cut are—length 20 feet, width
8 feet, height 4 feet 8 inches. The heating apparatus

FAN.

Fig. 4.

1s placed outside at one end of the box, and consists of

a large ordinary stove fitted with a cowl, or hood,
which discharges the hot air into the drying chamber
through an opening at its lower end. At the further
end, near the top, isa circular opening in which is
fitted an exhaust fan. This fan is worked by hand and
draws the hot air through the drying chamber. The
interior of the drying box is divided into three
compartments, dne above the other, viz: ‘A, ‘B’ and
*C, as shown in the wood-cut. The divisions betweea
these (indicated -by continuous lines) are so arranged

Cacao DrterR IN SECTION

that the hot air is compelled to pass, on the flue system,
successively through the compartments in the direction
indicated by the arrows. On rising from the stove the
hot air first enters compartment ‘A’ where it passes
over and under the cacao beans which are spread on
trays made of stout galvanized wire with a quarter-inch
mesh, indicated by dotted lines: thence the hot air
passes in turn through compartments ‘B’ and ‘C,
through the openings ‘ E’ and ‘F” and, finally, is drawn
out at ‘G’ by the exhaust action of the fan. The wire
trays are fixed on wheels running on rails, which permit
them to be drawn out from time to time for the purpose
of stirrimg or removing the cacao.

The essential feature of this drier, suggested by
Dr. Morris, is the arrangement by which the hot air, on
entering the drying box, is conducted along an air-tight
flue or channel, and is compelled to puss over and
around the trays im succession, beginning with the
lowest. In this re-
spect it Is a great
improvement on
driers of a similar
pattern used in
Grenada and _ else-
where, which have
no interior divisions.
In such driers it is
found that the hot
air on entering the
single drying cham-
ber naturally rises
at once to the top,
with the result that
the beans on the
upper tray were too
St quickly dried, while

OMes: those on the lower
tiers were only partially dried, or, in some cases,
remained moist.

During the last six months several trials have
been made with the drier at Dominica, and, according
to the Curator (Mr. Joseph Jones), in each case with
satisfactory results. The Administrator of Dominica
(his Honour H. Hesketh Bell) confirms this and states
that the cacao-drying house will prove a very valuable
object lesson. Cacao beans fresh from the sweating box,
after being rubbed or washed, were thoroughly dried in
thirty-two hours. It was also found that, provided a
constant current of air was maintained in the drying
chambers by means of the fan, a better sample of cacao
was turned out with a comparatively low temperature
(140° F.) than when a very high temperature was used,

The drier above described is capable of dealing
with five bags of cacao at a time, and its original cost,
including shed, stove and fan, was £127. | Where,
however, the planter is able to utilize a spare building
in which to place the drying box and stove, the cost
mignt be reduced by about once half.

20 THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS.

May 10, 1902.

For the information of those desirous of erecting
a similar drier, it may be mentioned that the fan (18
inches) with belt and driving wheel might be obtained
from the Blackman Ventilating Company, Limited,
Head Office, 63 Fore Street, London, E.C., at a cost
of £9. 6. 0., and the stove (Motts’ Comet No. 28) from
the I. L. Mott Iron Works, New York and Chicago,
at a cost of £10. 17. 3. The latter is surrounded by
a galvanized iron jacket to confine the hot air and to
discharge it through the cowl into the drying box.
The fuel may be wood, coke or coal, as found most
convenient. Stout galvanized wire netting, suitable for
the cacao trays, is imported by Messrs. Marrast & Co,
of St. George’s, Grenada, costing about 4s. Gd. per

yard. Those desirous of inspecting the cacao drier at
the Botanic Station at Dominica could do so on

application to the Curator.

THE ONION INDUSTRY OF CUBA.

Recently the Hon’ble Francis Watts drew the
attcntion of the Department to the increasing quanti-
ties of onions that are being shipped from Cuba to the
United States of America. As this was likely to have
an important bearing on the development of the onion
industry, now being carried on at Antigua and other
parts of the West Indies, it was suggested that it
would be useful to obtain as full information as
possible respecting the Cuban industry.

In reply to application made to Sir Percy
Sanderson, K.C.M.G., H.B.M. Consul General at New
York ; and to Messrs. Gillespie Bros: & Co., the follow-
ing information has been kindly communicated for the
use of this Department :—

Six Percy Saderson, K.C.M.G.—to the Imperial Commissioner
of Agricultwre.
British Consulate-General,
New York, March 26, 1902.
Dear Sir,

I beg to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the
10th instant and enclose a memorandum of such information as
I have been able to obtain respecting onions from Cuba. To
this I would add that there seems to be every probability that
legislation will be passed making a reduction in the tariff of at
least 20 per cent. as between Cuba and the United States for a
period of two years or perhaps more.

Mr. Carden, our Consul General at Havana will probably
be able to give you more detailed information, but Iam always
glad to give any assistance I can, and I hope you will not
hesitate to call on me at any time when I can be of use.

Tam, etc.,

[ENCLOsURE. ]
IMPORTATION OF ONIONS FROM CUBA.

The onions from Cuba are considered by the importers to
be quite equal in every respect to those imported from
Bermuda. The soil is very rich, and American experts are now
engaged in cultivation and packing in crates, the latter enabling
not Only onions but pine-apples to reach this market in good
condition. Each crate contains one bushel of onions, average
weight 60 lb.: the market price is quoted at $2.50 per crate.
A quantity sold at auction on the 24th brought $2.10 and $2.20
per crate.

The import duty is 40c. per bushel of 60Ib. The crop
reaches here in time to take the cream of the market and is
sold before the crop from Bermuda arrives.

The onions are produced from seed imported from Tene-
riffe and sometimes a second crop is raised from settings.

The importers believe that fruit and vegetables now being
grown in Cuba will materially affect the markets of Bermuda
and the Bahamas and, to some extent, those of Florida and fruit
growing generally in the South. In the latter case this will be
especially apparent in the event of the annexation of Cuba.

It is stated by the importers that the soil in the Bahamas
is becoming exhausted and that recommendations to improve it
have as a rule been ignored.

March 1902.

Messrs. Gillespie Bros. d: Co.—to the Inperial Commissioner of
Agriculture.
No. 4, Stone Street,
New York, April 4, 1902.

Dear Sir,

We have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of
your letter No. 841 dated the 10th March last with the advised
enclosure.

In reply from a prominent importer we learn that the
Havana onion is grown from seed produced in the Canary
Islands: that seed is regularly imported into Cuba from
Teneriffe.

Onions from Bermuda are preferred here, and during their
season, from May on, sell readily. Havana onions sell best
during the winter, December to April, and during the current
crop have been received in large quantities. Large onions are
disliked by dealers because they may not be retailed as
advantageously as those of medium size, which are preferred by
consumers. At the moment the market is heavily stocked, and
prices range at from $1.50 to $2.00 the crate : the dimensions
of a Havana crate (outside) are 7 by 16 by 23; ends solid; top, sides
and bottom consisting of slats: the same crate was found to
weigh 57 tb. gross. We understand each Havana crate is
reputed to contain 1 bushel of onions. The duty on imported
onions is at the rate of 40c. the bushel of 57 lb. At present
there is no preferential rate in fayour of Cuban onions, though
We may reasonably suppose some allowance is being sought for
this vegetable in the Bills now being discussed by the United
States Congress.

It seems to us, success in the American markets with West
Indian produce of a perishable nature is largely dependent upon
the carrying service obtainable. In this connexion we bring to
your notice the following facts. The steamers plying between
Bermuda and New York complete the trip one way within 48
hours ; and those between Havana and this, perform the service
within from 60 to 72 hours. So far the rail and water route has
not been used for freight, to our knowledge.

We hope to supplement the foregoing by information which
we have requested and hope to receive from Cuba shortly, and
trust what we have written will prove serviceable.

(Sgd.) GILLESPIE BROS. & CO.

Stock Farmat the Agricultural School, Dominica.

The pony stallion ‘Norman, belonging to the
Imperial Department of Agriculture arrived in Domi-
nica, from the Virgin Islands, last week. He is a fine
animal of his class, and doubtless his services will be as
fully utilized as in the case of the cob stallion ‘Jamaica
Lad, who is now standing his second season in
Dominica.

The small stock farm in connexion with the
Imperial Department of Agriculture at Dominica
now comprises the stallions ‘Jamaica Lad’ and + Nor-
man, the donkey stallion ‘Yankee Boy,’ two Poland
China boars, and two sows, a Shropshire ram, and half
a dozen kinds of the best breeds of poultry.

The services of the stud animals are much in
request by breeders of stock. Young pure bred pigs
are readily sold. The demand for eggs for hatching
cannot be fully met with the present pens of fowls.

Wore le Now 2: THE

AGRICULTURAL

NEWS. 21

CENTRAL AMERICAN RUBBER AS A SHADE FOR CACAO.

The question of using the Central American
Rubber tree (Custilloa elaustica) asa shade for cacao,
was discussed at the Agricultural Conference of 1901,
(West Indian Bulletin, Vol. I, pp. 111-113). Dr.
Morris in 1883 recommended that the tree might be
tried for this purpose in British Honduras. About two
years later the suggestion was put to the test of an
experiment with the
result that in Novem-
ber 1900, the Curator
of the Botanic Station,
Belize, wrote: ‘At
Kendal on the Settee
River the cacao plan-
tations are thriving
well... . Castilloa
is planted for shade ;
these were, also, in
good condition... . .
There is not a better
tree for the purpose.’
A second experiment
was made in Tobago
concerning which,
Captam M. Short
writes on August 28,
1900, ( West Indian
Bulletin, Vol. II,
p. Til), ‘I find that
cacao bears very well
under the shade of
Custilloa. Nine years
ago I planted an acre
of rubber and eacao
together—the rubber
at 24 feet apart, and
the cacao 12 feet,
and so far as I have
noticed there is very
little, if any differ-
ence between the
Dearing of these cacao
trees and those under
the shade of the Bois
Imnmortelle. On find-
ing this I planted
last year fifteen acres
in the same manner
and there is every
reason: to expeet. that
in another eight or
nine years they will give a gross return of about
£30 per acre? On April 22, of this year, the Cura-
tor of the Botanic Station, Tobago, writes: ‘The
cultivation of rubber in this island ranks second to
cacao, On some estates, especially Richmond, probably
there are some of the finest trees in the West
Indies. A good quality of rubber obtained from these

SETS
Fig. 5.

A tree about
photograph taken

the trees are tapped.

THE CENTRAL AMERICAN

10 years old, growing in British Honduras from a
by Mr. E. D. M. Hooper of the Indian
Department. The spiral cuts on the stem indicate the manner in which

trees realized a high price in the English Market
Several estates. are planting rubber as shade trees for
cacao and they appear to thrive as well as any other
shade tree. Cottee also bears well under Custilloa,
The question is also touched upon in the Report of the
Curator of the Botanic Station, Dominica for 1900.
After remarking on the use of the Central American
Rubber tree as a shade
for cacao in ‘Tobago,
he continues. ‘That
it may be cultivated
side by side with
cacao may be seen at
this Station, where
cacao trees, within a
few feet of it and
under its shade, con-
tinue in health and
bear good crops.’

Planters in other
parts of the world
have not been behind-
hand, At the Agricul-
tural congress held
in Java in September
1901, Mr. McGillivray
recounted his experi-
ence of planting cacao
under Custilloa (Der
Trope 7 pila NZCT,
March 1902, p. 146).
He appears to have
planted the cacao
between the Castilloa
when the latter were
three years old, as
he states ‘that in a
Castilloa plantation
of 10 year-old trees,
the seven year old
cacao planted be-
tween, as well as
the Castillow looked
well ? He recommends
planting the Castilloa
at intervals of 36 feet.

It does not neces-
sarily follow from
these isolated instan-
ces that Castilloa is
to be recommended as
a universal shade for cacao, As is so commonly the case,
a method excellently adapted for one locality may be
quite unsuited to another. We can say however that
Central American Rubber has been used with success
asashade tree for cacao in British Honduras, and
Tobago, and, so far as the published results show, with
satisfactory results in Java also.

RuBBER TREE.

Forest

The illustration is reproduced from the Cantor Lectures on ‘ Plants yielding Commercial India Rubber’ delivered before

the Society of Arts, by Dr. Morris, April 1898.

29 THE

t

AGRICULTURAL NEWS.

May 10, 1902.

EDITORIAL NOTICES.

Letters and matter for publication, as well as all specimens
for naming should be addressed to the ImpERIAL COMMISSIONER
oF AGRICULTU RE, Head Oftice: Barbados. It is particularly
desired that no letters be addressed to any member of the statf
by name. Such a course will entail delay in dealing with
them.

Communications should always be written on one side only
of the paper. It should be understood that no contributions
or specimens will, in any case, be returned.

All applications for copies of the ‘Agricultural News’
should be addressed to the Local Agents and not to the
Head Office. Where no Agents exist subscriptions at the
rate of 3s. 3d per annum, payable beforehand, will be received
at the Head Oriice.

Correspondents sending newspapers should be careful to
mark the paragraphs they wish to bring under notice.

Agricultural sets.

SATURDAY,

Vou. I. MAY 10, 1902. Now 2:

NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Agricultural Shows.

The next local Agricultural Exhibition at Barba-
bos will probably be he Id at Todds Plantation in St.
John’s. ‘These Exhibitions are held in a_ different
parish cach year and are becoming increasingly
popular. Special prizes are offered for plants and
produce grown in sc shool plots. At Montserrat it is
proposed % organize an Agricultural Show in connec-
tion with the CG pronation fos stivities in June next.

——==z>

Treating Cane Plants with Tar.

Referring to the experiments deserib>d in the
West Indian Bulletin Vol. IIL. p. 73, tor treating cane
plants with tar to protect them from insect and fun-
void pests, Mr. J. 'T. Thorne writes :—

‘This reminds ine that in the early forties the cane
crops in Barbados were destroyed in the red soils by “blight?
and that my uncle J. T. Skinner, who was attorney and
manager of Black Bess estate for a long period, was the first
to succeed in establishing a crop by soaking the plints in a
mixture of Barbados green tar and water. I have not heard
whether the green tar has been tried in later years.

oo

Sugar-cane Crop in Europe.

It is not generally known that the sugar-cane is
still cultivated in Europe ,especially in Southern Spain.
According to a recent Consular Report :—

Sugar-cane is grown all along the Coast of Malaga
and the annual yield of sugar is about 30,000 tons. There
are seventeen sugar factories in the provinces of Malaga and
Granada, employing many thousand hands. Grinding gen-
erally begins about the middle of March. This year, it may
commence earlier.

Production of Beet Sugar.

The total production of beet sugar in the United
States in the season 1901-2 has aggregated 185,000
tons, an increase of 140 per cent. enon the 77,000
tons produced during the season 1900. There were
UE -one factories in operation in 1990 according to

snsus figures and eleven more were started in 19901.

oe

A New By-product of Sugar.

Attention has been called to the preparation of

‘molascuit, a new cattle food suggested to be prepared
in the West Indies from molasses and ‘cush cush,
the finer parts of the fibre of the sugar-cane. The
proportions of the composition are 80 to 85 per cent.
of molasses and 15 to 20 per cent, of ‘cush cush’ It
is claimed that when air-dried, and ready for market, it
presents the appearance of very finely ground oil-cake,
and to the taste it is sweet and agreeable. It is
probable that im this form molasses, when prices are
low, may be capable of being utilized to a large extent
and provide a valuable food toe stock.

——— ~—-
New Varieties of Bananas.

For some years efforts have been made by the
Royal Gardens at Kew to obtain all the best varieties

of bananas found in the far East, for the purpose of

introducing them into cultivation in the West Indies.
A collection comprising twenty-three varieties was
received by the Imperial Department of Agriculture
in 1898 and grown at Domunica and St. Vincent.
Suckers from these have since been distributed te
Jamaica, St. Lucia and Grenada. By a recent mail
a second collection of bananas (in this instance obtained
from the Straits Settlements) has been received from
Kew.

=? ~~ ee

Peppers or Chili Peppers.

Among the recent publications of the United
States De »partment of Agriculture isa Bulletin entitled
A list of American var rane of Peppers, by Mr. W.W.
Tracy, Junr., in which an attempt is made to
remedy the confusion caused by the perplexing multi-
tude of names used by different seedsmen. The standard
name of each variety is given, and the name of the

seedsmen who catalogue that variety. The more
important synonyms are added. This pamphlet is the
first instalment, as an experiment, of a work, already

in MS., which attempts to standardize all the principal
varieties of vegetables sold by seedsmen in the United
States.

a

Planting Orange Trees.

In Jamaica great stress is laid on the fact that
orange trees should not be planted too deeply. It
is recommended that when transplanting orange plants
from the nursery to the field, preferably after good
showe ‘T'S, holes should be dug two feet sql are and nine
to twelve inches deep. The hole is to be filled with
surface soil mixed with wood ashes, pressed firmly until

Viens Loe NOs e2- THE

AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 23

it is level with the surface of ground. The orange
plant is then placed on this with the tap root firmly
fixed into ground. ‘The neck of the tree should stand
well above the surface of the soil on a circular plot of
good earth, soft but firm. Jt is absolutely futal to
plant orange trees too deeply.

$$$

Cotton Production in the West Indies.
During the last thirty years cotton cultivation
has been almost abandoned in these islands. The only

locality where it it has survived is the small island of

Carriacou connected with the Colony of Grenada. It is
noticed that Carriacou cotton was recently quoted in
the London market at 4Zc. per pound. Experiments
in growing cotton are being earried on at St. Lucia,
Montserrat and Antigua. It would be of distinct advan-
tage if a cotton industry could be established in some
parts of the West Indies. In addition to the cotton
itself, cotton seed, converted into meal, is valuable for
feeding purposes ; or, 1f the oil were extracted, the
residual cake is good for feeding and for manurial
purposes.

+o Ct

Journal, Jamaica Agricultural Society.

This Journal, now in its sixth year of issue, 1s
recognized as one of the most useful agricultural pubhi-
cations in the West Indies. It was started by Mr.

George Douet, the late Secretary, with the object of

affording hints and suggestions specially adapted to
the requirements of small cultivators. The Society is
to be commended for continuing to publish the Journal
on the original lines; and there can be no doubt that
it is a valuable agent in disseminating information and
in encouraging sound agricultural methods in the
island. A similar Journal dealing with local conditions,
and in full sympathy with the difficulties of cultivators,
large and small, would be of great service elsewhere
in the West Indies.

SS

Agricultural Development in the Bahamas.

In the speech of the Governor of the Bahamas
(Sir Gilbert Carter,
the Session of the Legislature on February 19 last,
his Excellency laid stress on the wisdom of paying
more attention to the careful and systematic culti-
vation of the land. He added :—

No doubt the soil of these islands is mainly of an
intractable character, but Iam quite sure that capital judi-
ciously expended upon it would not be wasted. There is an
important distinction between the culture of plants and their
mere growth ; no doubt in some directions, special attention
is devoted to the pineapple, but as a general rule anything
approaching to the scientific culture of economic products of
the soil is exceptional in these islands. I still hold the
opinion, which I expressed on my first arrival in the Colony,
that it would be a manifest advantage to join in the Botanic
Garden [agricultural] system of the West Indies under the
able direction of Dr. Morris, and I trust that the Legislature
will sooner or later make provision for such a scheme.

K.C.M.G.) at the opening of

Volcanic Ash in Barbados.

A description of the volcanic eruptions at Martinique
and St. Vincent has already been given in the newspapers.
{t may be worthy of note that the volcanic ash that fell at
Barbados from 5 p.m. on the 7th. to 4.30 a.m. on the 8th.
varied from three-eighths to half-an-inch in depth. It
covered houses, trees, and all vegetation with a grey
mantle of impalpable powder and gave the landscape a
singular appearance. By actual measurement it has been
ascertained that the weight of ash was at the rate of 17°58
tons per acre, or 11,251 tons per square mile. Taking the
area of Barbados as 166 square miles it is probable that
nearly two million tons of ash were deposited over this
island alone. An immense quantity must haye, also, fallen
into the sea. The composition of the ash has not yet been
ascertained. It is probable, as in the case of the ‘ May dust’
of 1812, that it contains silica, alumina, oxide of iron and
oxide of manganese with some trace of sulphur. It should
be regarded in its ultimate results, at least, as beneficial to
the soil.

re OO

‘Minor Products’ in Ceylon.

The following extract from the address of the
Governor of Ceylon to the Legislative Council of
the Colony on October 18, 1901, summarizes briefly
some of the recent eftorts made to supplement the
staple tea industry of the island by the cultivation of
other products :—

Cacao is doing well, and on most large estates the
canker has been largely eradicated. Cocoa-nuts, cinnamon,
cardamoms, and other smaller products have been in a
prosperous condition during the year.

Of new products, rubber claims the first place.
Exports of appreciable quantities have commenced, and the
| ag 1 )
prices obtained have been most satisfactory. The latest
market report contains the entry ‘Best Para, 3s. 9d.; Ceylon,
fine, Para sort, 4s. 13d. per lb.’ This cultivation may now
Z . . 4 . . .
be considered established in the wet low-country districts.

Camphor has continued to attract attention, and bids
fair to prove a paying minor product for many parts of the
south-west and the hills. Samples prepared from trees grown
in the Botanic Gardens have lately been valued at 126s.
per ewt. The yield of camphor from clippings of leaves and
young twigs is about 1°2 per cent. and the preparation is
cheap, so that in places where 16,000 Ibs. of clippings can be
obtained from an acre in a year, there is little doubt that it
will pay well.

Of other minor or new products, tobacco continues to
extend, also vanilla, pepper, cinchona, and cassava : the reots
of the last named are, however, only used as yams, and not
for the preparation of tapioca. Citronella oil is in a very
depressed state, owing to ov er-prodaction and to low prices,
with new competition in unadulterated oil from Java. The
adulteration of our oils is so wholesale and so shameless that
it is difficult to foresee any remedy {for the depression, unless
the cultivation be taken up by large manufacturers. A
detailed investigation has been made, and a report will soon
be published.

Investigations are being made into the Ceylon gutta-
perchas, ebonies, and other subjects. (Poard of Trade
Journals dan. U6, V9023\e es) 3) eee ist

24 THE

AGRICULTURAL NEWS

May 10, 1902.

WEST INDIAN FISHERIES.

Th? Artifisial Propazation of Sea-ezgs.

Dr. CASWELL GRAVE, Ph. D., Assistant in Zoology
in the Johns Hopkin’s University, has forwarded to the
Department the following paper :—

The present depleted: condition of the sea-egg grounds
of Barbados are set forth in a report of the sea-egg industry,
published in the West Indian Bulletin, the Quarterly Journal
of the Imperial Department of Agriculture for the West
Indies.

After carefully reading the report and discussing the
question of a practical remedy for these conditions with
Dr. J. E. Duerden, the writer of the report, I have decided that
it may be worth while to call the attention of those interested
in the artificial rc-stocking of the sea-egg grounds of Barbados
to some results which I have recently made in the rearing of
sea-urchin larve which, both in structure and habits, are
very similar to the larvae of the Barbados edible species of
sea-urchin, //ipponde esculenta.

The method. by which I have been able to rear sea-
urchin larve in great numbers is based upon principles which
are purely biological, and since the method has been successful
when applied in the laboratory on a small scale, in which the
difficulties to be overcome are much greater than under condi-
tions in which the experiment could be-carried out on an
extensive scale, I think there is little doubt but that it conld
easily be made to yield practical results to such an extent as
to have a commercial value.

The simplicity of the method and the smal] expense with
which it could be put into operation are features which are
not unimportant when considering its applicability to the
case under consideration. When once instituted the work of
carrying out the method would resolve itself into a routine
which could readily be taken up by any intelligent labourer.

The students of morphology have made many attempts
to rear the larve of Echinoderms in laboratories, for in
making a comprehensive study of the structures of the adult
sea-urchin, it is necessary to follow each structure from its
first beginning in the larvee to its final condition in the adult.
To do this, full series of larvee are needed covering all the
various stages passed through by the eggs in their growth
into the adult form. ;

Very few of thes? attempts to rear Echinoderms in sea-
side laboratories have succeeded in producing even a single
animal having the adult form, because the methods which
have usually been employed have failed to reproduce the
natural conditions under which the larvee feed and develop
in the open sea.
the summer of 1900 while working in the
United States Fish Commission Laboratory at Beaufort,
N. C., I accidentally discovered a method which I have since
used with very gratifying suceess. Late in the summer of
1900 I reared a‘ brood’ of thousands of sea-urchins from the
eqg to the adult form. In 1901 two such ‘broods’ were
carried through and also a ‘brood’ of a species of Ophiurid.
In addition to this, the little sea-urchins together with some
just metamorphosed spatangoids were taken from the sea-

During

shore to the Zoological Laboratory of the Johns Hopkins
University where they lived and grew normally and rapidly
for more than two months in an aquarium which had but
about one liter of sea water. During this time the water
of the aquarium was changed but twice.

The conditions in this aquarium, so far as the little
Echinoderms were concerned, were approximately those of
the sea and, as inthe sea, the supply of oxygen and food
were self-perpetuating.

It is very probable that the food of the larve of the
Barbados sea-urchin consists of the same or similar micro-
scopic plants which make up the food supply of the larvee of
the Beaufort species. It is also probable that these microscopie
plants can be easily collected and made to live and multiply
with the larvee of the sea-urchins.

If this can be done, then the important questions of food
and oxygen for the larvee which it is desired to rear are
solved, and when such cultures are started, and when the fully
developed larvze can be liberated over the sea-egy grounds in
great numbers, in the stage which immediately precedes that
in which they settle to the bottom, then the re-stocking of
the sea-egg grounds will have begun ; for before the tide can
have carried the larvze out to sea many of them will have
taken up their life upon the bottom, and in a short time there
is every reason to expect they will grow to a marketable size.

March 7, 1902.

Baltimore,

The Tarpon.

The following information on the habits of the
tarpon, known in British Guiana as the ‘Kuffum,’ is
taken from a paper by ‘Oxon’ on some notes on Fly
Fishing in British Guiana (Timchri,Vol X. pp. 305-6,
December 1896 ). It forms an vibereautes addition
to the notes contributed by the Hon’ble L. J. Bertram
and reproduced on page 8 of this Journal :—

The finest fish in the colony for sporting purposes is the
cuffum, a large fish of the herring family. My old friend
B. J. Godfrey always asserted that it is the same fish as the
tarpon which affords such splend'd sport in the lagoons of
Florida and I believe he was right. It is a handsome fish,

silvery like a salmon, with large scales, and the gamest fish I
ever hooked. He has been caught in our rivers and creeks

up to twenty pounds in weight, and when hooked he
makes some determined rushes ; when he finds that he cannot
free himself, he makes tremendous leaps into the air, coming
down with a splash that makes you tremble for your tackle.
The cuffum has a bony palate and the sides of his mouth are
like parchment, so that it is very difficult to hook him securely;
a dozen fish may be touched for one that is landed. He is
generally caught with a red and white mackerel or gaudy
salmon fly ; but the largest fish are caught with live bait,
fishing as you would for pike. As I have said, I have never
seen cuffur, caught with a rod, more than twenty pounds in
weight ; but I once sawa fish 5 ft. in length which was
caught in a net off the mouth of the Mahaica Creek.

Pond flies. Amongst the day-flying insects, few are
more noticeable than the pond flies or dragon-flies. All day
hawking in the air with occasional rests on a twig or grass
stalk, these voracious insects exercise no small function in
Nature’s economy. Their food consists of the smaller insects
of which they are so many always on the wing, and the
destruction the pond flies are responsible for must be truly
enormous. Pond flies are the perfect form of the ‘ water-tiger,’

Mors Ie Not 2:

THE AGRICULTURAL’ NEWS. 25

those formidable grub like insects found in ponds and streams.
The grub is no whit less formidable than the dragon-tly,
feeding voraciously on all the living creatures it can catch
in the water, till it arrives at maturity and leaves the water
to complete its life in the air.

AGRICULTURAL EFFORTS AT ST. LUCIA.

The following notes have been contributed by Mr.
George S. Hudson, Agricultural Instructor, The notes
under ‘cacao’ and ‘ground provisions’ are intended to apply
to operations during the month of May :—

COTTON INDUSTRY.

The cotton ginning machinery imported jointly by the St.
Lucia Agricultural Society and the Imperial Department of
Agriculture is now working three days per week, and the small
proprietors have immediately recognized the value of its institu-
tion. The machine is a Dobson and Barlow double action
Macarthy gin, driven by horse gear, and turns out about 40 Ib.
efclean lint per hour. Ninety per cent. of the seed, only, is
retained by the ginner to cover cost of ginning. Prizes are
being annually offered for the best patches of cotton, and
experiments are being conducted at Riviére Dorte Experiment
Station to determine the variety of cotton best suited for this
district. His Honour Sir Harry Thompson has keenly interest-
ed himself in the success of this movement, and by occasional
visits to Choiseul has done much to dissipate the habitual
distrust of peasant proprietors, when they feel unusual interest
is being taken in their welfare. The successful working of the
machine has now put the result of the experiment beyond
doubt, and there is every prospect that in future cotton will be
an established cultivation here.

Cotton should be planted as soon as the soil is moist
enough to allow of working: the ground should first be
thoroughly forked, if heavy crops are wanted, and then drawn
up with a hoe into beds 25 feet wide and about 6 inches above
the furrow, which should be a foot wide. Insert not less than
six secd; to a hole in the middle of each bed, and make holes 4
feet apart. The furrows between each bed will act as drains
and should emp‘y into cross dvains at 59 feet apart to carry the
water away. Do not allow more than two or three plants to
grow in each hole.

CACAO.

Every effort should be made to get all plantations thorough-
ly clean before the rains which moy be expected towards the
end of this month: one weeling in the dry weather is worth
two in rainy months. May is the month to plant cuttings of
‘immortelles’ for shade or boundaries, and other live posts, such
as hog plum, for fences; in this month these trees naturally
renew their foliage, and consequently they are more likely to
grow as cuttings. Immortelle seed are also now obtainable and
should be gathered to supplement a limited supply of cuttings.
Insufficient shade and shelter is one of the greatest wants
in St. Lucia cacao cultivation, and this is the best time
to take steps to remedy it. Pruning operations on cacao
should be now suspended on all but the unhealthiest and
almost barren plantations, as flowers are now appearing freely
on all branches. ‘Ihe same remarks would apply to fork-
ing, except where manure is being applied to a hard surface,
when very light forking would be permissible as soon as the
rains come.

GROUND PROVISIONS.

Those having vacant land suitable for plantains, tannias
and yams would do well to plant them up in May or June, as
there seems every possibility of scarcity and high price of these
products a year hence, as the amount of forest land cleared this
year has been small. Do not plant maize later than June if
you want a-sucéessful crop. The present high price of sweet
potatos and manioe is likely to induce much planting of these
foods with a consequent glut in October and November : it
would be better to plant about August.

AGRICULTURAL PROGRESS AT DOMINICA.

The following is taken from the recent address of
the Administrator of Dominica to the Legislative
Council :—

No reference to the progres; of our economic products
would be adequate without a cordial recognition of the
excellent results that have already been brought about by
the assistance of the Imperial Department of Agriculture.
Not only can Dominica boast of Botanic Gardens which are
among the most beautiful in the West Indies, but the
distributing station in Roseau is doing work the value of
wh‘ch can hardly be over estimated. No less than 58,000
seedling trees were distributed locally during 1901. Of
these, 36,000 were lime plants and 12,000 were cacao
seedlings. Budded orange trees of the best varieties, rubber-
yielding trees, pine-apple suckers, and vanilla cuttings have
also been largely distributed, and the enormous demand for
see ling plants of all kinds is evidence of the extent to which
new lands are being brought into cultivation. The advantages
t) any one embarking in agriculture of being able to procure
from the Botanic Station large quantities of carefully selected
and well grown seedling trees at a rate considerably under
cost of production are plainly apparent, and this island thus
offers special inducements to intending settlers.

A model equipment for the artificial drying of cacao has
been erected in the Botanie Gardens, and planters now
have an opportunity of adapting the process to their own
requirements without running the danger of having to buy
their experience.

The Agricultural School is also proving itself an institu-
tion of great value, and the sound practical instruction which
is being imparted there to specially selected sons of peasants
cannot but have excellent results in the future. A small
stock-farm has been established in connexion with the school,
and breeding-anima!s specially snited to this island have
been imported.

Scale-Insects on young plants. At the Domin-
ica Botanic Station large numbers of citrus plants are raised
from seed and the young plants are liable to scale insect
attack. Mr. Jones, the Curator, hit on the method of
painting a ring of whale-oil soap round the base of the stem
of each plant. Should scale-insects occur among the young
plants and be overlooked, they would be unable to spread,
as the ring of soap would prevent the young insects crawling
up the stems of neighbouring plants. <A similar method has
been used on bearing lime trees at Dominica. It was found
that the orange snow-scale spread up the back of the stem
from the base, and to check this, a ring of tar was painted
on each tree near the base. The spread of the seale from
tree to tree is stopped, the tar forming a barrier to the young
insects.

The Cacao flower. Cacao pods are developed from
minute flowers which are borne on the main stem and
branches of the cacao tree. Before however a flower can give
rise to a pod, it must first be fertilized or set. The manner
in which the pollen is transferred from the anther to the
stigma of the cacao flower does not seem to have been
thoroughly worked out in the West Indies. Perhaps someone
who has the opportunity and time for this study will inves-
tigate the subject. The knowledge thus gained might be of
practical value to cacao planters asa whole, at any rate it
would be of interest.

26 THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS.

May 10, 1902.

BEE KEEPING.

Jamaica.

The following extract is taken from the Report of

the Collector General of Jamaica for the year 1900-
1901 :-—

The improvement in the exports of honey bears
witness to the combined intelligence and patience which are
being brought to bear on the production of the minor
products, and indicates the possible attamment of a high
standard of excellence in all branches of agricultural enter-
prise within the near future. Bee-keepers have adopted
centrifugal apparatus for expelling the honey from the comb,
and the comb itself, instead of being melted down as hereto-
fore is returned uninjured to the hive, thus considerably
increasing the output of the more valuable product, honey,
whilst reducing that of wax.

POULTRY.

Camphor is an infallible remedy for chicken lice.
When you make your nest and put in your eggs, at the same
time place in the nest with the eggs, one camphorated ball,
which is sufticient for the entire incubation, and your hen
and little chicks will leave the nest free from all kinds of
vermin. When you have placed the little ball in the nest,
you need not bother any more. It will evaporate and get to
be very small toward the latter part of the incubating, but
never mind, it has done its work. It is a good idea to keep
one of the balls in the nest where the hens lay, as it keeps
them from having scaly legs as well as keeping them frec
from vermin. The camphorated ball is a little white ball
and can be had from almost any drug store. I buy penny
squares in Kingston, instead of the ball, and half a one is
effective in the layers’ nests.—(.Journal of the Jamaica
Agricultural Society.)

GARDEN NOTES.

Vines in the West Indies are very liable to be attacked
by a ‘rust’ causing the leaves to curl up and wither. When
this occurs all dead leaves should be gathered and all parts
of the vine, and the new leaves, washed over or dusted with
flowers of sulphur. Bordeaux mixture may also be sprayed
over the vines. For hints as to the preparation of this
mixture, see West Indian Bulletin, Vol. 11, p. 210.

The secret in the cultivation of Gold and Silver Ferns
is to water them over-head as little as possible. water
at the roots only.

Give

A correspondent recommends The Good Reese Company,
Springfield, Ohio, U.S.A., as a reliable firm from which to
obtain roses and other plants. They come ‘beautifully
packed and are very cheap.’

The Ground Nut. The formation of the underground
fruits of the ground or peanut (Arachis hypogea) is very
interesting. After the flowers of this plant ‘set,’ the yellow
petals fall and the flower stalk elongates considerably in
such a way as to bury the tip of the stalk, with the remain-
ing portions of the flower in the ground. The fruit then
matures and thus, when ripe, is found completely buried in
the earth.

SAVING OF SEED CORN.

The following account of the methods to be adopt-
ed in selecting corn (maize) for seed is taken from the
Yearbook of the United States Department of Agricul-
ture for 1900, p. 759.

The best plan for saving corn for seed is to go through
the field before the crop is harvested and gather the best ears
from the best stalks. The largest yields of grain are usually
made from varieties producing two ears on each stalk, and if
such a variety is desired then seed should be saved only
from stalks bearing two ears. It is sometimes claimed that
the upper one of two ears, will produce the earlier maturing
crop, but unless early maturity is of considerable importance,
if a stalk has two good ears both should be taken ; if one ear
is good and the other only fair the better one may be taken ;
while if either ear is very poor in size, shape, or fulness both
should be rejected. If a variety bearing only one ear to each
stalk is preferred the ears selected for seed should be the
largest which can be found, of nearly equal diameter
throughout, and well filled at each end. It is as important
to take seed from the best stalks as from the best ears, and
whatever variety may be preferred every ear which is select-
ed for seed should be taken from a stalk which in size, habit
of growth, and number of ears approaches closely to what is
the desired form for that variety.

Tf careful hands are employed in gathering the crop a
very good selection of seed may be made by having a box in
the waggon into which the most desirable ears may be
thrown as they are found.

In selecting seed from the crib, as is often done, nothing
can be known of the character of the stalks upon which the
ears were grown, and little or no improvement can be made
in a variety by such a selection; while a careful and judi-
cious selection in the field will work a constant and gradual
improvement in the crop, and will make it more nearly
uniform with each succeeding year. No one item in the
growing of corn is of greater importance than the selection of
seed.

After the seed has been selected it should be thoroughly
dried, treated with bisulphid of carbon to destroy insects,
and then stored where it will be kept dry and secure from
rats and mice.

It is asomewhat common practice to discard the tips and
butts of the ears when shelling the seed for planting, but the
practice is of doubtful benefit. A number of the experiment
stations in both the North and South have made repeated
tests of the productiveness of seed from different parts of the
ear, but these tests have shown no marked or constant differ-
ences in yield, even when the selections have been repeated
through several generations.

For all ordinary purposes the value of a variety depends
on the amount of shelled corn which it will produce per acre.
This in turn depends fully as much on the growth and
productiveness of the individual stalks as upon the size and
shape of the separate ears, and for that reason seed should
always be selected in the field rather than from the crib.

Von 1. No. THE AGRICULTURAL -NEWS. 27
FE [) UJ C A T | 0 N A L (c). For ‘Permanent Grass-land’ substitute ‘ West Indian
, Grass cultivation’ including the following :— Bahama

Cambridge Local Examination.

SECTION OF AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE.

It has been announced by the Secretary of the
Local Examinations and Lectures Syndicate of the
University of Cambridge that for the Senior Local
Examination in December 1902, a new section has been
added for Agricultural Sarenec! ‘specially caleulated to
meet the need of students 1a the West Indies.’

The following is a detailed schedule of the require-

ments in Agricultural Science, and at the request of

the Se cretary there are added a few suggestions for
adapting the schedule more nearly to meet the cireum-
stances of the West Indies :-—

CAMBRIDGE LOCAL EXAMINATION.

AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE. (SENIORS).
PAPER I.

Candidates will be expected to show, by their answers,
that they have acquired practical knowledge by their own
observations and by experiments of the following subje

The ultimate composition of plants—carbon,

hydrogen,

oxygen, nitrogen, phosphorus, sulphur, chlorine, potassium,
sodium, calcium, magnesium, iron, silicon. The chemistry

of these elements and their simpler compounds, their detection
in plants, and in soil. Water and sand cultures.

The structure, arrangement, and functions of leaves.
The structure and functions of roots and stems with their
chief moditications.

The soil as a source of plant food, its mechanical and
chemical composition, and its relations t» the supply of water
aid heat to plants. The absorption of food from the soil:
osmosis, capillarity, transpiration.

The structure and functions of the flower and its various
parts. Pollination and fertilization. The development,
structure, and dispersal of fruits and seeds. The germination
of seeds, and the utilization of their reserve stores. Translo-
cation of foodstuffs. Propagation by vegetative methods.

Candidates will be expected to have a general knowledge
of Ht useful and harmful plants in the following natural
orders :—Cruciferae, Rosaceae, Leguminosae, Chenopodiaceae,
Polygonaceae, Solanaceae, Labiatae, Gramineae (a).

PAPER IL.

The formation and properties of soil. The Agricultural
characteristics of typical soils. The amelioration and improve-
ment of soil. The properties and uses of important manures.
The principles of rotations. The employment and purpose of
implements used in cultivation. Farm crops in their relation
to soil, manure, cultivation, harvesting, disease, and insect
injury (b). Permanent grass-land, its formation and manage-
ment (¢). The characteristics of common farm weeds.

The distribution and characteristic features of the more
important breeds of farm stock (d). The feeding of farm
animals, and the compounding of typical rations.

The modifications suggested by the Imperial
Department of f Agriculture are as follows :-—

(a). The subeeaGan of the following natural orders for
those given above : Gramineae, Palmaceae, Scitamineae,
Leguminosae, Solanaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Rutaceae,
Malvaceae.

(b). For “Fum crops’ substitute * West Indian or Tropical

crops.’ The scope of the latter to be limited, preferably,

e Nicholls’ Tropical Aignie wltwre (Macmillan). Sugar,

Cacao, Coffee, Tobacco, Cocoa-nut, Banana, Orange and

Lime, Pine- apple, Arrowroot, Sweet Potato,

Grass (Cynodoin Dactylon), Guinea Grass (Paniciun incei-
mum), Para Grass (Panicum muticum), Sour Grass
(Andropogon pertiusus).

As in some Colonies little or no attention is devoted to
the breeding of farm stock, the following might be offered
as an alternative study in such Colonies:—-‘ T he Alimen-

tary Canal and its appendages. Comparison of the

(d).

Alimentary Canal in the Rabbit, Horse, Ruminant and
Fowl. Digestion in the mouth, stomach and intestine.’

Educational Efforts in the West Indies.

“The Jamaica Journal of Education’ gives an inter-
esting account of the origin and extensive use of
Blackie’s Tropical Readers and other agencies for
Improving agricultural education in the West Indies -—

It was in 1893 the Jamaica Board of Edueation sug-
gested the preparation of such books as we are now familiar
with under the designation of Blackie’s Vropical Readers.
It was not till early in 1897 that the first of the two came
to the island ready for general circulation. Now they are
schoolbooks in use throughout the whole of the British West
Indies, as we ventured to say to the publishers they would
be when the plan only of them was being considered. When
they were in the printer’s hands Dr. Morris saw them and
wrote—* I have had the opportunity of reading the proofs of
these interesting little books, and I feel sure they will be of
invaluable service in familiarizing the children with the
proper mode of cultivating crops suitable to the island, and in
preparing them later on to take wp the systematic study of
agriculture as a science. They will also be read by adults as
well as by children.’ ‘Such he went on to say,
“cannot fail eventually to raise the character of practical
agriculture in the island and render the people more capable
than at present in responding to the requirements of the
markets of the world.’ ‘The island’ referred to by Dr.
Morris was of course Jamaica. The Imperial Department of
Agriculture for the West Indies was not then in sight. Now,
as Commissioner at the head of it, he tells that these Readers
are in general use in work throughout the area to
which his Commission extends.

With these Readers in daily use the intelligent teacher
finds it comparatively easy to give a new interest to object
lessons. He can lead his pupils to go to and come from school
with eyes seeking knowledge where none was sought before.
The children are in this way made to feel that the school has
to do with all the life around them. It can no longer be said
that Nature is a foreign country to our school children. This
is a great change, and happily it now applies to the whole of
the British West Indies. It is at once a part of a great
educational movement on lines approved by the foremost
educationists, and a laying broad and deep, at the right
time, and in the proper place, of the foundations of a true
material and social upbuilding of the mass of the West
Indian people. This great beginning was felt, here at least,
to be needed and was “begun before the Royal Commission
and Mr. Chamberlain took us in hand. The four Barbados
Conferences, Mr. Watts’ Nature Teaching, Mi. Freeman’s
Hints for School Gardens, the Lectures on Agricultural
Science, the West Indian Bulletin, the many pamphlets of
the Imperial Department of Agriculture, and the labours of
the Commissioner, Dr. Morris, are all harmoniously working
together for the great end of making the British West Indian
estates prosperous, and of placing that prosperity on the solid
basis of the intelligence and energy of the people who culti-
vate them,

books,’

class

28 THE

AGRICULTURAL NEWS.

May 10, 1902.

DEPARTMENT NEWS.

Professor J. P. d@ Albuquerque, Island Professor of
Chemistry and Chemist-in-charge of Sugar-cane Experi-
ments, at Barbados, proceeds to England, on vacation
leave of absence, in R.M.S. ‘La Plata’ to-day,

Mr. H. Maxwell-Lefroy, the Entomologist to the
Tinperial Department of Agriculture, goes home on
short leave of absence by mail to-day. In returning to
the West Indies Mr. Lefroy will pay a visit to the
United States to study apphances and methods for
dealing with insect pests.

On the recommendation of the Imperial Commis-
sioner of Agriculture for the West Indies, Mr. Thomas
Osment has been selected as Agricultural Instructor at
St. Vincent in connection with the Land Settlement
Scheme.

Pamphlet (No. 15) to be published to-day, con-
tains the summary of an address entitled ‘ Plain tall
to Small Owners’ delivered by his Honour IF. H.
Watkins, the Commissioner of Montserrat. It contains
hints likely to be of service in all parts of the West
Indies. The pamphlet is on sale by all Agents of the
Department.

The first number of the third volume of the West
Zndian Bulletin has recently been issued. It contains
a report of the proceedings of the Agricultural Confer-
ence held in January last with the papers and discussions
relating to the sugar industry. Also a paper on
Agricultural Boards and the report of the Chemical
Section. Two important papers on the sugar industry
of Jamaiea from Mr. Cousins and Mr. Shore deal with
the possibilities of Jamaica’s sugar industry from the
point of view both of the traimed chemist and the
practical planter. . Mr. A. Howard gives the results of
experiments to protect cane cuttings from fungoid
disease by means of Bordeaux mixture and tar, and
Mr. Letroy follows with an account of the lady-bird
borer of the sugar-cane. The West Zndiain Bulletin is
regularly on sale by the local Agents of the Depart-
ment in all parts of the West Indies,

Chitin. Chitin is the scientific name of the substance
forming the chief part of the hard integument of insects. It
is a peculiar nitrogenous compound, probably variable in
composition, which resists the action of alkalies and acids
which would dissolve the remainder of the insect’s body.
When newly formed, as when an insect casts its skin, it is
white, but under the action of light it deepens in colour. Insects
if kept in the dark after moulting remain white, the chitin
deepening in colour only after light acts on it. Chitin is not
found in insects only, but oceurs in centipedes, millipedes,
spiders, ete., as also in some worms, and in the pen of the
enttlefish. Chitin, or some substance very closely resembling
it, has also been found in the vegetable kingdom, in’ certain
fungi. Nearly half the weight of the skin of an insect is
chitin, and it is certainly the constituent that gives the
peculiar hardness, elasticity and flexibility to the outer integu-
ment of insects.

SCIENCE NOTES.

A Bird-lime Tree.

There is a very common tree generally distributed in the
West Indies known as “Cock-spur” in Jamaica and Bahamas.
Another name for it in Jamaica is “ Fingrigo.” It is the
“ Black-Thorn ” of Barbados and Croc-a-chien (Dog-tooth) of
the French Islands.* It has a scrambling habit with black
stems and branches plentifully armed with numerous recury-
ed spines. It somewhat suggests the black thorn of Europe,
especially, when the fresh green leaves come out in early
spring. ‘The Stems when large enough are sometimes used
as walking sticks. The male flowers appear as small green
buttons in the axil of the thorus. ‘he female flowers,
generally on different plants, consist of a loosely diffused pani-
cle of a dull rufous-brown colour.

Vig. 6. Frurr or Pisonia aculeata. Showing three of
the five rows of sticky glands.

(Three times natural size.)

The angles of the fruit (the latter about half an inch
or more long) are covered with viscid glands. Barham,

a quaint old writer (about 1720) on the plants of the
West Indies states that by means of the glutinous glands
the fruits of the “Fingrigo” stick fast to anything they
touch. He adds “I have seen ground-doyes and pea-
doves, that covet to eat the seeds, stick so fast about
them that they could not make use of their wings so that you
might take them up in your hands.” It would be interest-
ing to learn whether others have noticed that the glandular
fruits of this plant serve as “bird-lime’, and attach them-
selves to birds and other animals.

* Pisonia aculeata

To Kill an in3ect. It is sometimes necessary to kill
an insect when no killing bottle is handy, without injuring its
appearance. This may be done ina variety of ways. A moth or
butterfly may be carefully pinched below the insertion of the
wings, when it will probably die. Beetles are easily killed
by dropping them into hot water: the same applies to
many small insects which may be dropped on to the surface
of the liquid. Kerosene is deadly to many insects, as also is
turpentine and some strong smelling oils, but these should
not be used with hairy insects nor with those whose wings
are covered with scales. Rum, whisky or any strong spirit
can also be used, in which case the insect, unless a_ soft-
bodied one, should be removed from the liquid as soon as it
is dead. These methods are inferior to the use of a proper
killing bottle or chloroform, but may be useful at times.

Vor. I. No. 2.

THE AGRICULTURAL

NEWS. 29

RECENT REPORTS.

British Guiana. Report on the Botanie Gardens and
their work for the year 1900-1901. By G.S. Jenman, I. L.S.,
Government Botanist and Superintendent.

This report contains an account of the general routine
work at the Botanic Gardens with interesting and valuable
notes on economic plants. The work on seedling and other
canes carried out at the Gardens is not ineluded in this
report. The rainfall daring 1900 was 88-94 inches, an
increase of 36°24 inches on that of the previous year,
but yet 4:06 inches below the mean of the last 21 years.
The number of plants issued from April 1900, to March
1901, was nearly 20,000, valued at $2,061. Among the
economic plants introduced into the Gardens during the year
may be mentione, the best varieties of Grenada cacao, the
nayel orange and native species of //evea. Interesting notes
are given on the large number of varieties of mangos under
experimental cultivation, on Jamaica cocos (Colocasia), swect
potatos and artichokes. A variety of native cotton in which
the cotton is easily removed from the seeds was obtained from
the interior. A number of leguminous plants was grown for
experimental purposes with a view to their utilization as green
dressings. Numerous interesting natural history notes are
given relating to native and introduced plants, and to those
used as food plants by the nitive Indians in the interior. An
account is given of the practical instruct:on carried out by
the Agricultural Instructor in various parts of the Colony.
There isa melancholy interest attached to this report, beingthe
last by Mr. Jenman before his d2ith. In fact the repors
appears to have been submitted by him the day before he
died. He practically created the beautiful Botanic Gardens
at Georgetown and carried oa, in association with Professor
Harrison, a long series of experiments with seedling and other
eanes. He made large collections of the indigenous plants of
British Guiana and was a recognized authority on West
Indian ferns.

The Economic Feeling of Plantation Stock under present
conditions of high-priced grain, by Dr. W. C. Stubbs—
Louisiana Sugar Planters’ Association, March 15, 1902.

Sugar Planters’ Journal, March 22, 190?.)

The paper deals with the feeding of plantation stoek—-
horses and mules.

A horse or a mule weighing 1,000%b can be maintained
on 1641b of hay or 10% hay and 5lb of oats or 4Ib of corn.

A horse exerting himself to the utmost consumes nearly
one half more food per unit of work than with ordinary
draft.

A 1,000%b. horse requires 14°41b of digestible food daily
for moderate work, 13-6lb for average work and 16°6tb for
heavy work. This requires 10% of timothy hay with 11:5, 15
and 20tb of mixed corn and oats for the three kinds of
work.

The Louisiana sugar mules weigh 1,200Ib, and do very
heavy work. Each requires 18°32tb of digestible nutrients
per day. The practice in Louisiana is to feed the mules with
12ib of pea vine hay and 16tb of grain. This supplies
19-48lb of digestible nutrients and appears to contain too
much protein.

A change in feeding is desired on account of the high
prices of corn and oats. Dr. Stubbs suggests a ration of pea
vine hay, cotton seed meal and molasses—(1) 12% pea vine
hay, 10tb molasses and 61b cotton seed meal. This ration
contains 18°73lb, digestible nutrients with an albuminoid

ratio of 1: 4:4. The 61b. of cotton seed meal may be altered
to (2) 3lb. meal and 6tb. of corn, or (3) 2b of meal and
9ib of corm. The sound diet would give 20-74 Ib digestible
nutrients or an albuminoid ratio of 1 : 5-4 ; the third 21-33tb.
digestible nutrients or an albuminoid ratio of 1 : 5:9.

The saving in the case of these three diets above is 173,
12-6, and 9°7 cents per day per mule.

Those intending to adopt the new diets are advised to
begin with 1b of cotton seed meal per day and gradually
increase up to the ration adopted.

Molasses is fed to stock in Louisiana extensively with
excellent results, a mule eating daily with relish 8 to 12tb.
Dr. Stubbs thinks it almost a criminal waste to sell molasses
a few cents per gallon and buy hay, corn and oats at
present. prices.

The use of cotton seed meal is likely to increase as a
stock feed on account of its low price. Six pounds per day
is the maximum quantity recommended, and this quantity
should be approached gradually.

Ceylon - Cacao Canker in Ceylon.
the Roya! Botanic Gardens, Ceylon.
F.LS. October, 1901.

The writer of this pamphlet has evidently had excellent
opportunities for studying the cacao canker disease in
Ceylon, having spent upwards of a year in investigating the
life-history of the fungus and visiting the various estates in
the Colony.

From the account given of the general symptoms and the
microscopic characters of the disease, 1t would appear that
the canker disease of Ceylon is very similar to that of the
West Indies, and that both are apparently caused by closely
related fungi. In Ceylon, however, the disease seems to have
done far more damage than in the West Indies, as Mr.
Carruthers speaks of whole estates having been wiped out
thereby. Further, in Ceylon the canker fungus attacks cacac
pods to a considerable extent which, so far, does not seem te
have been recorded in the West Indies. Much work, how-
ever, still remains to be done both im Ceylon and in the West
Indies to clear up all the questions relating to the cacao
fungi and their work.

The fungus Phytophthora is mentioned as appearing on
cacao pods, but the part played by this form does not seem
to have, so far, been fully investigated.

While the investigations of the life-histories and the
part played by the fungi—Neetria and Phytophthora —in
the Ceylon cacao diseases, given in this Circular, are not yet
quite complete, the paper is a valuable one from the
practical side of the question, and for its suggestions for
future work on the improvement of the cacao.

The relatively enormous number of young pods which
die off, and the consequent loss of energy of the tree is alluded
to, and the necessity of a study of this question emphasised.
The starting point of such an inquiry would necessarily be
the manner in which the cacao flower is pollinated. Useful
information in experiment station work on the improvement
of cacao might easily result from such an investigation.

It is pointed out that Forastero pods are not destroyed
by fungi to the same extent as those of the ‘old red’ cacao
of Ceylon, which have a thinner epidermis than those of
Forastero. Again attention is called to the fact that some
cacao trees bear their main crop in the dry season when
the danger of fungoid diseases of the pod is at a mini-
mum, The production of a new variety of cacao with a
thick pod-epidermis, a smooth bark and a tendency to bear

Circular No. 23 of

By J. B. Carruthers,

3 THE AG

RICULTURAL

NEWS. May 10, 1902-

its main crop in the dry season is suggested. Such plants
would probably be more disease-resisting than those at
present grown. Experiments in this direction are being
made in Ceylon and the results will not fail to be of value
to the West Indies.

The remedies suggested to check the Ceylon cacao
disease, are practically identical with those already brought
forward in the West Indies. (West Indian Bulletin,
Vol. L, pp. 422-7; Vol. IL, pp. 190-208). The cutting
out of cankered spots gave better results than shaving
off the diseased bark. The tarring of the wounds, made in
pruning and cutting out cankered bark, is not insisted on in
Ceylon where the cacao beetle does not seem to be a pest.
Tarving is necessary in the West Indies both on account of
the beetle and the danger of reinfection at the cut surfaces.

Moulds. Every one knows that articles of food and
clothing become mouldy during very wet weather, or when
placed in damp places. This mouldiness is caused by the growth
of minute plants called fungi. Like all plants these mould
fungi require water. We can check this mouldiness by
removing the mouldy articles into drier places when the fungi
die for want of water. In dry places there is little danger
of moulds since a considerable degree of moisture
sary for their deyelopmont.

is neces-

Fruit packing. One of the first conditions for suecess
in the packing of tropical fruit is that each fruit or bunch of
fruits should be separated from the rest by some suitable
packing material. Thus oranges are wrapped separately in
paper. Under these conditions decay is prevented from
spreading from one or two rotten oranges through the whole
package. The decay of fruit is largely brought about by fungi.

HAND-BOOKS TO THE WEST INDIES.

The following Hand-books aford interesting information
of a descriptive, statistical and general character respecting
the West Indies. They also contain particulars respecting
the imports and exports and the agricultural resources of the
Colonies enumerated :—

Hanp-Book or Jawatca FoR 1902, comprising Histori-
cal, Statistical and General Information concerning the Island.
Twenty-second year of publication. London : Edward Stanford,
26 and 27 Cockspur Street. Jamaica: Government Printing

Office, Kingston.
British GuIANA Dikecrory AND ALMANACK for 1902,
Georgetown, Demerara: C. K. Jardine.

AND Tosaco Yrar Book,
Compiled by James Henry
Marshall & Co.

TRINIDAD
year of
Spain :

1902. Thirty-seventh
issue. Collens. Port-of-
Muir,

Tar Mirror ALMANACK
TORY OF

AND GENERAL ComMerctat Drrec-
Trixipap anp Topaco. Port-of-Spain : Mole Brothers.

THe Grenada HaNnp-pBook,
YEAR 1902.

DIRECTORY AND ALMANACK FOR

THE Compiled by the Colonial Secretary. London :

Sainpson Low, Marston & Co., Ltd.
Tue St. Lucta Hanp-sook, Direcrory, and ALMANAC vor
1902. Gomnile xd by Everard G. Garraway, Castries, 1902.

Tue Barsapos Directory aANp West InprAN Greneran
Apvertiser, 1901. Compiled by 8. J. Fraser. Bridgetown,
Barbados : King & Co :

InpiAN Direcrory
Lightbourn, St. Thomas.

LichtBbourn’s West

AND COMMERCIAL
Dizi.7 nx. J. N.

re

AGRICULTURAL INSTITUTIONS IN
THE WEST INDIES.

The Hom ble
Buttenshaw, M. -

Jamaica Board of Agriculture : Chairman :
Sy dney Olivier, C.M.G.; Secretary: W. BR.
Bise::;} -B icblication —Oceasional Bulletin.

Jamaica Agricultural Society (with thirteen aftiliated
Branches). Kingston, Jamaica. President: Sir Augustus W.L.
Hemming, G.C. "M.G. Deputy Chairman: Honble Wm. Faw-
cett, B.Sc., F.L.S. Secretary: John Barclay. Publication :
“Journal of the Jamaica Agricultural Society.”

Royal Jamaica Society of Agriculture & Commerce &

Merchants’ Exchange, Kingston, Jamaica. President : Hon'ble
Lieut-Colonel Ward, (.M.G. Secrefury: J. L. Ashenhein.
Publication > Annual Report.

The Institute of Jamaica: Kingston, Jamaica. Choir:

Sir Fielding Clarke. Secretary: Frank Cundall, F.S.A., Cirator
of Museam :———— Priblicat ‘ous “Journal of the Institute of
Jamaica.” ‘Jamaica in 1901.”

Kingston & St. Andrew Horticultural Society.
Jamaica. President: Hon’ble Wm. Fawcett, B.Sc.
William Harris, F.L.S

Kingston,
Secretary :

British Guiana Board of Agriculture, Georgetown,
ra. Chairman: Hon’ble A.A. “Ashmore, C.M. G.
mow: J. B. Harrison, C.M.G., M.A., F.1L.C.,

Secretary: Oscar Weber.

Demera-
Deputy Chair-
F.G.S., F.C.8.

British Guiana Royal Agricultural & Commercial Society
Georgetown, Demerara. President : Luke M. Hill, B.A.,
M.I.C.K. Secretary : Thomas Daley. Local Secretary : (Berbice,)
Dr. C. F. Castor. Assistant Secretary and Librarian: J. Rod-
way, F.L.S.. Civator of Mirseum : Richard Evans, M.A., B.Sc.,
Publication : ‘* Journal of the Rove 1 Agriculture and Goniier:
cial Society of British Guiana.”

Trinidad Agricultural Soccer: Port-of-Spain, Trinidad.
Fresident : Sir Alfred Moloney, K.C.M.G. Secretary : Edgar
Tripp. Publication: ‘* Proceedings of the Agricultural Society
of Trinidad.” ;

Grenada Agricultural Society, St George’s, Grenada. Presi-
dent: Sir Robert B. Llewelyn, K.C.M.G. Secretary: W. E:
Broadway. Publication : Minutes of Meetings.

Barbados General Agricultural Society & Reid School of
Practical Chemistry, Bridgetown, Barbados. President: Siv.
George C. Pile, Kt. Secretary: J. H. Poyer. Publicatiozn :
3arbados Agricultural Gazette and Planters’ Journal.”

St. Lucia Agricultural Society, Castries, St. Lucia— Pre s’-
>
\

dent: Sir H. L. Thompson, K. Cc. M. G. Secretary : Reg
McHugh.

Dominica Agricultural Society, Roseau, Dominica. Pres-
ident : The Hon’ble Hesketh H. Bell. Secretary: E. A. Agar.

Antigua sx ciety. President————Se¢

Agricultural
W. N. Sands.

retary :

St. Kitts-Nevis
able KE. G. Todd.

Agricultural Society. President : Ho :our-
NSeeretary: C. A Smith.

{Further particulars of Agricuitural and Hortie ‘tural
Institutions in the West Indies would be gladly rece ved for
this lst. Also fixtures for Agricultural Shows for 1902. ]

THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS 31

COMMERCIAL.

With the view of assisting in finding a market for the
disposal of local produce, arrangements have been made with
the following Agents in these Colonies who will be prepared
to receive consignments and obtain the best prices for them.

It is desirable that inquiry be made, beforehand, as
to the terms on which such produce will be received, and
whether the market is favourable or not.

It is particularly urged that no shipments be made until
an assurance has been received from the Agents themselves
that they are prepared to accept such shipments.

Agents in the West Indies.

BRITISH GUIANA—
B.S. Bayley, Water Street Georgetown.
TRINIDAD—
J. Russell Murray, Port-of-Spain.
BARBADOS—
T. S. Garraway & Co., Bridgetown.
ST. LUCIA—
Captain H. Henville, Contractor and Agent, Castries.

MARKET REPORTS.

London,— A; ril 15, 1902.—Messrs. J. Haves Carrp & Co.,
and GILLESPIE Bros. & Co.

ALoEs—Socotrine 80 - per ewt. Cape, 30/- to 36/- per ewt.

Bees-Wax—Jamaica, £7. 12. 6. to £8. 0. 0. per cwt.

Cacao—Grenada, fair -o good 54/- to 58/- per ewt. Trinidad
63/- per ewt.

Carpamons—Mysore, 1/2 to 3/- per lb.

Corres—Jaiaica, good ordinary, 40/- to 45/6. Bold 65/- to
74/0. Peaberry 47/- to 60/6.
Costa Rica, good to fine, 61/- to 83/6 per ewt.
Peaberry, 64,6 to 100/6 per ewt.

Corron—Carriacou 4Zc. per lb.

GINGER—Jamaica, common dark to fair 34/- to 42/- per ewt.
Fair to bold bright 49/- to 60/- per ewt.

Honety—Jamiaica in barrels 13/6 to 17/- per ewt.
15/- to 20/- per ewt.

In tins

Lime Jurce—Raw, common to fair, 11d. to 1/1. Good to .

fine 1/2 to 1/3 per gallon.
Mace—1/- to 2/6 per Ib.
Nurmecs—S8d/. to 2/4 per lb.
Om or Limrs—Dominica distilled 1/- per 1b. Hand pressed
4,4 per Ib.
Pimento—3i/. to 34d. per Ib.
Russer—Para, 2/1 to 3/2 per Ib. Central American 1/8
to 2.4 per lb. African 1/11 to 2/9 per lb.
Sucar-—West India Crystals, 14/9 to 16/3 per ewt. duty

Concentrated, £12 per pipe.

paid.
Musecvado—Jamaica, good brown 11/9 per ewt.
Molasses—nothing doing.

Tamarinps— 14/- per ewt.
Loawoon—£4. 5. 0. to £4. 10/- per ton.
Fustic—£4. 10/- per ton.

New York, April 4, 1902.—Messrs.

& Co,

Bananas—Jamaicas, 9 hands $1.10 to $1.15, 8 hands 80e.,
7 hands 5de. per bunch.

Cacao—African 12}c. to 13e. Caraceas, good ordinary 14}c.
to lic. Fine quality 17c. to 18¢. %
Grenada, 12c. to 12}c. Jamaica Ile. to 11je.

Trinidad 13}e. to 14$e. per Tb.

HILLESPIE Bros.

Cocsos-nuts—Jamaicas, $21.00 per M. Small Trinidads
$14.00 per M.

CorreE—Good ordinary, Rio, ®Zc. and fair quality, Jamaica,
Gye. to Ze. per Ib.

GINGER—Ordinary to small medium, 7c. to 8c. per Ib.

Pivento—Good quality 5c. per Ib.

Russer—Nicaragua Scrap 5le. per Ib.

Guayaquil Strip 4835c. per th.
Sucar—Muscovado, 89° 3he. Centrifugals 96° 3he.

INTER-COLONIAL MARKETS.
Antigua, —April 23, 1902. Messrs. C. W. Bennert,
son & Co., Ltd.
Morasses—8e. per gallon package included.
Sucar—Muscovado $1.05 per LOOIb.

IRY-

Barbados,—April 26, Messrs. T. 8. Garraway & Co.
Arrowkoot—good quality, $2.75 per ewt.
Cacao-—$12.11 to $12.29 per 100lb.
Corrre—Jamaica and Rio $9 to $10.25 per LO1b.

Hay—$1.39 per 100Ib.
Morasses—7$c. per gallon and $4.00 for package.

Ontons—$7.50 per 1001b.

Poraros—Nova Scotia $1.80 to $2.00. Bermudas $4.90 per
barrel.

Rice—Ballam $5.00 per bag. Patna $3.75.

SuGar—Muscovado, in hogsheads,—$1.05 per 1O00lb. and
$5.00 for hogshead, in bags, —$1.25 per 100Ib.

British Guiana,—April 24, 1902. Messrs. Weiting &
Richter.

Arrowroor-$6.50 per barrel.

Cacao—(nominal) Ile. to 12¢c. per Ib.

Cassava STarcH—%5.00 per barrel

Cocos-Nuts—$8.00 to $10.09 per M.

Correz—Rio and Jamaica 12¢c. to 13e. per Ib.

Eppors—$1.20 per LOOIb.

Ontons— Lisbon (retail) strung 4e., loose 3c per |b.

Pea Nurs—American (retail) 45e. to 5e. per Ib.

Pranrarns—24e. to 40c. per bunch.

Poratos EncriisH-—$2.25 to $2.50 per barvel.

Rice—Ballam $4.90, Patna $5.65 per bag.
—Creore Rice 20e. per gallon, retail.

Swesr Poraros—Barbados $1.68 per LOOLb.
per 1301b.

TANNIAS—$1.20 per LOOM.

Yams—$2.00 per 1O01b.

Motasses—First Yellow 16c. per gallon including package.

Sucar—Dark Crystals $1.57 to $1.60 per LOOLb. Yellow
Crystals $2.25 to $2.40 per LOOLb.

Timper—Greenheart 32c. to 49c. per cubic “foot.

WALLABA SHINGLES—$3.00 to $5.00. per M.

Trinidad,—April 24, 1902. Messrs. Eocar Trrpp & Co.

Cacao—$13.00 to $13.50 per ewt.
CorreE—-(Venezuelan) 73c. per Ib.
Hay—(nothing doing)

Ontons—$2.50 per 100Ib.

Poratos Eneiish—$1.45 to $1.76 per 1O01b.
Rice—Ballam $41.65. Seeta $5.90 per bag.
Morasses—(no quotation)

Sugar—(no quotation)

Creole $1.32

Some enemies of scale-insects. Among the
natural enemies of scale insects, various fungi seem to be of
importance. If citrus-plants, badly affected by scale-insects, are
closely examined, reddish looking fungoid growths are to be
made out on some of the scales. The scale-insects on other
plants besides the citrus family are also apparently destroyed
by fungi. Any examples of scale insects with fungi upon
them would be very acceptable at the Department laboratory.

32 THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. . MAY 10, 1902:

Publications on sale of the Imperial Department of Agriculture

FOR THE WEST INDIES.
The ‘WEST INDIAN BULLETIN.’ A Quarterly Scientific Journal.

Votums. | contains full reports of the West Indian Agricultural Conferences of 1899 and 1900; also papers on
Moth-borer, Sugar-cane experiments, Agricultural education, Cacao diseases, ete.

As only a very limited number of copies of this Volume are now available, the parts can no longer be sold separately.
Volume I complete, in the original paper covers as issued, post free, 5s.

Votume II contains the report of the Conference.of 1901, with the President’s Address, papers on the Sugar
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of Lime, etc. The Volume is illustrated by two coloured plates and other illustrations.

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Votume III. Number 1. Agricultural Conference of 1902; President’s Address, Minutes of the proceedings and
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Number 2. Conference of 1902 (continued). Educational and General Papers. (In the press).

The Pamphlets are written in a simple and popular manner and the information contained in them is especially
adapted to West Indian conditions. They contain amongst other subjects, summaries of the results of the experiment work on
sugar-cane and manures, the full official reports of which have only a limited circulation. The following list gives particulars
of all the pamphlets which are still available. The missing numbers are out of print and can no longer be supplied :—

(3.) Seedling and other Canes at Barbados 1900. Price 2d. Post free 23d.

(5.) General Treatment of Insect Pests, 2nd Edition Revised. Price 4d. Post free 457.

Recipes for cooking Sweet Potatos. Price 2d. Post free 24d.

Scale Insects of the Lesser Antilles. Price 4d. Post free 5d.

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Manures and Leguminous Plants at Barbados, 1898-1901. Price 4d. Post free 5d.
Hints for School Gardens. Price 2d. Post free 24d.

Seedling and other Canes in the Leeward Islands, 1900-1901. Price 2d. Post free 24d.
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Screw worm in Cattle at St. Lucia. Price 2d. . Post free 24d.

Plain Talk to Small Owners. Price 2d. Post free 24d.

WNW ODANS

——o~EOaO~NES ESOS OESEOOESOrESErr—

CS

ee eee

Oa

©

A text-book based upon the general principles of Agriculture for the use of schools, prepared by the Honourable
Francis Watts and others. (Pages XII and 199) The Plant, the Soil, Plant food and Manures, Weeds, and Insects are succes-
sively treated, and the information given is illustrated throughout by simple experiments which can readily be carried out
in an ordinary school. The Book is mainly intended for the use of Teachers. Price, limp cloth 2s., or in a superior style
ox binding 2s. 6d. Postage, in either binding, 3}d extra.

The ‘AGRICULTURAL NEWS’ A Fortnightly Review.

The ‘ Agricultural News’ will contam extracts from ofticial correspondence and from progress and
other reports ; notes on interesting points connected with the work carried on at the Government Laboratories, Botanic
Stations, Experiment Stations, Agricultural Schools, Experiment plots, School plots, Agricultural shows, Lectures to teachers,
ete., the occurrence of disease, the arrival of new plants and animals, the flowering and fruiting of plants of special note, the
appointment, promotion and removal of officers, the weather, and, in fact, any information indicating what is going on in each
Colony and the progress made in Agricultural matters throughout the West Indies.

The ‘Agricultural News’ will be printed in time to be distributed, regularly, by each mail, and
will be on sale by the local agents of the Department at one penny per number, post free 14d. The subscription price,
including postage, is 1s. 74d. per half-year, or 3s. 3d. per annum. The work of distribution is intended to be carried on mainly
by the local agents or through the post.

Agents.
The following have been appointed agents for the sale of the publications of the Department :—
London: Messrs. Dutau & Co., 37, Soho Square, W. Barbados: Messrs. Bowen & Sons, Bridgetown. Jamaica :
Tar Epucationat Surety Company, 16 King St., Kingston. British Gudana - Mr. C. K. Jarprne, ‘Daily Chronicle’ Office,
Georgetown. Zrinidad » Messrs. Munro, & Co., Frederick St., Port-of-Spain. Vobago: Mr. C. L. PLAGEMANN, Scarborough,
Grenada - Messrs. F. Marrasr & Co., ‘The Stores,’ St. George. St Vincent : Mr. W. C. D. Prouproor, Kingstown. S¢. Lucia:
Mr. R. G. McHuen, Castries. Dominica: Messrs. C. F. Duverney & Co., Market St. Roseau. JJontserrat: Mr. W.

Lieweityn Wat, Plymouth. Antigua: Mr. F. Forrest, St. John’s. St. Avtts: Messrs., 8. L. Horsford & Co., Basseterre.

Printed at Office of Agricultural Reporter, 4, High Street, Bridgetown, Barbados.

JRL

Sian eB

A FORTNIGHTLY REVIEW

OF

THE

IMPERIAL DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE FOR THE WEST INDIES.

Waits Tig) NGS ot

BARBADOS,

WAY 24 (1902: Prick Id.

CONTENTS.

PAGE. PAGE.
Agricultural Efforts at | Notes and Comments :-contd.
Montserrat ... ... .-. 42 | ay te Rencent, United =
Bee-Keeping, States Fisheries ase Ss)
St Taueert bi eummne ys) | Para Rubber seen eeeO
ey Gaaieen TESS) gee ayy YD | Peasants’ Plots at Barba-
Breadfruit, Composition of 40 | _. dus... ... O66 -.. 40
nero hn eastures 37 | Pine-apples at Antigua... 44
Climbing Plants ... ... 46 Poultry SoC) 3000 poe Se
Cockroach Trap... ... 0... 37 | Produce, Quality of Bee oe
Wornercial —. ...... 47 } Purchase of Artificial Ma-
Common parasitic Fungus 47 | RUE CSE SEO -. 4
Department News... ... 44 | Recent Reports :—
Department Publications... 48 British Guiana, Mr.
Bdnenonal | Ward's visit to Trinidad 45
sdueational +

Notes on Insect Pests,
Wye College... ... 45
Tropical Timbers ... 0... 40

Agricultural = Edueation
abst. Katte. <.. ... 43 |
School Plots at St. Kitts 43 | :
Market Reports ... ... 47 | Science Notes :—
Mole Crickets 2 40 New Flora of Kvakatoa... 43
i : | Vegetable Ferments ... 45
Notes and Comments : Screw Worm... ... ... 40

Sugar-cane,

Sir Harry Thompson, Plant

Proclamation at Dominica, | Experiments at Antigua 35
Sir ry Jue Rie , : ‘
iv Henry Jackson, Rive | Experiments at Barbados 34

Cultivation at British Guiana,
Possibilities of Bee-keeping,
Spineless Limes, Onions at
Antigua, Vegetables for the
Boers, Lagos Silk Rubber at
Tobago, Vanilla in ‘Tabiti, |
Shipment of Logwood, Flow- |
ering Bamboo, Voleunie Ash |

Seedling Canes at British
Guiana... soc OD
| Voleanie dust at Barbados 44
| West Indies :

Agricultural Institutions 46
Hand-Books to, ... ... 46

i Quality Tee Preances

T is important to bear in mind that in our

efforts to improve the quality of produce
= Sy grown and shipped in the West Indies we
should recognize that there are certain initial difficulties

likely to be met with that can only be overcome by
sympathetic and judicious action. In the case of peasant
proprietors who sell their small lots of cottee, CACAO,
honey and fruit to local merchants, it is almost impossi-
ble for the latter to discriminate between a few lots
that show extra care in cultivation and curing, and the
great bulk of produce which is admittedly of interior
quality. It is this great bulk that fixes the price and
This
subject is touched upon in the Journal of the Jaiaicu
As the result of the

swamps and destroys the value of the small lots.

Agricultural Society tor April.
employment of travelling Agricultural Instructors the
small proprietors are paying more attention to the
cultivation of their crops. They are not only obtaining
an increased yield, but they are also endeaveuring to

improve the quality of their produce.

When, however, such men take their preduce to
the local store they too often find that they can only
obtain the same price as before. There is not enough
of it to be shipped alone and ‘it goes into, and is lost
The

always, lie with the local merchant.

fault does
It would really

in, the bulk of lower grade’ nob,
pay him better to give a higher price for good produce

because it gives less trouble and always finds a market.

It, for instance, he is paying 34s. for ordinary
cacao and a good sample of fermented and cured cacao
is offered to him, he may be willing to pay 3s.
or As. for it its better
Unfortunately he get enough to

because of
nob
a separate shipment, He must therefore mix it with

the

more quality.

does make

lower class of cacao for which he gets only

o

ordinary prices. There is another point. It has some-
times happened that samples are drawn on the other
side from the two or three bags containing a propor-
tion of the well cured cacao. When the shipment is
delivered, as it is not equal to sample, and the contrast
is so great, the merchant who has, already, paid a
higher price for the good cacao is, in addition, lable to

be muleted im ‘allowances.’

There is no doubt as to the existence of the diffi-
culties above referred to. They are, admittedly, only
temporary, but they are real enough in thew ettects
on the small cultivator to check him in his desire to
improve the quality of his produce. We have drawn
attention to them in order that they may be removed,
so that the path of the industrious and painstaking
cultivator may be rendered easier, and the quality of
West Indian produce may be gradually and steadily
improved. The Boards of Agriculture and the Agri-
cultural Societies might take up the subject and give
eareful consideration to it. The circumstances in each

Colony will probably require separate treatment.
Something might be done by encouraging organization
amongst the small proprietors and by assisting groups
of them in certain districts to ship their own produce.
Later, when the quantity of well cured produce has
perceptibly increased and regular shipments of uniform
quality can be made, the local merchants will then be

only too glad to deal with them,

ofr &

SUGAR-CANE EXPERIMENTS AT
BARBADOS.
The followig progress report has been received

from Prof. @Albuquerque and Mr. J. R. Bovell, on the
work doae from December 1900 to April 1902 :

There are 7,313 experiments covering an area of

70! acres to be reported on. The followmg is a
detitted list of the stations giving the number of plots

and area under experiments.

EXPERIMENTS WITH MANURES.

OF the G05 manurial experiment plots, covering an
area of seventeen and a half acres, twenty-six were in
‘Summervale’ field at Dodds, 230 in ‘ Mill field) at

Foursquare, thirty in ‘ Nineteen Acre’ field at the Pine

and 319 in‘ Ashford Hili? and ‘Hopper’ fields at
Hopewell. Of these latter, the 173 plots im ‘ Ashford
Hill) ficld| were with plant canes and the 146 in

. Hopper field, with first ratoons.
At Dodds the cuttings planted in| December 1900
germinated regularly and a good stand of canes was

3 / - THE, AGRICULTURAL NEWS.

“EXPERIMENTS WITH SELECTED SEEDLINGS

May 24, 1902.

established at an early time. They continued to make
good growth and a heavy yield per acre was obtained.

At Foursquare the cuttings first planted grew so
badly that it was necessary to use the same variety tor
replacing the cuttings that failed to germinate.

The canes of the manurial plots at Hopewell grew
well, but we regret to state that a considerable number
of the plots were attacked with a fungus disease which
is likely to affect seriously the correctness of the results
obtained.

AND OTHER
CANES.

Of this group of experiments, contaming 265 plots
extending over an area of seventeen and one third
acres, there were at Henley thirty-one plots of plant
canes in ‘Long’ field and twenty-one of first ratoons
in ‘Upper’ and ‘Lower Garden’ fields: at Coverley
thirty-two plots of plant canes im ‘ Old Well’ field) and
twenty-two of first ratoons in ‘ Middle Caminus’ field ;
at Husbands thirty-one plots of plant canes in‘ Four
Acre’ field: at Blackmans thirty plots of plant canes in
‘Big Betty’ field, twenty-six of first ratoons in * Guava
Hole’ field, and twenty ofsecond ratoons in ‘Wish’ field,
and at Waterford thirty-three plots of plant canes in
‘Dixon’ field and twenty of first ratoons in ‘Three
Acre ‘ field.

A fairly good stand of canes was obtained on all
of the plots of this group with the exception of the

plant canes in ‘ Big Betty’ field at Blackmans.

EXPERIMENTS WITH SEEDLING CANES (OTHER THAN
FIRST YEAR) AND DIFFERENT NAMED VARLETIES.

In this section of the experiments there were 2,071
plots with an area of about thirty-two and a halt
acres. The largest number of these plots viz :—1,607
were in ‘Foster’ field at Waterford. At Dodds there
were 342 plots in the following fields, viz :—thirty-forr
in ‘ Lower Chapel,’ fifty-four in ‘ Well, twenty-five in
‘House, thirty-seven im ‘ Mill,” seventy-two in ‘ Upper
Padmore, seventy tm ‘ Lower Nightingale, and_ fifty
in ‘ Pasture. In ‘Garden’ field at the Pine there were
seventy-six plots, in ‘South Ginger’ field at Oughterson
ten, in * Upper Dodds” field at Sunbury sixteen, and at
Hampton fourteen plots of plant canes in ‘Street’ field
and six plots of first ratoons in * Twelve Acre’ field.

On the whole the canes on these plots grew so
well that little supplying was necessary. Some of
these new scedlings such as Sport Ribbon, Sport
White, B. Nos. 1203, 1225, 1264, 1270, 1269, 1462,
1529, 2563, 3054, 3204, (). No. 3, T. Nos. 24, 77 and
111 have given promising results, so far as their saccha-
rine richness is concerned. Their future growth, their
resistance to drought, their ratooning capabilities and
the weight of canes per acre will be carefully noted,
and, if subsequent results justify it, their cultivation
will be rapidly extended.

EXPERIMENTS WITH SEEDLING CANES OF THE FIRST
YEAR'S GROWTH.

4,369 secdlings were raised and planted in * Pear
Tree’ field at Waterford estate in June L901, Owing to
the prolonged drought they suffered somewhat from

Wortls Nove: THE

remaining in the pots too long, and, after they were

planted, from the exeossive rainfall in the latter
half of June and in July and August.

It was hoped that these canes would have been
sufficiently matured by April or May 1902, to allow of

their being tested, so that only those containing rich
juice shor iid. be re- planter d. Owing, however, to the
reasons given above, this could not be done, and so now
these will have to be re-planted next December solely
by their field characters.

We desire to state that only a certain number of
the above plots have been reaped. Seedling and other
sagar-canes which were found unsuitable for farther
eultivation when testel in 1991 were not re-planted
the tollowing December, consequently they were not
tested this year.

CHEMICAL SELECTION PLOT.

In 1900 nine plots of top cuttings taken from
canes of B. No. 147, which had been tested for their
saccharine richness, were, with the permission of
Mr. H. E. Thorne, planted at Sandy Lane ina field which
could be irrigated. These cuttings were divided into
three groups according to their degree of richness, and
each was further subdivided into cee lots: so that the
first plot which is known as ‘ High-high’ contains the
richest juice of the richest group. * High-middle’
contains the medium rich canes from the richest group
and so on down to the ninth plot, which contains the
poorest canes of the poorest group.

SEEDLING CANES AT BRITISH GUIANA.

At a meeting of the Board Agriculttwe of British
Guiana held on April 28, last, the secretary read the follow-
ing statement prepared by Professor Harrison from — the
returns rendered to the Sngar-cane Experiments Committee
in answer to its cirenlar letter of Febrnary 15, addressed
to the managers of asking for statistical
returns of the varieties of sugar-cane, other than the Bourbon,
in cultivation in British Guiana :

Varieties other than Bourbon are being grown-<on 25
plantations in the county of Demerara, on 7 plantations in the
county of Essequebo, and 6 in the county of Berbice : or on
38 plantations in British Guiana.

Of these plantations thirty have areas of more than one
acre of one kind of variety under cultivation ; 21 are in
Demerara, 5 in Essequebo, and 4 in Berbice. The remaining
8, 4 of which are in Demerara, 2 in Essequebo, and 2 in Berbice
have only sinall areas of varieties of canes used as nurseries in
order to obtain canes for planting out larger areas.

Many of the plantations which are growing varieties of
canes on a relatively large scale have nurseries of several or of
many varieties the cultivation of which they intend to gradually
extend.

Returns have uot been received from two plantations, and
these are included among those which are not taking part in
the search for improved varieties of canes. Including these
there are 15 plantations in British Guiana on which the
Bourbon is the only kind of cane cultivated. Five of these
plantations are in Demerara, two in Essequebo, and eight in
Berbice.

The areas used for the experimental cultivation of the
varieties other than Bourbon on the estates participating in
the inquiry vary very greatly, from seven acres as the 1ini-
enum to about 1,600 as the maximum.

One plantation in Demerara has an

sugar estates

area of over 1,500

AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 3D

acres occupied by large scale experiments with varieties of canes,
while one in Berbice has over 1,100 acres similarly occupied.
The following shows the various acreages devoted to these
experiments :—
Plantations in
Essequebo Berbice.

Demerara.

Over 1,500 acres... 1 = —-
cSt OOFacres are. - -— 1

Between 500 & 600 acres 1 — -
Be 400 & 500 acres 1 - --
oe 300 & 409 acres 1 -—- —
oi 200 & 300 acres 2
. 100 & 200 acres 4 2 1
se 50 & 100 acres 5 - 1

Under 50 acres... fais 6 3 1

The returns show that in British Guiana 6,282 acres are
occupied with large scale experiments im varietics of sugar-cane
other than Bourbon, 4,538 acres being in Demerara, 1,372 in
Berbice and 372 in Essequebo.

The following shows the varieties other than Bourbon
which are at present cultivated in British Guiana on areas of
more than one acre in extent :

No. of No. of

Nume or Number of

cane plautations acres
White Transparent... 24 1,899
DOS) 22: ae Res 20 1.727
D. 15 629
B. 3 3 19 599
D. 5 14 2
D. 9 339
D. 10 216
Dz. 11 as
D. j 8 2
BeOS: as 1 43
Purple Transparent 3 49
BYwe1090" =. ae 3 4]
Sealy#. 22 aes 8 40)
Bo TGs =. uae 4 Bb
Burke J 28
306 B 1 10
117 1 9
Samsara... 2 38
130 ae 5 8
156.B 1 6
Green tree BA oe 3 3)
Batlle =e oe 2 4

SUGAR-CANE EXPERIMENTS AT
ANTIGUA.

The following extract from the Report of the
Meeting of the Agric cultural and Commercial Society
of Antigua, held on May 2, gives a brief summary ‘of
the results of the past season's experiments with seed-
ling and other canes in that island :—

Mr. Watts gave a brief preliminary account of the
results of reaping the plant canes of the varieties under
experiment cultivation in Antigua in 1901-2. He prefaced
his remarks by saying that he thought it was to the interest
of planters that they should be informed at the earliest
possible moment of the results of these experim: ents $s) that
they might have opportunities of saving such canes as
appeared to possess merit, before the reaping season IS over.
Planters are thus enabled to establish nurseries of promising
varieties from which they may draw supplies for more exten-
sive planting at the end of the year.

Twenty-three kinds of cane were grown, each on fow~
teen several plots. Taking the mean of all the results, the
order of merit, based upon the pounds of cane-sugar per
acre in the juice, was as follows :—-

36 THE AGRICL

(B08: 12. Caledonian Queen.
ee AOS! 13!’ Mt. Blanc:

3s DP 130: lay SB. V5:

££ DS 195. 15. Rappoe.

5. Sealy Seedling. 16. D. 116.

6: 3D. 3102: Wie aD? 145)

7. Naga B. 18. . Red Ribbon.

8. Burke. eos ID vee

9..-B. 156. 20. White Transparent.
tO. B. 306. 2 Be 477

LY D574. 22. Queensland Creole.

23. B:

Reference was made to the tonnage of cane and the

quality of juice afforded by each kind of cane, attention

being directed to the great richness and high purity of the

juice from B. 208. and D.95., both of which canes appear
very snitable for planting in Antigua.

176

The list of twenty-three canes given aboye contams
many which were not under trial last year. It is interesting
to remove these and to compare the order of merit with the
order arrived at last year and also with the order deduced
from the average results of three years’ experiments: we thus
arrive at the following :—

Order in 1901-2. Order in

1800-1, Ordir on Arve rege of

three

Years.

7b: 109: 1. DF 95. 1. D. 95.
rel Dh 2, Mt. Blanc. 2. B. 109.
3. D: 102. 3. Naga B. 3. Naga B.
4. Naga B. 4. Burke. 4. Burke.
>». Burke. 5. D. 102. 5. D. 102,
6. Cal. Queen. 6. Red Ribbon. 6. Caledn. Queen.
7. Mt. Blane. 7. Wt. Transparent. 7. Mt. Blanc.
8..D. 116. 8. Queens. Creole. 8. Rappoe.
%. Rappoe. 9. Caled. Queen. 9, Wt. Transparent.
40. D. 116. 10, Rappoe. LOO DEE:
41. Red Ribbon. 11. B. 109, 11. B. 147.
12. Wt. Transparent. 12. B. 147. 12. D. 116.
3. B. 147. 13. D: 116. 15. Queens. Creole.
44. Queensld. Creole. 14. D. 115.
(Red Ribbon not
grown in 1900).
These orders show very fair concordance, the most

striking feature perhaps being the high position which B. 109
ocenpies this year, a position Mr. Watts attributed to the
unusually heavy rainfall of the past season. He therefore
urged planters to be cautious with regard to this cane and
nol te plant it extensively without further trials,

Mr. Watts stated that the experiments with ratoon
canes in Antigua were not yet complete, but judging from
the results already obtained in St. Kitt’s, he felt justified in
saying that B. 208. will be found to ratoon satisfactorily.
In the course of a few weeks he hoped to be able to lay
before the planters a short account of the ratoon experiments
from which they may obtain information as to the ratooning
qualities of the canes, such as B. 208., D. 95. and other
eancs which are now attracting their attention.

My. Watts next exhibited specimens of two fungi attack
ing Sligar-canes one, Thiclaviopsis ethaceticus which is the
fungus referred to as killing newly planted tops in the paper
by Ma. Howard in the West Indian Bulletin, Vol. UA, yop.
T3586. The other fungus, I/arasmins, appears to have been
seen here frequently, but hitherto we have been unaware of
its dangerous character.

Watts accorded a
vote of thanks for bringing the information he had
just given to the Society to the notice of the planters at so

On concluding his address Mr. was

hearty

early a date.

TLTURAL

NEWS.

May 24, 1902-

PARA RUBBER.

This account of the tree yielding the Para rubber
of commerce, and the conditions under which it
grows in its native country is taken from the Cantor
lectures on ‘ Plants yielding Commercial India-rubber ’
delivered before the Society of Arts by Dr. Morris
in April 1898 :— :

Para rubber derives its name from the town and
province of that name in Brazil. It is rightly regarded as
the most valuable of any in commerce. The price of Para
rubber praetically governs that of all other rubbers. © The
tree or trees, for probably more than one species is utilized,
are distributed throughout the vast region of the Amazon
valley and adjoining areas, and occupy an area about
two-thirds the size of Europe. The principal tree yielding
Para rmbber is the ‘ Seringa,’ Hevea brasiliensis (syn. Sipho-
uia brasiliensis), belonging to the natural order Euphorbiaceae
or Spurges, numerous members of which secrete a milky juice

TREE.
Hevea brasiliensis (M uell.)

Showing trifohate leaves and numerous small flowers. The
female tlowers are larger and at the ends of the sprays. In
the lower right hand corner is a fruit (capsule) cut open
to show the position of the seeds, usually three in number.
Above it is a single seed, one half natural size.

RUBBER

Brancu or Para

The tree is upright and grows to a large size, up to
60 feet in height, with a trunk 6 to 8 feet in cireum
ference. The branches, when the trees grow closely together,

are short; the leaves are compound and trifoliate. The
whitish-ereen flowers are male and female in the same
panicle, the female usually larger and terminal. The fruit

is a large dry capsule composed of three one-seeded pieces.
The seeds are the size of filberts with a shining seed coat
marked with black blotches ;

the interior substance is very
oily.

On this account the seeds soon lose their vitality. Jn
the Lower Amazon valley the trees flower in January, and

Vora 2

THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 37

the seeds ripen at the beginning of the dry season, in July
and August.

Hevea brasiliensis grows in the moist, hot forests of the
province of Para, and especially in the district near the
numerous mouths of the Amazon, known as the islands. — It
probably extends far inland into the province of Amazonas,
but its exact distribution is not clearly known. Other species
of Heveas, eight or ten in all, are found not only in Brazil,
Hut also in Venezuela, Guianas, Peru, and Bolivia.

The district where //evea brasi/vens/s flourishes, is in
South latitude 1° ; the climate is remarkable for its wnifor-
mity of temperature, usually not exceeding 87 Fahr. at
mid-day, or below 74 at night. The greatest heat recorded
is 95°, and the mean for the year is 81°. The rainfall occurs
principally during the months of January to June, the
maximum being in April, when it reaches 15 inches. For the
remaining six months, little rain falls, but the air is always
loaded with moisture. The whole country is covered with dense,
almost impenetrable, forests, and the soil near the numerous
and gigantic rivers is deep, heavy, and very fertile. Some of
the low-lying country, where the rubber grow, is
annually flooded, and is very damp and unhealthy. Under
cultivation in Ceylon it has been found that the trees will
also flourish on well-drained soils beyond the reach of floods.

Mr. Kerbey, the American Consul at Para, states :

‘The rubber tree thrives well both on high and low land ;
but in order to yield a large supply of milk it must have
plenty of moisture in the soil part of the year at least. For
example, on the river Purus, where the flood plains are
covered with water from one to three or four months in the
year, the trees on these levels yield milk in abundance, while
large trees of the same sort, not reached by the floods, do
not pay for the trouble of tapping them. On the Lower
Amazon not only the trees on the tide flats, and annual flood
plains yield milk in paying quantities, but also those on
the high land (terra firma) because the rains of six months
or more in the year supply abundance of water to the soil.’
He continues: ‘The territory from which Para rubber is
gathered is nearly or quite as extensive as all the United
States lying east of the Rocky Mountains. Some of the
Para rubber has to come as far to reach Para as it has to
travel from Para to reach New York.’

The great value of Para rubber trees has naturally
suggested the desirability of introducing the cultivation into
other countries. Seeds of /evea brasiliensis were introduced
to Kew in 1872, through Sir Clements Markham, K.C.B.
(then Mr. Markham), and a first case of living plants was
safely taken out to India by Dr. King, the Superintendent
of the Botanic Gardens at Calcutta, in the following year.
Since that time the Government of India has taken up the
introduction of this valuable tree ona large scale. In 1875
Mr. H. A. Wickham was commissioned to collect seeds in
Brazil, and he arrived at Kew with 70,000 seeds of which
1,900 plants in 38 Wardian cases were, however, despatched
from Kew to Ceylon (as the climate of Calentta was found
unsuitable to them), where they arrived in excellent condi-
tion. Small lots of plants were also distributed at the same
time to the West Indies, the West coast of Africa, Singapore,
and Java. In 1876 Mr. Robert Cross, who had been sent
to South America to bring home living plants in case the
seeds brought by Mr. Wickham failed to germinate, arrived
at Kew with 1,000 plants. The greater number of the
survivors of these was also forwarded to Ceylon to be grown
for distribution to India, and the rest to Mauritius, Singa-
pore and Queensland. Para rubber trees are now well
established in various parts of India and in most of our
Eastern possessions.

trees

THE CARE OF PASTURES.

In several of the West Indian islands there are exten-
sive pastures on which stock are annually raised but not in
sufficient numbers to supply the local demands for fresh meat.
To meet this deficiency cattle are imported from Venezuela,
Porto Rico, and elsewhere. If some means could be found
to render the British West Indies self-supporting in this
respect, not only would a considerable sum of money, now
spent elsewhere, remain in the islands, but remunerative
employment would be available for a section of the popula-
tion. There can be little doubt that the existing pastures, if
carefully handled, are capable of supporting more stock than
at present. The subject of the care of pastures has already
received some attention from the Department of Agriculture,
anda paper on the subject by the Hon. Francis Watts
appeared in the West Indian Bulletin (Vol. 1 p. 410). In
this paper, the systematic grazing of pastures after dividing
them by suitable fencing, the prevention of pasture fires, the
use of shade trees for the stock and the cutting of grass for
hay, were advocated as suitable means for the improvement
of the Antigua pastures. Mr. C. W. Meaden, manager of
the Government Farm in Trinidad, makes (West Indian
Bulletin, Vol. 11, p. 162) somewhat similar proposals for
dealing with the pastures in Trinidad, where £40,000. is
annually spent on the supply of meat. In this connexion, a
recent experiment carried out by the United States Depart-
ment of Agriculture on the improvement of cattle ranges in
Central Texas is of interest. (Bulletin No. 13., Bureau of
Plant Industry, by H. L. Bentley ).

A range, below the average quality, 640 acres in
extent, with a carrying eapacity of 40 head of mixed cattle,
or 1 to 16 acres, was selected by the Department. The experi-
ment lasted three years and was concluded in April last,
when the carrying capacity of the range was estimated
to be LOO head of mixed cattle for the 640 acres, an increase
of more than LOO per cent. The actual cost of the improve-
ments did not exceed 75 cents per acre, for the three years,
but the rental value had increased from 85 per acre in 1898,
to SLO in 1901, a net increase of 84.25 peracre or
from the of 640 acres.

section

The section was divided into a number of fields by suit-
able fencing. The result of the experiment demonstrated that
under the conditions obtaining in Texas (1) it pays to cultivate
pastures with disk or iron-tooth harrows ; (2) it pays to
rest pastures periodically during the period when the grass
seeds are maturing and falling to the ground: (3) that various
leguminous plants such as alfalfa, sainfoin, cow peas, velvet
beans are suitable for annual or temporary pastures and
for hay purposes; (4) that the sowing of the seeds of perma-
nent pasture grasses can be utilized to good advantage. The
bulletin concludes with a deseription of the hay and pasture
plants recommended for Central Texas.

A Cockroach Trap. Many devices have been sug-
gested from time to time to destroy these common household
pests. The following is simple and has also proved very
successful. An empty guaya-jelly pot is placed upright on
the floor in places infested with cockroaches. The insects
are attracted by the sweet jelly and readily enter the pot.
Once inside they are unable to climb up the slippery sides,
and remain prisoners. As many as a dozen large cockroaches
may be trapped ina single night in one of these jelly pots,

38 THE

EDITORIAL NOTICES.

Letters and matter for publication, as well as all specimens
for naming should be addressed to the Imprr1aL COMMISSIONER
ov Acricunrure, Head Oftice : Barbados. It is particularly

desired that no letters be addressed to any member of the statf

by mame. with

them.

Such a course will entail delay in dealing

Communications should always be written on one side only
of the paper. It should be understood that no contributions
or specimens will, in any case, be returned.

All applications for copies of the ‘Agricultural News’
should be addressed to the Loeal Agents and not to the
Head Office. Where no Agents exist subscriptions at the
rate of 3s. 3d per annum, payable beforehand, will be received
at the Head Oitice.

Correspondents sending newspapers should be careful to
mark the paragraphs they wish to bring under notice.

Agricultural Mews.

MAY 24,

SATURDAY, 1902.

NOTES AND GOMMENTS:

Death of Sir Harry Thompson, K.C.M.G.

St. Lucia has suttered a severe loss by the
death of Sir Harry Thompson on April 28.
official announcement of the sad occurrence Lieut. Col.

R. M. Dalrymple-Hay, the Acting-Administrator
says, ‘IT am sure that Iam but giving expression to the
sentiment of the people of St. Lucia in deploring the
loss which the Colony has sustained by the untimely
death of an Administrator whose abilities and energies
entirely devoted to the public and in
sympathising with Lady Thompson, who shared her
husband’s interest in the Colony and its people.

Sir Harry had taken an active personal interest
in the efforts to improve the agricultural conditions of
St. Lucia.

sudden
In the

were good,

——=2D ¢ ee

Plant Proclamation at Dominica.

On page 14 of this Journal we drew attention to
the Proclamation which had been issued at St. Lueia
forbidding the importation of plants or seeds
from Suan ennines im consequence of the warning
given by e Imperial Department of Agriculture of
the ae nee of a dangerous disease Toh
Surinam. <A similar proclamation
Dominica on April 24, prohibiting
importation into the Presidency of all plants,
berries, carth, other article or thing packed
therewith, or any goods, packages, coverings, or other
articles or things which may come directly or indirectly
from Continental South America and which there is
reason to believe may be affected by disease.

CAacay

cacao mM
Was issued at
absolutely the
seeds,

soil or

AGRICULTURAL NEWS.

May 24, 1902.

Sir Henry Jackson, K.C.M.G.

The Agricultural and Commercial Society of
Antigua, at a meeting on the eve of Sir Henry

Jackson’s departure to take up the Governorship of
Fiji, passed this resolution :—

* This Society desires to place on record the sense of the
great loss sustained by oe removal at so early a date of his

Excellency Sir Henry M. Jackson, K.C.M.G., from the govern-
ment of this Colony28. acca at the same time recording
its high appreciation of the interest taken by his Excellency

in the industries of the
render them prosperous.

Presidency and of his efforts to
The Society desires to express the
heartiest good wishes for his Excelleney’s future.’

>

Rice Cultivation in British Guiana.

With a view to encouraging
British Guiana, a large rice mill was erected in
Georgetown some time ago. This venture was not
successful, owing to special eirecumstances, and the
mill passed subseque snotly imto the hands of Messrs,
Weiting and Richter ( West Indian Bulletin, Vol. ID,
p. 281.) They report that the mill was re-opened
last year, and is encouraging growers to plant larger
areas in rice than hitherto. The prospects for the
first otf the years crops are said to be promising,
but no paddy will be available for the mill for several
months. In 1900, British Guiana produced 14,669
tons of paddy, equivalent to 10,70! tons of rice.

rice growing in

a _

The Possibilities of Bee-Keeping.

Amongst the papers read at the recent annual
meeting of the Bee-keepers’ Association of Ontario, was
one describing how a man had, single-handed, man-
aged 500 colonies of bees. He had struggled on ‘under
difficulties that would have discouraged any ordinary
mortal, but was finally
during the last three years, on an average,
comb honey per anmun. At 28s. per ewt.
realize £250 or $1,200.

so suecesstul as to secure,

20,000 Ib. of
this would

—=_ + oe

Spineless Lime Trees.

In 1892 on Shawtord estate,
noticed without the
Seeds from this apparent
Some 75 per cent.
spineless limes fornis an interesting feature in the
Dominica Botanic Garden. The plants in this plot are
bearing heavily, and the Curator, Mr. Jones,
reports that SO to 90 per cent. of the seedlings raised
are coming true. The fruit of the spineless vi wiety is
slightly below the average in size, and if remains to
be seen whether, for estate requirements, the new
variety 1s an nnprovement or not.

a lime tree
formidable spines.
were collected and
true and a plot of

Dominica,
usual
‘sport ;
came

Was

sown.

how

+

Onions at Antigua.

The onion crop has not been so satisfactory as last
year owing to the heavy rain in certain districts. In
several places over 70 inches were recorded and the

THE

Morrels Noves:

average was 45 inches. In districts where the soil was
light or the rainfall about 45 inches splendid onions
have been grown. That the planters are not clis-
couraged is mdics ited by the fact that three times the
quantity of see 1d ordered last season has been engaged
for this year’s planting. The chief damage by rain was
done in the seed- Rene which on several estates were,
with the young seedlings, washed away.

ee

Vegetables for the Boers at Antigua.

There will be a greatly inereased demand for
vegetables and fruit when the Boer prisoners and the
troops arrive in the island. The latter were due on May
13, and the former about June 1. At this time of the
year locally grown provisions are not plentiful, and in
any case it is not likely that Antigua will be able to
supply all requirements, so that Dominica, Montserrat
and the other islands of the Colony will no doubt. find
a ready sale for such products. One enterprising
merchant who has a contract for ‘fresh vegetables is
distributing seed free to growers in the Liberta and
Valley districts.

SSS

Lagos Silk Rubber at Tobago.
A plot of the African or

Lagos silk rubber

(Funtumia elastica) was planted at the Botanic
Station Tobago, in April 1901. The Curator reports

that the plants have made good growth and flowered
for the first time this month. Mr. Millen adds that in a
young state the plant assumes a shrubby habit, but by
pruning it can be made to form a trunk. In Lagos it
attains a height of from 90 to 100 feet before branching.
This makes it easy for the collector to tap the trunks.
The latex flows readily and rubber is easily produced by
the hot and cold water process, no chemicals being
required as in some rubber-producing trees. From. its
rapid growth the tree is apparently “adapted for eulti-
vation in Tobago.

——> +

Vanilla in Tahiti.

The Journal of the Board of Trade tor January 23,
1902, reports that the French Government has fixed
‘1,000 Kilograins [22,046 tb.] as the quantity of vanilla
produced 1 in French establishments in Oceania (Tahiti
and its Dependencies) which during the period from
July 1, 1901, to June 30, 1902, is to be allowed a
reduction of 50 per cent. of the ordinary import duty
on importation with France.’

In 1899 Tahiti exported 130,113 tb. of vanilla.
The price realized was very low, only 4s. 54d. per th.
owing largely to faulty preparation, The Consular
Report on the Trade of the Society Islands for 1899,
says that “Tahiti vanilla properly ‘cured before ship-
ment generally finds a fair market, although it cannot
compete in quality with that from Boushou Seychelles,

Fyiand the West Indies.’

AGRICULTURAL

NEWS. 39

Shipment of Logwood.

The quantity of logwood shippe dl to Europe
during last year is the smallest on record for ten years,
and the statisties, which have been issued by the well
known firm of Benekendorff, Be rger and Co, of London
and Jamaica, show that there is a ste: idy decline in
the importation of that product into the principal
markets of Europe.

During last year 9,628 tons of logwood, straight
and roots, were shipped from Jamaica to Kurope : and
of this quantity 6,343 tons went to Havre, while 1,765
tons were landed at ports in the United Kingdom, and
1,231 tons went to Hamburg. The largest consign-
nents received in’ Europe during the period under
review were from Santo Domingo and Haiti, and they
amounted to 41,676 tons. Honduras is eredited with
17,827 tous. The total importations reached 99,662
tons, or fully 30,812 tons below the receipts for 1900.
figures of

The following logwood shipped to

Europe from various countries for the ae mine years
may be of interest, 1893, 188,664 tons: 1894, 208.1 185,
tons: 1895, 225.779 fons: 1896, 262,930 tons: 1897,

1898, 160,069 tons ; 1899, 160,494 tons;
tons; L901, 124,837 tons.—/ Jamaica

185,336 tons:
1900, 155,649
Telegraph J

—eEnn

Flowering Bamboo.

A clump of probably the common
species (Bambusa arundinacea) is reported to be
Howering in Windsor Forest Road, Grenada. Bamboos
vary greatly in thei flowering periods. Some species
flower frequently, whilst others, amongst them the
one in question, only at long intervals. In Further

bamib« IOS,

India, the home of Bambusa arundinacea, the
bamboos flower over large tracts of country slmulta-
neously. In Brazil, plagues of mice and rats have

occurred after the flowering of the bamboos and the
subsequent enormous production of seed.

.

Volcanic Ash at St. Vincent.

The Curator of the Botanie Station, St. Vincent,
reports that about 3 p.m. on Wednesday, May 7, pieces
of scoriae fell thickly at the Botanic Station and grey
ashes also fell to a depth of about one quarter of an
inch during Wednesday afternoon and mght. Fortun-
ately very little damage was done to the Station.

> >

United States Fisheries.

Prof. H. F. Osborn LL.D., of Columbia University,
contributes to Hurper’s Magazine tor March an inter-
esting article on the United States Fish Commission
Station and Marine Laboratory at Woods Holl. The
article is well illustrated and gives a good account of

some of the work carried on at the Station.

40 THE

PEASANTS’ PLOTS AT BARBADOS.

Among the crops grown by the peasantry in Barbados
are the cereals, Indian and Guinea corn, and peas and beans
such as pigeon peas, rouncival pea, increase pea, bonavist
and bean. These are not grown separately, because, in most
cases, the plot is not large enough, the desire and aim of the
peasant bemg to get as many crops as possible out of his
land. Hence cereals are sown side by side with other
on the same land. Peasants’ plots vary in size from one rood
to one or two acres. In the early part of the year, during
the dry season, the soil is prepared by being forked or
hoed, manure is put in, and cane and corn holes are dug.
Early in the month of June, when the rainy season sets in,
seed is sown. Indian corn is planted on each side of the
cane holes. sometimes in alternate rows ; Guinea corn is sown
at shorter distances apart than Indian corn; bonavist, peas
and beans are sown around the hedgerows and sometimes
inside the plot. When ripe, the crops are reaped. On small

cere ps

plots the Indian corn is sold, as it stands, to women who
break off the ears and prepare them for market by cutting

the ends and stripping otf a few of the thin leaves which
cover the grain. In this state the cob is retailed at
the rate of three or four ears for one cent, and is cooked by
roasting, On larger plots the corn is allowed to remain in
the fields until it is quite dry, when it is sold at about 80
cents a bushel. This corn is ground in small mills into meal
which sells at the rate of from two to four pints for 10
cents,

Guinea corn, if allowed to seed, fetches about 80 cents a
bushel, but it is used chiefly as fodder for cattle and fetches
from 5 to 6 cents per 100 tb. In dry seasons, when other
fodder is it rises to as much as 40° cents per
100 th. With regard to the peas and beans, they are picked
when ripe and sold to hucksters who retail them, shelled, at
the rate of two to three pints for 10 cents... Pigeon peas are
sometimes allowed to dry on the bushes and then command
the same price as in the green state.

scarce,

Each of these crops could be more extensively grown to
supply the wants of the population and thus lead to the

reduction of the large importations from America and else-
where. Better crops could be obtained if more care were

taken in selecting only the best seed for planting, and if the
seed were sown at proper distances. In planting Indian
corn, for instance, the seed should be taken pas full, sound
ears (see Agricultural News, pp. 26) and not more than three

grains should be put in a hole. When the corn has
reached a height of ten or twelve inches, all sickly and
weak-looking stalks should be pulled out. So too with
Guinea corn; it is often planted too thickly, too many

grains are put into one hole, and sufficient care is not taken
to see that the seed planted is sound and free from blight.
More than six grains of Guinea corn should not be planted in
one hole vhere the corn is intended for seed. For fodder,
eight grains are enough ; and even then, to ensure a healthy
growth, all thin, weak-looking shoots should be pulled up.

All these plants grow readily in’ shallow, friable soil, and
better crops are always obtained by mannring.
Mole Crickets. ‘hese pests, known in St. Lucia

as ‘Cochon terre,’ have been doing considerable damage
recently to roses, tomatos, orauges and other plants at the
Botanic Station at St. Lucia. Methods for dealing with this
destructive creature are given in the West Indian Bulletin,
Vol. Il, p. 349.

AGRICULTURAL

NEWS

May

SCREW WORM.

In continuation of the information respecting
the screw worm given on p. 8 of this Journal we may
mention that a oe account of the insect is contained
in Bulletin No. 5, New Series, Division of meee ck
United States De spartment 48 Agriculture, 1896, and
among other information we notice a sugge stion that
may, possibly, prove useful at St. Lucia. In applying
carbolic acid or other liquids to wounds infected with
screw-worm maggots, there is sometimes a difficulty in
getting the liquid to penetrate to the extremities of
wounds. This may easily be effected by using an
ordinary oiler or oil-ean by which a few drops can
be placed in the wound without waste. Such oilers
are used for applying oil to sewing-machines and
cycles and have a spring bottom or othe 1 device where-
by a few drops of liquid can be thrown out. A small
oil-ean of this nature, to hold half an ounce or an ounce
of carbolic acid, should prove useful in treating wounds.
In the United States they use an ordinary conical zine
oil-ean of about four ounces capacity and find it very
satisfactory. There should be no difficulty in obtaining
such an oil-ean locally and we commend ‘this pr actical
hint to the attention of stock-owners in St. Lucia.

24, 1902.

COMPOSITION OF THE BREAD FRUIT.

The following analysis of the bread fruit is recorded
in the Bxperiment Station Record, Vol. xu, p. 1076 :—

Water 46:21 per cent.
Protein Dau ee

Fat 040°, es
Starch 41-42 F-

Crude Fibre 4:30 ,, =
Ash aise os a
Undetermined SOD IES 3

Tn comparison with the sweet potato and yam
(which agree very closely with one another in their
chemical composition) the bread fruit contains 25 to 30
per cent. less water, about 25 per cent. more starch and
a distinctly higher proportion of protein or nitrogenous
matter. Expressed in other words, whilst one “pound
we ight of sweet potato or yam contains about twelve
ounces of water and two ounces of starch, one pound of
bread fruit contains about six and half ounces of
starch and only seven of water. Aienonen superior as
a food stutf so far as actual chemical “composition is
concerned, the presence of over four per cent. of. fibrous
matter in the bread fruit is a point im which it com-
pares unfavourably with the sweet potato and yam.

Stingless Bees. Stingless bees are not uncommon
in the West Indian islands, living wild and making nests in
A colony is to be seen in the Dominica Botanic Station
bees are small and very active, and
very excited if the disturbed. Even
though one knows they are stingless, it is hard to remain
near the nest when the bees become angry and fly about just

trees.
and is worth a visit. The

become nest 1s

as the real honey-bee does: one instinctively fears a sting,
. . . ARG fi =
and instinct in this ease proves stronger than reason. The

bees belong to an undeseribed species of Welcpoaa, a genus

which includes numerous tropical stingless bees.

THE PURCHASE OF ARTIFICIAL
MANURBS.

The following is the first portion of a paper which
appeared in the Jowrnal of the Board of Ayriculture
for March 1902 :-—

There are three substances, and only three, that are
valued in artificial manures, namely, nitrogen, phosphates,
and potash. According, therefore, to, the greater or less
quantity of one or other of these substances the value of
the manure will rise or fall. Some mannres contain only
one of these substances —for mstance, nitrate of soda and
sulphate of ammonia contain only nitrogen ; super-phosphate,
precipitated phosphate, and basic slag coutain ouly phosphate ;
and kainit, sulphate of potash, and muriate of potash contain
only potash—while other manures hold two substances of
value, as in the case of bones, which furnish both nitrogen
and phosphates, or saltpetre (very seldom: used, however, as
a manure), which supphes both nitrogen and potash. Only
one class of so-called artificial manure, namely, Peruvian or
other similar guano, contains an Lnportant amount of all
three substances.

NITROGEN,

In price lists nitrogen is frequently expressed as ammo-
nia. The relationship between the two substances is,
however, a very simple one, and need occasion no difficulty
or uncertainty: 17lb. of ammonia always contain exaetly
14tb. of nitrogen, or, what is the same thing from the farmer's
point of view, 14Ib. of mitrogen are the equivalent of
17tb. of ammonia. If, therefore, a sample of, say ‘corn
manure’ is offered as containing 45° per cent. of ammonia,
this is the same as saying that it contains 37 per cent. of
nitrogen, Sometimes, though not often, the figure is made
to look more attractive by beimg stated as sulphate of
ammonia ; but this also need cause no difficulty, if it be
remembered that 66tb. of this substance are equivalent to no
more than 14lb. of nitrogen or 17tb. of ammonia. If, therefore,
we take the above example, the figures mean one and the
same thing, whether they are stated as 3-7 per cent. of
nitrogen, or 4:5 per cent. of ammonia, or 17-4 percent. of
sulphate of ammonia. But a manure merchant who failed to
effect many sales for a fertilizer of ever so high-sounding a
name ona statement of | per cent. of nitrogen or 1-2 per
cent. of ammonia might be more successful with a certain
class of buyer if he entered the nitrogen as equal to 47 per
cent, of sulphate of ammonia, and yet the three figures all
represent the same fact. Under the Fertilizers and Feeding
Stuffs Act, 1893, the invoice must contain the minimum
enarantee of nitrogen, stated as such.

PHOSPHATES.

Phosphates or phosphate of lime may also be entered
in an analysis or price list in several ways, but as a rule this
ingredient is either stated as above or as phosphoric acid. In
an invoice, however, the statement must be made as soluble
or insoluble phosphates, as the case may be.

The relationship between phosphates or phosphate of
lime, whether soluble or insoluble, and phosphorie acid is
quite as simple as that between nitrogen and ammonia :
142%b. of phosphoric acid always form 310%. of phosphate
of lime, so that to convert the former into the latter one may
multiply by 2°2 which, though giving an answer slightly

THE AGRICULTURAL. “NEWS. 41

above the truth, is quite accurate enough for all ordinary
purposes.

If, therefore, the analysis of a manure is retumed as
12 per cent. of phosphoric acid, it is equivalent to saying
that it contains fully 26 per cent. of phosphates. Similarly
00 per cent. of phosphates is eyual to nearly 14 per cent. of
phosphoric acid.

POTASH.

Potash usually exists in manures in the two forms of
sulphate of potash and muriate or chloride of potash. — It
takes 94-2tb, of pure potash to form 174°2lb of sulphate of
potash, whereas the same amount of potash will form only
149-2 tb. of the muriate or chloride. In the former case,
therefore, to convert potash into terms of sulphate of potash
we multiply by 1°85, whereas in the latter case we multiply
by 1:58. If, therefore, an analysis of, say, kainit is stated
as 12°5 per cent. potash, that is equivalent to saying that
it holds over 23 per cent. of sulphate of potash: while
mviriate of potash guarantesd to contain 55°8 per cent. of
potash is of about 90 per cent. purity.

Just as a buyer may sometimes be led into purchasing
a manure through its nitrogen being expressed as sulphate
of ammonia, so may the contents of potash be made te look
more attractive by being stated as sulphate of potash. In an
invoice, howe> rv, the potash must be stated as such.

The rules for approximately converting the various
terms into their equivalents may be thus summarised :—

To convert Nitrogen intoterms of Ammonia maltiply by 1°2
we Go Nitrogen “See eSulphtvof An: ee Gees
oe ** Phosphor. Acid ** ‘* ** Phosphates Sy Regge
ef “ Potish SS eemisulpl- of Potasitausssucieso,
sé ee Potash ae Muriate of Potash “* *- 1°58

Nitrogen and phosphates, and, to a less extent, potash,
vary in etfectiveness, and therefore, in value, according to
their source or origin. Nitrogen is never so effective as
when in the form of nitrate of soda. [See ‘Note added’ Ed. ]
It is not quite so active, and for some purposes not
so valuable, when in the form of sulphate of ammonia,
though under certain circtunstances this somewhat slower
action may be regarded as an advantage. Nitrogen in
what is called the organie form is in its least active condi-
tion, though here again the rapidity and effectiveness of
action vary greatly. Nitrogen is in the organic form in
blood meal, fish meal, bones, shoddy, ete., and yet, as a
source of plant food, blood meal is more active than these
other substances. It is claimed as an advantage for slow-
acting manures that they last longer, which is trne ; but one
apples manures not to last, but to act. It is only where
it is convenient to apply manure at somewhat long intervals,
as in the treatment of orchards, that the more inert manures
are worthy of much consideration.

As regards phosphatic manures, it may be said that
while soluble phosphates are all alike active, there is consid-
erable difference in the value of insoluble phosphates. The
insoluble phosphate of bone meal, for instance, is less
ective, and for most purposes less valuable, than the
insoluble phosphate of basic slag, precipitated phosphate, or
even dissolved bones. Some of the insoluble phosphate of
the last manure has once been soluble, and has ‘ reverted,’
and such phosphate is not. much less effective than soluble
phosphate. But raw bones as a manure have been longer
known to British farmers than other forms of phosphate,
and for this reason their price has kept relatively high.

[NOTE ADDED]
With regard to the statements above relative to

42 THE

the superiority of nitrate of soda, as a source of nitro-
gen, to sulphate of ammonia, it must be remembered
that the conditions which Onteint in temperate regions
are referred to. Experiments in Barbados ai we
shown that sulphate of ammonia produces better
results in sugar-cane cultivation than nitrate of soda.
Sulphate of ammonia is changed, by nitrification in the
soil, into nitrate of calcium. Nitrification is’ very
active in tropical soils, and this fact, together with the
hiability to loss by Jeaching in. the case of
soda, may e xpk un the superiority of sulphate of ammo-
mia in certain tropical lands.

-BEE-KEEPING.

St. Vincent.

The following notice descriptive of the steps taken
to establish the bee-keeping industry at St. Vincent is
taken from the Sentry of March 21, last :

Some months ago when the bnperial Commissioner of
Agriculture made his first attempt to encourage the develop-
ment of bee-keeping in this Colony, we heartily supported the
idea, deeming it one which, with a small outlay, and little
attention would prove, not merely an interesting avocation to
any person, but ina short time a money-making ‘concern. We
are gratified in the fact that with the brief period of not even
a year, the growth of the lttle industry is clearly visible ;
and Mr. Powell, the local representative of the Inperial Depart-
ment of Agriculture has been encouraged in pursuing the idea
of developing the project, by the many eager applications, from
bee-keepers or from persons intending to go in for the enter-
prise, for information and supplies, of the latter
on sale at cost price at the Station; a list may
be had on application. Mr. Powell is of the opinion that
the bees around Kingstown are doing well and the out-
Jook at this season for a good crop of honey is very promising.
Xt may not be generally known that a ‘Solar wax extr uctor,”
a duplicate of which is easily made, may be seen at the Botanic
Station. A *Cowan’s honey extractor’ is expected shortly
from America. Ttalian colonies of bees can be imported by the
local Agricultural Department from Jamaica at seven shillings
each, freight included, for any person desiving the sane. Up to
date, this year, we ave informed, seventeen such colonies hare
been inported with entire satisfaction.

| POULTRY.

Mr. W. B. Tegetmeier, in The Country for Aypmil,
puts forward these hints hie ; may be useful to those
who are desirous of ke: “pine fowls, i
im small enclosures :

some

being
Botanic

n good condition,

In no circumstances should the birds be over-crowded.
A useful plan has recently been suggested of maintaining the
ground ina pure condition, where a number of birds are kept

in a confined space, by placing the poultry-house in the

middle of a square plot of ground, and dividing this by lines
running diagonally to each corner, the house being so con

structed that an opening may be admitted as desired into
each plot. The fowls for a certain time are kept in one of
the four yards, the other three being cultivated with quick
growing vegetables, and, as the crops are cleared of, the
fowls are transferred from one to the other, the plot that
they have left being immediately utilized by re-sowing either
with some profitable ) |

crop or some seed which will produce
herbage tor the birds.

In this way, with a little judgement,

AGRICULTURAL

nitrate of

has been taken in the subject.

NEWS. May 24, 1902.

the fowls can be transferred from one plot to another without
the ground becoming tainted, as the growing plants rapidly
exhaust the injurious. qualities of the manure. We have
seen very good results from this system in the abundance of
eggs and in the growth on plot after plot of really useful
vegetable -products. But, keeping a number of fowls, as is
often done, ina small pen year after year, is objectionable,
for the ground becomes foul and putrid, and the birds
health and prolificacy.

lose

AGRICULTURAL EFFORTS AT
MONTSERRAT.

The island of Montserrat suffered severely in the
hurricane of 1899, and the original plans tor the
establishment of an Experiment Station had to be
abandoned. Early in 1900 sites were selected by the
Travelling Superinte sndent of the Tnpe rial De ‘partme nt
of Agriculture, for Experiment Stations, at the Grove,
Olveston, and Harris’ Village. Great care was taken to
select land, representative of the surrounding district,
in each case, and the thanks of the Department are
due to the Montserrat Company for their ready
co-operation,

The Stations have been enclosed, roads and paths
made, and the land divided up into plots on which
during the past year experiments have been conducted
with Guinea corn, maize, potatos, ginger, arrowroot,
ete. Permanent economic plants are alse being estab-
lished. Nurseries of economic plants have been formed
and up to December 1901, 53,415 > plants had been
distributed free, and 75,182 sold, in addition to large
quantities of seeds, yams, ete. The nurseries contain,
at present, about '4.0,000 plants. School plots are
maintained at Olveston and Harris’ Village Stations,
for the use of boys of the neighbouring schools.

Two courses of lectures to teachers in charge of
elementary schools have been given by Mr. G. W hithe ld
Smith, the Trave ling Superintendent. These were
both well attended aad much appreciated. The act-
ing Bee-expert visited the island and gave lectures
and practical demonstrations on bee-keeping. As a
result of his visit a considerable amount of interest
An apiary is beirg
established at cach Station and a stock of bee-keepers’
supplies is now kept at the Grove.

Two Agricultural Shows have been held, one at
Plymouth, and the other at Harris Village, supported
by grants from the Imperial Department of Agricul-
ture. Keen interest was displayed in many of the
classes, and English potatos and onions were amongst
the more interesting exhibits. In order to improve the
local breeds of stock, the Department has introduced
three Berkshire boars, and three rams.

Recently an Agricultural Society has been formed
with his Honour the Commissioner, Mr. F. H.
Watkins, as President, and the Rey. G. W. Johnson as
Secretary. An address of Mr. F. H. Watkins entitled,
A Plain Talk to Small Owners at Montserrat, has
recently been issued as No. 15 of the Pamphlet series
of the Tmpe rial Department of Agriculture and may be
obtained from the local agents for 2d. Post free 2d.

Von.

1 Nov 3:

EDUCATIONAL.

Agricultural Education at St. Kitts.

Tt was, at one time, proposed to start an agricul-
tural school at St. Kitts similar to those already
established at St. Vineent, St. Lueia and Dominica.
Afterwards, it was considered preferable to support an
agricultural the Grammar School recently
opened in the Presidency. The Grammar School has
made a suecesstul start under Mr. W. H. Mitchell, M.A,
formerly of York School, Jamaica, The Imperial
Department of Agriculture has made a grant to
provide an Agricultural Master (Mr. John Belling,
B.Se. Lond:) and a certain number of scholarships to
boys who enter on the agricultural side,

side to

School Plots at St. Kitts.

Mr. Francis Watts has contributed these imterest-
ing notes on this subject :—

] had an opportunity of seeing the elementary school
plots in the Botanic Station at St. Kitts and of talking over
the question of agricultnral instruction in the elementary
schools, with Mr. Sprott the mascer of the Wesleyan school,
who has taken the leading part in attempting this kind of
instruction in the island.

He has a large class in the school itself working on the
lines of Vature Teaching: this he thinks is satisfactory.
He has also a class of ten boys (ten boys go also from the
Moravian school), who go to the Botanie Station at stated
periods and there cultivate the small plots placed at their
He finds,—-as I have all along anticipated, that
there is some difticulty in making this sort of work of a suft-
ciently educational character. The boys have worked up the
beds, grown crops of tomatos, cabbages, beans, radishes, ete.,
have sold their crops and now will have to repeat most of
what they have already done. Again during the growth of
their crops Mr. Sprott has often been at a loss to find
ocenpation for the boys during the period allotted for this
work.

disposal.

This work is however very valuable and the boys are
greatly interested in it. The only question which arises in
connexion with it is its place in the edneational system. — It
should, I suggest, come as
months or a year.
extending the technical teaching by making the boys take
part in some of the work going on at the Station, thus
filling in the time when no work is necessary on the garden
plots. Mr. Lunt [the Curator of the Botanic Station]
doubtless can arrange this kind of work. 1 would merely
suggest, provisionally, that such operations as spraying
for insect and fungoid repottng — plants, pruning
overgrown trees, assisting in reaping experiment crops and
various minor operations in the gardens and experiment
plots might be entrusted to the boys, thus extending
their view beyond their own small plots. This of course
would require care and judgement, but appears feasible.
This work should come as the final advanced class of a
more technical character and having im the cyes of the
boys the additional charm due to the fact that they are
permitted to sell the produce of their plots and retain the
proceec Is.

a final course occupying six
Possibly some means can be found for

pests,

THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. AS

SCIENCE NOTES.

Vegetable Ferments.

It is well known that in animals the various food-
substances are acted upon by a number of digestive juices,
and rendered capable of use for the nourishment of the body.
The active agents in these digestive processes are ferments.
The saliva contams a ferment which has the power of
converting insoluble starch into sugar. The digestive juices
of the stomach act on meat and other proteids and change
them into various soluble compounds. Pepsin is the ferment
concerned. Tn the small intestine the food is submitted to
the action of the pancreatic juice which contains the ferment
trypsin, also capable of digesting proteids.

The presence of ferments in plants is often unrecognized,
yet many exist, and the ordinary life processes of plants are as
dependent on the action of ferments, as the process of digestion.
in animals. In the storing up of starch in the roots of a sweet
potato, or sugar in the stem of a sugar-cane, ferments play an
important part, (West Indian Bulletin, Vol. U1, yy. 257).
More striking are the results of ferment action im the
insectivorous plants, which catch and digest small insects.

The ferments of two plants of special interest im
the West Indies are dealt with in recent papers by Profes-
sor Vines, FLR.S. (lanals of Botany December 1901,

and March 1902). The well known power of the juice
of the papaw to digest meat partially has, since 1879,
been suspected to be due to a ferment. Many workers

have investigated this question and Professor Vines comes
to the conclusion that there is a ferment present, ‘ papain,’
which is essentially similar im its action to the trypsm
of an animal’s body. (The commercial preparation of crude
papain is described on p. 4 of this Journal). The juice of the
pine-apple also contains a ferment, known as ‘bromelin,?
which is almost identical in its action. Both bromelin and
papain are said to act most vigorously in neutral liquids.

The New Flora of Krakatoa.

The island of Krakatoa, near Java, was the scene of a
great voleanic eruption in 1883. A considerable portion of
the island was blown away, and the remamder completely
covered in lava and cinders to a depth varying from three to
about fifty feet. Dust was shot up into the air to an esti-
mated height of seventeen niles, and was deposited over an
area of 1,000 miles radius. Tidal waves were recorded all
over the world, and atmospheric etfects were noticed as far
away as the West Indies and Brazil.

As one result of the eruption, the vegetation of the
island completely destroyed. In 1886 Dr. Treub,
Director of the Botanic Gardens at Buitenzorg, Java, visited
Krakatoa. No one had meanwhile lived on or visited Krakatoa,
and any vegetation present was entirely new and had reached
the island independently of man. The nearest land to Nrakatoa,

Was

is Java, 21 miles away, Sumatra is 37 miles distant. Dr.
Treub found two distinct groups of plants. On the shore

were seeds, fruits, and young plants, of nine species commonly
found on tropical shores and on coral islands. These had
doubtless been brought by the waves as drift fruits.

Inland, nineteen species were found, no less than eleven
being ferns. The spores or ‘seeds’ of ferns are exceedingly
minute and are readily carried by the wind. Of the eight
flowering plants present, four were members of the order
Compositae, the fruits of so many of which have special and.
often very beautiful contrivances to enable them to be readily

44 THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS.

Mas 245 19022

borne by the wind. The seed of the lettuce (‘salad’) give an
everyday example. There is little doubt that the wind, and
possibly birds, brought the seeds of the inland vegetation,
and the sea those of the shore plants. Various lowly algae,
(Lyngyba), seem to have first found a home on the surface
of the lava, and by their growth and decay rendered it
possible for the ferns and later the flowering plants to
establish themselves.

PINE-APPLES AT ANTIGUA.

At the meeting of the Agricultural and Commercial
Society, Antigua, on Friday May 2, Mr. Watts asked leave
to call the attention of members to certain experiments
with new varieties of pineapples. Some months ago several
new varieties of pine-apples were introduced through the
instrumentality of the Imperial Department of Agriculture.
Some of these were now fruiting: one variety, the Smooth
Cayenne, was bearing fruits of such excellence that he weuld
like to direct notice to it. He advised who were
interested to endeavour to see the fruit when it was Trought
into town for shipment on May 7. He also stated that he
would be glad to hear from members and others interested in
pine-apples whether they were desirous of obtaining plants
of this variety, as he was in communication with Dr. Morris
on the subject of obtaining a supply of plants for Antigua
at reduced rates. It would be of advantage if those interested
in the industry would inform him at an carly date of their
requirements in respect of this or of any other improved
variety of pineapple.

those

THE FALL OF VOLCANIC DUST IN
BARBADOS.

A chemical and mineralogical examination of the
voleanic dust that fell in Barbados, the sample used
being the one collected by Dr. Morris at Chelston from
4 pm.on the 7th. to 5.30 a.m. on the 8th. May, has
been carried out at the Government Laboratory, Barba-
dos. — Professor d’Albuquerque reports the following
results to date :

The voleanic dust contains the following substan-
ces soluble in strong hydrochloric acid, iron oxide 47
per cent., alumina 125 per cent., lime 59 per cent.,
magnesia “78 per cent., soda 12 per cent., potash “OS
per cent., silica *L per cent., sulphuric anhydride “Ll per
cent. phosphoric anhydride -04 per cent. Insoluble
in hydrochloric acid, silicates 75°2 per cent. It
contains a trace of sulphides and a faint
sulphurous anhydride
sulphides and sulphur,

also

It is evident from the small percentage of potash
and phosphoric anhydride that this dust will have no
fertilizing value in Barbados soils, which already contain
abundance of all the other constituents of the dust.
[t is probable, however, that, incorporated with the
surtace layers of our stiff cey soils, if may to some
extent improve their texture. Tt contains nothing
harmful te the land.

The following are the results of the mineralogical
examination made by Dr. Longfield Sraith.

trace ot
a product of the combustion of

A sieve analysis gave the following results :—

Diameter of particles Percentage

1 to °5 millimetre ans aor SHE 0-01
sy eibO) so. £6 aa da mts O06
35 to -20 & 21
COX Neriay, Sle) Ks 66°20
“15' to “10 Go O89

“10 and less =“

22°63
100-00

The particles from “5 to 35 m1.m. diameter are
wholly composed) of voleanic glass crowded with gas
inclusions and containing small lath-shaped crystals of
felspar. The gas inclusions are in many instances so
numerous as to render the particles quite opaque.
The particles of 35 to *2 m.m. diameter are composed
partly of similar voleanic glass and partly of crystals
of felspar. The particles 2 to “1 man diameter are
almost entirely composed of mineral crystals: these
ininerals consist chiefly of lime and soda felspar and of
a ferro-magnesian mineral not yet definitely deter-
mined, There is also a quantity of magnetite and
a very few crystals of a dark blue doubly-retracting
mineral not yet determined. The particles finer than
‘Timm. diameter are chiefly composed of comminuted
fragments of felspar.

A comparison of this voleanic dust with a sample
obtained from the laboratory museum of that which
fell in 1812 shows a striking difference between the
two. The dust of 1812 is composed of much finer
particles and these are almost wholly volcanic glass.

This points to the eruption of 1902 beme of a
much more violent nature than that of 1812. It is
very rare to find so many mineral particles im voleanic
dust seattered so far from the seat of eruption. These
are generally sifted out by the wind from the lighter
particles of glass. The fact that particles of magnetite,
a mineral of specific gravity 5°5 to 65, of over ‘Ll mm.
diameter should be found in the dust over 90 miles from
the seat of explosion is significant of the prodigious
height to which the particles must have been ejected.

DEPARTMENT NEWS.

Dr. D. Morris, C.M.G., the Commissioner of
Agriculture for the West Indies, left Barbados by the
RMS. ‘Solent’ on Monday, May 12, for Montserrat
and Dominica. Heis expected to return to Barbados
by the mail of the 24th. inst.

Professor J. PL @ATbuquerque did not leave for
England by last mail as announced, It is probable
that he will sail on the R.M.S. ‘ Para’ to-day.

Mr. G. Whitfeld Smith, Travelling Superinten-
dent of the Department, lett Barbados for Dominica.
Mr. Smith will visit and inspect the Botanic Station,
Agricultural School, and Experiment Plots in- the
island, and is due to return on the 24th.

THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS.

45

Insect Pests, 1901.
“astern Agricultural College, Wye,
Theobald, M.A., FLEW.

This Report deals with pests observed in England,
especially in the southern counties, and contains much inter

A Report of the South-
England. By FLV.

Notes on

esting matter. In discussing remedies for scale insects, the
author places reliance on three methods :— spraying with
caustic alkali wash, with resin wash, and fumigating with
hydrocyante acid gas. Mr. Theobald’s caustic alkali wash is
a powerful liquid, to be applied to dormant trees in winter.
Unfortunately a liquid of such potency cannot be used in
the West Indies where most plants are in more or less active
growth through the whole year. The resin wash is similar
to that recommended by the Department (see West Indian
Bulletin, Vol. I1., p. 180, and General Treatment of Insect
Pests, 2nd. edition, p. 12) with the substitution of soft soap
for whale oil. It is curious that whale oil and whale oil soap
do not appear to be used in England to the extent they are
in America and the West Indies, soft soap being freqnently
substituted.

With regard to fumigation, Mr. Theobald especially
recommends it for green-honses. Fumigation is probably
not practicable ona large scale in the West Indies at the
present time. It has been tried in Montserrat in past years
and there is no doubt that the process is fatal to scale insects.
for the present, however, we must depend on the spraying
machine, and we agree with Mr. Theobald in placing
reliance on good washes.

Another section of the report, of interest in the West
Indies, is that on the ‘Introdnetion of foreign Ladybirds.’
The ladybirds are a familiar group of small beetles that eat
plant lice and scale insects ; hence their importance to agri-
culture. Mr. Theobald wishes to supplement the native
Wnglish ladybirds by the introduction of more voracious
foreign ones that would keep plant lice in better check, and
to this end he obtained three consignments from Tasmania.
He has hopes that one of these may check the Aph/s that is
such a pest to hop-growers. We trust the experiment will
meet with success. As a rule, such introductions do not
seem to be successful ; the beetles travel well and many arrive
alive ; but they do not appear to thrive in new localities
Several unsuccessful attempts have been mad» in the West
Indies. A number were imported some years ago to
Montserrat to eat the ‘scale’ on the lime trees, but they
appear to have had no lasting effect. Ina more recent
trial, the lizards enjoyed the beetles that were liberated.
fn America there have been some striking successes and
nnmerous failures, and the general balance of opinion inclines
to the unsuccessful nature of these attempts (see West Indian
Bulletin, Vol. V1, p. 337). Plant lice (Aphides) are kept
in check in the West Indies by that most voracious little
beetle Cycloneda sanguinea, the common red ladybird. Plant
lice never get really abundant here, probably from the
effective work of this beetle and other enemies.

British Guiana, Board of Agriculture. Report by
Mr. Ward, Instructor in Agriculture, on aVisit to Trinidad,
1902.

Mr. Ward in company with Professor J. B. Harrison

visited Trinidad, in returning from the Agricultural Confer-
ence at Barbados, for the purpose of obtaining some
knowledge of the cultivation of cacao and other products as
carried on in that island. En route, visits were paid to the
Botanic Stations at St. Vincent and Grenada. The Botanic
Gardens and St. Clair Experiment Station at Trinidad are
shortly described. A visit to a district mainly cultivated by
small settlers revealed an unsatisfactory condition of things.
The trees were loaded with epiphytic growths, dead wood
and broken branches, whilst on the ground decaying empty
cacao pods were lying. Such conditions are very favourable
to the spread of fungoid diseases. In pleasant contrast is the
account of a visit to Ortinola estate, under the control of
Mr. J. P. Bain. Ortinota is situated high up in the Maracas
Mountains and is well sheltered, drained and watered. The
methods practiced there of training cacao trees are described.
The question of shade trees for cacao is discussed at some
length. Mr. Ward is of opinion that the shade tree commonly
employed in British Guiana, the ‘Oronoque’ tree (Hry-
thrina glauca) gives too dense a shade, if planted at the
distance apart found most suitable for its near relative the
‘Bois Immortelle’ of Trinidad. He recommends that in
British Guiana the Orinoque tree, if used for shade, should
be placed from 80 to 90 feet apart, diagonally. The report
concludes with some interesting information relative to the
establishment of a trade in plantains between
British Guiana and Trinidad.

pe yssible

Tropical Timber and their rings of growth, by Herbert
Wright, ALR.C.S., Scientific Assistant, Royal Botanic Gar-
dens, Ceylon. Indian Gardening and Planting of August 22

1907.

The annuwil rings so characteristic of the wood of trees
from temperate regions enable the age of trees to be readily
determined as, on account of the definite seasons, each ring
represents a years growth. Such rings are particularly well
seen in the wood of confers, such as pine, ete. In the
tropics where many of ths trees are evergreen and the seasons
are by no means well marked, the time represented by each
ring of growth is not nevessirily one year.

The problem of interpreting the rings of growth in tropi-
cal trees is complicated by the fact that, in the tropics every
gradation exists between trees which are evergreen and those
like ‘ [mmortelles’ which drop their leaves and remain leafless
tor several weeks or months each year. The dropping of the
leaves before or during the dry season is evidently an
adaptation on the part of the tree to prevent drying up.
There are however some exceptions to this rule in Ceylon and
elsewhere, where tress drop their leaves in the wet months
and burst into leaf during the dry season, The author
suggests that this is due to the migration of species to
localities where the climate does not correspond with that
from which they came.

In discussing the influence of climate on trees an
interesting cise is quoted from Dr. Watt’s writings. Plants
of an Acacia, native of New South Wales, where it flowered
in October were introduced to the Nilgiris in India in 1845,
Here they flowered in October up to 1850, but in 1860 they
were observed to flower in September, in 1870 in August, and
finally in 1882 in June, this being the ‘spring’ month in the
Nilgiris corresponding with October in New South Wales.
[t therefore took nearly forty years for this species to regain
its habit of flowering in the spring, 7.e., to become perfectly
acclimatised.

46 THE

CLIMBING PLANTS.

Mr. Perey Groom writes thus on this interesting
group of plants in The Country tor March :—

To those feeling a sympathetic interest in clinging
plants, many questions will suggest themselves. What advan-
tages does the climbing habit confer upon a plant ! Briefly
answered, the plant saves the expense of manufacturing a thick
stem. This economy is rendered possible by the method of
feeding that a plant adopts. Ordinary green plants derive their
food from two sources the soil and the atmosphere. They
force their roots into the soil in order to absorb the necessary
water and substances dissolved therein. They raise thei
foliage into the air and light, in order that the leaves may
first absorb from the atmosphere carbon dioxide, aud then,
having split it wp, may retain the carbon necessary as nutri-
ment material. The leaves further have to get rid of the
excess of water absorbed. The stem is a channel of commu-
nication between the Jeaves, flowers, and root, and has to
bear the first two, but in itself it is neither an essential
food-absorbing organ nor a necessary factory. The relative
simplicity of the offices performed by the stem renders it
possible for a plant to economize by producing a small stem.
The stems of climbing plants can perform all the necessary
functions save that of bearing the weight of foliage and
flowers, and this they accomplish by leaning against their
sturdier neighbours. The climbing plant has learnt to
dispense with a thick stem, and to expend less material in
its construction ; consequently it can devote to other purposes
the nutritive substances that it thus saves.

HAND-BOOKS TO THE WEST INDIES.

The following Hand-books afford interesting information
of a descriptive, statistical and general character respecting
the West Indies. They also contain particulars respecting
the imports and exports and the agricultural resonrees of the
Colonies entnerated :

Hanxp-Book or Jamaica ror 1902, comprising Histori-
eal, Statistical and General Infomnation concerning the Island.
Twenty-second year of publication. London : Edward Stanford,
26 and 27 Cockspur Street. Jamaica: Government Printing
Office, Kingston.

Brirish Gurana Direcrory Aanp
Georgetown, Demerara: C. K. Jardine.

ALMANACK for 1902,

Tristpap axp Tosaco Year Boos, 1802. Thirty-seventh
year of issue. Compiled by James Henry Collens. Port-of-
Spain: Muir, Marshall & Co.

The Mirror ALMANACK AND GENERAL Covuvenctar Direc
TORY OF TRINIDAD AND Topaco. Port-of-Spain : Mole Brothers.

Thre GrRexavA Hanp-nook, Direcrory aNnpD ALMANACK FoR
THE year 1902. Compiled by the Colonial Secretary. London :
Sampson Low, Marston & Co., Ltd.

Tue Sv. Lucta Hanp-spook, Direcrory, and AnMANAG FoR
1902. Compiled by Everard G. Garraway, Castries, 1902.
GENERAL
Bridgetown

Tue Baresapvos Direcrory AND West INDIAN
ApvertTisER, 1901. Compiled hy S. J. Fraser.
Barbados : King & Co.

Ligursourn’s West INpIAN DirkecroRY AND CoMMBPRCIAL
Direcrory. J. N. Lightbourn, St. Thomas.

AGRICULTURAL NEWS.

May 24, 1902.

AGRICULTURAL INSTITUTIONS IN
THE WEST INDIES.

Jamaica Board of Agriculture : Chairman: The How ble
Sydney Olivier, C.M.G.; Secretary: W. R. Buttenshaw, M. A4.,
B.Se. : Publication— Oceasional Bulletin.

Jamaica Agricultural Society (with thirteen affiliated
Branches). Kingston, Jamaica. President: Sir Augustus W.L.
Hemming, G.C.M.G. Deputy Chairman: Hon ble Wm. Faw-
cett, B.Se., FLL.S. Secretary: John Barclay. Publication :
“Journal of the Jamaica Agricultural Society.”

Royal Jamaica Society of Agriculture & Commerce &
Merchants’ Exchange, Kingston, Jamaica. President : Hon'ble
Lieut-Colonel Ward, C.M.G. J. L. Ashenheim.
Publication: Annual Report.

Secretary :

The Institute of Jamaica: Kingston, Jamaica. Choirmain :
Sir Fielding Clarke. Secretary: Frank Cundall, F.S.A., Curater
of Musewmn : Publications ‘Journal of the Institute of
Jamaica.” ‘Jamaica in 1901.”

Kingston & St. Andrew Horticultural Society. Kingston,
Jamaica. President: Hon ble Win. Fawcett, B.Se. Secretary :
William Harris, F.L.S.

3ritish Guiana Board of Agriclture, Georgetown, Demera-
ra. Chairman: Hon'ble A.M. Ashmore, C.M.G. Deputy Chair
man: J. B. Harrison, M.A., C.M.G., ; Secretary: Oscar Weber :
Agricultural Lustructor: Re Ward: Assistait
Agricultive: J. EB. Beckett (on probation) ;
2 J. AL Raleigh.

Tustructor in
Veterinary
Sirgqeoit
British Guiana Royal Agricultural & Commercial Society
Georgetown, Demerara. Presideut : Luke M. Hill, B.A.,
M.L-CLE. Secretary : Thomas Daley. Local Secretary : (Berbice)
Dr. C.F. Castor. Assistant Secretary aud Librarian: J. Red-
way, F.L.S.. Curator of Museum : Richard Evans, M.A., B.Se.,
Publication : ** Journal of the Royal Agriculture and Commer-
cial Society of British Guiana.”

Trinidad) Agricultural Society, Port-of-Spain, Trinidad.
Tresident > Siv Alfred Moloney, K.C.M.G. Seeretaury : Edgar
Tripp. Publication: ** Proceedings of the Agricultural Society
of ‘Prinidad.”

Grenada Agricultural Society, St George's, Grenada. Presi-
dent: Six Robert B. Llewelyn, K.C.M.G. Sreretary: W. Ey
Broadway. Publication: Minutes of Meetings.

Barbados General Agricultural Society & Reid School of
Practical Chemistry, Bridgetown, Barbados. President: Sir.
George C. Pile, Kt. Secretary : J. H. Poyer. Publication :
** Barbados Agricultural Gazette and Planters’ Journal.”

St. Lucia Agricultural Society, Castries, St. Lucia — Presi
dent: Secretary: R. G. McHugh.
Dominica Agricultural Society, Roseau, Dominica. —Pres-

ident: The Howble Hesketh H. Bell.

Necvetary > A. K. Agar.

Antigua Agricultural Society. ?resident—H—

Sceretary : W. N. Sands.

St. Kitts-Nevis Agricultural Society. President : Honour-
able BE. G. Todd. Seeretary: C. A Simith.

[Further particulars of Agricultural and Horticultural
Institutions in the West Indies would be gladly received for
this list. Also fixtures for Agricultural Shows for 1902. ]

Vor. I.. No. 5. THE AGRICULTU

RAL NEWS. 47

COMMERCIAL.

With the view of assisting in finding a market for the
disposal of local produce, arrangements have been made with
the following Agents in these Colonies who will be prepared
to receive consignments and obtain the best prices for them.

GINcer—7 fe. to Sfe per Ib.

Pimento—6$e. to 6fc. per Ib.

Russer—Nicaragua Scrap 5le. to 52c. per lb, sheet 48c.
to 49c. Guayaquil Strip 48¢. to 4%e. per Th.

Scucan—-Muscovado, 89° 2 }3c. to de. Centrifugals 96° 3c.

INTER-COLONIAL MARKETS.

It is desirable that inquiry be made, beforehand, as Antigua, May 7, 1902. Messrs. G. W. Beyyerr, Bry-

to the terms on which such produce will be received, and
whether the market is favourable or not.

It is particularly urged that no shipments be made until
an assurance has been receive from the A vents themselves
that they are prepared to accept such shipments.

Agents in the West Indies.

BRITISH GUIANA

B.S. Bayley, Water Street Georgetown.
TRINIDAD

J. Russell Murray, Port-of-Spain.
BARBADOS

T.S. Garraway & Co., Bridgetown.
ST. LUCIA—

son & Co., Ltd.

Moxasses——Se. per gallon package included.
Sucar—-Muscovado $1.25 to $1.275 per LOOM.

Barbados, May 10, 1902. Messrs. TLS. Garraway & Co.

Arrowroot—good quality, $2.75 per ewr.

Cacao-—$12.35 per LOOLb.

Corree—Jamaica and Rio $9.50 and SL0.25 per LOOLb.
respectively.

Hay—S1.70 per LOOLb.

Motasses— 7c. per gallon and $4.00 for package.

Oxtonxs—$4.75 to $5.00 per LOOlb. Wanted.

Poraros —Noya Seotia $1.80 to $2.00. Bermudas $4.00 per
barrel.

Rice—-Ballam $5.00 per bag. Patna $3.75. Rangoon $3.00

Sucar—Muscovado, im hogsheads,—$1.15 per LOOLb. and
$5.00 for hogshead.

Captain H. Henville, Contractor and Agent, Castries. British Guiana,—May 8, 1902. Messrs. Weiting &

MARKET REPORTS.

London,— April 29, 1902.— Messrs. J. Hanes Cairp & Co.

Bres-wax—Jamaica, £7. 15. 0. to £8. 2. 6. per ewt.
Cacao—Demerara, tine, 63 - to 64/-
Dominica, ordinary to good 51/- to 56.6,
Grenada, common to fine 52/- to 60/-.
Jamaica, ordinary to fair 50,- to 58/-
Trinidad, weathered to fine 50/- to 68 /- per ewt.
CorreE—Jamaica, ordinary mixed and broken, 27 6. to
29.6, good ordinary $1 - to 386/-, fine ordinary to mid-
dling 43 - to 62 -, bold 75,6 to 82-, Peaberty 48 - to
60 - per ewt.
Costa, Rica, mixed to bold 396 to 916 ; peaberry
65,6 to.95 6 per cewt. :
Gincer—Jamaica, common to good middling 34-to 45 -
per ewt. Fair to good bright 47/- to 57/- per ewt.
Hoxey—Jamaica, in packages 13 - to 19.6 per ewt.
Om or Limes— Dominica 15 to 1,6 per lp.

Richter.

Arrowroor —$6.50 per barrel.

Cacao— Le. to 1c. per Ib.

Cassava Srarcu—$5.00 per barrel

Cocoa-Nuts—88.00 to $10.00 per M.

Corree-—Rio and Jamaica 12c. to Le. per lb. (vetail.)

Eppors— $1.44 per LO0Ib.

Oxtoxs— Lisbon (retail) strung 4c., loose 5¢ per Lb.

Pra Nours—American (retail) 45c. to 5e. per Ib.

Phanratys—-16c. to 82¢. per bunch.

Poratos Enaiisa—$2.50 to $2.75 per barrel.

Rice—-Ballam $4.90, Patna $5.65, Seeta $5.75 per bag.

CreoLe Rice 20c. per gallon, retail.

Sweer Poraros—Barbados $1.20 per LOOIb.

Taxnnias— $1.20 per LOOIb.

Yaus-Barbados, $1.80 per LOOLb.

Morasses-First Yellow 16c. per gallon including package.

Sccar—Dark Crystals 96° $1.61 to $1.71 per LOOLb.
Yeliow Crystals $2.15 to $2.50 per LOOIb. White
Sugius, $5.50

Timser—Greenheart 382c. per cubic foot.

WALLABA SHINGLES— $3.00 to $5.00. per M.

Pimento—24i/. to 3d. per Ib. Trinidad, — May 8, 1902. Messrs. EpGar Trire & Co.

SARSAPARILLA—Jamaica, native, common to good red, id
to 1/-, inferior to fair 1 2 to 1/4 per lb. ‘

Sucar-—West India Crystals, 14- to 156 per ewt. duty
paid. ;
Molasses—nothing doing.

Tamarips—12'6 to 16 - per ewt.

Logwoop —(no quotation). Market quiet.

Fustic—(no quotation). In more demand, but very little
offered.

New York,—May 2, 1902.—Messrs. Gitiesrre Bros.
& Co.

sANANAS—Jamaicas, 9 hands $1.00 to $1.10, 8 hands 75e.

Cacao—$13.00 to $13.50 per ewt.

Hay—(nothing doing).

Oxtoxs —$1.50 to $1.55 per 1001b. Heavy supply—weak.

Porarvos Enciish—$1.50 to $1.55 per L00Lb. Supply
ample.

Rice—Ballam $4.65. Seeta $5.90 per bag.

Morasses—No demand whatever.

Svucar—(no quotation).

A common parasitic fungus. That plants are

often killed and damaged by fungoid diseases is well known.

to 80c., 7 hands 40c. to 45c. per bunch. The cause of these diseases, namely, parasitic fungi, are
Cacao—African 12fe. to Le. Caracas, good ordinary 14}c. however, not so well understood principally on account of
to 1bde. their minute size. A good example of one of these fungi

Grenada 12
Trinidad Lc. to L4e. per Ib.

Cocoa-Nuts—JSamaicas, $19.00 to $20.00 per M. Small
Trinidads $12.00 to $13.00 per M.

Corree—Good ordinary, Rio, 5ze. to d3c., and Jamaica,

Jamaica lle. to Mfc. can be seen in almost every garden in the West Indies. The
leaves of the common cannas are frequently attacked by a
‘rst fungus’ which is visible as yellow powdery spots on the
underside of the leaves. These yellow spots are composed of

ordinary 5fe. to Ge. per Ib., good ordinary 64e. to Ge. the spores or seeds of the fungus by which it is able to spread
Manchesters 8c. to Lde. and infect other plants.

48 THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. MAY 24, 1902.

Publications on sale of the Imperial Department of Agriculture

FOR THE WEST INDIES.

The ‘WEST INDIAN BULLETIN’’ A Quarterly Scientific Journal.

VoLtume I contains full reports of the West Indian Agricultural Conferences of 1899 and 1900; also papers on
Moth-borer, Sugar-cane experiments, Agricultural education, Cacao diseases, ete.

As only a very limited number of copies of this Volume are now available, the parts can no longer be sold separately.
Volume I complete, in the original paper covers as issued, post free, 5s.

VotuMeE II contains the report of the Conference of 1901, with the President’s Address, papers on the Sugar
Industry, General and Educational subjects in full. Amongst the topics treated of are Recent Experiments with Sugar-cane,
Sugar-cane diseases, Rubber planting in the West Indies, West Indian Fisheries, Cacao diseases, Rice, Sweet potatos, Citrate
of Lime, ete. The Volume is illustrated by two coloured plates and other illustrations.

Price in original paper covers as issued, post free, 2s. 9d.

VotumeE IIT. Number 1. Agricultural Conference of 1902; President’s Address, Minutes of the proceedings and
papers relating to the Sugar Industry and Agricultural Boards, and the Report of the Chemical Section,

Price 6d. Post free. 8d.

Number 2. Conference of 1902 (continued). Educational and General Papers. (In the press).

PAMPHLET SERIES.

The Pamphlets are written ina simple and popular manner and the information contained in them is especially
adapted to West Indian conditions. They contain amongst other subjects, summaries of the results of the e xperiment work on
sugar-cane and manures, the full official reports of which have only a limited circulation. The following list gives particulars
of all the pamphlets whic h are still available. ©'The missing numbers are out of print and can no longer be supphed :

(3.) Seedling and other Canes at Barbados 1900. Price 2d. Post free 2$d.

(5.) General Treatment of Insect Pests, 2nd Edition Revised. Price 4¢. Post free 43.

(6.) Recipes for cooking Sweet Potatos. Price 2d. Post free 25d.

(7.) Seale Insects of the Lesser Antilles. Price 4d. Post free 5d.

(8.) Cultivation of Vegetables in Barbados. Price 2d. Post free 24d.

9.) Bee-keeping in the West Indies. Price 4d. Post free Sd.

(10.) Manures and Leguminous Plants at Barbados, 1898-1901. Price 47. Post free d:/.
(11.) Hints for School Gardens. Price 2d. Post free 24d.

(12.) Seedling and other Canes in the Leeward Islands, 1900-1901. Price 2d. Post free 25d.
(13.) Seedling and other Canes at Barbados, in 1901. Price 4. Post free 5d

(14.) Serew worm in Cattle at St. Lacia. Price 2d. Post free 2/4.

(15.) Plain Talk to Small Owners. Price 2d. Post free 24d.

‘NATURE TEACHING.’
A text book based upon the general principles of Agriculture for the use of schools, prepared by the Honourable
Francis Watts and others. (Pages XII and 199) The Plant, the Soil, Plant food and Manures, Weeds, and Insects are sueces-
sively treated, and the information given is illustrated throughout by simple experiments which can readily be carried ont
in an ordinary school. The Book is mainly intended for the use of Teachers. Price, limp cloth 2s., or in a superior style
of binding 2s. 6d. Postage, in either binding, 34d extra.

The ‘AGRICULTURAL NEWS’ A Fortnightly Review.

ihe >s Agricultural News’ will contam extracts from official correspondence and from progress and
other reports ; notes on interesting points connected with the work carried on at the Government Laboratories, Botanic
Stations, Experiment Stations, Agricultural Schools, Experiment plots, School plots, Agricultural shows, Lectures to teachers,
ete., the occurrence of disease, the arrival of new plants and animals, the flowering andi fruiting of plants of special note, the
ap pointme nt, promotion and removal of officers, the weather, and, in fact, any information indicating what is going on in each
Colony and the progress made in Agricultural matters throughout the West Indies.

The ‘Agricultural News’ will be printed in time to be distributed, regularly, by cach mail, and
will he on sale by the local agents of the Department at one penny per number, post free 14d. ‘The subseription price,
including postage, is 1s. 74d. per half-year, or 3s. 3¢. per annum. The work of distribution is intended to be carried on mainly
by the local agents or through the post.

Agents.

The following have been appointed agents for the sale of the publications of the Department : :

London: Messrs. Dutau & Co., 37, Soho Square, W. Barbados: Messrs. Bowen & Sons, Bridgetown. — Jamaica z
THe Epucarionan Suprry Company, 16 King St., Kingston. British Guiana: The Daily Chronicle’ Office,
Georgetown. 7'rinidad : Messrs. Munro, & Co., Frederick St., Port-of-Spain. Z'obago- Mr. C. 1. PLAGEMANN, Scarborough.
Grenada : Messrs. ¥. Marrast & Co., ‘The Stores,’ St. George. St Vincent - Mr. W. C. D. Prouproor, Kingstown, St. Lucia:
Mr. Rh. G. McHucu, Castries. Dominica: Me aS C.F. Duverney & Co., Market St. Roseau. Montserrat: Mr. W.
LLEWELLYN WALL, Plymouth. Antigua: Mr. F. Forrest, St. John’s. St. Kitts» Messrs., 8. L. Horsford & Co., Basseterre.

— —$—_—————— . ————— SSS

Printed at Office of Bondi Rate ter, cur Street, Bilicctown, peace

A FORTNIGHTEY REVIEW

OF

THE

_IMPERIAL, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE FOR THE WEST INDIES,

BARBA DX IS,

CONTENTS.

PAGE.

Agriculti ral investigations

in the Phillipines... ... 59
Arbor Day... ... cao ey)
Birds and Fruit... . OL

Blue Page Moth ... ... 56
Christophime recipes... ... 58
Cocoa-nut butter apo 033
Condiments in stock feed... 56

PAGE.
{ Onions :-—
Cultivation at Dominica 58
In New York Market ... 58
Para Rubber, cultivation of 52
Precocious germination in
amelon ... .. 52
| Preservativ es and colouring
matters in food

Commercial... .. 63 | Prickly heat
Department News ... 60 | Recent Report :
Department Publications... 64 Decay of Timber ... ... 61
. St. Lucia, agric re 80 Dy
Educational :— ae sree oe oe
Agricultural Teaching... 59 | ’ “E eae ae 1 Nara
Bacto. s. ¢ 09 | Me lope Ce
Education ah thie Woune : eaten ,
F - rq | Fever in plants 61
BECP ese) ieee) see 27 | GSoufreremibird 61
Experiment Plots OL} Gheeecaue ea
Fisheries—The Tarpon ... 56 | 3P* 000) SRO SIE EO Caos
eg | Sugar Industry =
Leprosy, reputed cure for 62 Re ieee f Nitrate of
Market Reports ... 63 i ee ion of Nitrate o a
Milch Cows, care of... — 50 Céllecting ; Moth. Be ae 2
sctin: re
Notes and Comments : eggs .. 50
Seentisy Conmission for Sh Tobacco Cultivation : :
Vincent ; Jamaica and Barba- a MG oe 3 RS
dos Mahogany: New Milk gamaicea:: Te)
Standard ; Budding Oranges; a 25 oe
Grafting Coffee, Cacao, and Vanilla in the Se »yche Hes 60
Nutineg ; Lagos Silk Rubber; Volcanic dust . 60
Planting Cora = Record West Indies :—
anan:t Export ; Production Agricultural Institutions 62
and Consumption of Coffee ; fH: Sade B Ske = ieee 62
Avbor Day for the West Y : Tol ye
Indies ;Nature Study Exhibi- Lams in To DAsO --- 08
tion ; Manufacture of Papin 54 | Young Palm leaves ... . OL
ARBOR DAY.
S far as we are aware an Arbor Day Move-

Ne

ment has not yet taken firm root in the
West Indies, The subject (whichis discussed

elsewhere in these pages) has, on several occasions, been

eae ld.

JUNE 7, 1909.

suggested in the press and spasmodic efforts have been

made by a few. We recur to it because we believe that
the proclamation of an Arbor day and the systematic
planting of ornarmental and shade trees under suitable
auspices would greatly tend to advance the social and
public interests of these Colonies.

The movement would be beneficial in many ways.
It would instil into the minds of the rising generation
the world

would familiarize

the almost sacred duty of trying to leave
little better than they find it; it
them with the needs and requirements of plant life
and infuse a spirit of regard and affection for trees and

check the almost universal desire, now existing, to cut
down and destroy, rather than cherish, what might
become useful and ornamental. In this matter of

cutting down and destroying trees it has been remarked

that many people ‘hold the cent so close to their eye
as to obscure the dollar beyond.’
The systematic care and attention to detail

called forth by the planting and nurture of even one
tree and watching its growth and development could
not fail to have a formative eftect on character. It would,
further, have a high educative value in cultivating
the love of Nature and the observation and interpre-

tation of her wonderful laws.

advantages to
the community from the beneficial
influences of trees in affording delightful shade,
softening the torrid heat of the sun, and in providing
forth abundant fruit for man’s

There are, also, to be considered the

general arising

in

fuel and in bringing

enjoyment,

50 THE

AGRICULTURAL

NEWS. JUNE 7, 1902.

The subject is not new. It may, nevertheless,

require mention many times repeated. The quaint, but
fervid, appeal of Gerharde, in 1633, is as applicable
to-day as it was 269 years ago :

‘Forward in the name of God! grafie, set, plant and
nourish up trees in every corner of your grounds; the labour
is small, the cost is nothing, the commoditie is great, yoursely es
shall have plenty, the poore shall have somewhat in time of

want to relieve their necessitie, and God shall reward your
good minds and diligence.’

SUGAR INDUSTRY.

Collecting eggs of Moth-borer.

In the Agricultural News (pp- 3-4) attention was
drawn to the importance of collecting the eggs of the

moth-borer at Barbados and elsewhere at the end of

the present crop when all the old canes have been
reaped and thus save the young canes (the only ones
now remaining) from serious injury by this pest.

In some instances planters have expressed them-
selves unable to collect borer eggs owing to the extent
of canes under cultivation. As on most estates in- the
sugar islands there are only about 100 to 150, or at
the most 200 acres actually in young canes, such a
difficulty should not really exist, and ¢ especially as we
find that on estates where a fhoussnd or more acres
are under cultivation, collecting eggs of the moth-borer
has been undertaken with energy and success.

The following extract is taken from an_ interest-
ing letter lately received from Mr. John M. Fleming,
Manager of Diamond Plantation, Demerara, one of the
largest sugar properties in this part of the world,

Mr. Fleming writes:

After reading in one of the Bulletins of the Imperial
Department of Agriculture an account of the life history
of the moth-borer, I] commenced to collect the egus

oD”)

in addition to cutting out the affected hy
the grub, which had previously been owe only means of
combating this pest. The small ecoolie children employed
for the work, with their sharp eyes, rapidly became experts
in detecting the eggs on the cane leaves, and large numbers
have been destroyed. Eggs that are already hatched,

that are affected by parasites, are left untouched, and only
the fresh ones collected. i

eane shoots

It is impossible to say to what extent this work has
been effective in diminishing the numbers of the
but, whether due to this or to natural causes, they
so plentiful late, as I have observed them in’ former
seasons. [am satisfied that in attacking the borer in’ the
egg stage, we are adopting the best means of mitigating the
nuisance. More than this we can hardly hope to effect
in this Colony, with a reaping season extending over nine
months of the year, and canes in all stages of growth.

} OreYS 4}

are not

An interesting Method of applying Nitrate
of Scda to canes.

In a letter published in the February number of

the Hawaiian Planters’ Monthly, an account is given
of an ingenious method of applying nitrate of soda to
nrigated cane land. Irrigation in sugar-cane culti-
vation is being tried on a ‘limited scale in Barbados,
and in the event of its future extension the method of
distributing soluble manures outlined below might be
of practical value.

The method consists in applying nitrate of soda by
dissolving it in the irrigation water, and has been
adopted by Mr. Pogue, manager of the Kihei planta-
tion, who gives the following description of the process :

‘Dissolve a bag of nitrate of soda in 50 gallons of
water: pour one pailful of this solution and four pailsful
of water into a barrel, which discharges by a rubber pipe
into a tube filled to a given mark from which the mixture

flows in an even stream into the main irrigation ditch.
In this way one man can casily apply LOOM per acre

of nitrate to 60 acres in 6 days.’ The idea of dissolving
the nitrate was suggested by the scarcity of labour. There
is further the added advantage of applying this soluble
manure in very small quantities, at short intervals, rather
than in one or two large doses. The objection to the
method is the loss by soakage in the canals through
which the water but in all probability this is
small compared with the advantages mentioned above. Per-
haps other soluble fertilizers may be applied in this manner
where irrigation is practised.

passes,

CARE OF MILCH COWS.

The following plea in favour of kind and consider-
ate treatinent tor milch cows is taken from the Agri-
cultural Journal, Cape of Good Hope. In Barbados,
as a rule, mileh cows (which are mostly Alderney and
excellent milkers) are well cared for: but even here,
oceasionally, too much energy is exerted in driving
them. As siiggested by Mr. Hudsons in trea pages it
would be of great advantage if, in addition to a good
supply of mileh especially during dry
weather, were encouraged by a daily pail of bran mash
or pollard or some Oilmeal to keep up their milking
qualities,

The extract from the
is as follows :-—

grass, COWS,

Cape Agricultural Journal

It often astonishes us to see the amount of energy and
enthusiasm that a small coloured boy exerts in driving cows
home to be milked, and: the use he is allowed to make of his
peculiar vernacular accompanied by a flexible sjambok. If
there should be a few dogs about, it is considered good
practice and training for them to round up the home-gong
cows. Or perhaps the cows will be entirely neglected by
their drover and allowed to wend their way unguided through
roads traversed by many vehicles and passengers, in and out
of which the milkers have to dodge like the proverbial dog in
the fair. The best bred animals in the world will become
dry and useless under rough treatment. Therefore be kind
and gentle to your mileh cows. It is positively profitable to
pet a cow as you would pet your wife or child, your cat or
your canary. The least violence to a milker decreases the
milk, and so does every bark of a dog and every yelp of a
larky boy, not to mention the sjambok. Gentle methods
prevail on a well-kept and successful dairy farm The cow

Vou. I. No. 4.

THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 51

knows exactly what she has to do, and her goings to and fro,
her down-squattings and her up-risings will, of her own
i 3 S

volition, be as regular as the rising and setting of things
terrestrial all her master or her mistress has to do is to wait

upon her and treat her as a valuable member of the family
Let her feed while you milk her; even from this habit you
will gain increased milk through the anticipation which the
animal enjoys of the combined delights of a nice little nibble
and the attentions of the milkmaid.

EXPERIMENT PLOTS.

In addition to the Botanic Stations and other Agricul-
tural Institutions in the Windward and Leeward Islands andl

Tobago, a the Sugar Experiment Stations at British
Guiana, Barbados, Antigna anl St. Kitts-Nevis, special

efforts were started by the Imperial Department of Agricul-
ture in 1900-1901 to improve the cultivation of cacao, limes,
pine-apples, and other crops in Colonies suited for them.
The existing institutions, above referred to, had already
acted as centres for the propagation and distribution of
economic plants, and as training schools for the practical
teaching of tropical agriculture. It was, however, recognized,
that a more direct influence was required to be brought to
bear on the large body of peasant cultivators in these islands,
who from their isolated position are often out of touch with
the work carried on at Botanic Centres. This was sought by
the appointment of travelling Agricultural Instructors and by
affording practical object lessons by means of sub-stations or
experimental plots established in the country districts of

Grenada, St. Lucia and Dominica. The main features of
these plots are as follows:——A small area of cacao, of
about one acre in extent, is selected on a portion of

a large estate, in a conspicuous situation, and bordering on a
public road. With the consent of the proprietor it is placed
at the disposal of the Department of Agriculture for experi-
ment purposes for a certain term, usually three years.
Preference is given to districts where the trees are old and
unhealthy, and where the soil is typical of the poorer lands
in such localities. The selected plot is taken in hand with
the view of illustrating the best and most
methods of reclaiming and improving it. If necessary,
land is forked and drained and the trees pruned and
manured, These operations usually occupy some time and
are carried on under the personal supervision of the Agricul-
tural Instructor who furnishes monthly reports of the work

economical
the

done. The cost of tillage and all manwial and other
treatment is borne from the Agricultural grant-in-aid, and

careful records are kept of expenditure and results obtained.
Kach plot is conspicuously labelled and is usually divided
into four sections for manurial experiments. Each section
has also a label stating the kind of manure used, the quantity

per tree and the date of application. So far, the results
attained are satisfactory and encouraging. On some of the
cacao experiment, plots, the trees, even after one year’s

treatment have yielded excellent results as compared with
other portions of the same fields. It is hoped that simple
object lessons of this character will prove of value in impress-
Ing cacao proprietors, large and small, that even old and
apparently yalueless trees may be reclaimed and brought
into bearing, with proper care and attention, and at a cost
that will leave a fair margin of profit. It is gratifying to
learn that peasant proprietors, for whose benefit these
experiments are chiefly carried on take a deep interest in
these plots, and in many cases have adopted similar opera-
tions on their own lands. The Imperial Commissioner of

Agriculture and the Travelling Superintendent regularly
visit and inspect these plots.
GRENADA.

At Grenada, the importance of experiment plots as a
means of benefiting the Agricultural classes was, at once,
recognized by his Excellency Sir Alfred Moloney, K.C.M.G.,
the Govyernor-in-Chief of the Windward Islands. In an
address to the members of the Grenada Agricultural Society
in L899 he warmly supported the scheme :

‘It was proposed,’ he said, ‘to establish model patch
gardens or experiment plots as object lessons in the different
parishes and districts. In order to be in a_ position
to carry such a project into effect the Imperial Department of
Avericulture would be ready to take charge of, say, an acre of
cacao in each parish placed for the purpose at its disposal by
the proprietors. Also that expert advice and control would be
devoted to each plot so as to ensure maximum crops. It was
unnecessary to enlarge on the benefits to every section of the
agricultural community that must accrue from the establish-
ment of such model gardens or experiment plots, if established
in suitable situations and easy of access to the agricultural
population.’

In the early part of 1900 seven plots of cacao, varying
in size from 1 acre to 1} acres were selected by the Travel-
ling Superintendent and the Curator of the Botanic Station.
The Grenada plots are situated at Vendéme, Gouyave and

Chantimelle estates on the leeward side, and at the
Nianganfoix, Colombier, Belle Vue and Windsor Forest

estates, on the eastern side of the island.
every case is a red clay, deficient in phosphates, potash and
available lime. The plots are each divided into four sections,
and the manurial treatment consists chiefly of experiments
with pen manure and basic slag followed by applications of
either nitrate of soda, sulphate of ammonia, or sulphate of
potash with the view of ascertaining the relative value of
these manures.

The soil in nearly

ST. LUCIA.

In this Colony five cacao experiment plots were selected
during 1900-1901, at La Perle, Anse-la-Raye, Roseau,
Cul-de-sac and Beausejour estates. Manurial and other
cultural operations are conducted on the same lines as at
Grenada. In addition to the cacao plots an area of 5 acres
at Riviere Dovée estate cn the southwest side of the island
has laid out and planted with cotton, limes, pine-
apples and other crops. Owing to the absence of trees, this
part of St. Lucia suffers at times from both wind and
drought, and is therefore unsuitable for the cultivation of
cacao or any product requiring a sheltered and damp situa-
tion. The efforts of the Department at the Riviere Dorée
plot ave undertaken with the view of encouraging land owners
in this locality to take up the cultivation of more hardy
crops and to utilize land which is now of little or no value.

DOMINICA.

At Dominica, as early as 1899, the question of establish-
ing experiment plots had received attention. In June of
that year the Travelling Superintendent and the Curator of
the Botanic Station made a tour of the southern end of the
island for the purpose of selecting these areas. Considerable
difficulty was experienced in obtaining laud in suitable
situations, and for this reason operations were not commenced
until 1901. During that year eight cacao plots were selected
in the out-parishes “of the island and manurial experiments
commenced on similar lines to those at Grenada and St.
Lucia. The plots chosen are situated at Geneva, Point
Mulatre and Carse of Gowrie estates on the windward side, at
Clarke Hall, Moor Park, Picard and Blenheim estates on the
leeward side, and at Riversdale estate near the new Imperial
road leading to the interior of the island. In view of the

been

52 THE

AGRICULTURAL NEWS.

JuNE 7, 1902.

extension of the lime industry in Dominica, an experiment
plot of limes was started under the direction of the Hon'ble
Francis Watts at Hampstead estate. The plot is divided
into nine sections, and experiments are being conducted
with the object of ascertaining the effect of various kinds of
manurial substances on the lime cultivation.

CULTIVATION OF PARA RUBBER.

A brief account of the conditions under
trees yielding Para rubber flourish in their native
country was published in the Agricultural News
(pp. 36-37). It is desirable to add to that account a
few additional facts that have recently been placed on
record,

It was formerly thought that the Para rubber
tree (Hevea brasiliensis) could only thrive in swampy
land, or at any rate on land subjected to periodical
inundations. This que stion was discussed by Mr. J. H.
Hart in his paper on ‘Rubber planting in the West
Indies’ at the Agricultural Conterence of 1901 ( West
Indian Bulletin, Vol. IL, p- 104). Mr. Hart pointed
out that in Ceylon it ie been found that the
trees do best in good alluvial soil on fairly flat land,
at about sea-level, and that in Trinidad they are
‘even growing on a dry gravelly soil. The manner in
which the erroneous idea about their requiring swampy
land came to be circulated is explained in a recent
article by Ma. H. A. Wickham, who in 1876-7 served as
a special commissioner and colleeted for the Indian
Government some 7,000 plants from which the whole
of the present stock of Para rubber plants in the East
have probably been raised. The following extract. is
taken from The pes Rubber and Gutta-Percha
Trades Journal for January 20, 1902.

“As all the stock of plants or seed available for the
planting and cultivation of this tree in the Eastern tropics are
and will be derived from direct lineal descendants of some or
other of those 7,000 odd originally introduced by me at the
instance of the Government of India in 1876-7, it may be
well if it be recollected that their exact place of origin was
in three degrees of south latitude, and to remember their
natwral conditions there. This, the more so, very
general error seems to have obtained that swampy or wet
lands are the fitting locality for the //exea. This would seem
to have arisen in that the ‘“ explorer” of a few years’ experi-
ence would have these trees pointed out to him
(natwe uly in answer to inquiries) growing scattered along the
wet margins in going up the lower Amazon or tributaries,
whereas the true forests of the Para rubber tree le
back on the highlands, and those commonly seen by the
inquiring traveller are but ill-grown trees which have sprung
up from seeds brought down by freshets from the interior.

‘As a matter of fact, the whole of the //evea which |
procured for the Government of India were produced on large
grown trees in the forest covering the broad plateaux dividing
the Tapajos from the Madeira rivers. The soil of these well
drained, wide-extending, forest-covered table lands is a. stiff
soil not remarkably rich, but deep and uniform in’ character.
The //evea found growing in these unbroken forests rival all
but the largest of the trees therein, attaining to a cireum
ference of 10 feet to 12 feet in the bole. These forest plains
having all the character of widespread table lands oceupy the

which

since a

some of

space betwixt the great arterial river systems of the Amazon,
and present an escarped face, which follows, at greater or
less distance, and abuts steeply on, the igapo or vagas,—i.e.,
the marginal river plains—subject to inundation by the
annual rise of the great riyer. So thorough is the drainage
of this highland that the people who annually penetrate into
these forests for the seascn’s working of the rubber have to
utilize certain lianas (water- bearing vines) for their water
supply, since none is to be obtained by surface well sinking,
in spite of the heavy rainfall during great part of the year?

In Burma an experiinent is in course of progress,
under the super.ntendence of Major J. A. Wyllie, LS.C.,
F.R.G.S., to determine the possibility of growing Para
rubber on a sewage farm. The Zndian Rubber World
for April 1, 1902 says :—

‘The municipal duties of Major Wyllie comprise (among
other things) the management of public gardens and the
disposal of public refuse in Rangoon. In these gardens for
several years past Major Wyllie has been carrying out
experiments in rubber growing, one result of which, at the
close of 1898, was a stock of Para and Ceara rubber seedlings
out of proportion to the space available in the gardens. At
the same time, objection had been made to the disposal of
sewage Ina region devoted to market gardening, whereupon
Major Wyllie secured 32 acres of ground convenient to
Rangoon, which was laid out as a sewage farm, and to which
the rubber seedlings were transplanted. ‘‘ The young Heveas
seem capable of absorbing any amount of manure and the
farm itself is of great use in the opportunities it gives of
observing the behaviour and requirements of the Para rubber
tree during the period of acclimatization.”

‘On the whole,’ writes Major Wyllie, after detailing
the experimental work done on his rubber sewage farm, ‘the
culture of rubber in Burma may be looked upon, if not as the
coming industry, at least as one of the industries bound
to come. It may be objected that, if such minute atten-
tion to detail is required for the establishment of a rub-
ber ferest, rubber cannot be the wonderfully profitable
crop it has been asserted to be. But this is a mistake. The
imore carefully minor points are observed and results noted
in the first beginnings of the undertaking, the sooner will the
needful lessons be learned, and learned once forall. . .

The sewage farm is known as the Kambe planta-
tion. It comprised, on July 10, 1901, the following
number of rubber plants, be sides which a lar ge number

of seeds had lately been placed in’ the ground : Para,
2.732 ; Ceara, 293; other species 62; total, 3,087.
T he article has two illustrations showing the

entrance to the Indian rubber and Sewage farm, and a
portion planted out with Para rubber seedlings.

Precocious Germination ina Melon. The germi-
nation of seeds while stiil attached to the parent plant (as
is the case in some of the mangroves) is not common in the
plant world. An interesting case of precocious germination

in melons is deseribed by Sir W. T. Thistleton-Dyer, in the
Annals of Botany for Mareh 1902. A melon on being

cut open was found to contain a large number of seedling
melons which had developed from the seeds and grown at
the expense of the sugary juice of the fruit. Some of them
weighed twenty times more than the seeds from which they
grew. Examples’such as this are of considerable scientific
interest, and it is hoped that an account of any such cases
met with in the West Indies will be contributed to these
columms.

The idea

repeated trials of

Vor. I. No. 4. THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 53
TOBACCO CULTIVATION boxes from the nursery as the others get empty.
3 is to prevent the roots being exposed or dried or damaged in
any way.

In the actual planting great care should be exercised in
JAMAICA. organizing the work in such a way as to prevent a hitch

occurring causing loss of time. After
The following extracts affording useful hints various methods [ have found the following to be the best

respecting sowing the seed and planting out seedlings
of tobacco are taken from a recent paper by Mr. T. J.
Harris, Superintendent of the Experiment Station at
Hope Gardens. The paper, in full, appears in the

Bulletin of the Botanical Department, Jamaica, for

April, 1902, pp. 49-52 —

Sowing Seed.

-The best time to sow is about the
middle of August ; the seedlings would then be ready for
planting out during October. After this main sowing it is,
however, very necessary to sow a few beds every fortnight
for the purpose of keeping up a supply of plants in the event
of unfavourable circumstances occurring later on.

Sowing.— Mix the seeds with twice their bulk of fine
sand or wood ashes and scatter evenly over the bed (includ-
ing the long sloping sides) when the air is still. Water with
a fine rose watering can, and keep the bed moist until the
seedlings are ready for hardening off.

Hardening off.—¥our weeks after germination the seed-
lings will begin to pack together, covering the soil. They
should now be gradually hardened off by keeping them
moderately dry, watering them only when there is danger of
the leaves drooping. In seven weeks from they
should be ready for planting out.

Time of sowing.

sow ing

Planting.

Time for planting.—There is a certain short period
towards the end of the year in which tobacco plants, whether
in the beds or in the field, grow and develop at an
exceedingly rapid rate. This is usually from the last week in
October to the middle of December. The suecess of a crop
depends very largely on whether the main lot of plants are
set out before this period or not ; if not, then the plants will
not be fully developed by the time the ‘dry ripening weather
comes on. An important point is to make the best possible
use of the latter half of the October ‘seasons’ with a view to
growing large plants and leaves that will be ready for the
dry weather when it arrives.

Planting.— The seedlings are ready for planting out
when they have three or four leaves about four inches long
and a hard stem from two to three inches long. Care
should be taken when lifting them from the beds not to
break off the tap root as such “seedlings often result in curly-
leaved plants. The best time of the day for planting is
usually from three o’clock in the afternoon until dark.

Two days before planting is to be commenced the
nursery beds should receive a thorough soaking with water
the plants can then be got out w ithout damaging the roots.
Planting boxes, each capable of holding about il; 000 plants,
should be prepared beforehand. These may be made out
of any light wood, the most convenient shape being that of a
square coal-scuttle or sugar scoop; 15 inches by 2 feet 3
inches on the longest side. The seedlings are stacked
these boxes just as they come from the bed and are not dis-
turbed until they are planted in the field. Each planter
should have a box, and there should be several spare ones so
that the planters may be kept supplied with newly-tilled

and quickest :—procure eight stout pegs and two rough
mallets ; put four pegs into the ground on each side of the
field at a distance of three feet apart and stretch lines
between the first two pairs ; start one man with a six-pointed
dibbler from each end to make the holes, with one man
following to fill the holes with water as they are made.
Water should be applied ahether the soil be motst or dry.
Three planters may follow each waterer.

Care should be taken to see that the roots are placed
well into the mud formed by adding the water. To secure
this thrust two fingers into the centre of the small puddle
and draw half on one side ; insert the roots, then press the
moved half back again to the plant and smooth down the
surrounding soil. No watering should be required after this.

Experiments with Tobacco at St. Kitts.

The Hon'ble Francis Watts contributes the fol-
lowing notes on preliminary eftorts to grow tobacco at
St. Kitts :-—

A good deal of interest was being taken in the subject of
tobacco. As you have been already informed, I have for
nearly three years had in view the advantages afforded by
the St. Kitts’ soils for producing high-class cigar tobacco, and
have endeavoured to arrange for systematic experiments. At
present there are several small lots of tobacco being cured,
notably those at the Botanic Station and that belonging to

Mr. Adamson at Brighton. IL was able to give a certain
amount of attention to these during my stay, and to assist

Mr. Lunt, who is taking a keen interest in this work
and its development. [ do not anticipate that the experi-
menters will produce a high grade of tobacco in their early
experiments: they are however gaining a great deal of
experience which will enable them to proceed with much
greater confidence and with much greater chance of success
in future trials. These experiments should be carried on,
at the Botanic Station at least, on a larger scale next season,
anda suitable curing house should be erected.

COCOA-NUT BUTTER.

The Journal of the Royal Horticultural Society
for April contains this note on an article, by Mr. J. R.
Jackson, which app ee sared in the Gardeners’ Chronicle

for December 1901 >

This substance has lately attracted a good deal of
attention ; its manufacture in this country [England] and on
the Continent is now very considerable. It is manufactured
from the kernels of cocoa-nuts, and is used as a substitute for
butter or lard in cooking. It is sold in Germany at about
&/. per Ib. It is claimed that it contains more than 90 per
cent. of vegetable fat, and that it is more wholesome and
easier digested than the ordinary fat used for baking and

cooking. It is said to be much in demand amongst vegeta-
rians, Jews, and Mahommedans. In English trade it is

known as ‘ Vucoline.’—
We might add that cocoa-nut suet also figures in

the English | market under the name of ‘ Vejsu,’

54 THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS.

Juxe 7, 1902.

EDITORIAL NOTICES.

Lettevs and matter for publication, as well as all specimens
for naming should be addressed to the ImperraL ComMMISsIoNER
or AGricutrurE, Head Office: Barbados. It is particularly
desired that no letters be addressed to any member of the staff
By name, Such a course will entail delay in dealing with
them.

Communications should always be written on one side only
of the paper. It should be understood that no contributions
or specimens will, in any case, be returned.

All applications for copies of the ‘Agricultural News’
should be addressed to the Local Agents and not to the
Head Oftice. Where no Agents exist subscriptions at the
rate of 33. 3d per annum, payable beforehand, will be received
at the Head Ottce.

Correspondents sending newspapers should be careful to
mark the paragraphs they wish to bring under notice.

Agricultural Hews.

Vou. I. SATURDAY, JUNE 7, 1902. No. 4.

NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Scientific Commission for St. Vincent.

The following telegram was received from the
Colonial Office on May 30, The Under-Secretary of
State for the Colonies to the Imperial Commissioner of
Agriculture for the West Indies :—

‘Scientific Commission consisting of Doctors Fleet and
Anderson appointed by the Royal Society to investigate
voleanic disturbances leave for St. Vincent by to-morrow’s
mail (May 28.) Should be glad if you could meet them
at Barbados.’

OD ~~ Oa

Jamaica and Barbados Mahogany.

It has been shown by Mr. Hart at Trinidad that
the mahogany trees so commonly grown at Jamaica,
Barbados and elsewhere in the West Indies are some-
what different from the mahogany trees of British
Honduras. The latter are said to be stronger-growing,
while the leaves are larger and of a different shape.
The Honduras mahogany is also said to yield timber
lighter in colour and more easily worked than the
ordinary West Indian mahogany.

—_——> + oo

New Milk Standard.

It may be useful to place on record in these pages
the new milk standard adopted by the Enghsh Board
of Agriculture, This came into foree in September
1901. It requires that when a sample of nulk (not
being sold as skimmed or separated, or condensed

milk) contains less than 3 per cent. of milk-fat or 8°5

per cent. of milk-solids, other than milk-fat, it will be
presumed, for the purposes of the Sale of Food and
Drugs Act, 1895 to 1899, until the contrary is proved,
that the milk is not genuine. When a sample of
skimmed or separated milk (not being condensed milk)
contains less than 9 per cent. of milk solids, it will be
regarded as not genuine.

ED +e

Budding Oranges.

The practice of budding oranges is becoming a part
of the regular routine at all the Botanic establish-
ments in the West Indies. In the interesting Bulletin
of the Botanic Gardens at Trinidad, January 1902,
Mr. Hart writes :—

Some advance has been made in the propagation of the
imported kinds of oranges during the present year, and a
fairly good stock of strong budded plants is now on hand.
This it is trusted will do away with the complaint, so
frequently heard, of oranges proving sour when raised from
seed, a case of which occurred during the present week. The
stock used is that of the Seville orange which does not suffer
in our climate from stem-rot or Mal-di-gomma, as do the best
of our St. Michael’s and Tangerine kinds, The ‘ Washing-
ton Navel’ is among the varieties successfully budded. I
learn that in some instances the pupils who attended the
recent Agricultural Lectures are meeeting with fair suceess in
budding and grafting.

De

Grafting Coffee, Cacao and Nutmeg.

Mr. Hart states that he has grafted (by approach)
a prolific form of stenophylla coffee on stock of the
liberian coffee. The union was effected with but
little trouble and the plants are growing freely. In
addition he has successfully grafted (also by approach)
the ordinary cacao on stocks of the stronger-growing
‘tiger’ or wild cacao of the mainland, Theobroma
bicolor. As already mentioned the female form of the
nutmeg tree is being regularly grafted on to male
stocks at Jamaica. About seventy plants were estab-
lished by My, Fawcett in 1901.

$$ —_$_$——

Lagos Silk Rubber.

The tree yielding this rubber is being gradually
established in the West Indies. The name Wichwia
has now been replaced by Funtumia, derived from the
West African name of the tree. It is noticed that the
young plants, if left to themselves, are hable to form a
bushy habit and thus rendered less valuable for rubber-
yielding qualities. To correct this it is recommended
that the trees be pruned by gradually taking off all
the lower branches and that one central, clean stem be
encouraged, (See also p. 39) Even when the trees are
tolerably large this is still required to be done if they
are to be tested, as they should be, for yield of rubber.
The Central American rubber tree (Castilloa) and the
Lagos silk rubber tree (/untumia) evidently are the
most promising rubber trees for cultivation in the

West Indies.

Vor: 1. No: 4.

THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 55

Hints on Planting Corn.

The following hints quoted by the Sugar Planters
Journal may be of service in the West Indies :—

An experienced farmer in Oklahoma has adopted a
method of planting maize or corn which will often produce a
crop when hot winds have ruined the corn as previously and
ordinarily planted. His plan is to go over the fields two or
three weeks after the regular planting is done and plant new
hills fifteen rows apart each way. If the weather becomes
dry, or hot winds blow at the critical season, and the tassels
of the corn are killed before there has been time for the silk
on the ears to become fertilized, the corn that is planted
Jater will develop tassels in time to furnish the necessary
fertilizing pollen, and a crop will thus be often produced
when no grain whatever could be raised without the late
planting. He claims to have tried this method and to have
succeeded in raising a crop when his neighbors have failed.
He has another method, which is to soak seed corn in
kerosene a short time before planting. This not only
quickens the germination and growth of the grain, but it is
claimed to be a safeguard against birds, gophers and insects
that usually attack the seed.

a nO

A Record Banana Export.

The Jamaica Gleaner reports that the ex porta-
tion of bananas for the year ending March last is likely
to amount to a total of over ten millions of bunches,
arecord for Jamaica. The returns are compiled accord-
ing to the computation of the compamies, so that
two small bunches are counted as one bunch. The
total number of actual bunches therefore greatly
exceeds ten millions. The prospects for the spring
crop of bananas are excelient, and there is likely to be
a great deal more competition between the companies
along the northern side this year than is usual. During
the financial year, ending March 1903, this year’s total
will probably be largely exceeded. A well-known
official, who is concerned in the compilation of the
statistics, has stated that he expected the total at the
end of next March would be over twelve
bunches.

EE > ET

Production and Consumption of Coffee.

The French Consul in Brazil, in a report on the
state of trade in that country, states that there is an
over-production of coffee throughout the world, and
that in Brazil there is a tendency to restrict the area
of cultivation. He says that in the year from July 1,
1900, to June 30, 1901, the total production of coffee
throughout the world was 15,460,000 bags, of 132th.
each, and that of this quantity 11,500,000 bags were
grown in Brazil, 1,150,000 in Guatemala, Costa Rica,
Mexico, and Nicaragua, 1,050,000 in Venezuela, Colom-
bia, Ecuador, and Peru, 480,000 in the Dutch Indies,
450,000 in Hayti, 315,000 British India and Ceylon,
200,000 in Puerto Rico and Jamaica, and 90,000. in
Padang. He estimates the consumption at 14,117,620
bags, leaving an excess of production at 1,342,380 bags.

(Times).

millions of

Arbor Day for the West Indies.

It is suggested that Coronation day, June 26,
would be an appropriate one to adopt in the West
Indies as an Arbor day. It would commemorate a
striking event in the history of the Empire and besides
it would fall exactly at the right season for planting
purposes. In many localities the planting of orna-
mental shade trees would be of great public benefit and
at the same time add to the comfort and amenities of
life in the tropics. Suitable trees and palms are
always obtainable for the purpose at the Botanic
Gardens and it only requires the movement to be
started, under favourable auspices, to be taken up with
every hope of success. A few preliminary hints might
be useful. The holes for the trees, about 3 feet square
and about 2) feet deep, should be prepared some days
beforehand and _ filled with good soil. The actual
planting requires care but it is an operation that
affords pleasure to many : preferably it should be
undertaken in the afternoon and the plant immediate-
ly watered. If the trees are planted in open spaces or
along road-sides where they are liable to be injured
they should be protected by tree-guards. If desired,
permanent metal labels for Coronation trees would be
imported and supplied, at cost price, by the Imperial
Department of Agriculture.

Nature Study Exhibition.

The interest taken in England in this subject is
evidenced by the exhibition which it is proposed to
hold at the Gardens of the Royal Botanic Society
Regent's Park. It will be open to Colleges and Schools
of every grade, and the exhibition will include all that
bears upon Nature Study. To those who desire to
understand exactly what Nature Study means and how
it may be carried out with interest and profit to both
old and young we cannot do better than commend
the handbook Nature Teaching specially prepared
for the Imperial Deparment of Agriculture by the
Hon. Francis Watts and others. This is obtainable
from the Agents of the Department in all parts of the
West Indies.

ee

The Manufacture of Papain.

In the course of a notice on the paper on this
subject which appeared on page 4 of the Agricultural
News, the Montserrat Herald says :—

This article is pretty well exported from here. There
are not less than three drying stoves in the island of Mr.
Watts’ description, so the mode of preparation is not new to
those who are engaged in its manufacture. But we do not
think that it is generally known by those who sell the juice
that—-‘It is essential that no iron knife or iron utensils
should be brought into contact with the milk. Wood and
bone should be employed, and the milk should be collected in
earthenware basins or cups, or in glass vessels, and not in
tins, which are sure to blacken it.

56 THE

AGRICULTURAL NEWS.

JUNE 7, 1902.

WEST INDIAN FISHERIES

Tarpon or Cuffaum at Barbados.

The information already published in the Agr/-
cultural News (pp. 8 and 24) on the Tarpon and its
habits, indicate that this fish is known in’ Barbados
as the Cuttum, and found not only on the inner shoals
and fishing banks of the sea, but inland in certain
swamps. The swamp at Graeme Hall, for instance,
contains large numbers of Cuffum amongst other
varieties of fish. The heavy rainfall during the hurri-
cane of 1898 caused the swamp to Bueniow and many
of the larger fish are supposed to have escaped to the
sea, yet Cuffum is still there. Large fish measuring
from 4 to 5 feet in length have been landed from this
swamp. Capture is principally effected by the use of
trawling nets. Fish of similar size have, however, been
captured with hooks 2 to 24 inches long on stout. line,
while smaller fish have been landed with the rod.
The cuffum bites readily at live bait of any description,
but seems to prefer what is known locally as ‘mud fish,’
so named, apparently from its colour, and its habits of
lying on and sometimes hiding itself beneath the
mud,

As an edible fish, the euffum is not liked by the
majority of people owing to its bony nature but it
always affords excellent sport.

Sparrows. ‘The West Indies are fortunate in not
having the English sparrow as part of the bird life. Other
sparrows are not uncommon, and especially the little brown
sparrow found near houses. These birds play a curious part
in nature, in that they destroy the seeds of many weeds and
grasses and so tend to check the increase of the latter. Being
small, they are scarcely worth trapping or shooting and_ so
are tamer than many other birds. It requires little to
persuade them to come in-doors, a few crumbs regularly
placed on a window-sill soon enticing them.

As weed destroy-
ers they deserve encouragement,

and will come to yards and
carriage drives in search of the weeds whose seeds form their
staple fare,

The ‘Blue Page’ Moth. During the gale that
reached Barbados and St. Vincent on August 26, 1901, mum-
bers of a large moth were found in Barbados, of a kind not
known to breed there. They had evidently been brought by
the high Southwest wind. Some were caught and identified as
Urania Sloanei, the ‘blue page’ of Trinidad, and they had
apparently come from the mainland or, more probably, from
Trinidad itself. They were found as far north as Dominica,
and one was caught on the R.M.S. ‘Eden’ midway between
St. Lucia and Barbados. This is an excellent instance of how
insects spread from island to island, and had these moths
found suitable conditions in Barbados, they might have
become established there and formed an addition to the
permanent fauna. The direct distance from Trinidad to
Barbados is about 160 miles, and to Dominica is some
100 miles more.

THE VALUE OF CONDIMENTS IN STOCK
FEED.

The question of the value of spices and other condimen-
tal foods such as locust bean and molasses, which are often
advocated as an addition to the feeding materials given to
stock, has recently been investigated by the Royal Agriecul-
tural Society of England at the Woburn Experiment Station.
Sixteen short horn bullocks, divided into four lots of four
bullocks each, were used for the experiment. Lot I received
the ordinary or ‘ standard’ feeding, consisting of linseed and
cotton cake, maize meal, hay, chatf and roots. In Lot II, the
maize meal was half replaced by locust bean meal. In Lot IT,
the ‘standard’ feeding was spiced, while in Lot IV, a little
sugar-cane molasses (}-lb per head per day) was poured over
the chaff. The results are summarised in the following
table :—

“rot

Lot Il | Lot III | Let IV
| (ordinary (locustbean! :
feadingh: ( meal). (spice) (molasses),
Total carcass) | st. Ib. \eesteetb.; sh este ibs st. tb.
[retehe ofvowr | set” a liesee a | sel 7, scomeg
Price realized| £. s. v.| £. s. v.| £. s. v.| £. 5. p.
at 4/4 stone.| 83. 6. 2.) 79. 15. 2.| 78. 8. 2.) 82. 10. 6.

(Less costoffood.| 29. 13. 0.| 28. 2. 9./ 86) 4. @.! 28. 15. 0.

Difference. |£53. 13.-2./£51. 12. 5. £52. 4. 2.\£58 58 6.

Aver. gainin liv e!

ie as
weight it per day. ey reC ian

1-84 th aly 1°Sd tb

The result of this ex <periment shows that no case can be
made out from it for any of the virtues supposed to belong
to spice and condimental foods, but that bullocks will fatten
just as well and as economically on a well chosen mixture of
ordinary foods. It was observed that when molasses wes
used, there was a tendency to ‘looseness’ in the animals
when more than one quarter of a pound per head per day
was given.

PRESERVATIVES AND COLOURING
MATTER IN FOOD.

Every year large quantities ot preserved tood-
stuffs are imported into the West Indies in which
various ‘ preservatives’ are no doubt used.
the substances e mployed to improve the keeping quali-
ties of foods are injurious to health, a Departmental
Committee was appointed by the Local Government
Board in 1899 to ‘inquire into the use of preservatives
and colouring matters in the preservation and colouring
of food, and to report (1) whether the use of such
materials, or any of them, for the preservation and
colouring of food, in certain quantities, is injurious to
health, and, if so, in what proportions does their use
become injurious; (2) to what extent, and in what
amounts, are they so used at the present time ?

The Committee have now presented their Report
and minutes of evidence, the whole forming a Blue-
book of nearly 500 pages.

The antise ptic agents employe <1 in the preserva-
tion of food are bente or boracic acid and borates;
so-called “boron preservatives; sulphurous acid, and
sulphites, fluorides, salicylic acid, benzoic acid or

As some of

Vor? 1. = No. 4.

THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS.

or

—

benzoates, formalin. or formaldehyde. The‘ boron
preservatives’ are preparations of borax and_boracic
acid (with or without the admixture of other preserva-
tive ingredients such as salt, saltpetre, sugar, carbonate
of soda, ete.,) and are generally sold in the form of a
white powder under a great variety of fanciful names.
They are used Jargely tor dairy produce in margarine,
ham, bacon, sausages and preserved meat foods generally,

The most commonly used colouring matter for
dairy produce is annatto, the red pulp surrounding the
seeds of Bixa Orellana. This and other yellow colour-
ing matters of vegetable origin such as turmeric have
been considered harmless in the quantities employed,
but they are being superseded by coal tar yellow dyes.
The action of these on the human system is not fully
known.

The Committee make the following recommen-
dations :—

(1.) That the use of formaldehyde or formalin or
preparations thereof, in foods or drinks, be absolutely
prohibited and that salicylic acid be not used in, a_ greater
proportion than one grain per pint in liquid food, and one
grain per pound in solid food. Its presence in all cases to be
declared.

(2.) That the use of any preservative or colouring matter
whatever in milk offered for sale in the United Kingdom be
constituted an offence under the Sale of Food and Drugs
Act.

(3.) That the only preservative which it shall be lawful
to use in cream be boric acid or mixtures of boric acid and
borax, and in amount not exceeding 0°25 per cent. expressed
as boric acid. The amount of such preservative to be
notified by a label.

(4.) That the only preservative permitted to be used in
butter and margarine be boric acid or mixtures of boiic acid
and borax, to be used in proportions not exceeding 0°35 per
cent. expressed as boric acid.

(5.) That in the ease of al] dietetic preparations intended
for the use of invalids or infants, chemical preservatives of all
kinds be prohibited.

(6.) That the use of copper salts in the so-called greening
of preserved foods be prohibited.

(7.) That means be provided, either by the establish-
ment of a separate Court of Reference, or by the imposition
of more direct obligation on the Local Government Board to
exercise supervision over the use of preservatives and
colouring matters in foods, and to prepare schedules of such
as may be considered inimical to the public health.

ST. LUCIA.

Agricultural Notes.

The following agricultural notes have been re-
ceived from Mr. George 8S. Hudson, the Agricultural
Instructor at St. Lucia :—

Weather -—-The weather continues extremely dry, save
for a thunderstorm on the 19th inst., which yielded a very
welcome 20 to 30 parts of rain. From the 15th to the 20th
May the whole island was enveloped im a light hazy mist, the
result of Voleanic Ash suspended in the air. Traces of this
ash can be seen on all foliage, it being apparently deposited
more freely at night, being no doubt precipitated by the action
of the dew.

All planting operations are delayed by the continuance
of the drought. Pastures yield little or no food to animals,
and the flowering of cacao trees is being retarded.

Cattle.—Stock owners would do well to buy a bag
or two of oilmeal and bran (or pollard) during this trying
season, and give each adult horned animal 2:drink night and
morning compounded of 1b. of each mixed with 4 gallons of
water, half in the morning and half in the evening. Molasses
must be added when the animals are unaccustomed to this
mode of feeding, but may little by little be omitted as they
get accustomed to it. This is a valuable means of main-
taining a milk supply during the dry season, and in fact,
during any part of the year. Cattle are very expensive
just now, good milch cows fetching £8 to £10 readily.

The screw-worm does little damage at this time of the
year. A certain degree of humidity seems to be neces-
sary for its evolution from the chrysalis stage.

Agricultural Labour is scarce. Some of the sugar
factories and many cacao estates are practically working half
time im consequence.

Honey.—It is desirable to draw the attention of bee-
keepers to the fact that comb-honey is so successfully
produced that the local market is likely to be overstocked.
Inquiries have been made in Jamaica, New York and
London as to whether the practice of shipping ec nb-honey
would prove safe and lucrative, and the replies wh’ i we give
below tend to convince us that the productio of comb-
honey must be abandoned for that of extracted or liquid
honey, and then, ow: best'market would be London. Should
this prove to be the case bee-keepers in the smaller islands
should profit by the experience gained in Jamaica, which
shows how easily a bad reputation for an island’s goods may
be gained by shipping inferior honey (the apparent result of
excessive syrup feeding), and enclosing same in imperfectly
cleaned and unattractive packages. We strongly recom-
mend the use of cases supplied by American makers of
bee-keeping supplies, containing 2 empty 5-gallon tins
capable of containing 120 1b. honey, costing 75 cents each
in New York, and about $1.00 each in the West Indes. By
referring to the Market Report published fortnightly in this
paper, it will be seen that Jamaica honey in tins sells at
from ls 6d to 3s per ewt. more than the’same honey in
barrels, and there are also savings in cost of putting up,
transport and freight, when tins are used.

New York.—5th May, 1902. Messrs. Gillespie Bros.
& Co., report: ‘Honey in comb.—While there is generally a
good demand for this, the difficulty im your case would be
the risk of breakage in transport, as unless shipments receive
most careful handling on the voyage from St. Lucia, we think
a fair proportion of the whole would arrive broken. It is not
unlikely that special arrangements might be made in case
of a trial shipment from which a useful idea could be
obtained for working eventual business. The duty is at the
rate of 20 cents a gallon, and the Customs reckon that 12
pounds of the honey are equal to one gallon. We may mention
that they refer to the honey in comb as being one pound,
exclusive of the containers. So far as we can learn, a fair
quotation for comb-honey to-day is 9 cents to 13 cents per
pound.’

London.—15th April, 1902. Messrs. Ross & Norton
report: ‘Honey—We are advised that comb-honey does
not prove satisfactory, and that you had better ship in the
liquid form. On present prices this would realize 15s to 22s
ewt. according to condition and quality.’

Jamaica.—6th May, 1902. No one here ships comb,
only: honey in cask or tin, but the quality varies very much?

55 THE AGRICULTURAL

NEWS. JUNE 7, 1902.

ONION CULTIVATION.

Dominica.

In the Agricultural News of May 10 (p: 20)
information was published respecting the considerable
trade in onions carried on between Cuba and the
United States. In spite of the advantages undoubtedly
possessed by Cuba, those who are concerned in onion
cultivation in the West Indies need not be discouraged
thereby, provided their produce is exactly suited to the
New York market and is packed in suitable crates.
The following is a letter, dated May 10, addressed
by the Hon’ble H. Hesketh Bell to the Editor of the
Dominican :—

The results of the experimental shipments of Dominica
onions which we made to the New York market in February
and March last will probably be of interest to your readers and
may, I hope, encourage further ventures in that direction.

(2.) 12 erates were shipped on the 28th February and 5 on
the 11th. March. Both lots reached New York in excellent
condition. The first realized $2.50 per crate, and the second
$2.40. The brokers reported that the quality of our onions
was so good that they could ‘at all times compete with
Bermudas or Cubas.’ They warned us, however, against
making sinall shipments as the charges on such small lots eat
up a disproportionate part of the proceeds.

(3.) The onions sent on these occasions were produced
at the Agricultural School, at the Botanic Station, and by Mr.
KE. A. Agar at ‘ Lahaut.’ Those I grew at ‘ Sylvania’ were equally
fine and were sent to Barbados and St. Lucia, where they sold
at remunerative rates. [learn that some of the experiments
made by planters in other parts of the island were unsuccessful,
this year, owing to the attacks of a kind of slug known as the
‘paloot.’ I trust that those gentlemen will not be discouraged,
and that, in view of the excellent prices realized by our Domi-
nica onions in New York, they will try again. The Curator
of the Botanic Station, in another column, is publishing a
notice offering again to procure sets and seeds of Bermuda
onions for such planters as may desire to continue their experi-
ments in this direction.

Onions in New York Market

Messrs. Gillespie Brothers & Co., write :

In continuation of the remarks we addressed to you,
respecting onions, on the 4th April (see Agricultural News
p- 20) we have to say the information received by us from our
Cuban friends confirms what we therein wrote in regard to the
origin of the seeds. We can do nothing more than recommend
that the crates in which onions are shipped should be marked
only on the ends and not on the slats, and tightly packed so
that they arrive here full and not slack.

Prickly Heat. This, in some cases, is a troublesome
affection during the hot season. The writer has found the
following treatment effective, especially in the early stages.
First, moisten the parts affected with water, then dust over
with a small quantity of white oxide of zine and rub gently
with wet fingers until it forms a paste. This will soon dry
and leave the appearance of a white wash. Repeat night
and morning until the itching and red appearance have
entirely disappeared. Sometimes the ointment of white
oxide of zine is used, but this is greasy and disagreeable.
Where there is a general tendency to prickly heat, immediately
after the morning bath dust over with powder composed of
one-third parts of each of the following, viz : white oxide of
zinc, borie or boracie acid in powder and starch powder well
shaken together.

CH

RECIPES FO

x

R_ COOKING CHRISTOPHINES
OR CHO-CHOS.

The following Jamaican Recipes for cooking
christophines or ‘cho-chos,’ as they are called in that
Colony, are taken from Bulletin, No. 28, Division of
Botany, of the United States Department of Agri-
culture :

The cho-cho is a very useful vegetable. It can be
cooked in various ways, and the natives are very partial to
it, it being as they say, ‘so cooling.” They often put it in
their soups as an addition. Plain boiled with butter or
white sauce, it is excellent ; mashed with butter and black
pepper, it is nice ; put in stews, it makes a pleasant variety ;
and made into boiled or baked puddings with a judicious
addition of sugar and lime juice, it so much resembles apple
as to deceive one into believing one is eating apple pudding
or apple tart. The baked pudding is particularly good.

Cho-cho, stuffed. —Boil two cho-chos with the skin on.
When boiled scoop out the insides (cutting the cho-cho the
long way). Remove the seeds and pith, pare away the pulp
carefully, leaving enough near the rind not to break with it.
Mash the pulp with some nicely seasoned fine mince, to
which add a little butter and pepper, and pack the mixture
into the cho-cho backs or skins. Cover with fine bread crumbs
and bake. A nice side dish.

Baked Cho-cho pudding.—Four — good-sized cho-chos
boiled with ten cloves, and mashed and prepared as _ before,
only putting the juice of two limes, one half-pound of sugar,
one tablespoonful of butter, and some nutmeg. Put the
mixture at the bottom of a well-buttered pie dish and cover it
with a pint of grated bread. Beat the yolks of three eggs and
one white and add to them half a pint of milk sweetened to
taste ; pour this over the bread crumbs and bake. When it
has ‘taken colour’ and is nicely baked remove it from the
fire. Then beat the whites of the eggs left over into a stiff
froth ; add two tablespoonfuls of sugar: when stitf spread
over the pudding. Put back into the oven for a couple of
minutes to colour a pale yellow. It is nice either hot or cold,

Cho-cho tart. —Line the pie dish with pastry (pie crust)
and leave some to cover the tart. Take six good-sized cho-chos ;
pare, core, and boil them with a dozen cloves. When tender
slice them, not too thin, and put them at the bottom of the
pie, sprinkle them with the sugar, the grated lime peel (of
one lime) and the juice (of two limes), then cover with
pastry and bake from half an hour to three-quarters. Eaten
when cold with a cold boiled custard, it is much more appre-
ciated, but it can be served hot as apple tart.

Cho-cho savory.—Cut two boiled cho-chos in fingers ;
put on anchovy toast and pow very hot cocoe-nut cream
over the whole. Serve hot.

Cho-cho Fritters.—Boil three large cho-chos with six
cloves until tender, remove the seeds and pithy substance
inside and mash the pulp. Squeeze it ina clean cloth until
as dry as you can get it. Then mix in one egg well beaten,
add butter and pepper (and salt to flavour); a teaspoonful
of butter will do, and remove the cloves. Make into fritters
and fry in lard.

Yams in Tobago. Ebboa yams succeed well in
Tobago in rich loamy soil, particularly if protected from high
winds. Planted in January the crop is ready to be reaped
in August.

Von. I. No. 4. THE

AGRICULTURAL

NEWS. 59

EDUCATIONAL.

Barbados.

The following extract is taken from the recent
Rey vort by the Inspectors of Schools at Barbados for the

sar 1901 -—

‘The Imperial Department of Agriculture held another
course of lectures in agriculture in September, and ten more
male certificated teachers were declared competent to give
instruction to their pupils in the principles of Agriculture.
There are now 34 teachers who have been placed in the first
yank, and who will this year prepare their pupils in this
subject. During the year the boys of the 4th, 5th, 6th and
7th Standards were examined in some 24 schools in portions
of Blackie’s Tropical Readers, Books I and II, and the
results were satisfactory ; and we expect still better results
this year. At the Local Exhibition held at Blowers on
January 14, 1902, the Commissioner of the Imperial
Department of Agriculture offered prizes to school children
for growing plants in pots and boxes. Seventeen children
won such prizes. We hope that many more children will
compete for these prizes at the next exhibition.’

Agricultural Teaching.

The need of closer association between the
United States Department of Agriculture and the
farmers, tor whose benefit this Department is supported,
is referred to in the report for 1901 of the Secretary of
Agriculture as follows :—

IT am convinced that the publications of the Depart-
ment do not in themselves constitute all sufficient means for
the dissemination of information on agricultural subjects
among our people. While the work of the Department and
the stations has already been so far disseminated and
applied that it has made important changes for the better in
our agriculture, the spread of the influence of these institu-
tions is comparatively slow, because the means for directly
reaching the farmers which they now possess are inadequate.
The farmers’ institutes may in a great measure supply this
lack. When properly organized, they will bring to the
masses of our farmers the information which they need to
enable them to understand and apply the results of the work
of the Department and the stations, and will impress upon
them, by practical illustrations and demonstrations, the bene-
fits which advanced scientific knowledge may confer upon
our agriculture. Through the institutes, as in the case of
other educational agencies, the living teacher coming in
contact with the living worker can produce results which it
is hopeless to expect from printed documents however well
written and illustrated.

The Education of the Young Farmer.

In ail parts of the world the education of the
young generation of farmers and planters is a matter
which is occupying a large amount of attention. It has
been insisted in some quarters that scientific teaching
is of greater importance in this training than any-
thing else,—a point of view which has done harm to the
cause of agricultural education. It cannot fail to be
recognized, however, that the business qualifications of
the farmer or planter are of more importance than a

scientific education, and further, that a combination of

the two is the ideal at which we should aim.

Indeed,

without a knowledge of business in its widest sense it
is impossible for the practical man to make good use
of the results of scientific investigations on agricultural
subjects. The question where a training in the scien-
tific principles underlying agriculture should come in
the education of the young farmer is one of great
importance, In a recent paper Professor Gallons:
deals with this matter in an original manner.

After pointing out that the education of a young
farmer should be such as to give him not only a good
elementary education but also qualify him as far as
possible for the management of the farm on sound
business principles, Prof. Gilchrist states that the
essentials of this education

(1.) A good elementary education until the boy is
12 or 13. years old.

(2.) A good general training at a secondary school
from 12 to 15 or 16 with special teaching on the
commercial side, including book-keeping aiid « good
grounding in elementary science.

(3.) The boy should now return to the farm for two
or three years during which he should acquire an
intimate acquaintance of all practical work connected
with the working of the farm.

(4.) Having acquired a knowledge of and fimili-
arity with farming operations, the youth now devotes
one or two winters to a really practical course of
instruction at a College, spending the summer months
on the farm.

5. If the young farmer means to give attention to
dairy farming or poultry keeping, he should now under-
go a course of instruction in one or other of these
branches.

How far the idea of allowing the young planter to
learn the details of estate work “before taking a final
course in Agricultural Science at a College can be fol-
lowed in the West Indies remains to be seen. If practical,
the young planter would certainly appreciate to a far
greater extent, than at present, the application and
value of a knowledge of scientific principles. The diffi-
culty would be to find teachers and adapt the course of
study at Agricultural Colleges to suit young planters
who vould require special “teaching in one or more
subjects. The idea is a good one and deserves careful
consideration.

Agricultural investigations in the Phillipines.

The West Indian Islands do not seem to be
unique in the fact that large qantas of foodstutts
are imported which could be ¢ grown locally. It appears
that 4,000,000 dollars’ worth of agricultural products—
mostly foodstuffs,—are impor ted eve ery year into the
Phillipines, and that rice, the leading bread-stutf of the
islands, is not at present produced in sufficient quanti-
ties to supply the local demands. In consequence of
these facts the United States Government has appro-
priated a sum of money to found an Experiment
station in their new Colony in co-operation with the
Department of Agriculture.

* The Education of the Young Farmer, by Professor Douglas
A. Gilchrist. Journal of the Roy wl Agricultural Society of
England, vol. 62, pp. 58-66.

60 THE

AGRICULTUR

‘AL NEWS. JuNE 7, 1902.

VANILLA IN THE SEYCHELLES.

The following notes on the Vanilla trade of the
Seychelles islands are taken from an article contributed
by Mr. John R. Jackson, A.L.S., to the Gardeners’
Chronicle for viarch 22, 1902 -—

The extension of the cultivation of Vanilla, not only in
new plantations, but also in entirely new countries is
sufficient proof of its constant demand, and of its value asa
profitable crop; and this notwithstanding the continued
manufacture and use of artifical vanilline. The following facts
on the present condition of the trade in Vanilla are gathered
from our well-informed contemporary the Chemist and
Druggist, who, in reporting on the Vanilla sales at the end
of last month, say that the supply brought forward was the
heaviest on record, and attracted a much larger attendance of
buyers than usual. There was, however, a good demand,
and practically the whole quantity offered, about 2,800 tons,
was sold. Long lengths being scarce brought good prices,
while medium lengths also sold were pods from 8 to 8}
inches long, and of good chocolate colour, fetched 6d.
per tb. ; 7$ to 8 inches, 19s. 6d. to 21s. 6d. ; and so on in
proportion, for it must be remembered that Vanilla-pods are
classified in the market and valued according to their lengths,
plumpness, and colour. Thus, at the same sale the lowest
grade of dry, brown pods realized only from 4s. to 11s. 60.
per th.

Referring to the condition and prospects of Vanilla
cultivation in the Seychelles, Messrs. Brooks & Green, the
well-known brokers, state that the Seychelles crop for 1901
shipped from August to December totalled fully double the
heaviest quantity exported from the island in any previous
season, it being estimated at about 80 tons. The feature of
this season’s ‘supply of Vanilla from the Seychelles is the
unpree edented large proportion of short beans. Medium to good
size quality measure from 6 to 8 inches, but the consignments
landed in London during the past three months have con-
tained about 75 per cent. of very short beans, ranging from
3 to 5 inches. The result has been that whilst long-length
quality has fairly maintained previous values, the short
measurements show a reduction of about 50 per cent. To
obtain good plump pods, it is incumbent on planters to see
that early in the season the young shoots are thinned by
picking out a quantity of surplus pods; in the present case
it would seem as though nearly all had been allowed to
This view is somewhat confirmed by “recent reports
from Seychelles, which advise that the flowering for the next
crop is small —possibly due to the weakening of the vines last

grow.

year ; indeed, some of the older plants are reported as serious
ly exhausted-—a very natural result if the above surmise
is true.

The warning here given, though not expressed in

who cultivate
benefit by the

gardening terms, will be understood by those
the plant for profit, and who will, no doubt,
hints.

As an illustration of the quantity of Vanilla sometimes
shipped in one consignment, it may be stated that in Novem-
Her last one shipment from the Seychelles amounted to

21,267 kilos, of which 12,386 kilos went to Marseilles, and
, ;

8,881 kilos to London. The exports from Tahiti during
1900 amounted to 162,636 tb., of the value of £32,136
no smatl sum to be added to the finances of the islands.

DEPARTMENT NEWS.

The Imperial Commissioner of Agriculture re-
turned by last mail from a brief visit to the northern
islands. He landed on the 14th. instant at Montserrat
and inspected the Grove Experim ent Station which he
found greatly improved and in good order. He after-
wards was present at a public meeting to encourage
an extension of the onion industry ara left the same
afternoon in the R.MLS. ‘Spey’ for Dominica. In the
latter island he insiected the Botanic Station and
Agricultural School and acc “ompanied the Admin-
istrator to the new estates being opened on Crown
lands along the interior road. The prospects of ulti-
mately opening up these lands are very favourable.
On the 22nd. the Commissioner inspec ted the Agri-
cultural School at St. Lueia and landed at Barbados
on the morning of the 24th. ultimo.

At the request of planters interested in the lime
industry at Dominica arr ‘angements were mi ade for the
Hon. Francis Watts to visit the island from the © 23rd.
to the 27th. ultimo and give a practical demonstration
of the methods for preparing comme reial citrate of lime.
The preliminary experiments were proposed to be made
on the Bath estate, closely adjoining Roseau the proper-
ty of Messrs. Rose. A brief summary of the results
will appear later.

The Travelling Superintendent has just returned
from a visit to Dommnies where he was engaged, in
company with Mr. George Branch, in visiting and
reporting on the condition vand prospects of the Experi-
ment Plots in that Presidency.

VOLCANIC DUST.

By the courtesy of the Government of Barbados
the following notes, obtained by the Harbour Master at
Bridge town, on voleanic dust encountered by vessels
at sea have been communicated for the use of the
Impenal Department of Agriculture. As recorded in
the Agricultural News the dust at Barbados fell from
5 p.m. on the 7th. until 4:30 on the Sth. May.

Names of vessels arriving at Barbados during the Sth. to
the LOth. May that have reported meeting Volcanic ‘ Dust’
similar to that at Barbados :

May S Nor, S.S. ‘Talisman’ from Demerara reports
meeting the dust at 10 p.m. on May 7, 150
miles S.S.E. of Barbados.

a » schooner ‘ Violo’ from Demerara met the dust
8 p.m. on 7th, 70 miles south of Barbados.

5 10 Bktne. ‘Fanny’ from Pernambuco met dust 250

miles east of Barbados on the 8th.

~ IL Ship ‘Monrovia’ from Rio Janeiro met the dust
240 miles S.E. of Barbados on 9th (78th) at
4 p.m.
» 12 Barque ‘Jupiter’ from Cape Town met the dust
at 2.30 a.m. on the 8th, 830 miles E.S.E. from
Barbados.

THE

AGRICULTURAL

NEWS. 61

RECENT REPORT.

The Decay of Timber and methods of preventing it. By
yO 2 J k

Hermann Von
Office, 190.2.

This bulletin, recently issied by the Barean of Plant
Industry of the United States Department of Agriculture
contains an admirable and concise account of the structure of
timber, the factors which cause decay of wood, and the
various impregnating methods which have been devised to
arrest decay. It is illustrated by a large number of plates
and figures in the text, and the subject is dealt with in a very
clear and readable manner.

The gradual decay of timber is due to the ravages of
funei and bacteria, and as these organisms require water and
air for their development, decay is much more rapid where
both these conditions (moisture and air) are present to a sufli-
cient extent. The general principle involved in the preservation
of timber is to impregnate it with some antiseptic substance
like zine chloride or creosote, which prevents the growth of
fungi and bacteria. The life of timber is very greatly
lengthened by these processes, and the results more than
justify the cost of the process. To civil engineers and others
interested in this important question we recommend this
bulletin as giving an up-to date account of timber preservation.

Schrenk, Washington. Government Printing

Birds and Fruit.

The following interesting note on this subject. is
quoted by the Agricultural Journal, Cape of Good
Hope from the Teras Stockh Journal -—

IT learned a trick while in the Philippines in the matter
of keeping birds out of fruit trees,’ volunteered a well-known
official of the Department to a Wushington Star reporter,
which may be of value to many just now, when so many
cherries are being destroyed by birds. It is simple, inex-
pensive, and, as far as I could observe, practical. It consists
in hanging a small mirror on the top lie of the tree. There

should be. at least six inches of string to the mirror, so that
it can swing about as it is blown by the wind. The flash of
the mirror, it appears, scares the birds away. One or two

five-cent mirrors hung on a tree is sufficient, though, of
course, three or four would be much better. I was told
that this method had worked in the Philippines successfully
for many years, and that the birds do not
lar with it as they do with a scarecrow. Since my
return here I find that the mirror scare is not unknown
here, and that it has been in use by Michigan fruit growers
for many years. J have tried it myself in a small way,
and it is amusing what a stir it creates among the birds.

erow famil-

Young palm leaves. The manner in which some
young palm leaves open is very interesting. In the common
cabbage palm, for instance, the young leaf looks like a green
stick pointing vertically to the sky. After a time it begins to
open at the top. This rolling up of the young leaf is a ‘device
on the part of the palm to prevent aie drying up of the
tender tissues of the leaf before they have developed a thick
protective covering.

SCIENCE NOTES.

Fever in Plants.

Although animals and plants seem, at first sight, to be
two absolutely distinct groups, and to have little in common,
closer investigation points unmistakably to the fact that they
they are very similar and very closely related to one another.
Further, many organisms are known which it is impossible to
class, with certainty, as plants or animals. Let us confine our
attention, for the moment, to one of the ordinarily recognized
signs of life, namely breathing or respiration. Both animals
and plants breathe. In both oxygen is taken in from the air,
and after certain changes carbon dioxide is given out. This
process it Is true is masked in green plants, during exposure
to sunlight by another process in which carbon dioxide is
taken in and oxygen given out. It goes on however in a
plant as steadily as in an animal and there is no essential
difference between the respiration of man and the humblest
vegetable he cultivates.

Jn man it is not uncommon to find that when the health
is affected his. temperature rises, in other words he becomes
feverish. At the same time the rate of breathing is often
increased. Is this true of plants also? Can we throw a
potato or an onion into a fever! The idea seems absurd.
Yet it is an ascertained fact. It was shown by Mr. H. M.
Richards (Annals of Botany, Vol xi., p. 30,) that if potatos
or onions were sliced,—that is to say wounded—their
temperature rose, and their breathing became more vigorous
They exhibited in fact two of the characteristic symptoms of
a feverish person. The rise of temperature was carefully
measured ; in some cases it was as muchas 3° C. The course
of the fever was followed, and was found to reach its
height usnally about 24 hours after the injury, the tempera-
ture then began to fall and reached the normal again on the
fourth or fifth day. Experiments such as these help to bring
home to one in a striking manner the fundamental relation-
ship between animals and plants.

Experimental Potato Culture.

Experiments with potatos extending over a long period
of years show the advantages of using sprouted potatos for
seed to be, an increased total yield, increased earliness, larger
starch content, and a more vigorous growth of the vines.
Planting tubers in rows 2 feet apart and | foot distant in the
row gave better results than greater distances, it increased
the yield and hastened the maturity of the crop, the tubers
were better formed and richer in starch. Average sized
whole tubers used for seed gave better returns than large or
small sized whole tubers. Smal] seeds, while possessing great
vigour of reproduction, tends to the production of small
tubers. Pieces weighing on an average 40z. and carrying
two eyes were better for seed than whole tubers of the same
weight. The advisability of cutting seed tubers largely
hinges on the variety to be. planted. The above should be
understood to apply to English, not sweet, potatos.

The Soufriere Bird. One of the chief objects of
interest to the visitor of the crater of the now famous
Soufriére at St. Vincent was the mysterious Soufricre bird
( Myiadestes sibilans) specimens of which were secured by Mr.
F. A. Obers some years ago for the Smithsonian Institution
at Washington. It is hoped that this bird is to be found on
some of the other mountains in St. Vincent and has escaped
destruction by the recent eruption,

62 THE

AGRICULTURAL NEWS.

JUNE 7, 1902.

A REPUTED CURE FOR LEPROSY.

Some interest was aroused recently by a news-
paper statement that a plant called “Tua-tua,’ and
reported to be a native of Venezuela, was being used
at Honolulu in the treatment of leprosy, with some
benefit. According to the Pharmaceutical Journal
tor February 15, 1902, the plant is probably Jatropha
gossypifolia, Spurge Order (Luphorbiaceae ).

This is the species which has been identified by the late
Dr. Ernst, of Caraccas, as the ‘Tua-tua’ of Venezuela, But
there is nothing in the description of the uses of the drug
given by G. Pompa in his Colece‘on Medicamentas Indigenus
(Caraccas, L868) that indicates any special efficacy in leprosy.
He states that a decoction of the leaves, made with a little
salt, is used as a mild purgative in indigestion or other
disorders of the stomach, and in fevers. A decoction of
the root is said to be excellent for dropsy. The milky Juice
obtained by cutting the young shoots is applied to ulcers
of the mouth. Jatropha gossypifolia is found in two forms —
staphysagrivfolia and elegans, from Mexico to Brazil. In
Sritish Guiana it is recorded from near Demerara ; it also
oceurs in the Niger district in West Africa. Jatropha
Cwreas, [the Physie-nut] a nearly allied tropical species,
has a good reputation in India as an application to indolent
ulcers, and J. gossypifolia. may therefore be expected to be
similarly useful.

Jatropha gossypifolia is common throughout the
West Indies, and has some reputation in native medicine
for digestive complaints. Amongst its local names are
‘belly-ache bush,’ ‘ wild cassava’ and Medicinier batard.

HAND-BOOKS TO THE WEST INDIES.

The following Hand-books afford interesting information
of a descriptive, statistical and general character respecting
the West Indies. They also contain particulars respecting
the imports and exports and the agricultural resources of the
Colonies enumerated :—

Hanp-Book or Jamarca For 1902, comprising Histori-
cal, Statistical and General Information concerning the Island.
Twenty-second year of publication. London : Edward Stanford,
26 and 27 Cockspur Street. Jamaica: Government Printing
Office, Kingston.

Brirish Gurana Direcrory anp ALMANACK for 1902.
Georgetown, Demerara: C. K. Jardine.

Trap aANp Tosaco Year Book, 1902. Thirty-seventh
year of issue. Compiled by James Henry Collens. Port-of-
Spain: Mui, Marshall & Co.

THe Mrrror ALMANACK AND GENERAL ComMeErctaL Direc-
TORY OF TRINIDAD AND ToBaco. Port-of-Spain ; Mole Brothers.

THe Grexava Hanp-nook, Directory anp ALMANAGK FOR
THE YEAR I9(P. Compiled by the Colonial Seeretary. London :
Sampson Low, Marston & Co., Ltd.

Tue Sv. Lucta Hanp-soox, Drrecrory, and ALMANAC
1902. Compiled by Everard G. Garraway, Castries, 1902.

KOK

THe Bareanos Direcrory ANp West [xpraxn Generar
Apvertiser, L901. Compiled by S.J. Fraser. Bridgetown
Barbados : King & Co.

Licutsourn’s West
Dinecrony. J. N.

Ixpran Direcrory
Lightboten, St. Thomas.

AND COMMERCIAL

AGRICULTURAL INSTITUTIONS IN
THE WEST INDIES.

Jamaica Board of Agriculture : Chairman: The Hon'ble
Sydney Olivier, C.M.G.; Secretary: W. R. Buttenshaw, M. A.,
B.Se. ; Publication Oceasional Bulletin.

Jamaica Agricultural Society (with thirteen aftiliated
Branches). Kingston, Jamaica. President : Sir Augustus W.L.
Hemming, G.C.M.G. Deputy Chairman: Hon'ble Wm. Faw-
cett, B.Se., F.L.S. Secretary: John Barclay. Publication :
“Journal of the Jamaica Agricultural Society.”

Royal Jamaica Society of Agriculture & Commerce &
Merchants’ Exchange, Kingston, Jamaica. President : Hon'ble
Lieut-Colonel Ward, C.M.G. Secretary: J. L. Ashenheim.
Publication: Annual Report.

The Institute of Jamaica: Kingston, Jamaica. Chairman:
Sir Fielding Clarke. Sceretary: Frank Cundall, F.S.A., Curator
of Museum: E.S. Panton Publications “Journal of the Institute
of Jamaica.” ‘Jamaica in 1901.”

Kingston & St. Andrew Horticultural Society. Kingston,
Jamaica. President : Howble Win. Faweett, B.Sc. Secretary:
William Harris, F.L.8.

British Guiana Board of Agriculture, Georgetown, Demera-
ra. Chairman: Homble A.M. Ashmore, C.M.G. Deputy Chair-
man: J. B. Harrison, M.A., C.M.G., ; Secretary: Oscar Weber :
Agricultural Tnstructor: Re. Ward: Assistait
Agricultwe: J. KE. Beckett (on probation) ;
Surgeon: J. A. Raleigh.

Tustructor in
Veterinary

3ritish Guiana Royal Agricultural & Commercial Society
Georgetown, Demerara. President : Luke M. Hill, B.A.,
M.L.C.E. Secretary : Thomas Daley. Local Secretary : (Berbice,)
Dr. C. F. Castor. Assistant Secretary and Librarian: J. Rod-
way, F.L.S.. Covator of Mausewm : Richard Evans, M.A., B.Se.,
Publication : ** Journal of the Royel Agriculture and Commer-
cial Society of British Guiana.”

Trinidad Agricultural. Society, Port of-Spain, Trinidad.
President : Sir Alfred Moloney, K.C.M.G. Sveretury : Edgar
Tripp. Publication: ** Proceedings of the Agricultural Society
of ‘Crinidad.”

Grenada Agricultural Society, St George's, Grenada. Presi-
det + Sir Robert B. Llewelyn, IK.C.M.G. Secretary: WW. E.
Broadway. Publication: Minutes of Meetings.

Barbados General Agricultural Society & Reid School of
Practical Chemistry, Bridgetown, Barbados. President: Sir.
George C. Pile, Kt. Secretary: J. H. Poyer. Publication :
‘* Barbados Agricultural Gazette and Planters’ Journal.”

St. Lucia Agricultural Society, Castries, St. Lucia : Presi-
deit : Secretary : R. G. McHugh.
Dominica Agricultural Society, Roseau, Dominica. Pres-

ident : The Hon’ble Hesketh H. Bell.

NSeeretary: A. K. Agar.

Antigua Agricultural President———
W. N. Sands.

Society.
Soe efary :

St. Kitts-Nevis Agricultural Society. President : Honour-
able BE. G. Todd. Secretary: C. A Smuth.

[Further particulars of Agricultural and Horticultural
Institutions in the West Indies would be gladly received for
this list. Also fixtures for Agricultural Shows for L902.]

Wom 1) Now: THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS.

63

COMMERCIAL.

With the view of assisting in finding a market for the
disposal of local produce, arrangements have been made with
the following Agents in these Colonies who will be prepared
to receive consignments and obtain the best prices for them.

It is desirable that inquiry be made, beforehand, as
to the terms on which such produce will be received, and
whether the market is favourable or not.

It is particularly urged that no shipments be made until
an assurance has beon reszived from the Agents themselves
that they are prepared to accept such shipments.

Agents in the West Indies.

BRITISH GUIANA—
B.S. Bayley, Water Street Georgetown.
TRINIDAD—
J. Russell Murray, Port-of-Spain.
BARBADOS—
T. S. Garraway & Co., Bridgetown.
ST. LUCIA
Captain H. Henville, Contractor and Agent, Castries.

MARKET REPORTS.

London, May 13, 1902.—Messrs. J. Hates Cairp & Co.,
and Messrs. GiLLespre Bros. & Co.

Bers-wax—Jamaica, £7. 15. to £8. per ewt.

Cacao—Trinidad, good red, 59/- to 63/6, fine, 64/- to 65/-
per cwt.
Grenada, fair common 53/- to 56/-, good to fine 57/-
to 60/-. per ewt.
Jamaica, fair 52.6 per ewt.
Dominica, fair 53/- to 56/- per ewt.

Corree—Jamaica, good. ordinary 30/- to 33/6, good mid-
dling bold 59.6 to 79.6 per cwt.
Costa Rica, middling 60/- to 65/-; fine bold 87/6 to
90 - per cwt.
Peaberry 60 6 to 91/- per ewt.

Corron— Carriacou, 5,3-c. per lb.

Gaixncer—Jamaica, good bold bright 55/- to 61/-, common
34/-, to 35/- per ewt.

Honxry—Jamaica, fair to good liquid amber 16,6 to 19/6,
dark 14,6 to 15/- per ewt.

Live Juice—Raw, 1/- to 1/3 per gallon. Concentrated,
£12. per pipe.

Or or Limes— Distilled 1/6 per 1b. Hand pressed 4/ per 1b,

Pimento—2}d. to 3d. per Ib.

SARSAPARILLA—Jamaica, fair damaged 1,2 to 1/3, native
red, fair, 11d to 113d. per Ib.

Sccar-—Muscovado 11/6 to 14/- Crystallized 14/- to 15/-
per cw.

Locgwoon—Jamaica £4. 5/- to £4. 15/- per ton.

Fustic—Jamaica £4. 10/- to £4. 15/. per ton.

Fruir—Covenr Garpen Marker (Garpener!s
CHRONICLE, May 3rd. 1902.)

Bananas—Z/- to 10/- per bunch.

Lexons—6,- per case.

Mancos 10/- to 12/- per dozen.

ORANGES—7 6, to 18/- per case.

Prxes—3/- to 4/- each.

New York,—May 16, 1902.—Messrs. Gmurspie Bros.

& Co,

Bananas—Jamaica, 9 hands $1.20 to $1.25, 8 hands 80c,
to 90c., 7 hands 45c. to 50c. per bunch.

Cacao— African 12}c., to 13ce. Caracas. fair to good ordi-
nary I4je. to de. Jamaica, good fermented 11 fe.
Grenada 13c., Trinidad 13c. to 14e. per lb.

Cocoa-Nuts—Jamaicas, $20.00 per M. Small 'Trinidads
$12.00 per M.

Corree—Rio, good ordinary 5$e. Jamaica ordinary 5}e.

_ to Ge., and good ordinary 6fe. per Ib.

GINGER—8e. to 8he per Ib.

Pimento—dje. to Ge. per lb.

Rupper—Nicaragua Scrap 514e. to 52c. per lb, sheet 4c.
to 47c. per lb. Guayaquil Strip 49e. per th.

Sucar—Muscovado, 89’, 23c. to 3c. Centrifugals 96°, 3$¢
per Ib.

INTER-COLONIAL MARKETS.

Antigua,—May 21], 1902.—Messrs. G. W. BenNErt, Bry-

son & Co., Ltd.
Mo.asses—Se. per gallon, package included.
SucGar—Muscovado $1.10 per LO01b., nominal.

Barbados,— May 24, 1902.—Messrs. T. 8S. Garraway

& Co.

ARROWROOT—good quality, $3.50 per ewr.

Cacao-—$12.25 to $13.00 per ewt.

CorrreE—Jamaica and ordinary Rio $9.50 to $10.23,
respectively.

Hay—lotting $1.75 per LOOLb.

Moxasses—7 $e. per gallon and $4.00 for package.

Onxtons—lotting $4.75 to $5.00 per LOOLb.

Poraros—Bermudas $3.84 per barrel.

RiceE—Ballain $4.90 per bag. Patna $3.75 per hag.

Sucar—in hogsheads, $1.05 per 100lb. and $5.00 for
hogshead, in bags $1.25 per LOOIb.

British Guiana,—May 22, 1902. Messrs. Weiting &

Richter.

ArrowRroor—$6.50 per barrel.
Cacao—native lle. to 12¢. nominal.
Cassava Srarcu—$6.00 per barrel.
Cocoa-NutTS—$8.00 to $10.00 per M.
CorreE—Rio and Jamaica 12c. to 13e. per lb. (wetail.)
Eppors—$1.44 per LOOIb.
Ontons—string 35e., loose 3¢ per lb.
Pea Nurs—American 4c. to 5c. (retail)
PLANTAINS—20e. to 30c. per bunch.
Poratos Enciisu—$3.00 per barrel.
Rice—Ballam $4.80, Patna $5.65, per bag.
—CrREOLE Rice 20c. per gallon, retail.
Sweer Poraros— Barbados $1.20 to $1.32 per LOGIb.
Tannras—$1.44 per LOOLb.
Yawus—$1.80 to $1.90 per LOOIb.
Morasses—Vacuum Pan yellow 1G6e. per gallon, easks in-
eluded.
Svucar—Dark Crystals $1.65 to $1.68, yellow $2.15 to
$2.30 per cwt.
Trrser—Greenheart 32c. to 40c. per cubic foot.
WALLABA SHINGLES—$3.00 to $5.00 per M.

Trinidad,—May 21, 1902.—Messrs. Gorpon Grant & Co.

Cacaso—$13.10 to $13.75 per ewt.

Corree— Venezuela, ordinary 7c. per Ib.

OntoNsS—$1.25 to $1.50 per 100Ib.

Poratos Eneuish—$1.27 to $1.40 per 100)b.

Rice—Yellow $4.50. White Table $5.25 to $6.00 per bag.

Sucar—White Crystals $3.25, Yellow Crystals $2.00 to
$2.10 per ewt.

Morasses—Bright Eastern Muscovado 10ce. to 12c. per
gallon and $5.00 for package.

64 THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. JUNE 7, 1902.

DEPARTMENT PUBLICATIONS ON SALE.

The ‘WEST INDIAN BULLETIN: A Quarterly Scientific Journal.

Volume I. Reports of the Agricultural Conference of 1899 and 1900 ; and other papers complete, in the original paper
covers as issued, post free, 5s. The parts can no longer be sold separately.

Volume II. Full report of the Conference of 1901, and other papers. Price, in original paper covers as issued, post
free 2s. 9i/.

Vorume IT. Number 1. Agricultural Conference of 1902: President’s Address and Sugar Industry. Price 6d. Post
free 8d. Number 2. ‘Conference of 1902 (continued). Educational and General Papers. (In the press).

{ PAMPHLET SERIES.

(3,) Seedling and other Canes at Barbados 1900. Price 2¢. Post free 25. (5.) General Treatment of Insect Pests,
2Qnd Edition Revised. Price 4d. Post free 44d. (6.) Recipes for cooking Sweet Potatos. Price 2d. Post free 24/.
(7.) Scale Insects of the Lesser Antilles. Price 4d. Post free 5d. (8.) Cultivation of Vegetables in Barbados. Price 2d.
Post free 2}d. (9.) Bee-keeping in the West Indies. Price 4/. Post free 5¢. (10.) Manures and Leguminous Plants at
Barbados, 1898-1901. Price 4. Post free 5d. (11.) Hints for School Gardens. Price 2d. Post free 25d. (12.) Seedling
and other Canes in the Leeward Islands, 1900-1901. Price 2d. Post free 24. (13.) Seedlings and other Canes at Barba-
dos, in 1901. Price 4d. Post free 5d. (14.) Screw Worm in Cattle at St. Lucia. Price 2d. Pest free 25¢. (15.) Plain
Talk to Small Owners. Price 2d. Post free 25d.

‘NATURE TEACHING.’ A text book based upon the general principles of Agriculture for the use of schools.
Prepared by the Honourable Francis Watts and others. (Pages XTL and 199). Price, limp cloth 2s., in superior binding 2s. 6.
Postage, 35d extra.

The ‘AGRICULTURAL NEWS’ A Fortnightly Review, Subscription 3s. 3d. per annum, post free.

Agents for the sale of the publications of the Department :—

Loudon: Messrs. Dutau & Co., 37, Soho Square, W, Barbados: Messrs. Bowen & Sons, Bridgetown. Juimuica :
Tae Epvucarronat Surety Company, 16, King St., Kingston. British Guiaia: The * Daily Chronicle Oftice, Georgetown.
Trinidad : Messrs. Munro, & Co., Frederick St, Port-of-Spain. Tobago: Mr. C. L. PLaGemann, Scarborough. Geiada: Messrs.
¥F. Marrast & Co., ‘ The Stores,’ St. George. St. Vincent: Mr. W. C. D. Provproor, Kingstown. Sf. Laeia: Mr. R. G.
McHvuau, Castries, Dominica: Messrs. C. F. Duverney & Co., Market St. Roseau. Montserrat: Mr. W. Liewettyx Watt,
Plymouth: Antigua: Mr. F. Forrest. St. John’s. St. Kitts: Messrs. 8. L. Horsrorp & Co., Basseterre

He BARBADOS MUTUAL LIFE ASSURANCE SOCIETY.

ESTABLISHED (840.
CHIEF OFFICE, Beckwith Place, Bridgetown, Barbados.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS :

MICHAEL J. BOVELL, Esq., CHAIRMAN,
kK. T. RACKER, Esq., Vick-CHarRMAN.
J. R. BANCROFT, Esq., | JAS. H. INNISS, Esq.,
B. ERNEST BYNOE, Esq., | Hon. J. THOMAS JONES, M.L.C.,
JOS. W. CRONEY, Eszy., | H. LAWRANCE JOHNSON, Esgq.,
J. O. WRIGHT, Esq., M.C.P.
Transactions to December 31, 1901.
Bee oe Pes aes =e ... S11,752,403
: 3,610,921
5.194, 157

Total Assurances Issued ~
Total Bonuses Declared (31 December 1900)
Sums Assured and Bonuses Existing

Total Claims by Death and Matured Endowments .¥ nee a oe an 5,375,545
Life Assurance Fund... Se ane oe ae = oer oe 2,1 18,650
Annual Income aus Bs SEE ane nr nh chai ae 245,345
Net Surplus December (31 1900) ; Bic . 297,124

The Premiums are Lower than those charged by other Life Oftices doing business in the West Indies.
The Bonuses declared have not been equalled by any other Assurance Society in the world.
Its Policy Contracts are Liberal, Fair and Equitable.
The Policy is Absolutely Non-Forfeitable so long as any surrender value remains.
Loans granted on Security of Policy.
Liberal Surrender Values.
Claims promptly paid.
Every facility given for the revival of Lapsed Policies.
It grants Interim Bonuses.
It gives Compound Bonuses.
All the profits belong to the Policy-Holders.
H. J. INNISS,
May 22, 1902. Secretary.

Printed at Office of Agricultural Reporter, 4, High Street, Bridgetown, Barbados.

A FORTNIGHTLY REVIEW

THE

OF

BARBADOS, JUNE 21, 1902.

Price ld.

CONTENTS.

PacE, Pace.
. 65 | Insect Notes—(continued.)

Agricultural Shows ...

Agricultural Societies :~- Screw worm at St. Lucia 73
Dominica aM ocoe ono The Screw worm at Curagoa 73
Shin TEE G55 nce nee Wing-covers io

Arrowroot, composition of, 75 | Market Reports 79

Bee-keeping :— Notes and Comments 70
Antigua ... ... ... ... 74 | Potatos, English: sprout-
Sea-side Grape... ... 74 ing harmful tes 10

Commercial... 79 | Potatos, Sweet : in Tobago 76

Cotton Seed, utilization of, 66

Department News ... ... 76

Departmental Reports :—
Ceylon, Botanic Gardens 7

Poultry :—-
Best breeds of fowls... 74
Double tragedy ... ... 7
Ground Pumkin-seeds

», Government My- for fowls simabo ate:
cologist aorone = coun {hth Ticks on Fowls ... ... 74
Trinidad, Botanic Gar- St. Lucia, agricultural notes 72
dens) 2. .:- o- .--- 4a | Science gNotes\|:—
Department Publications... 80 An inch of rain 75

Gum fermentation — of

Sugar-cane juice... 75

Plant Pathology 75
Sugar Industry :—

Dominica Agricultural De-
partment Notices, ... 72
Educational :—
Agricultural Instruction

in Jamaica... 75 Beet sugar production in
Fruit :-— Huropererem tscsmeenc: © = 400
Bananas from Barbados 68 | Disease of cane cuttings 66
Explosion on ‘ Para’ ... 68 Molasses foods for stock 66
Nutmeg Grafting... ... 69 | Vanilla, cultivation in the
Fisheries, Tarpon in Ja- Seychelles ... ... ..¢ 67
maica ... ... ..- ... ¢2 | Volcanic Dust, analyses ... 73
Grenada, Report of Agri- West Indies :
cultural Instructor ... 72 Agricultural Institutions 78
Tusect Notes : Cominercial Inquiry in... 78
Insects with wings 76 Hand-Books ... ... ... 78

Agricultural Shows.

(SY HROUGHOUT the world the value of Agri-

cultural Exhibitions and Shows has been

recognized and they have been made use

ofas a means of stimulating interest in the agricultural

that
Some

products of a country, and of encouraging
healthy rivalry which is so essential to success.
parts of the West Indies have not been behindhand
in this respect and Agricultural Shows have been
held for many years in the larger Colonies. In
the smaller islands however, they have, until quite
recently, been practically unknown, The importance
of this ‘effective means of bringing into
the resources of these islands and of creating an
intelligent interest in improving the cultivation of
the soil and in prosecuting new industries’ was not
lost sight of when the Imperial Department of
Agriculture was established, and in the original
a considerable sum was set aside for Agricul-
tural Shows. Up to the present the Department has
spent some £350 annually on this branch of its work.
With the exception of a comparatively small sum

notice

scheme

utilized in providing special prizes and diplomas at
previously establishel Exhibitions, the grant has
been devoted to starting and fostering new Agricul-
tural Shows, especially adapted for the encouragement of
the peasant and small proprietor. Successful shows are
now regularly held, under the auspices of the Depart-
ment, in Grenada, St. Lucia, Dominica, Montserrat,
Antigua, and the Virgin Islands. In Barbados, where
exhibitions have been held for many years, a local
Agricultural Show is held annually in different parts
of the country (see p. 70).

The organization of Agricultural Shows throughout
the West Indies is now an accomplished fact, and
it only remains to take steps to ensure that the best
possible results may be obtained. One most impor-
tant step towards this end is to establish and maintain

66 THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS.

June 21, 190.

some standard of merit for prize exhibits. No prize
should be awarded to any exhibit merely because it
happens to be the best in its elass at a particular
show, Produce is too often presented badly prepared,
or in a slovenly and uninviting condition, and the
award of prizes to such exhibits does more harm
than good and tends to encourage the people in
unskilful and careless habits, thus destroying any
chance of their obtaining remunerative prices for
their produce. The work of reforming these evils
will be long and tedious, but it is work of vital
importance and well worth doing. On the quality of
the produce largely depends the final success or failure
of many of the industries of these islands, and, in
improving that quality, an invaluable aid is now to
hand in Agricultural Shows.

SUGAR INDUSTRY.

Disease of Cane Cuttings.

Mr. John M. Fleming of Diamond Plantation,
Demerara, writes :—

Mr. Howard’s latest paper on the pine-apple disease, in
what he calls cane cuttings, has been read by me with great
interest. In ordinary field work we use almost entirely the
cane top, but in propagating new varieties from hard cane, I
have had extensive failures, which I attributed to the weaker
germinative power of the sweet hard portion of the cane.
On the next occasion that I have to deal with such material,
T shall employ the treatment with tar and Bordeaux mixture
he recommends and has found effectual in Barbados.

Molasses Foods for Stock.

On page 22 of this Journal we drew attention to
‘molascuit, a food for cattle made from molasses,
and the finer fibrous portions of the sugar-cane. In
Germany and elsewhere somewhat similar foods have
been manufactured from molasses and fine peat. The
May number of the Journal of the Chemical Society
records the following composition of ‘peat molasses’
containing 24 per cent. of peat and 76 per cent.
of molasses :—

Water ay
Sugar... ast
Soluble matters...
Insoluble “ UO Goons
Ash SrOiie oe ae

Good results were obtained by feeding horses with
the food, a suitable mixture being, molasses 45 parts,
sesame 27°5, ground earth-nut husks 27°5 parts,

19°00 per cent.
Siloy0 ye
20:93" sous

Beet Sugar Production in Europe.

The Louisiana Planter for February 15, 1902,
reports :—

The International Union for Sugar Statistics has just
published the following results of its investigation, made in
December, 1901, as to-this year’s beet-sugar crop in European
countries. While these figures still are approximate estimates,
they are considered to be as nearly correct as can be made

before the final
season :

estimates are prepared at the end of the

Production of Sugar.
Country. 1901-2. 1900-1.
Tons. Tons.
Germany... ccc sne + ic seat a teedeee eer 2,220,850 1,974,785
Austria 22a ae ee 1,306,900 1,083,300
Brances iicsibc ascctoeete ee eaen ce sees 1,080,800 1,100,171
Russia tect sececce ai eeecc tae 1,079,550 893,520
Bel ptm scssc abc Uees eee eeescce sae 325,000 320,000
Mfolland |. etre sees. seceeepseise some ace smee 200,100 178,100
Siwedens. ceases > coer tor hoes 121,392 115,547
Denmark3.f.bsenct s-socternes sor centers 57,500 50,760
Others Aosaucckesacncgeeeeem oii cosets 221000, S2essenee

There will be apparently an overproduction of sugar in
Europe, amounting to 1,000,000 tons in excess of the normal
consumption, and the stock to be carried over to next season
may be 1,500,000 tons. Of course, the effect of this is
unprecedentedly low prices. In December, raw sugar was
quoted at the Magdeburg exchange at 1°62 cents per pound.
Tt would seem that the unprofitable business would check
overproduction, but the entire beet-sugar industry of Europe
is on an artificial basis.

The Utilization of Cotton Seed.

Some of the uses to which this former ‘ waste
product’ can be put are well summarized in the follow-
ing extract from the Queenslund Agricultural
Journal for March 1901 :—

In bygone days cotton-planters considered cotton seed to
be an unavoidable nuisance. They burned it, dumped it
into the rivers, used it as manure, or as filling-up stuff—
anything to get rid of it. American wit, however, has
turned into a vast and profitable channel this one-time
burden. It was found that a ton of cotton seed would
produce from 35 to 40lb. of oil, and that every particle of
the residue would be made into a marketable article. There
are to-day 500 mills in the Southern States representing an
investment of £5,000,000, and the yearly value of the
products from these mills is over £10,000,000. In Texas the
mills pay from £2. 10. 0. to £3 per ton for cotton seed,
which means 25s to 29s per bale of cotton if all the seed is
sold. It takes about 1,500 to 1,600 Ib. of cotton in the
seed to produce 500 Ib. of clean lint. Now, a Mr. Robert
Thomas, of Atlanta, Georgia, has invented a process by
which finer and better paper can be made from cotton seed-
hulls than from wood pulp. As we noted in the last issue
of the Journal, a company with a capital of £1,000,000
has been formed to erect a chain of paper-mills throughout
the south—in Georgia, Alabama, Mississipi, Louisiana,
Florida, and Texas. The first of these plants, one costing
$300,000 (about £60,000), will be erected at Atlanta, Ga.

Years ago it was predicted that the day would come
when a process would be discovered to manufacture, at small
cost, paper from either the seed, lint, or stalk of cotton.
There is every reason to believe that this industry, if it
proves the success that is promised, will, as Mr. Thomas
says, so increase the demand for cotton seed as to raise the
present price of $12 (£2. 10.) a ton to $30 (£6. 5.) or more.
Hitherto the value of the seed has been based mainly on the
oil and meal left after the extraction of the oil. If the
price of the seed is increased to $30 a ton by the demand for
paper made from the hulls, it is estimated that the new
industry will add fully $100,000,000 (£21,000,000) to the
value of the cotton crop of the South.

Vor. I. No. 5:

THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 67

VANILLA.
Cultivation in the Seychelles.

In various localities in the West Indies attention
is being directed to the cultivation of Vanilla. Experi-
ments on the growth of the plants and curing of the
pods are being conducted at some of the Botanic
Stations, and planters are also putting the question of
the possibility of the industry in the West Indies
to a practical test. We have already referred in these
columns to the vanilla industry of the Seychelles
(Agricultural News, p. 60.) The most complete and
exhaustive account of the cultivation as practised in
those islands is that of Mr. S. J. Galbraith, published
in 1895, as Bulletin No. 21, Division of Botany, of
the U.S.A. Department of Agriculture. Mr. Galbraith
was ‘for many years a successful planter in the
Seychelles and in a most favourable position to write
on the subject.’

We propose to reproduce the greater portion of
this valuable publication in these pages. The present
article contains a summary of the general conditions of
the industry in the Seychelles and the directions for
the arrangement of trees on which to train the vines :—

GENERAL CONDITIONS.

‘If kept free from disease the vanilla is a plant of
extraordinary vitality ; and in the Seychelles, where moisture
and heat, its main requirements, are both ample, the sort
of soil it is grown in seems to be of no great importance,
provided that, if it be very poor, the roots are kept well
supplied with manure. It is cultivated in the Seychelles from
near sea level to 1,800 feet altitude, and does well (except
for disease) at all altitudes between these extremes.’

The rainfall is about 100 inches in the low lands, and
10 to 30 per cent. greater in the hills. The fall is fairly
evenly distributed throughout the year, but a dry spell,
which is necessary to bring vanilla into flower, is to be looked
for in July, August, or September, while the heaviest rains
most frequently come in December. . . . The
range of shade temperature for day and night, from sea
level to 1,800 feet, may be put at 90° to 70° F. The
former is exceptional, the latter frequent. . The plant
does well in three very different types of soil,—a rich vege-
table mould, a greasy red clay, and a coarse quartz sand.
Though so unpromising to look at, the latter is, perhaps the
best of all. It gives free drainage to the roots, and in
wet years plants fixed on it are more likely to crop than
those on closer soils, while with ample manuring they grow
remarkably well.

ARRANGEMENT OF PLANTATION.
The manner of setting out plantations in the Seychelles

has undergone changes within the last twelve years.
Formerly plantations were seen with the rows of vines

planted so close together as scarce to leave room for workers
to pass between them. The yield per acre under such
conditions was sometimes enormous, but when disease once
started in a vanillery thus arranged, its destruction was
rapid and complete, so this system has been mostly given
up. Since the loss of so many close-lined plantations, the
distance between the rows has been increased. Living wood,
ie., small trees, are used as supports for the vines, these

being festooned from fork to fork, but many planters have
made use of hard wood posts and bars, the former being
notched on top and the latter laid in the notches, resting thus
from 4 to 6 feet from the ground, according to fancy. Over
these bars the plants are hung being Jooped up as growth
is put on. Wire is sometimes also used instead of horizontal
bars. It is much cheaper, but otherwise has disadvantages,
notable among which is that it sways with wind and is
liable to break the vines, the curvature being too sharp over
such a small round surface. However, when plants thicken
into a mass. this last drawback mostly disappears.

A third, and, as the writer believes, much better way of
growing vanilla, is now more generally coming into practice.
This is to plant cach creeper on a tree of its own, and where
land is cheap it is an advantage if these are well apart. So
arranged, the general maintenance of a vanillery is certainly
more expensive, inasmuch as isolated plants require more
manure than when the same number are closely grouped
together. The work of flower pollination and crop gather-
ing is also more laborious. But more than a counterpoise
to these disadvantages is the increased security this method

of planting gives against wholesale destruction from
disease; for when so arranged a sick plant can be

removed and destroyed with greater chance of this being
done before any of its neighbours become affected ; whereas
when growths of different plants are interwoven, either in
their roots or shoots, it is difficult to know when enough has
been taken up, and there is every likelihood of the disease
becoming established beyond control.

USE OF TREES AS SUPPORTS.

To give some notion of how a vanilla plantation is set
out and carried on in this Colony, it will be convenient to
assume that the tree method of planting is the one adopted.
A great variety of trees will serve the purpose. Here, on
most properties, there is an abundance ready for the work ;
but of course where this is not the case, suitable trees must
first be planted. In selecting trees those should be chosen
which do not grow too large, but give moderate foliage
(about half shade) without ever losing all their leaves at
once, and having plenty of branches from 5 to 7 feet from
the ground, affording forks enough to train the vines through.

No hard and fast rule can be laid down as to the
distance trees should be kept apart. Here, formerly, as above
stated, vanilla was grown in dense masses with great success
for atime. Elsewhere it may be advantageously so grown
now. However, it is safe to state that overcrowding in any
kind of planting invites disease, and the farther plants are
kept apart the more likely are they to remain healthy. A
4-foot radius would be a moderate allowance for the roots of
a vigorous vanilla plant, and if 1 foot is kept clear around
the circle allowed to each plant’s roots this would give 9 feet
as the distance between the trees. It would be difficult to
insure the plants being kept distinct in less space. Where
suitable trees are already growing on the land to be planted,
these can be thinned out if too close, or they may be left in
small lots of three or four or more together, a suffi-
cient clear space intervening between each lot; but
in that case if one vine of a group showed disease the
whole would have to be removed. Many trees stand
topping, and it isa great advantage when they do, for on
being cut 7 feet or so from the ground branches spring from
near the cut part at a convenient height, and the best
situated of those can be chosen to train the vines through,
the rest that grow awkwardly being removed. About 5
feet from the base is low enough to allow any to grow.

(To be continued.)

68 THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS.

June 21, 1902.

ia) CO ile \\
' WLS

MM

WEST INDIAN FRUIT.

BANANAS FROM BARBADOS.

Recently the Royal Mail Company invited the
assistance of the Imperial Department of Agriculture
to test a new ‘fruit carrier’ proposed to be used to
convey bananas from the West Indies, slung in a kind
of hammock, so as to give the fruit plenty of air while
at the same time prevent it from being bruised in
transit. The inventor had had considerable experience
of the Canary banana trade and was anxious to devise
a plan whereby West Indian fruit could arrive in
England in as fresh a condition as the Canary fruit.

In the first instance two bunches of bananas were
obtained by Mr. J. R. Bovell in Barbados. ‘These were
of the Chinese or dwarf variety generally cultivated in
the island on account of its low stature, and its being
less Hable to be injured by wind. The fruit was green,
but full, and cut the day before it was shipped.

One bunch was packed hammock-fashion in the
new carrier as suggested by the inventor. The other,
as a supplementary experiment, was packed, at the
instance of the Commissioner, in accordance with the
method adopted in the Canaries. The latter bunch
was first of all wrapped in a sheet of cotton wool, cov-
ered with several folds of newspaper and afterwards
firmly packed in a light wooden crate with wood-wool.
Dry grass or hay would have answered equally well.
In this condition air was excluded from the fruit but
the cotton wool was intended to absorb moisture and
keep it sweet ; while the packing of paper and wood-
wool within the wooden crate prevented all possibility
of injury in transit.

The Report on the fruit after its arrival in Eng-
land has since been kindly communicated by Com-
mander Owen. It is as follows :—

The two bunches of bananas which I saw at your oftice
this afternoon, just in from the West Indies, were in excel
lent condition. From their freshness and good green colour
they might have merely come from the Canaries. The
bunch packed in ‘Canary fashion’ had a particularly fine and
clean appearance, but I fear the packing will be found rather
too hot as a general rule. Owing to a mistake in the way of
placing the bunch in the new carrier, this one was slightly
less good. But what particularly impressed me was the fact
that both bunches are not of the usual West Indian kind of
banana (the Gros Michel), but are the Chinese or Cavendish
banana, which is the variety imported so largely from the

Canaries. If the Cavendish banana proves on trial to earry
better than the other, an impetus in the West Indian fruit
trade should follow, because this is the kind which is
preferred in the English market.

It is possible that further trials will be made with
the new carrier, but special interest attaches to this
report as it has been shown that the Chinese banana,
so much liked in England, if packel in a crate, will
carry as well from the West Indies as from the Canary
islands. Further, that it may be possible for Barbados
and some of the other islands that are a thousand miles
nearer England than Jamaica to grow an appreciable
quantity of the Chinese banana and start a trade with
England.

It is proposed to make further trial shipments of
this banana in crates in order not only to- thoroughly
test the market for this particular variety, but also to
arrive at a comparative estimate of the profits likely to
arise after payment of all expenses,

EXPLOSION ON ‘PARA’
BOARD OF TRADE INQUIRY.

The serious explosion that took piace on board
R.M.S. ‘Para’? when at sea between Jamaica and Barba-
dos, on November, 21 last, excited a good deal of inter-
est at the time. ‘Three lives were lost, including that
of the inventor, and five other persons injured. In
addition, the ship sustained serious injury whereby the
whole of the fittings on all four decks were wrecked,
including the saloon and mail rooms.

According to the report of an Inquiry held by the
Board of Trade on February, 6, last, and recently
published, the explosion occurred in connexion with an
apparatus for preserving fresh tropical fruit installed
by Lawton’s Patents, Limited. The fruit (2,000
bunches of bananas from Jamaica) was enclosed in an
air-tight chamber supplied with a gaseous mixture
previously sterilised by passing over red-hot coke, puri-
tied and afterwards cooled by passing through a refrigera-
tor. The latter was fitted by the Linde Refrigerator Com-
pany. It is stated that this had nothing to do with
the explosion. ‘The active principle of the gaseous
mixture supplied to the chamber was carbonic oxide
(CO). It is well known that ‘ this is an inflammable

—e

Vor-71... No: 5: THE

gas capable of forming with air a mixture which is not
only explosive, but also very easily ignited; dull red
heat according to Dr. Dupre, being sufficient for the
purpose.’

If the original intention of the inventor of the air-
tight chamber had been strictly carried out, it is main-
tained that there was no actual danger; but, evidently,
leakage took place in the chamber and air found its
way in to replace the gas that was escaping, thus form-
ing an explosive mixture.

The immediate cause of the explosion was probably
the placing of electric wires and lamps not properly
protected inside the chamber. This was done without
the knowledge or consent of the Royal Mail Company.

The official Report by Captain Thomson, H.M.
Chief Inspector of Explosives, concludes as follows :—

Having detailed the facts in connexion with this acci-
dent, and the conclusions which I have drawn from them, I
am now enabled to furnish replies to the special questions
which the Board of Trade have placed before me :—

(1) Whether the gaseous mixture intended for presery-
ing fruit in a closed chamber is explosive, and, if so, under
what conditions?—The gaseous mixture can become explo-
sive when air in certain proportions is added.

(2) Whether any notices or cautions were issued by
Lawton’s Patents, Limited, as to the danger, if any, likely to
arise from the use of such gaseous mixtures ?—No.

(3) Whether the Royal Mul Steam Packet Company
took measures to ensure that the gaseous mixture was so used
on board the ‘ Para’ as to prevent danger to that vessel! —No.
The Company were ignorant of the fact that any danger
could arise from the gaseous mixture.

(4) Whether any special precautions were taken in
fitting up the electric light in the chamber, and whether the
lamps and wires were carefully examined so as to ensure
that the wires were completely insulated?—No. The
method of fitting up and the materials used were altogether
unsuitable. No examination was made by any competent
person.

(5) Whether the gaseous mixture in the chamber on
the evening of November 21, was explosive ?—Yes.

(6) Whether gas was being admitted into the chamber
at the time of the explosion?—No.

(7) If the gaseous mixture in the chamber was explo-
sive, how did it become ignited ?—It probably became ignited
by electrical means, either from the faulty electric light circuit
or from the electrical thermometers. The former is the more
probable source of ignition.

(8) What was the cause of the explosion ?—The cause
of the explosion was the formation of an explosive mixture
of carbonic oxide and air in the chamber, and the ignition of
this mixture probably by an electric spark due to a defect
in the electric fittings.

It is desirable to add that while this experiment
has ended so disastrously, an invention which will
preserve fresh tropical fruit and at the same time
control its ripening is likely to prove of considerable

value to the West Indies.

Captain Thomson is of opinion that the Lawton
process, if really effective to attain the objects in view,
could still be allowed, under proper control, on board
ship. He places on record the precautions that are
necessary and emphasises that the whole apparatus
should be placed under the strict control of a compe-
tent expert, that all lights should preferably be

AGRICULTURAL

NEWS. 69

on the outside of the chamber and that effective steps
be taken to prevent the escape of gas so that the
chamber should be actually, and not nominally, air-tight.

GRAFTING NUTMEGS.

The nutmeg tree (Myristica moschata), a native of the
Moluceas and other East Indian islands, has been intro-
duced into many countries and is now familiar throughout
the tropics. The nutmeg, in common with a considerable
number of other plants, bears its staminate (male) and
pistillate (female) flowers cn different plants.

Fic. 8.

NUTMEG.

Two twigs are shown ; one bearing three clusters of male flowers,
the other with ripe fruit. On the left is a detached flower,
and a seed (the nutmeg) covered by its aril (the mace).
(Reduced. )

In a short lived crop, this would be of comparatively
small consequence, but to the nutmeg cultivator it is a most
serious drawback. He raises perhaps, several hundred seed-
lings, plants them out, and waits patiently six or seven years
for them to flower and ‘declare themselves.’ Two-thirds may
possibly prove to be male. From these he will obtain no nut-
megs, and the greater portion of the expense involved in
raising and cultivating them is lost. Of course some male trees
(about one in thirty) are necessary to pollinate the others and
cause fruit to be set. It is very desirable that some practical
method should be found of assuring the planter a certain
number of female trees.

The most practical method of obtaining this end seemed
to be by grafting. Careful attention was given to the
question at the Hope Gardens, Jamaica, and in 1900
Mr. T. J. Harris succeeded in grafting selected female scions
on to ten-months-old seedling stock. (Annual Report,
Botanical Department, Jamaica, 1900; p. 6). In the Report
for 1901 the Director states that seventy of the grafted
plants have been grown on for planting out, and several have
flowered and one fruited whilst still in the pots.

Similar experiments have been made in Ceylon, but with
rather less successful results. In addition, in Ceylon, ‘layering
the branches of female trees has been attempted with fair
success,’ (Annual Report, Ceylon Botanic Gardens, 1901).

It remains now to be seen how the grafted or layered
plants thrive under ordinary cultivation. The advantages to
nutmeg planters, if Botanic Gardens can supply them with
guaranteed female nutmeg plants are obvious, and future
reports will be awaited with interest.

I
oO

THE

AGRICULTURAL NEWS.

June 21, 1902.

EDITORIAL NOTICES.

Letters and matter for publication, as well as all specimens
for naming should be addressed to the IpER1aL COMMISSIONER
or AGricutturE, Head Oftice: Barbados. It is particularly
desired that no letters be addressed to-any member of the staff
by name. Such a course will entail delay in dealing with
them.

Communications should always be written on one side only
of the paper. It should be understood that no contributions
or specimens will, in any case, be returned.

All applications for copies of the ‘Agricultural News’
should be addressed to the Local Agents and not to the
Head Oftice. Where no Agents exist subscriptions at the
rate of 3s. 3d per annum, payable beforehand, will be received

at the Head Ottice.

Correspondents sending newspapers should be careful to
mark the paragraphs they wish to bring under notice.

Agricultural News.

Vou. I. SATURDAY, JUNE 21,

NOTES’ AND C@GXMIMENTS.

Botanical Adviser for the Colonies.

It has been announced in the London Guzette
that Sir William T. Thiselton-Dyer, K.C.MLG., F.R.S.,
Director of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, has been
appointed Botanical Adviser to the Secretary-of-State
for the Colonies.

ee Oe

Scientific Commission for St. Vincent.

Commenting on the Scientific
study of the recent Volcanic Phenomena in the West
Indies, Nature ‘The idea was mooted in
conversation in the ante-room of the Royal Society at
the last week’s meeting and Dr. Tempest Anderson,
who has probably examined and photographed voleanic
phenomena in more regions than any other Englishman
at once expressed his readiness to unde rake the
journey. Fortunately it was found possible to arrange
for Dr. Flett, the petrologist to the (
to come also,

The two members of the Commission — will
approac th their subject from very different points of
view. ‘Dr. Anderson’s wide experience as a traveller,
especially in volcanic districts, with his skill as a photo-
grapher, and Dr. Flett’s intimate knowledge of all sides
of petrology, will insure, by their working in combina-
tion, that nothing will be ‘missed and import: mt acces-
sions be made to our knowledge of vulcanology.’

Drs. Anderson and Flett arrived at Barbados, on
the R.M.S. ‘Trent’ on Sunday the Sth. inst., and left
by the mail of Monday for their destination.

Mission for the

says:

reological Survey

What Our Rivals Are Doing.

Of late years the beet sugar industry in the
United States of America has made extraordinary
progress. In California during the last campaign the
Oxnard factory produced 31, 250 tons (2,000 tb. each)
of sugar, and the Chino factory 12,500 tons, a total of
53,750 tons. These figures represent the output of
only two factories. The average sugar crop of Barba-
dos is about 51,000 tons, and of Antigua and St. Kitts
together about 24,000 tons (2,240 th. )

5 A
Tree Planting in Trinidad.
Trinidad supplies a good object lesson of the

beneficial results of tree planting, a subject dwelt on
in our issue of June 7 (pp. 50 and 55). In the Annual

Report (for 1901) on the Botanic Gardens, Mr. Hart
the Superintendent, says :—
‘The trees in Jerningham Avenue continue to grow

rapidly and the three years’ growth since planting in March
1899, is more than could have been expected. ..... The
trees on the wharf have generally made good progress . .
The Jubilee tree, planted by Sir C. C. Knollys, K.C.M. G.,
in 1897, is now over twenty-five feet high. It has a large
spread of branches, is in excellent health and will probably
make a handsome and permanent tree.

No one need therefore be debarred from planting
trees on Arbor Day, through the fear of having to wait
many years before obtaining tangible results.

+

Barbados Local Agricultural Show.

In 1901 and 1902 very successful local Agricul-
tural Exhibitions, for peasant proprietors and small
owners, were held in Barbados supported out of the
funds of the Imperial Department of Agriculture (see
also p.22.) On Friday the 6th. inst. a Committee
meeting was held to make the preliminary arrange-
ment for the show to be held on January 13, 1903, at
Todds Plantation, St. Johns.

Seeds are being imported for free distribution to
peasants and school children. In order to encourage
an interest in plants at an early age, special pr izes are
offered to school children for ‘plants grown in boxes,
pots and small tubs. At the last enor oceans
standing the novelty of the subject, the school
children exhibited some well-grown plants. ‘Turners
Hall School, of which Mr. C. 'T. Murphy is head
inaster, gained a well deserved Diploma of merit in
addition to the money prizes of the individual scholars.

—— EE

Green Sorghum Poisoning.

Some recent research work in the Scientific
Department of the Imperial Institute would appear to
have afforded a solution to the vexed question of why
cattle are sometimes poisoned by green sorghum,
(Sorghum vulgare,) locally called Guinea corn.

Cattle frequently eat sorghum with impunity, but
there is no doubt that at other times they suffer
severely, death being not infrequent. Up to the
present no satisfactory explanation has been given.

Vou. I. No. 5.

THE AGRICULTURAL

NEWS. 71

It would now appear that sorghum, in common with
some other plants, contains prussic acid, the poison
present in cassava (see Agricultural News, p. 5.)
The poison occurs in the young plants, but gradually
disappears as the seeds ripen. Obviously therefore,
cattle should not be allowed to feed on young sorghum.

+

A Difficulty with Bois Immortel.

Mr. J. H. Hart of the Botanie Gardens, Trinidad,
communicates the following extract from a_ letter,
expressing a difficulty felt by some cultivators when an
attempt is made to manure young cacao growing close
to Bois Immortel :—

“El madre del cacao has many disadvantages. One of
them, for instance, is that you cannot think of manuring
your young supplies in an old cacao estate with Immortel
near by. A month after instead of manure you will find a
big sponge of Immortel roots strangling your poor little trees,
which die, or do not grow at all.’

>. oe

Growing Cacao from Cuttings.

Extensive experiments have been undertaken at
the Ceylon Botanic Gardens to grow cacao trees from
cuttings. The only successful cuttings have been in
soil which is very sandy,
mould and supplied with running water at irregular
intervals. In one set of cuttings only those situated
along the course of a small stream, and subject. to
occasional miniature floods, were successful. Of the
cuttings tried only the woody ones about as thick as
a man’s finger were of any use.

OO --n> + oa
Cacao in Ceylon.

The Board of Trade Journal extracts the follow-
ing from the annual report of the Planters’ Association
of Ceylon :—

‘The crop for the past year (1901), 47, 471 ewt., is
the largest on record, and asa careful examination of the
increase of acreage does not lead to the conclusion that this
is to any appreciable extent caused by new land coming
into bearing, it may be assumed that the increase is due
largely to the recovery of estates from the attacks of canker
and other pests, and that, agriculturally, cacao is in a sounder
position than it has been for some years.’

—

Cassava Planting in the United States.

Our old friend the Cassava plant, hitherto almost
exclusively grown in tropical countries, has lately
attracted ihe attention of planters in the Southern
United States. With the aid of suitable manures in the
light soils of sub- tropical Florida and neighbouring
States, cassava has yielded crops exceeding any thing
known in the West Indies. At a recent Sugar and
Cassava Convention held at Brunswick, Georgia, the
Hon'ble James Wilson, Secretary of the United States
Department of Agriculture, delivered an interesting
address on the possibilities of cassava cultivation in
_the south-eastern states. He laid stress on the fact that

practically free from all leaf

experiments had shown cassava to be a cheaper cattle
food than corn and a more prolific crop than potatos.
With this article as a sure crop, he did not see any
reason why Georgia and Florida should not raise beef
and pork, not only for their own consumption, but for
the markets of the world. He also pointed out that
cassava contains 80 per cent. of starch, and asserted
that starch works would be found very profitable in the
belt where cassava could be raised.

4 S$

World’s Production of Sugar.

The production of sugar in the world, in periods
of ten years, 1s summarized in the following table
quoted by the Sugar Planters’ Journal from statistics
published by the United States Department of
Agriculture :—

Wenn Cane Sugar, Beet Sugar, Suppived
ear. ie rere by Beet.
; 5 Per cent.
TVA) sens 1,100,000 50,000 4°35
1850 nee 1,200,000 200,000 14°29
510,000 389,000 20-43
1870 Herre 1,585,000 831,000 34°40
NSS ORE 1,852,000 1,402,000 43.08
SOO 2,069,000 3,633,000 63:70
1900......2,850,000 5,950,000 67-71

The
made, as indicated in the last column,
In 1840 less than 5 per cent. of the sugar produced in

rapid strides the beet-sugar industry has
is most striking.

the world was beet sugar. By 1870 it had risen to 34
per cent., and 1900, to close upon 68 per cent. Con-
versely, cane sugar, which in 1840 formed 95 per cent.
of the world’s production has steadily fallen, until
to-day it forms only 32 per cent. of the whole.

TD

Sweet Briar as a Goat Exterminator.
Sir W. T. Thiselton-Dyer, F.R.S., contribetes the
following interesting note to Nature tor May 8, last :—
The introduction of the sweet briar into Australia, in
many parts of which it is naturalized, affords a striking
illustration of the mode in which the balance of nature may
be disturbed in a wholly unforeseen way.

The fruit of the sweet briar consists of a fleshy
receptacle lined with silky hairs which contain the
seed-like carpels.

I extract from the Agricu/tural Gazette of New South
Wales, Vol. XIII, No. 3, March, 1902, p. 313, the following
note by Mr. E. A. Weston, a well-known veterinary surgeon
of Launceston, Tasmania :——

‘With reference to Rosa rubiginosa, I thought it might

interest you to know that the hairy linings of the fruit
caused the death of a number of goats here by forming

hairy caleuli, which mechanically occluded the lumen of the
bowels. These goats were put on the land with the idea that
they would eat down the briars and ultimately eradicate
them, but the briars came out best and eradicated the goats.
The cattle running on the land are also very fond of the
briar berries, and from time to time one will die, and on the
post mortem no pathological changes can be found in any of
the organs, nor do the hairy calculi appear in them, although
their various stomachs are one mass of the briar seeds.’

72 THE

AGRICULTURAL

NEWS. JUNE 21, 1902.

WEST. INDIAN FISHERIES,

Tarpon in James.

We learn from Mr. W. Cradwick that the Holland
ponds near Port Morant, Jamaica, contain abundance of very
large tarpon. This locality possesses several attractions for
the travelling sportsman. The United Fruit Company have
now one of the nicest hotels in Jamaica on the top of
Bowden Hill, commanding magnificent views of the sea and
the Blue Mountains. Bowden is easily reached by land or
sea. The ‘ Admiral ships of the Fruit Company run from
Port Antonio and Kingston right up to Bowden Wharf.

Tarpon is also said to occur in the mouths of most of
the rivers on the south side of Jamaica.

DOMINICA.

The following announcements have — recently
appeared at Dominica in respect of the assistance
offered to planters and others by the Agricultural
Department :—

Agricultural Department.

PRESH VEGETABLE SEED of the following kinds can now
be purchased at the Botanic Station :—Beans, Beet,
Cabbage, Carrot, Celery, Cucumber, Egg-Plant, Khol-Rabi,
Okra, “Leeks, Lettuce, Musk Melon, Water Melon, Parsnip,
Parsley, Pepper, Pumpkin, Radish, Squash, Tomato and
Turnip.

CULTIVATION OF EARLY

ONIONS

ae Agricultural Departinent is prepared to again import a
quantity of White and Red Bermuda Onion Sets from

America for distribution at cost price to growers. These
will arrive in time for planting in October next. Orders
for sets should reach the Botanie Station not later than
Jimne 15.

The cost of White and Red Bermuda Onion sets is about
Jive dollars per bushel, and six or seven bushels would be

required to plant up an acre of land.

It must be distinctly understood that persons ordering
are liable for the whole cost of their orders, and that the
3otanical Department cannot be responsible in case the sets
arrive in bad condition.

VANILLA CUTTINGS FOR SALE.

MYWO or three thousand VANILLA CUTTINGS ave now

available at the Botanic Station at the price of vs. per 100.
Persons wishing to purchase same should send in applications
not later than the 3lst instant. The cuttings available
will be allotted, according to the demand, in fair proportions
among applicants.

If landowners in this island are prepared to enter on the
cultivation of vanilla on a mereantile scale, the Govern-
ment will gladly consider the advisability of procuring the
services of an expert to give practical instructions in the curing
of the bean.

GRENADA.

Report of the Agricultural Instructor for
April 1902.

During April Mr. MeNeill, the Agricultural Instructor,
has been engaged in visiting the experiment cacao plots in
the out-districts of the island. A good deal of pruning and
other work of a useful character was accomplished. The
plots are described as ‘promising’, and the question of
manuring them during the coming season is fully discussed.
The plots are each divided into four sections —A., B., C. and
D.—for manurial purposes (as described in the Agricultural
Vews, page 51). So far the experiments in this dircetion have
chiefly taken the form of an application of pen manure to
section A., and basic slag at the rate of 4 cwt. per acre, to
sections B., C. and D., followed, respectively, by small top
dressings of nitrate of soda, sulph: ite of ammonia and sulphate
of potash at the rate of 1} ewt. per acre. It is proposed to
repeat the experiments this year.

The chief object of experiment plots being to illustrate
the best methods of renovating old and neglected cacao trees,
it was decided to relinquish the plot at Gouyave estate where

the trees have been brought to excellent condition and
required no further attention from the Department. For

other reasons it was considered undesirable to continue the
maintenance of the Chantimelle plot. It is proposed to
select other suitable plots as soon as possible. The Report
concludes with suggestions for establishing experiment plots
of pine-apples and grapes on the Leeward side of the island.

ST. LUCIA.

Agricultural Notes.

Mr. George S. Hudson, the Agricultural Instructor
has contributed the following notes :—

Weather — The drought was broken on May 24, by
three days of heavy and continuous rainfall, measuring from
8 inches in the driest districts to 27 inches in the mountains.
Some damage has been done to bridges, roads, and cacao
plantations on the river flats, but few landslips occurred.

Cacao-—We are now ina position to form some idea
of the prospects of the coming cacao crop. The conditions
are almost identieal with those of last year. The trees are
flowering heavily, but they are also throwing out new foliage
to replace that lost during the drought, and we know that the
two processes of Jeaf and fruit production cannot proceed
coincidently with equal success. The formation of flowers and.

their fertilization is not in itself a great call on the strength
of the tree, the drain commences when several hundred

pods on one tree attain the length of about an inch ; at this
stage the greater number begin to turn yellow and die off.
With a view to obviate this we, last year, tried the following
experiment at the Government Cacao Plot, Soufriere. 1 ton
of sheep manure together with 1} ewt. of sulphate of
ammonia per acre was supplied to the trees in June, when
every branch was crowded with young pods and flowers. The
stimulating effect of this application was visible within a
week, but it all went to the production of foliage and
‘ gormandisers,’ and the young pods turned black on the trees
by hundreds, while the foliage showed that dark vigorous
green shade, which our labourers here expressively eall ‘ blue.”
The experiment was a failure in the sense intended. This
year we are trying again, at the same period, with 2 cwt.

Vornel>) eNoss). THE

AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 73

of sulphate of potash per acre divided into two applications
with a months’ interval between.

Mr. William Low, late Colonial Secretary at the Gold
Coast, and sometime Administrator of Tobago, has on retiring
from official life purchased the valuable cacao property
of * Union Vale,’ at Soufriere. The addition, to the ranks
of St. Lucia planters, of a gentleman of Mr. Low’s calibre,
cannot fail to be valuable. Mr. Low is making exten-
sive and interesting experiments in the artificial manuring of
his cacao, under the advice of the Imperial Department
of Agriculture.

INSECT

Screw Worm

in Cattle.

ST. LUCIA.

We are indebted to Mr. H. Dulien, Manager of the
Marquis estate, St. Lucia, for a very interesting
summary of some experiments he has recently camel
out on the life-history and mode of treatment of this
pest.

The general result of his observations is to confirm
the value of the recommendations given in the
pamphlet, issued by the Department, on Screw Worm
in Cattle at St. Lucia. He states that he finds crude
earbolic acid an effective agent in killing the maggots,
and by washing the wound with it daily, the flies are
prevented from laying eggs, and so causing the sore to
break out afresh.

TREATMENT AT CURACOA,

The Secretary of the Society for the promotion of

Agriculture in Curagoa (Dutch West Indies) writes -—

Having noticed with much interest the pamphlet on the
Screw Worm at St. Lucia, we can inform you that this pest
is treated here very successfully by the use of ‘ Battle’s
(liquid) Sheep Dip’ (Battle, Maltby & Bower, Lincoln), one
dressing being usually sufficient to destroy the worms
entirely. Some planters here also use a mixture of carbolie
acid (1 part) and sweet oil (8 parts) but this is not as
efficient as the ‘Sheep Dip,’ although very good.

Wing-covers. Beetles are distinguished from other
insects by the possession of a pair of wing-coyers. These are
in reality the first pair of wings, hardened and modified to
coyer the upper surface of the body and protect the second
pair of wings below. These wing-covers probably have a
very important function in flight. This can be seen in the
‘hardback’ beetle, in which these wing-covers are held during
flight at an angle to the body and serve as balancers and
also as a sort of parachute in descending. If these are cut
off, it is found that the beetle can fly but cannot descend
properly ; deprived of his wing-covers, he invariably falls on
his back or head and is unable to come down on his legs as
he would were the large wing-covers in position above him.
They serve to steady him and bring him down right side up,
and so have a double function,

VOLCANIC DUST.

COMPARATIVE RESULTS OF ANALYSES.
Professor P. Carmody has kindly forwarded to the
Department the following comparative analyses of
three samples of volcanic dust. The first was collected
at sea off St. Vincent by Captain Edwards of thes, s.
‘Louisianian, the second was collected by Dr. Morris
at Barbados, and the third was a specimen of the dust

ejected by Mt. Pelee at Martinique :—
Barbados.

ss. Loulsianian, Martinique.

Soluble in water -—

Chlorine 0:05 % 0:09 4% 0-05 7,
Potash trace trace trace
Soda ss “ (large) “ (large)
Lime ““ (large) ““ (large) “* (large)
Sulphates * (large) ““ (large) trace
Total 0-45°/ 0-457 0°30
Soluble in Acids :—(Two hours)
Iron oxide as FeO 5607 5017 3°59 /
Silica, Alumina, ete. 11-81 6°89 2-01
Lime 2-94 3°36 115
Magnesia trace “40 "22,
Potash a 05 05
Soda oles “44 “22
Sulphates traces "23 ‘02
Phosphates traces traces =a
Total 20°35 4 16°38 4 1357,
Tasoluble in Acids
Silica and silicates
of iron, lime, ete. 73°10°% 83304 92-237,
Loss on ignition D0 “40 “40
99-40% 100-53 100: 287,
The ‘insoluble in acids’ was fused and found then to consist of
Silica 42: 90 48-48 59°80
Tron silicates ete. 31°57 27°73
Lime 3°25 4:70
83°30 7 92:23
FINENESS.
The following proportions remained on sieves of the
following sizes :-—
Meshes per inch, .s.s. Louistanian. Barbalos. Mar tunique.
30 nil os nil 2
40 nil a lt A [eas
50 1 cs Le Seat’ LO.
60 5 sf 2 . Gres
70 7 ee Ons 1]
SO 28 ae 4] £ 8
90 25 OF Bie 7
100 10 cs 5 a ZL
Passed through
100 26 ss 31 ae ah)
REMARKS.—There is practically the same amount

soluble in water and volatile on heating in all three san.ples.

The proportion soluble in acids ditfers very considerably.
The amount of lime is greatest in the dust of lowest specific
gravity.

As regards fineness, the St. Pierre dust contains, as
might be expected, coarser particles than the other two.

The St. Pierre dust contains a reddish mineral in the
form of short cylinders which is not present in the other
two, and there is also a slight difference when viewed by
polarized light.

AGRICULTURAL NEWS.

JuNE 21, 1902:

BEE-KEEPING,

Antigua.

Mr. W. N. Sands, Curator of the Botanic Station,
writes :—

Owing to the wet season bee-keepers in Antigua have
not had such good returns of honey as usual.

The log-wood from which early supplies are chiefly
obtained did not come into full flower until April, whereas in
normal seasons the honey from this source usually commences
in February.

Other honey such as genip (Melicocea bijuga) is now
coming in, but as the bees have started swarming not much
store is be‘ng put up.

At the Botanic Station, queens are being raised from
imported Italian queens, by the Doolittle plan of queen-cell
grafting, for sale to the local bee-keepers. This method has
already been successfully tried and the Station apiary
ve-stocked with young hybrid queens.

Sea-side grape. The seaside grape (Coccoloba
uvifera) isa common shore plant in the West Indies. The

leaves of this tree are interesting. They are very tough and

leathery, and point obliquely upwards to the sky. Both
the tough leaf and the edgewise position are adaptations

on the part of the plant to prevent drying up. All shore
plants have a difficulty in taking up water from the soil in
which they grow, and thus have to adapt themselves to get
on with the minimum quantity. The sea-side grape is of
especial interest to bee-keepers. At certain seascns of the
year it puts out long sprays of small white flowers, suceeded
later by the purplish more or less astringent ‘grapes.’ These
flowers furnish a good supply of honey to the bees of good
flavour anc light colour.

POULTRY.

Ticks on Fowls.

Mr. C. W. Meaden recently forwarded to the
Department a piece of skin, removed from a fowl’s
breast, covered with ticks. He stated that the whole
body of the fowl was covered with these parasites
which had eventually killed the bird. Continuing he
added -—

The life history is fairly well known, but not sufticiently
amongst those who rear our market poultry. ‘The indiyi-
dual fowl under view was purchased with others from a
market woman in the street, and she informed me that the
birds came from Tobago. They had just been landed.

Four out of the dozen fowls bought were killed by this tick.
They were allowed to do so as an experiment to see the
extent of injury the ticks were capable of doing. The other
fowls were dressed with Jeyes Fluid and oil, and the ticks
were destroyed. The house they inhabited was burnt.

This particular tick is, [am sure, the cause of consider-
able loss in poultry.

Best Breeds of Fowls.

The following extract is taken from an interesting
article by Mr. W. B. Tegetmeier in The Country for
April, last -—

The question may therefore be asked by those who keep
poultry for practical and useful purposes, what breeds shall
we employ, and what system of keeping shall we pursue! If
eggs are the chief desiderata, the best breeds to adopt are
those which do not incubate, such as those known at the pres-
ent time as Minoreas, Leghorns, Andalusians, and Hamburghs.
Of these, the two former are unquestionably the best, inas-
much as they lay the largest eggs. But the system pursued
varies greatly, as do the conditions under which the fowls are
kept. It is almost nealless to say that the most advan-
tageous method of keeping fowls is in localities where they
have an extended ranges, finding for themselves a great
portion of their natural food—worms, insects, seeds and
herbage of various kinds. Under these conditions, fowls only
require a clean roosting-house and feeding twice a day to
yield a good supply of new-laid eggs, provided the hens are
kept for two years and not beyond that time, as the second
year’s laying exhausts the great prolificacy of any hen, when
her services should be at once transferred to the stock pot.

Ground Pumpkin-Seeds for Fowls.

‘Fowls are very fond of cueunber and rock-melon seeds,
and young cockerels will eat them in preference to wheat.
They also are partial to pumpkin-seeds broken up small.
Where cows are fed on pumpkins there are always large
quantities of seed, which are not fed to cattle. These, if
cracked small, would form a valuable food for poultry.
Those who have tried it say it increases the fertility of
laying hens.’ Queensland Agricultural Journal, Vol. VIIL.,
p- 36).

A Double Tragedy.
Down from a twig on a Northern Spy tree
A canker-worm swung in security ;
He'd eaten all season since first he was hatched,
Asa ravenous glutton he couldn't be matched.
He slipped inch by inch to the grass-covered ground.
Where he thought safe concealment might surely be
found, .
In which he could pupate till autumn set in ;
But a hen came that way and she gathered him in.
Gathered —gathered—gathered —she gathered him in.

She gathered him in, and his final rest

Was there, in there, in her well-tilled chest ;

And she strolled around in search for more,

For it tasted better than anght before.

But I thought of her end, her final act

When the farmer ’d slice with a carver’s tact,

And remark, as each piece made him look less thin,
“T gather her in, I gather her in,

Gather—gather --gather-—I gather her in.’

American Agricuturist.

Wor: 11; No: 5. THE

AGRICULTURAL NEWS.

=I
St

EDUCATIONAL.

Jamaica.
AGRICULTURAL INSTRUCTION TO TEACHERS.

At the West Indian Agricultural Conference in
January last, an interesting account was given of the
courses of practical instruction to teachers already in
charge of schools carried on in connexion with the
Mico Training College. This account will appear in
the fortheoming number of the West Indian Bulletin,
ready early next month. The Jamaica Daily Gleaner,
of May 27, contains the following letter from the
Hon. ‘i. Capper, Superintending Inspector of Schools
relative to a proposed course in July and August
next :—

A course of Agricultural Instruction similar to that
given at the Mico Institution last July will be again given
at the same place between July and August 15 next,
inclusive.

The teachers attending the course will be boarded and
lodged gratuitously at the College ; but no allowance will
be made for travelling expenses. The sum of three shillings
(3s.) will be charged in each case for laundry.

Teachers who wish to join the course are requested,
after obtaining the sanction of their managers, and ascertain-
ing that suitable arrangements can be made in accordance
with Article 123a of the New Code with regard to the
working of their schools to apply to the Department on or
before Saturday, June 14. Each teacher who applies will be
informed on or before June 30, whether he or she has been
selected.

Careful study of the agricultural part of the Zropical
Readers is strongly recommended to all teachers applying
for leave to attend the course.

A deficiency of not more than twenty Sessions will be
excused in the case of schools whose teachers have been
selected and have attended this course during the school
year, if the written explanation required by Article 97 is
handed in to the Inspector at the inspection showing why
it was impossible to make temporary arrangements for keep-
ing the school open,

Tn case a teacher who has applied for admission to the
course and has been selected withdraws without either giving
a reason satisfactory to the Department or giving notice
previous to July 14, the Department reserves the right to
deduct a fine, not exceeding 10s., from the Merit Grant to
his school. Arrangements will, as far as possible, be made
to prevent the inspection of any school whose teacher is
attending the course taking place just after, or during the
course.

Composition of Arrowroot.
The Journal of the Chemica! Society for May records the
following analysis of arrowroot rhizomes from Jamaica :—

Water his ae ‘4 03: 42) per cent.
Starch Se 50 Buc Racy
Dextrin and Sugar ats Pr OS i 5 55
Crude fibre... sis Bt DOL ye U5
Ether extract son 1s (OP WO) Gee
Proteid die sia oa LONG SDR eae
Ash bi ae a 0.789 =

The ash consists chiefly of phosphoric acid and potassium
carbonate. The pulped rcot, when steam distilled, yields
a volatile oil,

SCIENCE NOTES.

Plant Pathology.

The following extract from a paper by Dr. Erwin F.
Smith of the U nited States Department of Agriculture
entitled ‘Plant pathology: a retrospect and prospect’
is of interest both to planters and to others who are
brought in contact with plant diseases :—

Some words finally as to the future. The prophet is
always at the mercy of events. Nevertheless ] shall venture
a few predictions. First of all, we may predict for plant
pathology in the United States during the next fifty years a
wonderful development, since it appeals very strongly to the
genius of our people. This being taken for granted, how
shall that development be best facilitated ! The facts which
lie on the surface of things, as regards both the causes of
disease and the treatment of the same, have now been pretty
well picked up. In my judgement, the treatment of diseases
by spraying with copper fungicides has reached its climax

and is now on the wane. We shall have to devise other
methods for dealing with many plant diseases. Plant

breeding is one of the most hopeful. It is a slow process, and
the man in the field will sometimes become impatient unless
he is a philosopher as well as a farmer. /%eld hygiene is also
a matter of prime importance. Suitable rotation of crops
must also be practised, and as far as possible diseased
material, and the carriers of such material, nuust be destroyed.
I lay much stress upon the last statement. Insects in
particular are responsible for much more than the direct
damage they cause. [Sevence, Vol. XV., No. 381, p. 609].

Gum Fermentation of Sugar-Cane Juice.

The Sugar Journal tor December 15, 1901, publishes an
abstract of a paper on this subject contributed to the Linnean
Society of New South Wales, by Mr. R. Greig Smith. M.Sc,
Macleay Bacteriologist to the Society. The viscosity which
occasionally develops in cane juice during the manufacture of
sugar is stated to have been traced to bacterial action, the
active organism being a new species, Baci/lus levaniformans.

‘This bacillus is said to bring about the fermentation of

sucrose, producing gun, a mixture of reducing sugars, carbou
dioxide and various acids. The gum ‘which is probably the
diffuent capsule of the bacillus’ has been named ‘levan.’

Mr. Greig’s paper was followed by one by Mr. Thos.
Steel, F.L.S., F.C.8., who described the chemical properties of
the gum, ‘which differs in important respects from imulin, the
ho: ly which it most nearly resembles.’ Levan is said to be
quite distinct from the gum produced in the well-known
‘comming’ disease of the sugar-cane. The de termination of
the nature of the gum sometimes found in sugar-cane juice
in the West Indies was amongst the subjects discussed at
the Chemical Section of the last Agricultural Conference.
(See West Indian Bulletin, Vol. ILI, p. 97.)

An Inch of Rain. What does an inch of rain
mean! Few persons have a definite idea. An acre, if
calculated out, will prove to be 6,272,640 square inches.
An inch deep of water on this area will be as many cubic
inches of water, which, at 251 to the gallon, is equal to
27,154 gallons. This immense quantity of water will weigh
228,190 Ib or 114 One hundredth of an inch (-01)
alone is equal to over one ton of water to the acre
(Queensland Agricultural Jounal, February 1901.)

tons.

76 THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS.

June 21, 1902.

AGRICULTURAL SOCIETIES.

Dominica.
Mr. A. K. Agar, the Hon. Secretary, has contri-

buted the following account of the special meeting of

the Society called in connexion with the visit of the
Hon. Francis Watts, the Government Chemist, to the
Presidency :—

A special general meeting of this Society was held at
the Court House, Roseau, at 8.30 p.m. on Saturday, May 24,
to hear an Address by the Hon. Francis Watts.

The President, his Honour the Administrator, presided,
and a fair number of members attended.

Mr. Watts first spoke on the subject of Citrate of Lime,
a practical demonstration of the making of which he had
given in the morning at the Bath Estate.

After having gone very thoroughly into this, Mr. Watts
gave the meeting a réswmé of the results of a series of
analyses he had made of the soils of the island, particularly
from a physical point of view, and produced a series of
photographs of the soils as analysed. In every case the
soils, although taken from widely separated districts, were
found to be eminently suited, physically, for the cultivation
of all tropical products, while very few were deficient, chemi-
cally, in anything necessary to plant life, and then only ina
slight degree. From what the lecturer said, it appeared
that the soils of Dominica are practically uniformly fertile.

At the conclusion of the Address a few questions were
asked by the members, and the meeting rose at about

10.50 poi.

St. Lucia.
At the May monthly meeting of the Soufriere
Agricultural Branch, when about thirty planters were
present, the Agricultural Instructor read a short paper

on Cacao pruning, followed by an adjournment to a
neighbouring cacao plantation, where a practical demonstra-

tion in pruning was given. An interesting discussion
followed. Mr. A. F. Palmer, the Magistrate of the district,

occupied the chair.

On May 4 at Choiseul a Public Meeting was held with
a view to interesting small proprietors in the work being
done by the Agricultural Society and the Imperial Depart-
ment of Agriculture. The meeting was largely attended,
about 250 being present. The Agricultural
Instructor occupied the chair. All speeches were in ‘patois’
and the audience was very sympathetic. It may safely be
assumed that in consequence of this meeting, the membership
of the Choiseul Branch of the Agricultural Society will be
increased, and that the peasantry will take more
in the various schemes now on foot to benefit them.
literature is
the

persons

largely
interest

A small library of suitable agricultural
bee attached to each of the local branches of
Agricultural Society.

Insects with wings. [It is not generally known
that insects that have once grown their wings never develop
An insect that is found to have perfect wings
any more and will not develop into a larger
insect or undergo any change. Not all insects have wings,
but when they do, they are at the last period of their lives.
This period may be very short as in many flies, moths,
butterflies, ete., or may last a long time as in many beetles,
bees, wasps, ete., but, inevitably, sooner or later the life of
the insect in the winged stage without further
development,

any further.
never grows

closes

DEPARTMENT NEWS.

The Commissioner of Agriculture for the West
Indies left Barbados by the mail of the 9th instant for
the Northern Islands. Dr. Morris proposed to spend
the greater portion of the available time in Antigua
where several important matters demand his presence,
visiting St. Kitts if opportunity serves, and to return
to the Head Office by the mail reaching Barbados on
Saturday, June 21. The Commissioner was accompanied
by Mr. B. Mason, one of the clerks of the Department.

Mr. David Tannock, Officer-in-charge of the
Agricultural School, Dominica, has been granted three
months vacation leaye and twenty-five days leave of
absence from July 3.

The Report on the Experiment Stations at Mont-
serrat, for 1900 to 1901 has recently been issued. It
briefly summarizes the work done since the starting of
the stations in 1900. The progress made is, on the
whole, very favourable, in spite of an exceptional
drought which seriously interfered with the success of
much of the experiment work.

Number 16 of the Pamphlet Series entitled Hits
on Onion cultivation has been published. It contains
the substance of an address delivered by his Honour
the Commissioner of Montserrat to small owners in
that island. The results of the early experiments of
the Imperial Department of Agriculture are described,
and simple and practical hints given on the cultivation,
and harvesting of the crop. Any grower who is
desirous of exporting onions should pay special atten-
tion to the section on ‘packing and shipping.’ The
pamphlet may be obtained from all the local agents
of the Department. Price 2d.

Sprouting English Potatos harmful.

“Cases of actual poisoning by potatos are by no means
unknown, So far as can be learned the abnormal symptoms
in such cases were caused by the presence of solanin in the
potatos. Several years ago 357 soldiers in a battalion of the
Austrian army showed symptoms of solanin poisoning. The
potatos used for food were examined. Those which were
fresh contained a small amount of solanin, while those which
had sprouted contained much more, still larger amounts
being found in the sprouts than in the tubers themselves.
The potatos undoubtedly caused the poisoning in this case.
Potatos a year old which have lain in a cellar and shrivelled,
and small potatos which have sprouted without being planted
are considered especially dangerous, and should not be
eaten. If perfectly fresh potatos contain any solanin, the
amount is so small that it does not cause harm.’ ( Year Book,
U.S. Depart. of Agriculture, for 1900, p. 348).

Sweet Potatos in Tobago. Among the numerous
kinds of sweet potatos cultivated in Tobago, those known
locally as ‘ Antigua,’ and‘ Cuftir’ are the best. In addition to
the food value of the root, the vines form an excellent fodder
for cattle and stock,

THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS.

ot
~!

ON THE ROYAL

AVVUAL REPORT
BOTANIC GARDENS 1901-2 By J. H. Hart, F.L.S.,
Superintendent.

TRINIDAD.

The larger portion of this report is devoted to notes on
the interesting experiments with economic plants, conducted
in continuation of the work of former years Of the
rubber plants under trial, Central American, Para, and
Lagos silk rubber continue to thrive. Ceara rubber although
making little progress at the Station is reported to be doing
well in other parts of the Colony. Experiments are in hand
to determine the best age for tapping Balata trees. The
present importance of the camphor industry has not been
overlooked, and some specimens of camphor prepared at the
Station, probably the first on record of West Indian manu-
facture, were exhibited at the Agricultural Conference, of
January last.

Fruit and coffee cultivation have, as usual, claimed a
considerable share of Mr. Hart’s attention. Some of the
results of the experiments with coffee have already been
noted in this Journal (pp. 6 and 54). The more important
experiments with fruit trees will be dealt with separately
Jater.

During the year considerable progress has been made
wth the St. Clair Experiment Statidn, taken over in 1898
for experiments with economie plants, and nursery work.
Over 25,000 plants were sold, and 97,000, including cane
cuttings, distributed free, making a grand total for the year
of 120,000. In addition a very large quantity of seed was
distributed. The nursery stock at present is about 35,000
plants. Agricultural education has not been neglected and
it is pleasing to note that provision is made on the estimates
for 1902-3 for two Agricultural Instructors in Trinidad.

From the meterological returns it appears that the
mean temperature for the year was 78°6°, and the total
rainfall 58°16, more than ten inches below the mean of the
last fourteen years.

CEYLON. ANNUAL REPORT
BOTANIC GARDENS, 1901.
F.L.S., Director.

This report gives an account of the very valuable work
being carried on in these gardens. In addition to the large
amount of economic work, due attention is being paid to
accurate scientific research. The Director rightly says,
‘Successful practical applications of science must be based
upon thorough scientific investigations; such work is
laborious and needs long periods of time, and it is of the
greatest importance that the scientific officers should have
the greater portion of their time at their disposal for such
work.’ A new Scientific Journal, The Annals of the Royal
Botanie Gardens, Peradeniya, has been started and two
numbers have been issued during the year. There is a supple-
ment to the Annals devoted toa résuméZ of the chief facts of

ON THE ROYAL
By J. C. Willis, M.A.,

importance about all the known economie products of the
island. Provision is made at Peradeniya for the laboratory
investigations of the scientifie staff and of foreign visitors
desirous of working at tropical botany. Several distinguished
botanists conducted investigations at the laboratory during
1901. As a necessary outcome of the experiment work,
done on a small scale at the Gardens, steps are being
taken to establish an experiment station where large
scale trials of economic plants can be made as well as
experiments on different modes of cultivation, the treatment
of disease, the preparation of products for market and their
actual sale upon the open market. ‘The cultivation of rubber
seems to be a success in Ceylon, The production of citron-
ella oil is hardly satisfactory on account of adulteration and
over-production, the price realized being far below that
obtamed in Java where adulteration is not practised. ‘The
work of the Mycologist and Entomologist has been much
appreciated. Much of their time has been taken up in visiting
estates and giving advice to planters, personally and by letter.
Steps are taken to fumigate all Wardian cases which arrive
at the Gardens and a fumigatorium is being established at
Colomho, the port of entry. Valuable experiments have been
made in grafting coffee, cacao, nutmegs and mangos,
while attempts have been made to grow cacao from cuttings.
The results of some of these experiments will be given in
the Agricultural News in the form of short notes. Swedes
have been successfully grown at the Hakgala garden (about
6,000 feet elevation). The cost of the Ceylon Botanic Depart-
ment is £4,800 a year, so that the Colony is to be
congratulated on the result of this expenditure.

CEYLON. ANNUAL REPORT OF THE GOVERN-
MENT MYCOLOGIST, 1901. Circular No. J,
Vol. II of the Royal Botanic Gardens, April 1902.

It is reported that the canker and pod diseases of cacao
are on the decrease on account of the measures adopted by
the planters to check these pests. The difficulty of dealing
with diseased specimens, when these are quite inadequate in
amount, and are unaccompanied by any information as to soil,
situation and previous history of the plant is referred to.
‘The task of making recommendations for treatment is then
somewhat similar to that of a doctor called upon to examine
a portion of a dead or dying man without any facts about
the case and asked to recommend a course of treatment.’
The leaf and root diseases of tea and the distribution of the
spores of the fungus causing the former have been investi-
gated. These spore distribution experiments were conducted
in co-operation with the managers of estates who appear to
have taken a keen interest in the work. The finger-and-toe
disease of cabbages and turnips, caused by the ‘slime fungus’
Plasmodiophora, has made its appearance in Ceylon. A
fungus has been noted growing on commercial samples of Para
rubber. Extensive measurements of cacao pods have been made
in order to determine whether any external characters of the
pod can be used for selection of seed. It was found that the
external shape and size of the fruit affords no eriterion as to
the commercial value of the seed within and may often be a
most misleading character. Some attention has been devoted.
to the pollination of cacao, and, so far, only one insect, an
aphis, has been found bearing pollen grains. Cacao seed has
been sent to distant parts of the British Empire with a view
of discovering the length of time that the seed will retain its
vitality under varying conditions.

78 THE AGRICULTURAL

NEWS. JunE 21, 1902.

COMMERCIAL INQUIRIES IN THE WEST

INDIES.

The following is a complete list of officers designated
up to the present in the West Indies to undertake the duties
of receiving and answering commercial inquiries which may
be addressed to them either by the Commercial Intelligence
Branch of the Board of Trade, or by Merchants and British
traders who may seek advice :

sahamas...The Colonial Secretary, Nassau.

Barbados...The Colonial Secretary, Bridgetown.

sritish Guiana...The Controller of Customs, Georgetown.

sritish Honduras...The Colonial Secretary, Belize.

Grenada... The Controller of Customs, Grenada.

Jarnaiea... The Colonial Secretary, Kingston.

Leeward Islands...The Treasurer, Antigua.

St. Lueia...The Administrator, St. Lucia.

St. Vincent...The Supervisor of Customs, St. Vincent.

‘Trinidad...The Collector of Customs, Trinidad.

{t is suggested, that, in all cases commercial inquiries
should go throngh the Commercial Intelligence Branch of the
Board of Trade, 50, Parliament St., London, 8.W., as the
information required may sometimes be already available at
that Branch.—{ Board of Trade Journal, April 3, 1902.]

HAND-BOOKS TO THE WEST INDIES.

The following Hand-books afford interesting information
of a descriptive, statistical and general character respecting
the West Indies. They also contain particulars respecting
the imports and exports and the agricultural resources of the
Colonies enumerated :—

Hasxpv-Book or Jamarca For 1902, comprising Histori-
cal, Statistical and General Information concerning the Island.
Twenty-second year of publication. London : Edward Stanford,
26 and 27 Cockspur Street. Jamaica : Government Printing
Office, Kingston.

Brremsh Gurana Direcrory AND
Georgetown, Demerara: C. K. Jardine.

ALMANACK for 1902.

Trixtoap anp Toraco Yrar Book, 1902. Thirty-seventh
year of issue. Compiled by James Henry Collens. Port-of-
Spain: Muir, Marshall & Co.

Tre Mrreror ALMANACK AND GENERAL COMMERCIAL Drrec-
‘ory oF TRINIDAD AND ToBpaco. Port-of-Spain: Mole Brothers.

Tae Grexapa Hanp-sook, Directory AND ALMANACK FOR
vue Year 1902. Compiled by the Colonial Secretary. London :
Dy " n:

Sampson Low, Marston & Co., Ltd.

Vue Sv. Lucia Hanp-soox, Direcrory, and ALMANAC vor
1902. Compiled by Everard G. Garraway, Castries, L902.

Tue Barsapos Direcrory anp West ENpran Gexeran
Apverriser, 1901. Compiled by S. J. Fraser.

oe Bridgetown
Barbados : King & Co.

Lraaresourn’s West [Npran
Dinecrory. J. N. Lightbourn,

Directory
St. Thomas.

AND COMMERCIAL

AGRICULTURAL INSTITUTIONS IN
THE WEST INDIES.

Jamaica Board of Agriculture : Chairman: The Hon'ble
Sydney Olivier, C.M.G.; Secretary: W. R. Buttenshaw, MeeAc.
B.Sc. ; Publication— Occasional Bulletin.

Jamaica Agricultural Society (with thirty two affiliated
Branches). Kingston, Jamaica. President : Sir Augustus W.L.
Hemming, G.C.M.G. Deputy Chairman: Hon’ble Wm. Faw-
cett, B.Sc., F.L.S. Secretary: John Barclay. Publication :
“Journal of the Jamaica Agricultural Society.”

Royal Jamaica Society of Agriculture & Commerce «&
Merchants’ Exchange, Kingston, Jamaica. President: Hon'ble
Lieut-Colonel Ward, C.M.G. Secretary: J. L. Ashenhein.
Publication; Annual Report.

The Institute of Jamaica: Kingston, Jamaica. Chairman:
Sir Fielding Clarke. Secretary: Frank Cundall, F.S.A., Curator
of Museum: E.S. Panton Publications “Journal of the Institute
of Jamaica.” ‘Jamaica in 1901.”

Kingston & St. Andrew Horticultural Society. Kingston,
Jamaica. President: Hon'ble Wm. Fawcett, B.Sc. Secretary:
William Harris, F.L.S.

British Guiana Board of Agriculture, Georgetown, Demera-
ra. Chairman: Hon'ble A.M. Ashmore, C.M.G. Deputy Chair-
man: J. B. Harrison, M.A., C.M.G., ; Secretary: Oscar Weber :
Agricultural Instructor: R. Ward: Assistant Tustructor iu
Agricultwwe: J. E. Beckett (on probation) ; Veterinary
Surgeon: J. A. Raleigh.

British Guiana Royal Agricultural & Commercial Society
Georgetown, Demerara. President : Luke M. nll Baae.
M.1.C.E. Secretary : Thomas Daley. Local Secretary : (Berbice, )
Dr. C. F. Castor. Assistant Secretary and Librarian : J. Rod-
way, F.L.S.. Curator of Musenm : Richard Evans, M.A., B.Sc.,
Publication : ‘Journal of the Royel Agriculture and Commer-
cial Society of British Guiana.”

Trinidad Agricultural Society, Port of-Spain, Trinidad.
President : Sir Alfred Moloney, K.C.M.G. Secretary: Edgar
Tripp. Publication: ‘‘ Proceedings of the Agricultural Society
of Trinidad.”

Grenada Agricultural Society, St George's, Grenada. Presi-
dent: Sir Robert B. Llewelyn, K.C.M.G. Secretary: W. E.
Broadway. Publication: Minutes of Meetings.

3arbados General Agricultural Society & Reid School of
Practical Chemistry, Bridgetown, Barbados. President: Sir.
George C. Pile, Kt. Secretary: J. H. Poyer. Publication :
“ Barbados Agricultural Gazette and Planters’ Journal.”

St. Lucia Agricultural Society, Castries, St. Lucia : Presi-
dent: —Necretary: R. G. McHugh.

Pres-
Secretary: A. K. Agar.

Dominica Agricultural Society, Roseau, Dominica.
ident: The Hon'ble H. Hesketh Bell.

President——

Antigua Agricultural
Sceretary: W. N. Sands.

Society.

St. Kitts-Nevis Agricultural Society. President : Honour-
able E. G. Todd. Secretary: C. A Smith.

[Further particulars of Agricultural and Horticultural
Institutions in the West Indies would be gladly received for
this list. Also fixtures for Agricultural Shows for 1902.]

Von. lee NOs 0: THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 79

COMMERCIAL.

With the view of assisting in finding a market for the
disposal of local produce, arrangements have been made with
the following Agents in these Colonies who will be prepared
to receive consignments and obtain the best prices for them.

It is desirable that inquiry be made, beforehand, as
to the terms on which such produce will be received, and
whether the market is favourable or not.

It is particularly urged that no shipments be made until
an assurance has been received from the Agents themselves
that they are prepared to aceept such shipments.

Agents in the West Indies.

BRITISH GUIANA—
B.S. Bayley, Water Street Georgetown.
TRINIDAD—
J. Russell Murray, Port-of-Spain.
BARBADOS—
T. 8. Garraway & Co., Bridgetown.
ST. LUCIA—
Captain H. Henville, Contractor and Agent, Castries.

MARKET REPORTS.

London,—May 27, 1902.—Messrs. J. Hanes Carrp & Co.,
and Messrs. GILLesrize Bros. & Co.
Bees-wax—Jamaica, £7. 15. to £8. per ewt.
Cacao—Trinidad, middling to good 62/- to 64/- ; good to
fine red, 65/- to 67/- per ewt.
Grenada, fair mixed to fine red, 55/- to 60/6 per ewt.
Jamaica, fair 50/- to 54/6 per ewt.
Dominica, fair to fine red 56/- to 59/- per ewt. 53/- to
54/6.
CorrEeE—Jamaica, good ordinary 30/- to 37/-; good bold
59/6 per ewt.
Costa Rica, smalls 43/- to 50/3; bold 73/- to 93/- per
cewt.
Peaberry 63/- to 80/6 per cwt.
Corron-- Carriacou, 5,);e. per Ib.
GINGER—Jainaica, good bold bright 50/6 to 55/- ; common
36/6 to 37/6 per cwt.
Honry—Jamaica, bright clear amber 18/ to 18/6, dark
14/6 to 15/- per cwt.
Live Jurce—Raw, 1/- to 1/2d per gallon. Concentrated,
£12. per pipe.
Macr-—-good red, 1/2 to 15; good to fine pale 1/6 to 2/6
per Ib.
Nourmecs—Shelled, no auctions. In shell 5d to 6}d per Ib.
Om or Limes— Distilled 1/6 per lb. Hand pressed 4/ per lb.
Pivento—2{d. per Ib.
SARSAPARILLA—Jainaica, fair 1/2, native red, L0}d to 113d.
per lb.
SuGcar-—Barbados Muscoyado 12/9, Crystallized 13/6 to
14/4} per ewt.
TamarInps—Quiet. Barbados 11/ per ewt. in bond.
Locwoop—Jamaica quiet.
Fustic—Jamaica £4. 15/- per ton.
Fruir—Covent GarpeNn Marker (GARDENER’s
CHRONICLE, May 3rd. 1902.)
Bananas—7/- to 10/- per bunch.
Lemons—6/- per case.
Mancos 6/- per dozen.
ORANGES—16/- to 20/- per case.
Pines—3s/- to 4/- each.

New York,—May 16, 1902.—Messrs. Ginuespie Bros.

& Co.

Bananas—Jamaica, 9 hands $1.20 to $1.25, 8 hands 80c.
to 90e., 7 hands 45c. to 50c. per bunch.

Cacao— African 123c., to 13c. Caracas. fair to good ordi-
nary 14}c. to lie. Jamaica, good fermented 11 fe.
Grenada 13e., Trinidad 13c. to 14e. per lb.

Cocoa-Norts—Jamaicas, $20.00 per M. Small Trinidads
$12.00 per M.

CorrrE—Rio, good ordinary 53c. Jamaica ordinary dfe.
to Ge., and good ordinary 6}¢. per Ib.

Grxcer—B8ce. to 8he per Ib.

Pimento—dje. to Ge. per Ib.

Rurser—Nicaragua Scrap 5lhc. to 52c. per Ib, sheet 46c.
to 47¢. per Ib. Guayaquil Strip 49c. per tb.

Sucar—Muscovado, 89”, 28. to 3c. Centrifugals 96°, 3c
per Ib.

INTER-COLONIAL MARKETS.

Antigua,—Jine 4, 1902.—Messrs. G. W. Bennerr, Bry-

son & Co., Ltd.
Mo tasses—Se. per gallon, package included.
Sucar—Muscovado $1.10 per 1001b., nominal.

Barbados,—June 7, 1902.—Messrs. T. 8. Garraway

& Co.

ARrRowroot—good quality, $3.50 per ewt.

Cacao-—$13.50 per ewt.

CorrrE—Jamaica and ordinary Rio $10.50 and $9.50,
respectively.

EscHaLorres—12e. to 14¢ per lb.

Hay—lotting $1.75 per 100Ib.

Motasses—8ce. per gallon and $4.00 for package.

Ontons— Bermuda $2.25 per LOOIb.

Poratros—Bermudas $4.25 per barrel.

Rice—Ballam $4.90 per bag. Patna $3.75 per bag.

Sucar—in hogsheads ; $1.00 per 100]lb. and $5.00 for
hogshead, in bags $1.20 per 100lb.

British Guiana,—June 5, 1902.—Messrs. Weiting &

Richter.

Arrowroor—$6.50 per barrel.
Cacao—-native Ile. to 12c. nominal. ’
Cassava SrarcH— $6.00 to $6.50, per barrel.
Cocoa-Nuts—$8.00 to $10.00 per M.
CorrEE—Rio and Jamaica 12¢. to 13e. per Ib. @etail.)
Eppors—$1.44 per LOOIb.
Ontons— string 33c., per Ib.
Pra Nurs—American 43e. to 5c. (retail-)
PLANTAINS—20c. to 30c. per bunch.
Poraros EncrisH—$3.00 per barrel.
Rice—Ballam $4.80, Patna $5.65, per bag.
—Creote Rice 20c. per gallon, retail.
Sweer Poraros—Barbados $2.16 per LOOLb.
Tannras—$1.44 per LOO01b.
Yams—$1.92 per LOOIb.
Morasses—Vacuum Pan yellow 16e. per gallon, casks in-
cluded.
Sucar—Dark Crystals $1.66, yellow $2.15 to $2.30 per ewt.
Turer—Greenheart 32c. to 40c. per cubic foot.
WALLABA SHINGLES—$3.00 to $5.00 pex M.

Trinidad,—June 5, 1902.—Messrs. Epcar Tripp.

Cacao—no quotation.

Correre— %

Ontons—$2.00 to $2.15 per 1001b.

Poratros Enerisa—$1.30 to $1.40 per LO00Ib.
Rice—Yellow $4.70. White Table $5.90 per bag.
SuGar—no quotation.

Morasses—

&0 THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. : June 21, 1902.

DEPARTMENT PUBLICATIONS ON SALE.

The ‘WEST INDIAN BULLETIN.’ A Quarterly Scientific Journal.
Volume I. Reports of the Agricultural Conference of 1899 and L900 and other papers ; complete, in the original paper
covers as issued, post free, 5s. The parts can no longer be sold separately.
Volume IL. Full report of the Conference of 1901, and other papers. Price, in original paper covers as issued, post
free 2s. Ol.
Votume TT. Number 1. Agricultural Conference of 1902 ; President’s Address and Sugar Industry. Price 6d. Post
free 8d. Number 2. Conference of 1902 (continued). Educational and General Papers. (In the press).

PAMPHLET SERIES.

(3,) Seedling and other Canes at Barbados 1900. Price 2d. Post free 25. (5.) General Treatment of Insect Pests,
Yud Edition Revised. Price 4d. Post free 4d, (6.) Recipes for cooking Sweet Potatos. Price 2d. Post free 24d.
(7.) Scale Insects of the Lesser Antilles. Price 4d. Post free 5/. (8.) Cultivation of Vegetables in Barbados. Price 2d.
Post free 24d. (9.) Bee-keeping in the West Indies. Price 4. Post free d/. (10.) Manures and Leguminous Plants at

Barbados, 1898-1901. Price 4d. Post free 5d. (11.) Hints for School Gardens. Price 2d. Post free 25d. (12.) Seedling
and other Canes in the Leeward Islands, 1900-1901. Price 2d. Post free 257. (13.) Seedlings and other Canes at Barba-
dos, in 1901. Price 4d. Post free 5d. (14.) Screw Worm in Cattle at St. Lucia. Price 2d. Post free 24d. (15.) Plain
Talk to Small Owners. Price 2d. Post free 24. (16) Hints on Onion Cultivation, Price 2¢. Post free 2hd. 0 —

‘NATURE TEACHING.’ $A text book based upon the general principles of Agriculture for the use of schools.
Prepared by the Honourable Francis Watts and others. (Pages XIT and 199). Price, limp cloth 2s., in superior binding 2s. 6:/.
Postage, 35d extra.

The ‘AGRICULTURAL NEWS’ A Fortnightly Review, Subscription 3s. 3d. per annum, post free

Agents for the sale of the publications of the Department :

London: Messrs. Dutau & Co., 37, Soho Square, W. Barbados: Messrs. Bowen & Soys, Bridgetown. Jamaica :
Tus Mpvcartonan Suprty Company, 16, King St., Kingston. British Guiana: The ‘Daily Chronicle Oftice, Georgetown.
Trinidad: Messrs. Munro, & Co., Frederick St, Port-of-Spain. Tobago: Mr. C. L. PLacemann, Scarborough. Grenada: Messrs.
¥. Marrast & Co., ‘ The Stores,’ St. George. St. Vincent: Mr. W. C. D. Provproor, Kingstown. St. Lucia: Mr. R. G.
McHucu, Castries, Dominica: Messrs. C. F. Duverney & Co., Market St. Roseau. Montserrat: Mr. W. Liewrttyn Watt,
Plymouth: Antigua: Mr. F. Forrest. St. John’s. Sf. Kitts: Messrs. S. L. Horsrorp & Co., Basseterre

THE BARBADOS MUTUAL LIFE ASSURANCE SOCIETY.
ESTABLISHED 1840.
CHIEF OFFICE, Beckwith Place, Bridgetown, Barbados.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS :
MICHAEL J. BOVELL, Esq., CHAtRMAN,
kK. T. RACKER, Esq., Vice-CHatrm an.
J.. KR. BANCROFT, Esq., | JAS. H. INNISS, Esqs
B. ERNEST BYNOKE, Esq., | Hon. J. THOMAS JONES, M.L.C.,
JOS. W. CRONEY, Esq., | H. LAWRANCE JOHNSON, Esq.,
J. O. WRIGHT, Esq., M.C-P.
Transactions to December 31, 1901.

5)

Total Assurances Issued ae sez ss Sie siasg $11,752,405
Total Bonuses Declared (81 December 1900)... a “te Ea ae oe 3,610,921

Sums Assured and Bonuses Existing ot 5,154,157
Votal Claims by Death and Matured Endowments ; nit fos wae me 5,375,545
Life Assurance Fund... ae Pee Sa ec i aes aah 2,118,650

Anuual Income ne ae she are ARE oe wer sae 245,345
Net Surplus December (31 1900) ee Ser He StH oa pets 297,124
The Premiums are Lower than those charged by other Life Offices doing business in the West Indies,

The Bonuses declared have not been equalled by any other Assturance Society in the world.

Its Policy Contracts are Liberal, Fair and Equitable.

The Policy is Absolutely Non-Forfeitable so long as any surrender value remains.

Loans granted on Security of Policy.

Liberal Surrender Values.

Claims promptly paid.

BKivery facility given for the revival of Lapsed Policies.

{t grants Interim Bonuses.

It gives Compound Bonuses.

All the profits belong to the Policy-Holders.

H. J. INNISS,

Secretary.

May 22, 1902.

Printed at Office of Agricultural Reporter, 4, High Street, Bridgetown, Barbados.

Bi Sas hr ewe - segs
See

\ NSS TS

\

UU HLA

A SHORTNIGHTLY REVIEW

OF

THE

IMPERIAL DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE FOR THE WEST INDIES.

Pace. Pace.
Answers to Correspondents 94 | Jamaica, Exports 1901 ... 92
Cacao drying at Dominica 85 | Market Reports... ... 95
Cassava, Composition of ... 98 | Notes and Comments... 86
Commercial 95: |
3 ass eee eee ee 95 | CL. Book Shelf -_
Cowpeas, disease-resisting Ite Book Shelf :
aman © eg, | Text Book of elementary
i Si dea “Sas Pago CHD ae *
Department News ... ... 92 | Bomeyien >: SH, 008. UL
Department Publications... 96 | Poultry :—-
Agricultural School
Department Reports :— 5 ana ?
P cpors Domiunicaseres aes 90
British Guiana, Botanic Curing an egg-cating dog 89
Gardens) <.. 22.) /:-..193'| ‘To tcatehyatowl 4.5 58.90
Shade in Coffee culture 93 | Preserving Steel and [ron
. "i c 4
Educational :— . WOH os: peepee UY
E : : Rubber planting in Ceylon 93
Cambridge local examin- :
ation ... ... ... ... 91 | Sugar Industry:
Jamaica College... ... OL Cane Farming in British
sbrandad: 082.) 2.. sO CSD acs ee
; Sugar Beet ... ... ... 82
Fruit :— Vanilla, cultivation in the
Banana disease in Egypt 84 | Seychelles (continued) 83
SA NIE a ose ee | Virgin Islands, Agricul-
ac g raANGeS ... oe = forte a go
ee NcONT Gack. 90 : tural efforts... ... ... 92
C0 LOCO OnE © Voleanic Dust, analyses
Insect Notes :— and reports... ... 88
Centipedes gg | Volcanic Eruptions... ... 81
Sapodilla maggot ...... 88 | West Indies :—
Trinidad moths... 838 Hand-Books of general
information rigs" poo Se

White Ants, remedy for 91

Voleanic Eruptions.

SB URING the last West

Indies have been prominently before the
world in with the terrible
volcanic eruptions at Martinique and St, Vincent. The

two months the

connexion

BARBADOS, JULY 5,

1902. Price ld.

news that has been comuniecated to the newspapers in
Kurope and America has not exaggerated, in the least,
the appalling loss of life that has occurred in the two
islands named, especially at Martinique.

Already three Scientific Commissions, appointed
by the French, the United States and the British
Governments, are engaged ma careful investigation of
the volcanic phenomena that have accompanied hese
eruptions, We shall probably learn, before long, a good
deal as to the course of events before and during the
eruptions and possibly, also, how far 1t may be possible
in the future to prevent such an overwhelming calam-
ity as that which so suddenly overtook the inhabitants
of St. Pierre.

At Martinique the last previous eruption of
Mont Pelée occurred in 1851. Since then it is recorded
(according to Mr. J. Milne in Nuture) that in an
interval of twenty-six years, omitting mere tremors,
148 distinct earthquake disturbances have been credi-
ted to the
but not always, preceded by earthquake shocks it is
possible, if due notice had been taken of the latter,
with close observation of the changes taking place at
the crater itself, that the people of St. Pierre might
have been warned to flee before the final catastrophe.

island. As voleanic outbursts are usually,

It is stated, on good authority, that Professor
Gaston Landes of the Lycée and Director of the
Botanie Gardens had fully realised the danger and had
issued warnings to the inhabitants, long before the
eruption actually took place. On this point, as well as
on the exact nature of the terrific tornado, accompanied
by red-hot ashes and boiling mud, that destroyed the

$2 THE

AGRICULTURAL NEWS.

JuLY 5, 1902.

town and its inhabitants, further information is anxious-
ly awaited. On May 8, when Pelée burst an opening
onits flanks, it is stated ‘that a whirlwind of fire or
a sheet of flaine followed by red-hot ashes, stones and
boiling mud, swept over St. Pierre and its harbour to
sear and scald and fire all that 1 passed.’ As to the
nature of the flame it has been suggested that it was
caused by the ignition of others that the
death-dealing vapour consisted of sulphuretted hydro-
gen or of hydrochloric acid.

‘water gas’ ;

It is admitted that, so far, there has been no flow
of lava either at Martinique or St. Vincent and very
little pumice has been found.

At St. Vincent, the phenomena that accompanied
the eruption were apparently on simpler lines than at
Martinique but they were equally violent and caused
great destruction of life and property. On the Leeward
coast the lite fortunately,
the inhabitants had been warned in time by the
Government. On the Windward Coast, owing to the
scattered character of the settlements it was impossible

loss of was slight, as,

to reach them at the Jast moment and coimmunication
by telephone was cut off.

Mr. Alexander Porter describes the effects of the
eruption at St. Vincent as follows: ‘ Most of the destrue-
tion has taken place in the Carib Country, or Windward
side of the island, where over 1,600 lives have been lost,
the total loss of life will
nnot be far short of 2,000.
The

Rebecea

but in all probability
never be known, but it ca
The Carib Country has been nearly destroyed.
Estates of Tourama, Orange Hill, Waterloo,
and Lot 14 have been almost obliterated
living

with nearly
Mount
Bentinck and Langley Park Estates, have also suffered
considerably.

every soul and animal thereon, while
The loss of property and live stock
the

on one individual.

this part of island - falls, almost

entirely,

unfortunately
In the Leeward district the
damage has also been.serious, although the loss of life
The

destroyed and

has not been more than eight or twelve. istates
of Richmond and Wallibou have been
considerable
Estate, otherwise the other parts of the Island and

Estates have suffered but little’

SUGAR INDUSTRY.

Cane-Farming in British Guiana.

The Board of Agriculture of British Guiana has
recently pursued inquiries as to the area under cane-
farming in the Colony, and in the Official Gazette for
June 14 last, the following return, showing the
estimated area occupied in ‘cane-farming in British
Guiana, was published :—

damage has also been done to Fancy

County. Total estimated acreage.
Demerara .. 141
Berbice 383
Essequebo | 760
1,284
Classified as follows :— Acres,
The property of Villagers and
small Cultivators oes LO
Land on Sugar Estates, leased
or rented to Farmers - 563
3. Estates on which the manu-
facture of Sugar has been
stopped, and which are now
occupied im growing canes
for sale to neighbouring
Estates 611
1284
ol

The Sugar Beet.

In Furmer’s Bulletin No. 93. of the U.S . Depart-
ment of Agriculture occurs the following interesting
sumunary of F the progress of the sugar beet industry :—

The sugar consumed in the world up to 1850 was nearly
all derived from the sugar-cane, but at the present time two-
thirds of the sugar crop is from the sugar beet. Between
1863 and 1889 Germany, one of the leading beet sugar
producing countries, increased its out-put 338 per cent. It
would once have seemed incredible that the kitchen garden
should furnish a rival for the ‘noble plant’ that had made the
fortunes of Spanish and English colonists, but the cultivation
of the beet has in one generation shifted the centre of the
sugar industry from the tropic to the temperate zone. This
growth has been fostered by strange vicissitudes in the
fortunes of nations, as the commercial embargoes and sugar
bounties of the Napoleonic wars, and by the emane pation of
slavery in the British Colonies, giving, as it did, a temporary
check to the growth of the cane ; but the real creators of the
new industry were men of scientific training who solved
certain botanical and chemical problems. The manufacture
of sugar is now a chemical industry as much as is tanning
and dyeing.

Margegraf, a chemist of Berlin, first discoverd in 1747
that beets, with other fleshy roots, contained crystallizable

sugar identical with that of the sugarcane. In 1776
Marggraf’s pupil, Achard, erected the first factory for beet
sugar, and in 1799 he brought the subject before the French
Academy. He manufactured beet sugar on his farm in
Silesia, and presented loaves of refined beet sugar to Frederick
William III, of Prussia, in 1797 ; but the 2 to 3 per cent. of
sugar that could be extracted by the methods then in use
was too small for conmercial success. A new stimulus was

given by the sugar bounties of Napoleon in 1806, and
methods were rapidly improved, especially in France. Two

great difticulties were still to be met: the percentage of
sugar present in the beet was small (6 per cent.), and it was
separated with great difficulty from the many non-sugar
constituents, some of them acrid and of very unpleasant
taste. Science now came to the and beet was
eradualiy developed having a larger percentage of sugar and
a smaller percentage of the undesirable impurities. Barber
says that, in 1836, 18 tons of beet root were necessary to
produce one ton of sugar ; in 1850 this quantity was reduced
to 13°8 ; in 1860, to 12°7, and in 1889, to 9°25 tons. From
6 per cent. of sugar as found by Marggraf the sugar beet of
good quality now contains 15 per cent. and more, per
cent. being considered necessary for profitable manufacture.

rescue,

THE

AGRICULTURAL

io)

3

VANILLA.

Cultivation in the Seychelles.
(Continned from page CY.)
PLANTING.

Trees being in readiness, planting may be done at any
time of year here. If during a wet spell, vanilla will sprout
all the quicker ; should it be dry, the plants will delay a
little, but there is no fear of their missing if properly planted,
and the one danger point to guard is where the vine
leaves the earth. This part of the vine is burnt through if
not shaded with grass or leaves. However, this also would
only mean a little delay in the start of growth ; for though
they take some time longer about it, vanilla cuttings will
grow well enough if merely tied to the trees with their
lower ends some inches clear of the ground. Illustrative of
the extreme vitality of plants under adverse conditions, it
may be mentioned that in neglected plantations, where the
vines have been allowed to climb well up into the branches
of good-sized trees, and then been broken in attempting to
get them down, the broken portions, sometimes partly swing-
ing free, have remained green and capable of growth for
upwards of a year, sending down long aerial roots 15 or 20
feet in length, and in some cases where these have escaped
injury the broken plant may re-establish connexion with the
soil and start to grow again. If planted clear of the
ground and merely tied to the supporting tree, it is advisable
to tie two or three large leaves round each vine for the
distance of 3 feet up; thus shaded the aerial roots quickly
burst through the stem, and getting something to cling to at
once, soon make their way to earth without injury.

LENGTH CUTTINGS TO USE.

In starting a new yanillery, where the estate has no
plants these are readily purchased here at small cost. From
2 to 3 rupees (55 to 90 cents) per 100 fathoms is the usual
rate for cuttings, the fathom being what a man can
span with outspread arms, a good sweep of the vine
hanging in a curve between his hands. Where choice
is possible, although oldish cuttings will grow pretty well,
it is best to have the plants of recent. growth; in fact,
growing shoots, cut off close to where they spring
from the parent vine, are preferable. At their point of origin
the nodes for some distance are close together, and though
roots will strike from any joints, they have a natural tendency
to do so quicker at the shoot’s base. As to the length of
cuttings to plant, opinions differ; but there can be no
question that the longer cuttings produce cropping plants
sooner than the short ones. If a 2 or 3-foot branch is planted,
the shoot it gives is invariably more slender and slower of
growth than would be that from a 6-foot cutting, and up
to 10 or 12 feet every advantage lies with the longer plants,
except the additional expense.

The question as to whether cuttings of that length are
to be planted whole or divided into two or three plants
should be settled by their cost. It is usual here to loosen
the soil with a hoe where vanilla is to be planted, and bury
the end, laid horizontally, an inch or two in the earth, Quite
as good a way is merely to press the lower part of the plant

into the soft soil until it is lush with the surface. On sloping
land loosened soil washes away sooner with heavy rain, and
in such situations it is better to leave the ground quite
undisturbed. In any case the leaves on that part of the vine
which rests in or on the ground are cut off fairly close to the
stem, and an arm full of leaves, fern, grass, or forest sweep-
ings laid on the top to the depth of 3 or 4 inches, for a couple
of feet around the plant. Its roots will not need to be
mulched for a greater distance than that for some months
to come, and to covera larger area would be useless. As
new top dressings are laid on, which must be done when the
first supply rots down and becomes thin, these can be
gradually extended to allow of more root spread, till the limit
of 4 feet radius is reached. If well covered, the roots do not
run much; only starved vines run far with their roots,
seeking nourishment; where this is plentiful they mat in and
beneath it. Being entirely surface feeders, should any
make their way beyond the cover they can be gently
lifted and tncked under the decaying leaves, ete. ; but
this is a hint that the plant needs a new supply of top
dressing. The number of joints laid on or in the soil will
vary with the length of the plant, but should not be less
than three for this mode of planting, while for long cuttings
Six or seven joints are needed for a quick start.

SUPPORT FOR THE YOUNG PLANTS.

If of sufficient length, the free end of the planted vine
is hung through a fork of the supporting tree, but it is also
advisable to tie it in two or three places to the tree to hinder
swinging and chafing. The material used for these ties here
is a fibre called Vacow* which rots in about a year, by which
time the plants should have tendrillike roots enough to
steady themselves. When once properly planted, the cuttings
will need little or no attention for some months, but when
the growth becomes vigorous the shoots must be looked after.
Such of them as have grown clear of their supports are
hitched np and, if long enough, hung through one of the
forks. An occasional tic here may also be necessary, but in
general, a leaf or two of the growing part can be hooked on
to some other fixed part of the vine, and in a few days unless.
blown loose, the tendrils will have fastened to the leaf, and
thus support the plant. Shoots must not be allowed to
climb very high among branches of the supporting tree,
especially if there be many and close together, or there will
be breakages in getting them down. For this purpose,
when they get beyond hand reach, a forked stick 6 or 7 feet
long is useful. The fork is worked between the tree and
climbing vine, and its tendrils in suecession are broken by
pushing and twisting the stick when they are within the
fork, The last two or three tendrils are easily broken or
leave the tree without breaking, and care should be taken
when the vine is nearly clear to catch the stem of it high
up, within the stick’s fork ; it can then be lowered gently
without fear of breaking.

Some judgement is necessary in selecting the fork of the
tree through which each shoot is to hang, a fork whose height
fits in with a natural bend of the vine, if it has one, being
chosen ; otherwise one whose height takes the vine between
Joints is best, since if bent at a joint the vine is apt to snap,
especially so when in vigorous growth, being then full of
sap and brittle. In good growing weather—i.e., warm,
still, and moist—healthy, well-nourished vanilla vines grow
very rapidly, an inch per day being no uncommon rate.

(To be continued.)

* Obtained from a species of screw pine, Pandanus utilis.

84 THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS.

Jury 5, 1902:

DIAN FRUIT.

|

PACKING ORANGES.

At the West Indian Agricultural Conference held
in 1900, Mr. Hart, the Superintendent of the Royal
Botanic Gardens, Trinidad, read a paper on ‘the Pack-
ing and ‘Transport of plants, fruits and seeds’ ( West
Tndian Bulletin, Vol. 1., p. 296) containing valuable
Suggestions and rules for observayce in the packing and
transport of fruit. In his Annwal Report tor 1901-2,
Mr. Hart suggests the following rules to be complied
with in packing oranges for export, to ensure the safe
transport of the fruit, in good order, to distant
markets:—

(1) Pick on a dry day, without bruising, ‘stem cutting’
the orange from the tree, not pulling or shaking down the
frnit. Any orange which falls should be rejected, as it will
assuredly spoil others.

(2) Dry for two or three days by spreading carefully
in a single layer on a boarded floor, where there is plenty of
air—until the skin becomes slightly leathery.

(3) Wrap each orange singly, and pack in boxes contain-
ing not more than a single cubit foot in each division, and
pack tightly so that they do not bruise each other in
transit. The boxes should be made with air spaces between
the slats. It is important to remember that Oranges are «s
tender as eggs and should be handled as carefully.

GRAFTING NUTMEGS.

The advantages to be derived from the employ-
ment of grafted nutmeg plants have been referred to
on page 69 of this Journal. In the Report on the
Jamaica Botanic Gardens for 1900, Mr. T. J. Harris
gives the following practical directions for eratting
nutmegs :—

Stocks ready for grafting ten months after sowing 3
still in bamboos.

Select the tree which bears the largest nuts, construct
rough but level stages of different heights around the tree ;
draw some of the main branches down to the stages with
wire attached to pegs driven into the ground, plece moss or
cloth under the wire to prevent its cutting the bark of the
branch. The strongest only of the shoots should be used as
scions.

Cut a thin slice of the bark from the side of the
secdling stock taking care to cut through the cambium, this
eut to be about 2 inches long and about 4 inches from the
base of the plant. Make a corresponding cut in the side of

the scion at the point at which it is of the same diameter as
the stock (it may be 8, 9 or 10 inches from the tip of the
shoot) and opposite the cut on the latter.

Place the two cuts together at once and tie tightly with
rafiia or grafting tape. Allow them to remain for two months,
watering carefully meantime ; at the end of which time a
small notch is made with a very sharp knife on the scion
just below, and on the opposite side to, the union. Eight or
ten days later the notch is made deeper by cutting out a
little more wood ; this time nearly severing the scion from
the tree.

A week after take a sharp pair of shears and complete
the cnt.

Take the grafted plants at once to a cool, moist corer
out of the reach of hot dry wind.

Two weeks Jater the top of the stock may be cut of
close down to the union.

After six weeks’ stay in the cool, moist corner, they may
be gradually hardened off to the conditions of the plantation,
and when ready can be planted out.

Remove the raftia or grafting tape when the first young
leaves begin to develop on the scion,

BANANA DISEASE IN EGYPT.

In the Agricultural News of April 25, last, (p.7)
reference is made to a disease of bananas in Egypt.
The variety chiefly cultivated there is similar to the
Canary banana, viz., the well-known Chinese or dwarf
banana, also common in the West Indies. The disease
is apparently caused by nematode worms attacking the
Similar worms ( Heterodera) attack the sugar
beet, cotton, cow-pea, coffee and many other cultivated
plants. Further, the banana in Fiji, New South Wales
and Queensland is also atfected by these pests. So far
a banana disease associated with nematodes does not
seem to have been noticed in the West Indies. As
however the cultivation of bananas over large areas has
been undertaken in Jamaica and may possibly be
carried on in other islands, pests which may have been
present for years are not unlikely to make themselves
felt under the new conditions. Consequently it would
not be surprising if this banana disease made its
appearance sooner or later in the West Indies. It will
not be out of place therefore, to indicate the symptoms
of the Egyptian disease and suggest possible remedies,
The plants attacked suffer a sudden check in

roots.

Wore) Lk, NiowwG:

THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 85

growth, the young leaves gradually decay and, finally,
the growing point rot the stem becomes rotten. Examt-
nation of the root-system shows that the Jateral roots
are destroyed and that nob-hke swellings containing
the nematodes occur at the end of the main roots.
(Journ. Roy. Hort. Soc., Vol. XXVI, p. 844 and p.
ecxxu, April, 1902).

Various direct remedies have been suggested to
combat this disease, such as the application of slacked
lime, lime mixed with soot, or lime from gas works.
In addition it is probable that some varieties of banana
may resist the discase much more than others and that
as in the case of the similar sugar beet disease, other
plants may be found, which, if planted with the
bananas will attract the worms and thus serve as tr: aps
for the pest. Another remedy which has been found
suitable in similar diseases is to throw the land out of
banana cultivation, then to cultivate it thoroughly
and to grow some rotation crop before replanting in
bananas. Possibly some leguminous crop like the
velvet bean would be useful in this connexion.

CACAO.

Experiments in drying at Dominica.

The Cacao drying house recently erected by the
Imperial Department of Agriculture in the Botanic
Gardens, Dominica, was fully described, with a
figure, in the Agricultural News, p. 19. We append
now, an account of some recent trials, communicated by
Mr. J. Jones, the Curator of the Station :—

The experiments made in January with all the six
trays filled, demonstrated that cacao placed in the box
at 9 a.m. one day was completely dried at 9 a.m. the
next day, that 1s, within 24 hours of being placed in
the drier. This result was obtained without the fan being
worked after 9 o'clock at night. Several other te ts
made, proved that cacao placed in the drier at 9 «
10 a.m. is easily finished by the afternoon of the ne
ing day without excessive application of heat. Tf
necessary, cacao could be dried in twelve hours, but
the beans would possibly suffer somewhat by the heat.
The aim should be to maintain a temperature of 110° to
120° F. with a good draught passing over the beans.
Such conditions approach very nearly to those of sun
drying. The use of the apparatus is not restricted to
good weather for cacao can be dried in the air for the
first day and placed in the box in the evening. The
beans thus continue drying without interruption during
the night, and by placing sthem in the sun the ne xt
morning they will be finishe d during the day. In damp
weather a drying apparatus is indispensable to growers
in wet distric ts, who make from 60 to 70 bags per
annum, as insurance against loss.

The drying house here has been examined by
many planters, “who express approval of its simple
construction and effectiveness. One of the largest
cacao growers in the island has taken prelimin: ary
steps to erect a drier of similar pattern in time for
his next crop.

It is certain that no planter who makes a large
erop will continue to put up with the loss and worry
attendant on the drying of cacao during damp weather,
now that a simple and effective drying box can be

easily constructed and economically worked. The
cost per bag of drying cacao is, with its aid, reduced
to a minimum.

COW-PEAS.

DISEASE-RESISTING VARIETIES.

The production of hardy varieties 1s a method
which has of late years been suggested as a means of
combating various diseases, such as those which attack
the roots of plants and which often cannot be directly
dealt with im a satisfactory manner. Perhaps an
extended investigation of the root disease of the sugar-

cane night result in the finding of a race or variety
which would be more immune to this destructive
malady than those at present under cultivation. That

the finding of such a remedy is both practicable and
probable is evident from the success which has attended
the production of grapes resistant to Phyloxera, in
Europe, and of cotton, resistant to the wilt disease, in the
United States. Following up the suecess which has
attended the production of hardy varieties of cotton,
the United States Department of Agriculture has
recently sueceeled in finding a cow-pea which resists
both the wilt es of this plant, so common in the
Southern States, and also the malady known as ‘root

knot’ caused by the universal nematode worm (Hetero-
dera vradicicola). [Some diseases of the COW-Peu.
3y W. A. Orton and H. J. Webber. Bulletin 17,

Bureau of Plant Industry.]
The

root knot of cow-peas is produced by the
irritation due to the presence of these minute worms
in the tissues of the roots. The resulting swellings can
readily be distinguished from the root tube reles caused
by bacteria. It is quite probable that cow-peas are
attected by nematodes in the West Indies and perhaps
also by the wilt disease. So far, however, no specimens
affected by these maladies have been received by this

De spartment.

Extended trials have been made by the United
States Department of Agriculture in South Carolina,
with various varieties of cow-peas on soil badly aftfee ted
both by the wilt fungus and also by nematodes (the
so-called ‘pea-sick’ soil). One vi ariety, the [ron cow-
pea, was found to resist both diseases and to give heavy
crops where all the rest failed.

The Tren cow-pea is described as ‘a compact
vigorous plant, of medium size and somewhat trailing
in habit. The foliage is dark green with a peculiar
bluish lustre that distinguishes this variety from others.
The seeds are small anda hard. The colour is buff and
somewhat variable, ’ different shades being
found in the same pod.’ 3

seeds of

It is hoped to obtain some
trial in the West Indies

seeds of this variety for

86 THE

AGRICULTURAL NEWS.

JuLy 5, 1902.

EDITORIAL NOTICES.

Letters and matter for publication, as well as all
specimens for naming should be addressed to the Commissioner,
Imperial Department of Agricu'ture, Head Office, Barbados.

It is particularly requested that no letters be addressed
to any member of the staff by name. Such a course may
entail delay.

Communications should always be written on one side

of the paper only. It should be understood that no contri-
butions or specimens will, in any ease, be returned.

All application for copies of the Agricultural News should be
addressed to the Agents, and not to the Department. A complete

list of the London and Local agents will be found-on the last
page of this number.

Correspondents sending newspapers should be careful to
mark the paragraphs they wish to bring under notice.

Cases for holding the numbers of the Agricw!tural Nes,
with gilt lettered, leather backs, may be obtained from the
‘Advocate’ Office, Bridgetown,
2s. 4d.

3arbados. Price 2s. Post free

Agricultural dlews

NS,

Vox. I. SATURDAY, Ji ULYad; 11902: No. 6.

NOTES AND COMMENTS:

Honour to Sir Joseph Dalton Hooker.

The German Emperor has, with the consent of the
British Government, appointed Sir Joseph Dalton
Hooker, G.C.S.L, C.B., late Director of the Royal
Botanic Gardens at Kew, a foreign Knight of the
Order Pour le Mérite tor Seience and Arts. It has
been officially decided that the regulations regarding
foreign decorations do not apply to this order,

Se — —

Manurial Value of the Volcanic Dust.

It is evident from the numerous chemical analyses
that have now been made of the voleanic dust that’ fell
at Barbados, that it was of little or no manurial value.
This fully bears out the opinion already expressed in
the pages of the Agricultural News. Professor
Harrison in commenting on the figures published on
p. 89 adds: ‘these conclusively show that the volcanic
dust was quite valueless asa manure—the value of the
soluble constituents being about three cents.’ Owing to
the copious rains that fell immediately after the dust,
causing a sudden bursting of leaf and flower on
plants that had previously been parched by drought, a
popular idea has arisen that the dust was, more or less,
of a fertilizing character. It is believed, probably on
good grounds, that it was useful in destroying the
small black ants common at Barbados, and in drying
up the egg-clusters of the moth-borer then on the
leaves of the sugar-cane,

Scientific Commission at St. Vincent.

The members of the Scientific Commission for the
study of the recent Voleanie phenomena in the West
Indies, Dr. T. Smith Flett, D.Sc. F.R.S.E., and
Dr. Tempest Anderson, B.Sc., F.G.S. arrived at Barbados
in R.M.S. ‘Prent’ on Sunday Sth. ultimo. They were
received by Dr. Morris who afterwards arranged for a
meeting between them and Dr. Jaggi, a member of
the United States ‘Geological Survey, who had been
one of the first to ascend the St. Vincent Soufriére
after the eruption. Drs. Flett aad Anderson arrived
at St. Vincent on the morning of the 1)th. ultim> and
were cordially received by the Governor and principal
residents. We learn that Sea View House was placed
at their disposal by Mr. James E. Richards, and from
this commanding position a fine view of the Soufriére
and the coast as far as Morne Ronde was obtained.
On the 18th, they proceeded in a boat and examined
the coast, and the next morning with difficulty they
ascended the Soufriére, to the edge of the crater, at an
altitude of 2,709 feet. In spite of heavy rain they had
a glimpse into the cauldron beneath, which appeared to
have three distinct lakes at the bottom, on>2 still
emitting steam and jets of mud. Tae Commission-
ers returned to Kingstown on the 20th. ultimo> and then
left for Georgetown with the intention of ascending the
Soufriere from the Carib country. The Commissioners
express their indebtedness. especially to Mr. T. M.
MacDonald and Mr. H. Powell, the Curator of the
Botanic Station, for valuable assistance attorded to
them.

> +

Arbor Day in the West Indies.

We are glad to find that the suggestion offered in
these columns t9 appoint an Arbor Day for the West
Indies has been well received and is likely to be
generally adopted. Owing to the postponement
of the Coronation Ceremony the official planting of
numerous already arranged for, had to be
unavoidably deferred. In the mean time we desire
to thank those who have taken so deep an interest in
the matter, and we recommend that arrangements be
made to keep the plants in good order and put them
out at the first opportunity. The Argosy of British
Guiana had a sympathetic article on the subject. It
pointed out that the movement in favour of tree-plant-
ing is being widely adopted in other countries and in
such distant parts of the Empire as Australia and
South Africa. At Bloemfontein, in our newest Colony,
it had been officially announced that June 26
was to be kept as an Arbor Day. We hope to recur to
the subject later.

trees,

8

Jamaica Honey and Grape-Fruit in England.
Sir Alfred Jones has been making great efforts to
popularize Jamaica honey and grape-fruit in England.
Recently he obtained 500 jars of honey from the
agency in London of the Jamaica Bee-keepers’ Asso-
ciation and he forwarded samples of both honey and

Vor, ie No: 6:

THE AGRICULTURAL

nN
a

NEWS.

grape-fruit to numerous friends. In the case of the

grape-fruit he enclosed directions as to the manner of

preparing and eating it. The acknowledgments
received were recently published i in-full in the Wicaanicn
Gleaner. One gentleman wrote: ‘I did not know
honey could be got from Jamaica’; another ‘our
Seotch heather- honey will quake when it sees this
West Indian rival’; a third ‘the grape-fruit prepared
as you described was delicious. As a result we read:
‘Mr. Dickson, the salesman in England of the Jamaica
Bee-keepers Association has obtained the contract to
supply the entire fleet (of over one hundred ships)
belonging to Messrs. Elder Dempster & Co., with
Jamaica honey and guava jelly.

ee

Stock at St. Lucia.

In order to improve the breed of beef cattle at
St. Lucia, at the request of the Agricultural Society
in that island, the Imperial Department of Agricul-
ture made a grant for the purchase of a shorthorn
bull. A fine animal was recently imported through
the Department of Agriculture at Nova Scotia and
landed at Castries on March 8, last. By last mail
the Administrator reported that the animal had died
somewhat suddenly at Choe from an affection of the
stomach. It is generally believed that well-bred short-
horn bulls are very delicate in the tropics. It has
certainly proved so in this case. Probably a Hereford
bull would be found better suited to the climate of St.
Lucia.

es

Lagos Silk Rubber at Trinidad.

On page 54 of this Journal we drew attention to
the Central American rubber tree (Custifloa ) and the
Lagos silk rubber tree (Funtumia) as the most
promising rubber trees at present for cultivation in
the West Indies. Mr Hart, the Superintendent of the
Royal Botanic Gardens, Trinidad, in his Annual
Report for 1901-2 comments on the hardy nature of the
Lagos silk rubber tree. He writes -——

‘The trees have given a fine crop of seed during the
past season, anda large quantity of plants have been raised.
From present appearances it is a tree that will stand, proba-
bly, more hardship than any of the other rubbers, as it can
bear exposure to the sun although it does not grow fast in
such situations ..... A plot of this rubber has been
planted at 3 feet apart and in the full sun, in order to test
its growth under the conditions of close planting and growth
without shade.’

+
Peaberry and other Coffees.

The Queensland Agricultural Journal contains
this interesting note on the relative values of Peaberry
and other Coffees :—

‘The Santos correspondent of the Brazilian Review
remarks that when comparing the roasting and drinking
qualities of washed coffees (the finest qualities of which were
selling at the time he wrote at $9.00 to $9.50) with those
of superior Peaberries which fetch from $9.50 to S10, one
cannot help feeling rather distressed about the strange and
incomprehensible ways in which the coffee trade is carried on,

On the one hand, he says, a perfect roasting and tasting
produce is offered at prices from 50s. to 54s., whilst for
peaberries full of black beans, cherries, stones, sour beans,
and of no roasting merit, and evidently tasting like an
ordinary flat bean, good if not regular, there is an eager
demand at prices from 54s. to 57s. Evidently mundus vult

decipt. Tf people would only learn at last that, round and
flat coffee berries grow on the very same bush’ !—Planting

Opinion.

eo —

Shade in Cacao Culture.

Just as the use of leguminous plants in crop
rotation in temperate agric wilture is a legacy from the
agriculture of the past, so wthe use of leguminous trees in
Cacao culture in the tropics has been handed down
from the prehistoric agriculture of the native races of
South America. That this j is so 1s seen from the follow-
ing passage taken from Acostas’ account of cacao in
The Natural and Moral history of the Indies. 1590,
Hakluyt Society Edition, 1880 :—

‘The tree whereon this fruite growes is of reason-
ale bignesse, and well fashioned; it is so tender, that

» keep it from the burning of the Sunne, they plante
neere unto it a great tree, which serves only to shade
it, and they call it the mother of cacao. There are
plantations where they are grown like to the vines and
olive trees of Spaine. The province where there is
geeatest trade in cacao is Guatemiala. There grows
nore in Peru, but this country yields coca, respecting
which there is another still greater superstition.’

SS
A new Cacao Experiment Station in Java.

An interesting development in tropical Experiment
Station work has recently taken place in Java. As is well
known there are in that island two Experiment Stations
entirely devoted to the investigation of questions relating to
the cultivation of the sugarcane and the manufacture of
sugar. The funds required for these stations are subscribed
by the planters themselves. In 1901 a new station, entirely
devoted to the cacao industry, was started at Salatiga under
the direction of Dr. L. Zehntner, late Entomologist to the
West Java Sugar Experiment Station. Two bulletins of
the new cacao station, dealing with insect pests, have been
received by the Department and will be noticed in a future
number of the Agricultural News.

ED ae =

Tree-planting Competition.

From the Journal of the Royal Horticultural
Society, we extract the following note on a_ tree-
planting prize competition, described in the Agricul-
tural Journal of the Cape of Good Hope, Vol.
XIX, pp. 887-403 :—

This paper gives the result of the competition held, in
terms of the resolution of the Honourable the House of
Assembly. The plants used in the formation of the new
plantations at Diep Kloof, George, at an elevation of about
800 feet, were Acacia mollissima and A. pycnantha, and
90,000 trees, averaging 20 feet in height and 1,050 per acre,
have been established While at Schoonberg, George, on
the opposite side of the Outeniy ua Mountains, the planta-
tion entered for competition is composed entirely of Blue
Gum (Lucalyptus Globulus) with the exception of some
300 EZ. diversicolor planted in one block.

88 THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS.

Jury 5, 1902.

INSECT NOTES.

The sapodilla fruit is scarcely a common article

of food, but it is to some extent appreciated as one of

the West Indian fruits. Persons who like it will possibly
appreciate it less from knowing that the sapodilla is the
habitat of a peculiar maggot, but this feeling need not
deter any one from enjoying a good sapodilla. If on

breaking open a sapodilla one finds yellow maggots of

some half an inch in length, one may look with suspi-
cion on the whole batch and only eat after an
inspection of each. This maggot is found in the ripe

sapodilla, wriggling its way through the soft flesh of

the fruit. If kept and allowed to remain in the fruit,
it will presently come out and envelop itself in a hard,
seedlike case. his, if kept, will presently yield a
handsome fly of a black and yellow colour with long
wings banded in a serpentine fashion. his is the
insect known to science as Anastrepha Serpentina,
Wied. Though of little economic Importance, it may
be of interest to those who are in the habit of enjoying
sapodillas, A very similar insect occurs in ‘Trinidad
in guavas, and possibly the mango maggot of Jamaica
also belongs to this family. Similar attacks on oranges
in Mexico have led to an investigation by the United
States Department of Agriculture, as it was feared that
the insect, which infests ripe oranges, might find its
way to the Southern United States and harm the
orange industry. A well-known insect similarly attacks
peaches and other fruit in Bermuda and elsewhere. The
Barbados sapodilla maggot, though not lnportant, is
interesting, not only on its own account, but from the
habits of other such flies elsewhere, and from the possi-
bility there is of this fly becoming common and
attacking other fruits. All sapodillas should then be
destroyed, sound ones in the ordinary way, and infested
ones by burying or burning.

Trinidad Moths.

In Part IL of the Transactions of the Entomological
Society of London for 1901, is an excellent catalogue of the
Lepidoptera sleterocera (Moths) of Trinidad, by W. J. Kaye,
F.E.S:, Mr. Kaye enumerates 245 species, including those
collected by himself and Mr. &. Kaye, and all those recorded
in the British Museum collections. He estimates the
probable number of moths in Trindad at one thousand. at
least, so that there is ample scope for collectors in Trinidad
to carry on the excellent work of Mr. Kaye. Of new species
forty five are described, so that the collection has made a
useful addition to our knowledge of West Indian moths. It
is to be hoped that those interested in inseets will assist in
our knowledge of the species found in these islands, Beyond
a list of Dominica species numbering ninety-five, from the

pen of Mr. H. Druce, and two papers of the ‘Moths of the
Lesser Antilles’ by Sir George Hampson, little is known of
the moths of these islands. Moths are easy to collect and do
not require any appliances for preparation beyond a killing
bottle and a supply of papers. Any specimens will probably
be of value both for the British Museum collections and for
the collection being made at the office of the Department of
Agriculture.

Centipedes or Forty-Legs. The common centi-
pedes known as ‘ forty-legs’ are among the more formidable
of the household creatures and are generally regarded with
abhorrence. Their bite certainly is to be feared, but they
are of such a retiring nature that they do not go out of their
way to bite. In houses, their funetion is certainly a useful
one, in that they destroy cockroaches and other vermin. One
may balance the usefulness and modesty of the forty-leg
against the obnoxiousness and unpleasantness of the cock-
roach and tolerate the former as an enemy of the latter. As
a rule, the forty-leg, if caught, gets a short shrift, when
mercy might well be shown him if his usefulness were taken
into account.

VOLCANIC ~~ DUST.

Reports on the dust of May 7-8 at Barbados.

DISCUSSION AT THE GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY, LONDON,

At the meeting of the Geological Society of
London, on May 28, a sample of the dust collected at
Barbados by Dr. Morris was exhibited, and a note on
a preliminary examination communicated by Dr. J. S.
Flett, M.A., D.Se., one of the Scientific Commissioners
to St. Vincent, together with the following results of
an analysis by Dr. W. Pollard, M.A., D.Se., of the
Geological Survey :—

Silica a 52°81 per cent.
Titanium oxide Wye Gs Tae
Alamina ... i poe SiO as se
Tron oxide (Fe, O;) — ... BeOS ae Gs
Iron oxide (Fe O) an ri lkoy stig se
Oxide of manganese ee eh Sg CC
Cobalt and nickel oxides... LO ae ce
Calcium oxide... wir 9-95 ce
Magnesium oxide... Set Loyal HS} A Oe
Potassium oxide ... .s “60: «< “
Sodium oxide... sae Beh oe
Phosphoric anhydride... milisy SG
Sulphuric anhydride Ee Sreisje oh
Chlorine ... sa ae gE BGs
Water Bae te eis ‘Sie os se

100°35 per cent.

In the discussion which followed, Mr. J. H. Teall,
F.R.S., the Director of the Geological Survey, ‘called
attention to the smail quantity of potash revealed by
the analysis and thought this might possibly be due to
the glassy parts having been mechanically separated
from the crystalline minerals in the air, as the sample
analysed consisted mainly of such minerals. Hence if
the area could be found where the glass fell, the discov-
ery might prove important from the agricultural point
of view. Nature would have been more bountiful if

Wor Ie; Nov 6: THE

AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 89

she had let all the glass fall at Barbados and the
munerals in the sea.’
3RITISH MUSEUM REPORT.

Mr. G. T. Prior, M.A., ofthe Mineralogical Depart-
ment of the British Museum (Natural History) who
also took part im the discussion at the Geological
Society, has forwarded the following report to the
Department on a sample of the same dust sent to the
Museum :—

A sample of the dust was separated by means of heavy
liquids into the following three main constituents :—

(1) Light pumiceous grains in comparative small

amount, about 45 per cent.

(2) Grains of plagioclastie lime-soda felspar and deep
brown glass, nearly opaque owing to magnetite,
about 71 per cent.

(3) Heavy grains of magnetite, hypersthene, augite
and a little hornblende, about 244 per cent.

The mineral constituents of the dust indicate that the
eruption is of an andesite character, and that in all probabil-
ity any lavas which may be erupted will be found to consist
mainly of hypersthene-augite-andesites similar to the prevail-
ing lavas of Mexico and the Andes. The eruption is thus
connected with the great American (Pacific) voleanic chain
rather than with the Atlantic.

An examination of the volcanic dust, of much finer grain,
which fell in Barbados after the ernption of St. Vincent in
1812 shows that, qualitatively at least, its composition is very
similar to that of the present dust. Jt contains the same
constituents, viz :—pumiceous grains, felspar, felspar grains
and grains of magnetite, hypersthene and augite. The rela-
tive proportions however of the constituents in the two cases
are different. The volcanic dust of 1812 contains compara-
tively few of the heavier grains of magnetite and pyroxenes
(about 11 per cent.) but a larger amount of the glassy pumi-
ceous material (about 95 per cent.) As the dust of 1812 is said
to have had a remarkably beneficial effect upon the crops of
the following year in Barbados, the general similarity of the
present dust with that of 1812 would suggest at first that a
like effect might be expected next year. The fertilizing
properties, however, probably depend to a large extent upon
the more easily decomposed glassy: material containing most
of the potash ; the smaller amount of the pumiceous grains
in the present dust therefore rather militates against the
idea that this fall of dust will be to Barbados a blessing in
disguise.

Chemical analyses of the dust have already been made
and published, one by Dr. Pollard of the Geological Survey
(Proc. Geol. Soc., May, 1902) and one by Mr. B. E. R.
Newlands (Chemical News, Vol. 85 (1902), p. 258). As it is
not desirable that one Government Department should
duplicate the work of another, I have made no chemical
analysis myself but append here the result obtained by Dr.
Pollard. [See previous page. ]

If this analysis represents the composition of the dust
over the greater part of the island, the small amount of
alkahes and especially of potash supports the above sugges-
tion that the present dust will be of less benefit as a
fertilizing agent than that of 1812.
REPORT FROM THE GOVERNMENT

GUIANA.

Through the courtesy of the
British Guiana, the Department has received the
following report by Prof. J. B. Harrison, C.M.G.,M.A.,
F.G.S.F.C.S., on a sample of the dust which fell at

LABORATORY BRITISH

Government of

Barbados on May 7-8:

Dr. Morris’ sample was collected by the Comiissioner
personally on a sheet spread on the lawn of his residence,
and hence is free from impurities. The analysis of this
sample by Mr. W. L. F. Kaufmann, the Assistant Analyst,
has given the following results -—

Soluble in
7 percent, solu
tion Citric acid.

Dissolved hy
boiling Hydro-
chlorvic acid.

Moisture ce hed)
Loss on ignition *... “440
Silica (esis) a2) eeeeeo 1-760
Titanium oxide _... 2°778
Alumina. Hae... 22°649 7745 652
Manganese peroxide ‘O81
Tron peroxide ase, 3: 29 OMG areas \ :
Tron rotoeide 1760 Jf oe f eu
Calcium oxide vw. 9440 4779 397
Magnesium oxide ... 4230 S71 214
Sodium oxide a= 27500 1-782 003
Potassium oxide 458 “076 “OOF
Phosphoric anhydride 111 ‘O44 O19
Sulphuric anyhdride -067 067
Sulphur in sulphides -007
Barium oxide mee: toe
ead@ efit s. tages
Copper ress Sees, — ees nil
Nickel traces

99°913 19°834 1-689

‘O11

The constituents rendered soluble by prolonged boiling
in 20 per cent. hydrochloric acid may be taken as repre-
senting the constituents of the sandy ashes which may be
converted into soil constituents or removed therefrom in the
course of years.

The readily available constituents of plant food present
in the sample are determined by digestion, in the cold, with
1 per cent. citric acid for five days. These figures [the third
column in the above table] conclusively show that this
voleanic dust is quite valueless as a manure, the value of
its soluble constituents being about three cents.

* Including nitrogen...

For other analyses see pages 44, and 73.

Curing an Egg-Kating Dog.

The Queensland Agricultural Journal suggests
the following cure for this troublesome habit :—

Many and various have been the recipes given as a
certain cure for a dog gifted with egg-eating propensities,
but we ean recall but one remedy which has proved effeetual—
a shot gun. A new idea however has struck some one with
a chemical turn of mind. Possessed of a dog, one probably
too valuable to destroy, which was in the habit of hunting for
hens’ nests and making a clean sweep of the whole contents, he
tried a new plan. He blew an egg and filled it with strong
spirits of ammonia, carefully plugging the appertures. This
ege he placed among others in a nest well known to the dog,
and awaited developments. In due time the egg-eater dis-
covered the prize and proceeded to business, but when he
crunched up that egg he sneezed, coughed, gasped for breath,
fell down and writhed several times, and at last, when he had
after ten minutes sufiiciently recovered to proclaim his
unutterable bliss, he fled and would never, afterwards, look at

anege, This is a simple remedy worth trying.

AGRICULTURAL NEWS.

Jury 5, 1902.

POULTRY.

Poultry at the Agricultural School, Dominica.

Mr. David Tannock has contributed the following
notes on the poultry kept at the Agricultural School :—

BREEDS,

The following pure breeds of poultry are kept :—Black
Orpingtons, White Leghorns, Golden Wyandottes, Plymouth
Rocks and Perms Wyandottes. All do well, but for table fowls
Black Orpingtons are the best, and for egg laying there are
none to equal the White Leghorns. Of this breed we have a
very good laying strain. Leghorns have also the advantage
of seldom wanting to set, and being easily put off when they
want to. Good, strong, hardy fowls are obtained by crossing
Orpington hens with a Plymouth Rock cock ; the cockerels
weigh ¢ Ib. when four months old.

RUNS.
Whe breeds are kept apart in separate runs, four breeds
being kept in one part of the grounds, and the other with
all the chickens and setting hens in another.

The runs are in short grass, but at one end a part is
planted up with bananas for shade, and kept cultivated,
so that the fowls can seratch and dust themselves in it.
Seme kind of shade is absolutely necessary for fowls in
the tropies.

SETTING HENS.
‘The setting hens are put in small coops about in shady
When making up the nesta few leaves of tobacco
are put in to keep away fowl lice.

places.

CHICKENS,

The first few days after hatching the chicks are kept
in «# covered run and fed on soaked bread and hard boiled
eges, but when about a week old they are allowed a full run
and not penned up until about four months old. By allowing
them a full run on grass they come on much better, are
strong and healthy and free from all the diseases which attack
chickens in Dominica. Small native or Game hens make the
hest mothers ; they are more lively than the larger hens and
hunt better for their chickens.

FOOD,

The food consists of boiled vegetables, such as sweet
potatos, yams and bananas, mashed and mixed with a little
corn meal or farine, given in the mornings, and cracked corn
in the afternoon. Each brood is allowed out for a day’s run
in turns, when they can scratch and pick up all the grit
they require.

People are wide awake to the value of having good
poultry to breed from and to improve their native fowls. All
the eggs are bought up for sitting, and there is a consid
erable demand for young cockerels and pullets. One hun
dred and sixty eggs for sitting, and fourteen chickens
have been sold this year,

To Catch a Fowl.

Mr. D. F. Laurie, South Australia, says: To catch a
fowl generally meanss a great disturbance, and often its
plumage is damaged. A sunple device obviates all this. A
piece of No. 8 fencing wire is bent, so that a fowl’s leg will
fit easily in the crook ; turn the other end into a small loop
and fix to a wooden handle with a screw and a couple
of staples. A catcher 8 feet long generally — suttices.
Proceed quietly, having first offered some grain or other
inducement ; stand behind the bird and jog him gently, and

draw him towards you moving your grip; he will come
quietly, and rarely is there a flutter. No fuss and no

damaged feathers. After a time it will be found that old
stagers keep one eye on the ‘catcher’ and skip out of an
embarrassing position with much skill. Never carry poultry
head hanging down; this does much harm to them; a fat
bird may not recover the ill effects, and they always flutter.
Grip the legs firmly and place the birds on the left arm ;
there is room for as many as you can grip the legs of.
(Queensland Agricultural Journal.)

A correspondent writes :—I have an imported Plymouth
Rock rooster whose legs have become covered with a hard
substance like shell or scales, making the legs about three
times the usual size ; he is also absolutely useless for breed-
ing purposes; he is two years old. Can you suggest any
remedy ?

GARDEN NOTES.

Recently there was noticed in the Gardens at Govern-
ment House, Antigua, a specimen of the Mountain Pride
of Jamaica (Spathelia simplex) in flower. This is a slender
tree about 15 to 30 feet with a single stem surrounded by
a tuft of feathery leaves. The purple flowers are produced
in a large loose panicle above the leaves. The whole appear-
ance of the tree in flower is very striking and ornamental.
At the Antigua Botanic Station there was noticed a hand-
some tree of the Queen of Flowers (Lagerstroemia Flos-
reginae) with pink flowers. Usually the flowers are purple.
It would be useful to propagate this pink variety. A low
growing Crinum (labelled C. g/ganteum), also at Antigua
Botanic Station, with broad leaves and a low panicle of pure
white, bell-shaped flowers, is a most attractive plant. It
deserves to be more widely known in the West Indies.

At St. Lucia Botanie Station a splendid Bougainvillea
with deep purple flowers (probably B. g/abra var. Sanderiana)
covering a tall tree has been in flower for several weeks.
The brick-red Bougainvillea (B. /ateritia) is not well known
in the Leeward Islands. Plants might probably be obtained
in exchange from the Southern Islands or Jamaica,

Preserving bright Steel and Iron work. In the
tropics. bright steel and iron work soon corrodes and
becomes unsightly. Where it is especially desired to

preserve arms and implements in a bright condition, a useful
formula is suggested, obtained, many years ago, from the
Curator of the Brighton Museum. The objects should, first
of all, be carefully cleaned and all trace of rust removed.
Then varnish with one or more coats of a mixture prepared
One ounce of shellac, one ounce of gum mastic,
half-ounce of sandarac and pint of methylated
spirit. Dissolve and shake thoroughly. Strain through a
fine muslin and apply warm. Keep the bottle corked. If
necessary later, dilute with spirit.

as follows :

one one

Wor, WE SONG THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS.
Cambridge Local Examination.
SECTION OF AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE.
The Edneation Board of Barbados has received

the following letter, from Dr. J. N. Keynes, Secretary
tor Reanminations of the Cambridge ‘Local Examina-
tions and Lectures Syndicate, with reference to the
alterations proposed by the Imperial Department of
Agriculture in the schedule of the new Agricultural
Science Section, ete. (See Agricultural News, p. 27):—

‘The proposed modifications of our Agricultural Science
Schedules for candidates examined in the West Indies _ shall
be at once considered, and I have no doubt that they
will be substantially adopted.

I may add that the papers for next December will be set
in accordance with the modified schedules.’

Trinidad.
AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION,

In his Annual Report tor 1901-2, Mr. Hart, the
Superintendent at the Botanic Gardens, gives the
following account of recent work in Agricultural Eduea-
tion in Trinidad :—

The courses of agricultural Jectures at St. Clair Lxperi-
ment Station described in the last Annual Report were
continued to August, 1901, when |@ class of fifty-seven
attended, fifty-three of whom were school teachers and
students, and four cadets belonging to the station. These
lectures have been extremely popular and, I am_ confident,
have done a large amount of good, especially in directing
attention to the need of agricultural education for the work-
ing classes.

The class was conducted on the same lines as on previous
oceasions and good work was done by the majority of those
who attended.

The cadets attached to the station came out well in the
examination after the lectures, and some of them have
obtained positions of trust on estates and promise well.
Letters received from these young men show a high appre-
ciation of the course of instruction given at St. Clair, = In
January the Superintendent was appointed a member of a
Special Committee on Technical Education.

The Jamaica College.

In a memorandum issued by the Jamaica Schools
Commission on Agricultural Education, it is announced
that the name of ‘The Jamaica High School and
University College, has been changed into ‘The Jamaica
College. The Rey. Canon Wm. Simms, M.A., will
future be styled the Head Master of the Jamaica
College.

A Remedy for White Ants (termites). Mr. E.
E. Green, the Entomologist to the Ceylon Botanical Depart-
ment, finds that carbon bisulphide promises to be a complete
suecess for the destruction of these troublesome and destruc-
tive pests. On account of the extremely inflammable
character of its vapour great care must be taken to avoid the
use of lights when employing this article.

A VEXT-BOOK OF
3y Miss Cy

ELEMENTARY BOTANY.
L. Laurie, with illustrations by Miss W. L. Boys
Allman & Sons Ltd., London. Price :2s. Gd.

The number of modern elementary text-books of botany
is already so large that every new comer is, perforce, subjected
to careful eriticism, and expected to show some distinguishing
feature to justify ifs existence. Many, otherwise of no
especial value, survive because they are adapted to some
particular examination. The present volume is intended to
be of use to students preparing for the Junior Oxford ,and
Cambridge Examinations. For this purpose it will doubtless
be of value. Judged by the higher standard of how far it will
serve to help beginners to a knowledge of, and interest im,
botany, the volume has the great advantage of being attractive
to theeye. The type is clear and good, the matter well arranged,
and freely illustrated throughout with drawings which are
both new and above the average in clearness and artistic finish.

The book is divided into three parts, dealing, respectively,
with the Structure, Classification and Physiolog xy of Flower-
ing plants. Part I. gives a clear, although for beginners a
somewhat condensed account of the plant as a whole. The
seed and germination form the starting point, and separate
chapters follow on the several plant organs. This portion
closes with a chapter on the dispersal of seeds and fruits.
The more noteworthy points of this section are the general
clearness of the subject-matter, the temperate use of technical
terms and the useful summaries introduced from time to
time. All the work described can be done without the
of the microscope.

In Part Il twelve Natural Orders are treated in detail.

In each a type is fully described, other plants indicated, the
characteristics of the order stated concisely, and interesting
notes on the pollination and geographical distribution of the
order added. It is pleasant to note that in the larger orders
more than one ‘type’ is deseribed. Exception must be
taken to the statement on page 101, that tropical vegetation
is gayer than that of the temperate x regions —an error long ago
vointed out by A. Russel Wallace. The description, too, of
‘orchids, which by their aerial roots pass fron tree to tree’
is distinetly misleading.

The Physiological Part is well arranged, and the experi-
ments described deal with the more important of the life
processes of the plant. The division into experiment, result
and conclusion is praiseworthy. Experience has taught us
that the apparatus shown in Fig. 143 is not trustworthy,
and in the ease of Fig. 145, some precaution should be takeu
against air entering under He jar.

These slips, however, by no means spoil a book which
can be recommended for beginners, who, if they work through
the experiments, as it is intended they should, can scarcely
fail to acquire a healthy interest in, and considerable accurate
knowledge of, the elements of botany.

It will probably interest many of our readers to lear
that Miss Laurie is a niece of Sir G. C. Pile, Kt., the vener-
able President of the Barbados Agricultural Society.

Smith.

use

92 THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. JuLy 5, 1902
JAMAICA. VIRGIN ISLANDS.

Exports for 1901. / é Agricultural Efforts. _

The following particulars of the exports of Jamaica The following summary of a report by Mr. W. C.

for the year ending March 31, 1901, have lately been
published in the supplement to the Jamaica Gazette :—

Annatto £5,800 ; Beeswax £5,656 ; Honey £10,739 ;
Dividivi £1,356; Cacao £64,488; Cocoa-nuts £41,345 ;

Coffee £157,485; Bananas £618,636; Grapes £8,262
Limes £388; Mangos £298; Oranges £115,473; Pine-
apples £1,033 ; Ginger £66,324; Kola nuts £171; Lime

juice £5,408 ; Pimento £110,602; Rum £152,243; Sugar
£165,941 ; Tobacco leaf £5,068 ; Cigars £15,654 ; Cigarettes
£1,958 ; Logwood £98,619 ; Logwood extract £31,599 ;
Yams £1,201.

The following notes on agricultural subjects are
recorded by the Collectors for their respective parishes :

Sv. ANprew: Bee culture in this parish is still being
extended, and [ am informed by some prominent apiarists
that some of the honey-producing districts are now over-
stocked.

Ann: With the exception of Coffee the crops of
all kinds have been good. The pimento crop in the Dry

Harbour Mountains was considered the largest one for the
past twenty-five or thirty years ; the price realized was
remunerative. Of course that was confined more to the large
landed proprietors. The Lime Factory at Orange Valley is
still being carried on with encouraging results. The yield

was essential oil, 25 cases=117 gallons ; concentrated lime
juice, 13 puns. = 1,430 gallons ; raw lime juice, 130 puns.
= 14,300 gallons ; the iaipoun bill in connexion with these

operations aloné amounting to about £1,000 per annum. The
Kokal Company at Rio Bueno which port is under this Cus-
toms survey commenced making oil in October, 1900. To
March 51, last, thirty-five tons oil were shipped to New York.
The company have a contract to purchase 2,000,000 nuts
a year, besides outside purchases, and intend to import nuts.

WesrMorELAND: The Rice cultivation which received
such a severe check from the floods of November 1899, has
fortunately had good weather this year and the cultivators
have been hard at work for the past three months, reaping
and preparing the product for the market in the forms of
shelled and unshelled rice and bran. The crop is expected
to be a This cereal is fast becoming one of the
most important agricultural productions of ‘he parish.

Vhe Bee-keeping industry still increases, and is becom-
ing an important source of subsistence to many persons
besides forming a great auxiliary to the incomes of many
others. My only fear many persons are going
into the business that shortly there will be the difficulty of
getting the flowers to support so many apiaries.

CarHertne: The fruit industry and the cultiva-
tion of cacao still continue to increase, but coffee, the
mainstay of the majority of small settlers appears to be
somewhat neglected on account of the low prices. This is a
pity, because it is not a perishable crop, and the settler ean
keep it all during the year and sell when he most needs
money, unlike fruit which must be disposed of at once.

The Dye Factory at Spanish Town has been steadily
at work during the year, and logwood buying regularly
carried on, The average prices paid give a fairly good margin
to the growers if they choose to cut, but some proprietors
won't sell at current prices, preferring to wait for better
times, consequently there will be abundant reserves to draw
upon should the demand increase.

good one.

is that so

just forwarded us photographs of the curiosity,

Fishlock, the recently appointed Agricultural Instructor
in the Virgin Islands, forms a continuation of the
remarks on page 10 of this Journal, with regard to
Agricultural efforts im that Presidency :—

An interesting account is given of the present condition
of the Experiment Station and singeatitnn of a practical
character for extending the work and usefulness of the
institution.

Notwithstanding the great scarcity of water during the
recent severe dry season, fair progress has been made with
nursery work and the propagation of plants generally. Already
there are upwards of 5,000 lime seedlings available for
distribution. These will shortly be given ‘free’ to peasant
landholders desirous of taking up this industry.

Experiment plots of pine-apple, limes, cacao and other
products are being successfully established at the Station.

School garden plots, where boys from the neighbouring
schools can be trained in the best methods of practical
agriculture under the supervision of the Agricultural Instrue-
tor have been laid out on the grounds of the Station, and
will shortly be ready for the instruction of pupils.

A well has been dug near the Instructor’s house and has
resulted in obtaining a plentiful supply of excellent water
for both drinking and nursery purposes. The report generally
speaks hopefully of the outlook for Agriculture in the Vi irgin
Islands.

DEPARTMENT NEWS.

Mr. Harold Maxwell-Lefroy, of King’s College,
proceeded on the 6th ult. to the degree of Master of
Arts of the University of Cambridge.

Cocoa-nut with six branches. A
tree with branches
does exist.

cocoa-nut
sounds strange, but sucha phenomenon
A friend in Penang, where the tree grows, has
stating in a
note that it has six branches, all of which bearing.
There was a seventh branch, he believes, but it was blown
down two or three years ago. This tree is unique, being, at
least, a rare specimen of the kind we have heard of. The
branches appear large and strong and seem to bear well, as in
the photograph before us, they are loaded with nuts. There
are cocoa-nut trees with branches to be met with in Ceylon,
one such tree being at Dehiwala with two branches. (Ceylon
Observer, Noy. 7, 1901.)

are

The Black Witch. The largest moth recorded at
present in the West Indies is that known under the above
name. [t is familiar to many persons as a very large, dark,
coloured moth with a slow flight like a bat. The wings are
deep brown, with black and purple markings. The moth is
frequently found in or near houses or buildings, and when
disturbed by day it flies out and finds another dark place in
which to remain till dusk. The moth occurs in the United
States, but is believed not to breed there; the insect is a
native of the West Indies. Its life-history should be of
interest, and any information as to the food and habitat of
the caterpillar would be valuable.

Worn ly Noz*6:

THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 93

BRITISH GUIANA.
THE BOTANIC GARDEN, 1901-2.
ing Superintendent.

ANNUAL REPORT ON

3y B. Gainfort, Act-

Mr. Gainfort having been in charge of the Gardens for
only a short time attempts no more than ‘a bare record of
work done as shown by records, together with extracts from a
report which has been prepared by the Head Gardener who
took charge immediately after Mr. Jenman’s death’ in
Februuy last. (See p. 29).

The metorolozical tables, given in their usual detail,
show amongst other points a rainfall for the year of 82°88
inches. Over $1,500 worth of plants and produce were sold
or supplied to Government Institutions. A large number of
palms and other trees have been planted out during the year.
The oldest plant of the Palmyra palm, (Borassus flabelliter)
bore an immense.crop of yellowish brown fruit, and a younger
plant has also borne a crop.

The native rubber plant, Suprum Jenmanii, known as
“Touckpong’ by the Carabisi Indians and ‘Cumakaballv’ by
the Arawacks, flowered in the Gardens for the first time in
June. All the flowers were male. Amongst other items
of economic interest it is reported that special attention
has been devoted to raising a stock of grafted mangos and
good varieties of oranges.

SHADE IN COFFEE CULTURE. By O. F. Cook.
Bulletin 25, Division of Botany, United States Department
of Agriculture, 1901.

The recent acquirement of tropical territory by the
United States in the East and West Indies has been followed
by considerable activity on the part of the Department of
Agriculture in those regions. The preliminary steps towards
the formation of Experiment Stations in Porto Rico and the
Phillipines have been taken and a_ special agent in tropical
agriculture, Mr O. F. Cook, has been appointed. Among
the Bulletins from the pen of this investigator, that entitled
‘Shade in Coffee cultivation’ certainly takes the first place.
The main idea of this bulletin is, that where shade trees
have been found beneficial in cultivation like cacao and
coffee, they have been Jeguminous trees, and their value
depends rather on the fertility imparted to the soil by their
root nodules than on the shade they impart. Testimony
in favour of shade has come almost entirely from. Central
America, Venezuela and Columbia where it is the custom to
plant leguminous trees with coffee. In Brazil and the East
Indies where experiments have been made with figs and
other non-leguminous trees, theory and practice are generally
opposed to the use of shade. These contrary ideas can be
reconciled if we consider that the coffee and cacao planters
of the Central American region have been practising, uncon-
sciously, a system of soil fertility just as have the agricul-
turists of temperate regions when employing leguminous crops
like clovers and vetches in their rotations. Unless this
explanation is the correct one, it is difficult to under-
stand why shade trees should be so presistently planted in

moist tropics like Central America. The value of the
point of view of shade put forward in this bulletin like
that of any theory whatever, lies in the experimen-
tal work to which it gives rise. If experiments are set
on foot to test, quantitatively, the value of leguminous
shade trees, and to find out that degree of shade which gives
the best results from the planter’s point of view, this
bulletin will have served its purpose. What is wanted in
this question are scientifically planned experiments on a
sufficiently large scale to satisfy practical men to determine
the exact point when the benefits derived from the nitrogen-
collecting bacteria in the root nodules of the shade trees
are greatest without unduly diminishing the crop by cutting
off too much light from the coffee or cacao trees. ‘Too
dense shade would seriously diminish the crop by inter-
fering with assimilation. Too little shade would not give
the requisite amount of nitrogen to the soil. In other words,
an answer is required to the question——How much shade
gives the best results! The answer can only be given by
experiments.

The bulletin concludes with a list of the shade trees in
use in the tropics with notes on the more important ones.
To Experiment Station workers and to all interested in
the question of shade in tropical agriculture, we recommend
this work for careful study as an able and comprehensive
treatise on the subject.

Rubber Planting in Ceylon.

The following extract from the Report for 1901 of
the Royal Botanic Gardens, Ceylon, will be of interest
to rubber planters in the West Indies. It shows that
higher prices are being obtained for carefully prepared
Hevea or Para rubber grown in Ceylon than for the
best samples of South American Para rubber :—

India rubber may now be regarded as established as
a minor product in the low-country, and an export of appre-
ciable quantities of Hevea or Para rubber has begun ; 66 ewe.
valued at Rs. 11,986, were exported in 1901 to England.
3eing carefully prepared, this rubber is of excellent quality,
and_ has sold for prices much exceeding those of the best Para
rubber sold on the same market from wild sources. On one
oceasion 4s. 14d. per lb. was received for good biscuit, against
3s. 94d. for the best: Para. A recent market report says: Ceylon
sells with eager competition. The rubber is much hiked, and
in large quantities would bring high prices. Extension of
planting continues in suitable districts, and probably 3,000
acres are now in rubber. In most eases the rubber is mixed
with tea and planted by roads and ravines, and perhaps this
is for most estates the most satisfactory method of planting
under present circumstances.

Composition of Cassava.
The yield of cassava roots on well irrigated land may be
more than 32,000 Ib. per acre. The percentage composition
of the roots (mean of six analyses) is as follows :—

Water Aco ane =o or 70: 25
Starch rr a env nA 21: 44
Nitrogenous matter... S53): “i HON.
Crude fibre... Se sisi =e ol
Sugar ao sec aoe aud db 13
Ether extract one see nae O- 41
Ash athe ; : ‘ O° 54

(Journal Chemical Society, May, 1902.)

94 THE AGRICULTURAL

NEWS. Juty 5, 1902.

WEST INDIES.

Hand-book of General Information.

The Emigrants’ Information Office (31, Broadway,
Westminster, SW. ) have recently published a new
edition of their hand-book of general information for
intending settlers in the West Indies. The following
summary of the latest and most important details
contained in it is quoted from the Zinperial Institute
Journal, May, 1902 :—

Firstly, with regard to general openings, the sugar
industry comes under consideration. This however, requires
capital and experience, and is mainly in the hands of large
proprietors, most of whom have been long connected with
the West Indies. All field labour, and nearly all artizan
jabour, is carried on by coloured workmen, who are better
able than white labourers to work under a tropical sun. In
British Guiana and Trinidad there are occasional openings
for the employment of young men as overseers on the sugar
estates, at salaries of about £40 to £50 per annum with
board and lodging. Such men are required to be fairly edu-
cated, and men of the farmer class are usually found to be
most suitable. In no case, however, should any young man
go out, except under regular engagement. There is also
occasionally, some opening for capable artizans and shop
assistants, but they, too, will do well to obtain situations
hefore going out. Persons possessing large capital will, no
doubt, have the time and money to visit the West Indies
and judge for themselves of their capabilities as a field for
investment and a place of residence. Small capitalists with,
say, £2,000 will find that these Colonies offer a fair prospect
of making a comfortable livelihood, but they should first
work for a year or two with some planter to learn the methods
of cultivation. The industries for which the islands are
suited are the cultivation of fruits, such as bananas, plan-
tains, cocoa-nuts (by the sea coast), limes, oranges, etc., for all
of which there is an increasing market ; and also tobacco,
coffee, cacao, arrowroot, india-rubber, fibre-plants, spices, and
in some islands (as in Jamaica) the raising of cattle, horses
and mules. Intending settlers in Jamaica would do well to
communicate with the Secretary of the Institute of Jamaica,
trom whom can be obtained particulars of a scheme of
articling pupils in farming and planting, which is intended
for young men with some £2,000 or £3,000 capital, who
wish to adopt an agricultural career. A settler with enough
capital to combine cattle and sheep-farming with fruit and
other cultivation, should do well. Properties of 200 to 1,000
acres, with house, etce., would cost from £500 to £3,000 and
upwards. The outlook for fruit growers has been considera-
bly brightened since the starting of the direct line of steam-
ers. Bananas yield large crops, and their cultivation
requires less capital than most of the other crops, and is
remuuerative. Sugar has latterly fallen to a low position,
the total value of the sugar-cane products exported during
the last five years being little more than one-third of the
value of bananas and oranges shipped to the United States.
The cause of this depression of the sugar industry are not
far to seek, and in so much as they are of local origin they
are entirely remedial. There are perhaps, four sites in Jamaica
at the present time where the erection of central factories fed
from a clientele of contiguous estates would enable sugar to
be produced at a greatly reduced cost, but on the whole the
majority of sugar estates in Jamaica are of sutticient size,
agriculturally, to stand on their own merits and to be capable

of individual development. The sugar district of Vere is

being provided with a system of irrigation. The Government
chemist considers that a capitalist seeking an outlet for his
money in Jamaica could find no investment so safe, certain
and remunerative, as a well-situated sugar estate managed on
up-to-date lines, and with sutticient capital to work it
economically.

It is observed that in the above review no mention
is made of Dominica. The information in the hand-book
of this island shows that, possibly, Dominica otters just
now the best ope nines if any, for young men with a
capital of about £2,000, espect ally if they ‘have previous
knowledge of the tropies and take up Crown lands.
These are obtainable at a very moderate price, but,
naturally, are not so accessible as the coast lands.

HAND-BOOKS TO THE WEST INDIES.

The following Hand-books afford interesting information
of a descriptive, statistical and general character respecting
the West Indies. They also contain particulars respecting
the imports and exports and the agricultural resources of the
Colonies enumerated :—

Hanp-Book or Jamatca FoR 1902, comprising Histori-
cal, Statistical and General Information concerning the Island.
Twenty-second year of publication. London : Edward Stanford,
26 and 27 Cockspur Street. Jamaica: Government Printing
Oftice, Kingston.

British Gurana Drrecrory AaNnp
Georgetown, Demerara: C. K. Jardine.

AtmManack for 1902.

Trisipap anp Topaco Yrar Boor, 1902.
year of issue.
Spain: Muir,

Thirty-seventh
Compiled by James Henry Collens. Port-of-
Marshall & Co.

Tue Mrrror ALMANACK AND GENERAL COMMERCIAL Drrec-
voryY oF TRINIDAD AND Tosaco. Port-of-Spain: Mole Brothers.

Tue Grenapa Hanp-sook, Directory AND ALMANACK FOR
THE YEAR 1902. Compiled by the Colonial Secretary. London :
Sampson Low, Marston & Co., Ltd.

Tue St. Lucta Hanp-poox, Direcrory, and ALMANAC

FOR

1902. Compiled by Everard G. Garraway, Castries, 1902.
THe Bareapos Drrecrory AND West INDIAN GENERAL

Apvertiser, 1901. Compiled by 8S. J. Fraser.

Bridgetown
Barbados : King & Co.

Licgutsourn’s West Inpran Direcrory
Directory. J. N. Lightbourn, St. Thomas.

AND COMMERCIAL

Mr. C. K. Gibbons, Collynns, St.
seedlings of the ‘Queen of Flowers’,

Lucy, Barbados, offers
Lagerstroemia lose
in exchange for ornamental shrubs, Petrea, Arbor-

shaddock, ete.

reginae
Vitae,

Vor; I.” Now 6: THE

AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 95

COMMERCIAL.

With the view of assisting in finding a market for the
disposal of local produce, arrangements have been made with
the following Agents in these Colonies who will be prepared
to receive consignments and obtain the best prices for them.

It is desirable that inquiry be made, beforehand, as
to the terms on which such produce will be received, and
whether the market is favourable or not.

It is particularly urged that no shipments be made until
an assurance has been received from the Agents themselves
that they are prepared to accept such shipments.

Agents in the West Indies.

BRITISH GUIANA—
B. S. Bayley, Water Street, Georgetown.

TRINIDAD—
J. Russell Murray, Port-of-Spain.

BARBADOS—
T. S. Garraway & Co., Bridgetown.

ST. LUCIA—
Captain H. Henville, Contractor and Agent, Castries.

MARKET REPORTS.

London,—June 10, 1902.—Messrs. J. Hates Cairn & Co.,

and Messrs. GILLEspIE Bros. & Co.

34LaTaA—Demerara sheet 2/4 per Ib.
3EES-wAx—Jamaica, £7. 12. 6. to £8. per ewt.
Cacao—Trinidad, dark to fair red 60/6 to 63/-; good to
fine red 64/- to 70/- per ewt.
Grenada, dark red, 58/6 ; good to fine 61/6 to 64/-
per cwt.
Jamaica, fair ordinary, 50/- ; good red
57/6 to 61/- per cwt.
Dominica, fair 53/- to 55/6 per ewt. :
per ewt.
Correr—Jamaica, good ordinary 35/- to 35,6; good bold
GO - to 66- per cwt.
Costa Rica, smalls 45/6 to 58/6 ; bold 71/- to 92/6 per
cewt.
Peaberry 59,6 to 90/6 per cwt.

fermented

good 56/- to 59/-

Corron-— Carriacou, 5,);¢. per lb.

GinceR—Jamaica, good middling
34,6 to 36,6 per ewt.

Honry—Jamaica, bright pale amber 17/6 to 24/- ; dark
15/- to 15/6 per ewt.

Live Jurce—Raw, 1/- to 1/5d per gallon ; Concentrated,
£12. per pipe.

45/- to 48/- ; common

Mace—-medium to good pale 1/2 to 2/6 per Ib.

Nurwecs—Shelled, 140s to 80s 7d to 1/3d. ; 80s to 60s. 1/3
to 2/4 per lb. In shell 5 to 65d per Ib.

Oi oF Lries—Distilled 1/2 per lb. ; Hand pressed 4/-
per lb.

Pimento—22d. per lb.

SaRSAPARILLA—no quotations.

Sucar-—Muscovado 12/6 to 12,9 ; Crystallized 13/- to 14/9
per cwt.

TAMARINDS—no quotations.

Locwoop—Jamaica quiet.

Fusric—Jamaica quiet.

Fruir—Covenrt GarprNn MARKET
CuronicLE, May 31, 1902.)
Bananas—§/- to 10/- per bunch.
Lemons—7/6 to 20/- per case.
Maneos 4/- to G/- per dozen,
Orances—15/- to 20/- per case.
Pixes—3/- to 4/- each.

(GARDENER’S

New York,—May 29, 1902.—Messrs. GmLespin Bros.
& Co.

Bananas—Jamaica, 9 hands $1.25 to $1.30, 8 hands 90e.
to 95e., 7 hands 60c. to 65c. per bunch.

Cacao— African 12?e. to 13e. ; Caracas. fair to good ordi-
nary Ide. to 14}c.; Jamaica, good fermented 11 fc. ;
Grenada 13c., Trinidad 13c. to 14e. per Ib.

Cocoa-Nuts—Jamaicas, $20.00 per M. ; Small Trinidads
$12.00 per M.

CorreE—Rio, good ordinary 53c. ; Jamaica ordinary djc.
to Ge., and good ordinary 6fe. to Te. per Ib.

GincER—8}e. to 8}e per Ib.

Piventro—te. per lb.

Rupser—Nicaragua Scrap 51hc. to 52c. per Ib ; sheet 46c.
to 47c. per lb., Cuayaquil Strip 49e. per tb.

Sucar—Muscovado, 89°, 2%c. to 3c. ; Centrifugals, 96°,
3 per lb.

INTER-COLONIAL MARKETS.

Antigua,—June 18, 1902.—Messrs. G. W. Benner, Bry-
son & Co., Ltd.

Motasses—8e. per gallon, package included.
Sucar—Muscovado $1.25 per 100]b., nominal.

Barbados,—June 21, 1902.—Messrs. T. 8. Garraway

& Co:

Arrowroor—good quality, $3.50 per ewt.

Cacao-—$13.50 per ewt.

CorreE—Jamaica and ordinary Rio $10.00 and $9.50,
respectively.

EscuaLorres—12e. to I4e per Ib.

Hay—lotting $1.20 per LOOIb.

MaNnures— Nitrate of Soda $60.00 per ton

SULPHATE OF AwMONTA—$75.00 per ton.

Mo .asses—8ce. per gallon and $4.00 for package.

Oxions— Bermuda $1.80 per LOOIb. ; Stringed at $2.14 per
100 Tb.

Poraros—-Bermudas $3.25 per barrel.

Rice—Ballam $4.90 per bag ; Patna $3.75 per bag.

Sucar—in hogsheads, $1.07} per 1001b. and $5.00 for
hogshead ; in bags $1.275 per 1LOOIb.

British Guiana,—June 19, 1902.—Messrs. Wririnc &
RICHTER.
Arrowroor—$6.50 per barrel.
Cacao—native lle. to 12c, nominal.
Cassava SrarcH—$6.00 to $6.50 per barrel.
Cocoa-Nuts—$8.00 to $10.00 per M.
CorreE—Rio and Jamaica 12c. to 13e. per lb. (retaal-)
Eppors—$1.56 per LOOLb.
Ontons—string 3he. per Ib.
Pra Nurs—American 4e. to de. (retail.)
PLANTALNS—I6e. to 32c. per bunch.
Poraros Exorisu—$4.00 per barrel.
Rice—Ballam $4.8), Patna $5.60 per bag.
—CreoLe Rice 20e. per gallon, (retail.)
Swerer Porsros—-Barbados 8/- per LOO]b.
Tannias—$1.20 per LOOIb.
Yamus—10/- per LOOLb.
Monassps—Vacuum Pan yellow I6c. per gallon, casks m-
cluded.
Sucar—Dark Crystals $1.66 ; yellow $2.15 to $2.30 per ewt.
Triper—Greenheart 32c. to 40c. per cubic foot.
Wababa SHincLres—$3.00 to $5.00 per M.

Trinidad,—June 18, 1902.—Messrs. Gornon Graxr & Co.
and Messrs. Epaar Trier & Co.
Cacso—$13.35 to $13.50 per ewt.
Batata—37e. to 39e. per lb.
Corree—Venezuelan Tye. per Ib.
ONIONS— $2.25 to $2.50 per LOOIb.
Poraros Eneuiso—$1.50 to $1.90 per 100]b.
tice—Yellow $4.50. White Table $5.75 per hag.
Sucar, Crystals—$1.75 to $3.25 per 1OOb.
Morasses—no quotation,

©
or)

THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. Juuy 5, 1902.

DEPARTMENT PUBLICATIONS ON SALE.

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Printed at Office of Agricultural Reporter, 4, High Street, Bridgetown, Barbados.

Reese WIL A I, TE ae
2 > ie i
= SS) v\ Ee
——aN f=
SI

With lie 3
Wi eM

A ®ORTNIGHTLY REVIEW

OF THE

IMPERIAL DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE FOR THE WEST INDIES.

Wot 1 AiGy ie

BARBADOS, JULY 19, 1902.

PricE ld.

CONTENTS.

PaGE. Pace,
Answers to Correspond-

ents . 106

Our Book Shelf :—
Cyclopaedia of Ameri-

ATDOL Day, st «ce ~:-c LO can Horticulture ... 110
Banana leaf -.. 104] p =.
Bats and Grapes 106 Poul tries
rh re 7 Scaly legs soe OG
Bee-keeping :— Ticks on fowls . 106
Honey as nutritive laxa- Preserving Corn ... ... 106
tLe! hey eee - 106 | St. Lucia, Agricultural
Montserrat c.s .---))---/106 IN Obese fete) ese) tee LOD
Cacao Importation forbid- St. Vincent, Arrowroot... 100
den at Trinidad... 100

Science Notes :—
Pine-apple an aid to
digestion’... 7::. .-. 107

Citrate of Lime ... ... 99
Cockroach Poison ... ... 107
Commercials ees) cee Ll
Department News ... . 109

Departmental Report :—

Sugar Industry :—
Manufacture of Jamaica
Rum a 98

Slip Witness Beso coo J KOS) Molaeenstsined fac
Educational :— army horses... ... 108
Agricultural Education 97 Trade between West In-
Antigua eg dies and West Africa 98
Barbados ... - 107 | Sour-grass and ticks ... 105
Rue ras tos Sweden pylon aS ors 8
lo. nie ser S ; Sweet Potatos for Europe 9
Tarpon in Jamaica... 104 Vanilla, cultivation in the
Garden Notes ... ... 104 Seychelles (continwed) 101
Manioe or Cassava flour... 100 | Voleanie Dust at Jamaica 104
Market Reports .. 111 | West Indies :-—
Notes and Comments. ... 102 Agricultural Institu-
Orange Pest at Jamaica... 100 tions... seg: HO)

Agricultural Education.

( oe N spite of a good deal that has been written
on the subject there still appears to be some
mis-apprehension as to what
Agricultural Education in

is really

meant by Elementary

Schools. In the strict sense of the term there can be
no teaching of Agriculture, or what is called farming,
in elementary schools. What is proposed to be done
is to carry out a scheme of elementary instruction by
means of object. lessons and class reading whereby the
children will be drawn to take a deep and abiding
interest in the phenomena of air, soil and water, and
in the life of plants and animals around them and _ led,
step by step, to exercise their powers of observation and
reason from cause to effect in watching the events of
every-day life that environ them. This, it is admitted, can
only be done in a thoroughly interesting and effective
manner by teachers who have themselves been carefully
taught, beforehand, and who possess not only a grasp
of details but adopt the mght methods of presenting
these details so as to really educate (that is, draw out)
and not cram the minds of the children.

In the higher classes the lessons will naturally
deal with a higher range of subjects, and the lessons
given in class will be illustrated by means of plants
grown in pots and boxes and by practical work
in school gardens. Such a scheme, as is out-lined
above, contains all that is proposed to be included
under the term of Agricultural Education in elemen-
tary schools. Already, all that is possible, is being
done to train the teachers and furnish them not only
with a correct knowledge of the subject, but also with
the best methods of teaching so as to win the sympa-
thy and interest of the children, Agricultural Teach-
ing, started and consistently carried out, on these lines
must eventually change, to a large extent, the charac-
ter of the present teaching in elementary schools; and

98 THE

AGRICULTURAL NEWS.

Juny- 19) 1902:

the change, we are convinced, will es ae in
the ieotar of brightening school life, corre cting
eurrent ideas in regard to agricultural Bon as and in
placing the prosperity of these Colomies on the solid
basis of the intelligence and active co-operation of the
people.

TRADE BETWEEN WEST INDIES
AND WEST AFRICA.

POSSIBLE NEW MARKET FOR MUSCOVADO SUGAR.
At a recent meeting of the Barbados Agricultural
Society a letter was read from a merchant in Senegal,
West Africa, suggesting that the principal firms in
Bridgetown might agree to export, as an experiment, a
shipload of muscovado sugar to West Africa where,

he stated, there is a very good market for sugar,
and that West Indian sugars could be regularly
placed at the Gambia, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Lagos,

Nigeria and the Congo.

The suggestion that the West Indies night find
a remunerative market for some of its sugar in West
Africa reminds us that the subject is not entirely new
for it had already been discussed by Sir Robert B.
Llewelyn, Governor-in-chief of the Windward Islands,
when he was Administrator of the Gambia in 1899.
The following extract is taken from the Report on the
Gambia Blue Book for the year 1898. (Colonial
Reports, Annual, 254) :—

No muscovado sugar is imported, but I am sure it
would be appreciated by the natives to mix with their
‘pap’—a preparation of pounded -corn—if it could be
obtained in handy packages. Sugar packed in bagging gets
moist in this damp climate in lightly constructed native
huts ; but I think if it could be put up in tins or kegs,
which could be retailed here at a dollar or two dollars a
package, it would take.

The merchants here would expect to get double their
invoice price. Could ten pounds of good clean muscovado
sugar be packed in tins or small kegs and delivered here for
one shilling and eight pence ¢

I may, perhaps, also mention, as a requirement in Africa,
salt—which one small English colony in the West Indies
produces of an excellent quality. The salt at present
imported here is made by solar evaporation in the Cape
Verde Islands. It is not to be compared with Turks Islands
salt for purity, and I believe the latter could be sold as
cheap or cheaper.

What is wanted, is to connect the West Indies and the
West Coast of Africa by direct’ steam communication.

Many common articles of food in the West Indies, such
as salt, fish, and cornmeal, would, if they were introduced
on the West Coast of Africa, be as popular there as they are
with their kinsfolk in the West Indies.

I believe, in the course of time the inhabitants
would pass to and fro, as they would not on the voyage have
to leave a tropical climate, which many now dread. Such a

too,

steam service would not pay at first, but it should in a
reasonable time, if carefully managed.
Great advantage, too, would accrue if some of the

better mechanics, such as engine-drivers for steam launches,
men whe have been trained in the working of machinery on
sugar estates, carpenters, masons, painters, blacksmiths, and
even schoolmasters and native clerks could be induced to
come to the West Coast of Africa ; and I think they would

if transport was easy and cheap, for they could cross as deck
passengers in a voyage that would be entirely performed
within the tropics. Perhaps all the colonies in the West
Indies as well as those on the West Coast of Africa might
for a few years contribute a small subsidy to a steamship
company.

Sir Robert Llewelyn’s suggestion is a valuable
one and deserves careful consideration. It is probable
that a line of steamers starting from New York and
calling at one or more of the sug islands i in the West
Indies would be the means of establishing a consider-
able trade between the West Indies and West Africa,
In fact it is not impossible that 1f the matter were
taken up with energy and enterprise, the bulk of
the muscovado sugar produced in these islands
mightfind a remunerative market amongst the teem-
ing millions of West Africa.

PROPOSAL FOR STUDY OF MANUFAC-
TURE OF JAMAICA RUM.

The following circular has recently been sent to
the managers of sugar estates and others interested
in the manufacture of rum, by Mr. H. H. Cousins
the Agricultural Chemist of Jamaica:—

Sir,—I have the honour to request your opinion upon
the following proposal which I intend to submit to the Board
of Agricuiture :—

‘That a specialist in Fermentation be appointed by the
Government, ona three years’ contract, to co-operate with
the staff of the Government Laboratory in the study of the
conditions of manufacture of Rum in Jamaica ; in the inves-
tigation of means of increasing the yield and -improving the
quality ; in the study of the types of yeast operating in
successful and unsuccessful fermentations, and the practical
application of such information.

This Officer to be further available for training Distillers
in improved methods of management and control as a branch
of the Agricultural Education work to be started at the
Government Laboratory.’

Mr. Cousins reports that
were received, twenty-four approving and three
expressing disapproval of the scheme. He adds:
‘There is a powerful weight of opinion in favour of
improving the stall- Rouse” management in Jamaica.
pe rum crop is worth £150,000 a year, and an increase
of 25 per cent. on this is a very moderate view to take
of the possibility of improved control and m: unagement.

‘We understand that Mr. Steele [the Expertree ntly
sent out by the Home Gevernment] is impressed
with the erude and empirical, manner in which the
fermentation was carried out in Jamaica still-houses.
Mr. Hoskins states that the losses on “Rum” estates
in Trelawny are frequently enormous and should be
avoided by more accurate and intelligent control. It
is proposed to appoint a Chemist With: special tr aining
in fermentation and bacteriology, and some experience
in a distillery, and to get him to study the problem
by residence on estates during crop time. The
Laboratory staff would assist in the chemical work,
Eventually, when “conditions” have been established,
special courses for training distillers would be given
under the scheme of Agricultural Education authorized
by the Government.’

twenty-seven replies

THE

AGRICULTU

RAL NEWS. 99

SWEET POTATOS FOR EUROPE.

INTERESTING EXPERIMENT.

West Indian Bul-

As already announced in the

letin, Vol. I], pp. 301-2, on the suggestion of Sir
Frederic Hodgson, the Governor of Barbados, efforts

have been made by the Imperial Department of Agri-

culture to find an opening for the surplus supply of

sweet potatos in the island by shipping them to Europe.
“fb he
1901, and since October last, regular shipments have
been made by every mail steamer. In order to ovyer-
come the difficulty encountered im attempting to
introduce a new vegetable, due to a want of knowledge
of how to cook it, an attractive pamphlet was pr epared
suggesting fifteen ditterent ways of prc “paring sweet
potatos for table use. Several thousand copies of this
have been distributed.

The results of one set of trial shipments from
October 1901 to May 1902 are contained in a_ letter
just received from Mr. J. R. Bovell, the Superintendent
of the Botanic Station, who has taken a deep interest
in the matter. Mr.
Agriculture on the 10th instant, as follows :—

I forward a memorandum on the results of the
forty barrels of sweet potatos shipped to Messrs. James
Philip & Co., of London, towards the close of the last and
the beginning of this year.

As you will observe, the results are so far satisfac-
The average profit derived from shipping the potatos
was $18°58 per acre more than would have been obtained for
them if sold locally ; or an increase of $56°64 per cent.
The average expenses per barrel of potatos, including digging,
packing, cooperage, carriage, lighterage, and freight, was
$1-06 ; and the average profit per barrel, after deducting the
cost of potatos and the ex cpenses, was 50 cents (28s 2d).

tory.

As showing what an additional gain of $18°58e per
acre would be considered in some countries, I append the
average gross value, per acre, of some of the principal crops
in the U.S. of America, for the ten years 1891 to 1900
inclusive, viz: Indian ‘Corn, $7°98. ; Wheat, $8°43. ; Oats,
$7-04. and Barley $9°55.

The results of a second set of shipments will
be published later. It is evident, however, that, if
taken up on right lines and carefully and judiciously
pursued, the prospects of finding a favourable market
for sweet potatos in Europe are practically assured.
During this year, owing to the low price of sugar,
large areas have been “planted in sweet potatos at
Barbados. It is hoped that the \planters will do all
they can to follow up the experiments initiated by
the Department of Agriculture, and that they will be
successtul in establishing a market for sweet potatos
in Europe and so help to tide over a serious crisis in
the history of the island.

matter was actively taken up in the autumn of

Bovell wrote to the Commissioner of

juice.

CITRATE OF LIME.

PRACTICAL DEMONSTRATION AT DOMINICA.

On Saturday, May 24, Mr. Watts gave a demon-
stration at the Bath estate, Dominica, of the process
of making citrate of lime on a commercial scale, for the
information of those interested in the lime juice
industry im Dominica. Mr. Frampton, the manager
kindly pl: rced the works and appliances at Mr. Watts’
disposal and gave very valuable assistance in carrying
out the experiment.

Three hundred gallons of lime juice were heated
nearly to boiling point in an extemporized steam pan,
the juice was then neutralized with chalk and the
heating continued until the precipitated citrate of lime
was crystalline. . Filtration was effected by means of
strong twill cotton bags supporte d within strong canvas
covers. These, though acting efficiently as Alters! did
not permit of such eficiont washing of the citrate as
was clesirable.

When well drained the wet citrate was removed to
the cacao drier in the Botanic Station and thoroughly
dried. (For description of this drier see p. 19.)

There were two points which could not be readily
demonstrated. The first was the proper washing of the
citrate with hot water. The second was the removal
of a large proportion of the water from the citrate by
pressing it before putting it in the’ drier. Efficient
pressing will materially shorten the drying process.

The citrate, when dry, was of good colour, being
nearly white: 1t was quite crystalline and thus was
readil y wetted and diffused through water. On analysis
at the Government Laboratory for the Leeward Islands
it was shown to contain 70°6 per cent. of citric acid,
and to contain no carbonate of lime (free chalk). When
boiled with water it did not impart any dark colour, In
all respects it appeared to be a satisfactory commercial
sample of citrate.

Its

valne depends on the price of concentrated
If the price of concentrated juice is

£17 per pipe, the sample is worth £3 2 6 per ewt.
Eilts G bs rs G2) 15 2 Md
ssl} © se fe se £2) 19 <

There was a good’ attendance of planters and
others during the as smonstration : they all appeared to
be highly nies sted in the process ae in Mr. Watts’
explanation of the various operations.

Unusually heavy rains fell during the progress of
the work, but this, except for the inconvenience caused,
in no way rendered the process of drying ine
citrate difficult. It is interesting to observe this, for it
has sometimes been asserted that it will be difficult to
make citrate in Dominica and other West Indian
islands because of the damp climate. The present
experiment clearly showed that there is no ground for
this stiggéstion. ~

100 THE

AGRICULTURAL

NEWS. Juty 19, 1902.

RNIN

WEST INDIAN FRUIT.

SERIOUS PEST OF THE ORANGE IN
JAMAICA.

THE FIDDLER OR MAY-BUG,

Mr. H. H. Cousins, the Agricultural Chemist of
Jamaica, has contributed the following notes on this
pest :—

It must be admitted that this pest (Praepodes vittatus )
commonly known as the ‘Fiddler,’ and in some districts in
Jamaica as ‘May-Bug,’ is one of the most serious obstacles
that the orange grower has to face in Jamaica. This is more
particularly so with budded fruit. We know of large
plantations of budded oranges just coming into good bearing,
where losses that can only be described as disastrous are
taking place from the ravayves of the larvae of Praepodes.

The trees, from a state of perfect health and vigorous
growth, suddenly stop growing, the terminals turn yellow
and, gradually, death sets in. Defective drainage and
starvation were the general explanation, and one proprietor
wasted much money in applying chemical manures on the
basis of this theory. A recent visit to one of these orange
groves convinced us of the real cause and author of the
damage. ‘Trees in various stages of injury were dug up and
in every case the roots had been girdled and larvae found
in situ. In one case where negroes cultivated produce
between the trees, the soil was so loose that a stick could be
pushed 2 feet into it without difficulty. Adults were
found at a depth of 2 feet. Specimens of these roots are
being sent to the Imperial Department of Agriculture by
this mail.

This year the beetles have been found in thousands
defoliating the orange trees. One grower was catching
6,000 per day, another was paying a fixed rate per pint of
‘heads.’ Carbon bisulphide injections have been found of
some apparent benefit as a means of destroying larvae. The
abandonment of inter-cultivation has also been found of
benefit as it is then less easy for the pest to enter the soil.
Deep planting is also contributory to disaster. If a deep
planted tree be girdled it cannot recover, whereas a surface
rooting system appears capable of considerable recuperation
even when serious damage has been done.

War against the adults seems to be the best policy.
We should be glad of the advice of the Department in
this matter, and a personal visit by the Entomologist would
be welcome.

ST. VINCHNT ARROWROOT.

A sample of St. Vincent arrowroot was recently
submitted to the Imperial Department of Agriculture.
It was examined at the Government Laboratory
Barbados, and the Island Professor of Chemistry has,
forwarded the following report :—

COMPOSITION :

Moisture 1466 per cent.
Starch 85:16 « «
A sh ‘OS “ “

99°90

‘This is a pure sample of excellent whiteness : it
has been prepared with care.and consists entirely of the
starch granules of arrowr vot.’

CACAO.

IMPORTATION FORBIDDEN AT TRINIDAD.

A proclamation has been issued by the Govern-
ment of Trinidad prohibiting ‘the importation into the
Colony from any part of the Mainland of South
America of cacao plants or of any portions of such plants
and of all parts or portions of any cacao tree other
than the cured thereof from Venezuela or
Colombia. Similar proclamations have already been
issued at Dominica and St. Lucia. (See Agricultural
News, pp. 14 and 38.)

beans

MANIOC OR CASSAVA FLOUR.

The Imperial Institute, London, has forwarded to
the Department the following note received from
Messrs. W. & C. Pantin, 147, Upper Thames Street,
London E.C., which may be of interest to West Indian
planters and exporters :—

Coarské Manioc. What we are looking out for is a
coarse, very cheap, manioc flour for manufacturing purposes,
and we have already had some offered from Brazil which will
come about £6 per ton ec. f. i, Hamburg. If you have
anything in this line to offer us, will you kindly send us
samples, and we shall be very glad to work up a business,
and we think the quantities would be large.

Sweet potato flour would answer equally well, the
only difficulty is the price, it would probably not pay
at less than £9 per ton.

Wory-k. “No: 7. THE

AGRICULTURAL NEWS

101

VANILLA.

Cultivation in the Seychelles.
(Continued trom page S83.)

PREPARING THE VINES FOR CROPPING.

If the plants have done well they should be ready for
such preparation in about eighteen months, more or less,
according to the season. Formerly in this colony they were
allowed to grow on until a spell of dry weather set in prior
to the usual blossoming time. The growing ends were then
cut off and all new shoots removed as they showed till
flowers began to come or till the season for them was past.
When the dry spell proved a long one, this seemed to answer
pretty well ; and, indeed, under these circumstances flowers
would come in any case, whether growth was checked or not.
But now it is more usual to stop the growing ends some nine

or ten months, in the first instance, before. flowering time.
In the majority of cases the terminal bud will push, and this
new shoot should also be removed when 5 or 6 inches long
not earlier, else the next to the last bud is apt to grow.

After the second checking most vines will shoot far
enough back to allow of the shoots being left. These grow
on for the next year, and then stopped branches hang down
with their lower ends a good foot or more from the ground,
being generally from 4 to 6 feet in length. according to the
heights of the forks through which they are hung and the
positions. of the new shoots, though these generally spring
just before the last bends of the checked branches, which are
to be the cropping parts. The new growths behind these are
supposed to drain them of their sap, and thus conduce to
flowering. However that may be, these checked hanging
branches have certainly more tendency to flower than other
parts of the vines. Flowers take some six weeks to develop
from the moment they burst through the buds to their time
of opening, but this period varies in length with the weather,
continuous dryness retarding and moderate showers hastening
their development when once started.

The growing branches of vines should now be checked
again for the following year’s crop. These will be less

troublesome in putting ont inconvenient shoots, as the plant’s

sap 1S more apt to go into flowering branches, when nourish-
ment is now more needed. Could the whole work be

performed in a few days, this change in the direction of sap
flow should be done preferably ten days or a fortnight
before flowers begin to open. In a large plantation, unless
the hands are very numerous or the shoots have been
arranged beforehand so that there is little else to do than
eut their ends, it will take some weeks to accomplish this,
and therefore work must begin earlier or finish later. If
the dry spell necessary for flowering has lasted a good
while and can fairly be depended upon to continue long
enough, the ends may be. eut earlier; but it
must be borne in wind that if rain in quantity comes
too soon and, in addition to the stimulus given by it,
the branches intended for flowering have also the sap

growing

from previously growing shoots potred into them, the
chance of their cropping well will be much diminished.

Many a promise of a fine crop is ruimed by too early rain
here. The country, climate, and the planter’s skill as a
weather prophet must govern this undertaking.

An abundant sup ply of leaf mould should be in readiness
for laying on the roots at this season, and should be applied
when flowers begin to open, or a little before. If previous
dressings have been so timed that vines are in a somewhat

starved condition when flowering is expected, the chances of
a good blossoming are increased, but this practice needs
judgement, or a poor quality of pods will be the result.

There used to be a story current here, no doubt with
some grain of truth in it, to the effect that in a very wet season
the only vanilla planter who had any crop was one whose
pigs had got adrift in his plantation and spent the night in
grubbing up vanilla roots. This method of producing flowers
is not recommended, but it is quite possible that careful and
systematic root pruning might be carried on with advantage
in wet years, if one could tell beforehand when these were
coming.

(To be continued.)

ARBOR DAY.

PLANTING TREES AT ST. VINCENT AND TOBAGO.

Notwithstanding the postponement of the Corona-
tion Ceremony, June 26 was observed in St. Vincent
and Tobago as an Arbor day. At St. Vincent,
Mr. Henry Powell, the Curator of the Botanic Station,
reports that tree-planting was duly carried out at
Government House, the Botanic Station and Agricul-
tural School and similar commemorative trees were
planted in the market places at Kingstown, Calliaqua
and Barrouallie, and at the residences of several private
individuals. Altogether, 59 trees were planted at
St. Vincent. More trees, Mr. Powell states, would have
been planted, had not the general conditions of the
island been upset by the recent volcanic disturbances.

At Tobago a be sd was prepared in the centre of the
Botanic Station and planted on that day with a group
of Cabbage Palms and ornamental shrubs. A Cabbage

Palm was also planted at Government House and
another at Fort Hill. At the latter place, the function
took place in the presence of the Warden, the Curator
and a large gathering of school children. To the latter
was explained the objec tof the ceremony. Altogether
21 trees were planted at Tobago.

At Barbados, also, a few Pamieniontine trees were
planted; but the majority of the trees have, we under-
stand, been retained to be planted on the actual
Coronation Day. In supporting the idea of establishing
an Arbor Day for the West Indies, Mr. Fawcett,
the Director of the Botanical Department, suggests
that at Jamaica, Victoria Day (May 24) being
a recognised public holiday might be a convenient
day for the purpose. M.. Raweett adds ‘there are
humerous occasions which would be fittingly marked
by the planting of trees such as ehaleren’s birthdays,
the visit of friends, the anniversaries of national or
local important events. But no one should undertake
to plant a tree unless it is fully intended to take care
of it afterwards, otherwise it will remain a monument
of careless indifference. A list of available plants at
the Jamaica Gardens is published in the Gazette. But
if there is likely to be a universally observed Arbor
Day, it would be well to give notice some months
beforehand of the plants required, The Government
is willing to help all interested in the movement.’

It would be interesting to learn what was done,
or, what is intended to be Honan in regard to an Arbor
Day in other Colonies.

THE AGRICU

LTURAL

NEWS. Jury 19, 1902.

EDITORIAL NOTICES.

Letters and matter for publication, as well as all
specimens for naming should be addressed to the Commis-
sioner, Imperial Department of Agriculture,
Barbados.

It is particularly requested that no letters be addressed
to any member of the statf by name. Such a course may
entail delay.

Communications should always be written on one side
of the paper only. It should be understood that no contri-
butions or specimens will, in any case, be returned.

All application for copies of the ‘Agricultural
News’ should be addressed to the Agents, and
not to the Department. <A complete list of the London
and Local agents will be found on the last page of this
number,

Correspondents sending newspapers should be careful to
mark the paragraphs they wish to bring under notice.

Cases for holding the numbers of the Agricultural Nears,
with gilt lettered, leather backs, may be obtained from the
‘Advocate’ Office, Bridgetown, Barbados. Price 2s. Post free

Agricultural Stews

JULY 19,

Vox. I. 1902. INOS ie

NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Grape Fruit
In the Exports of Jamaica for the year

SATURDAY,

1901

(p-92) grapes were, by accident, mserted instead of

grape- fruit. So far as we are aware grapes, although
more widely cultivated in Jamaica than formerly, have
not yet been exported in appreciable quantities. On
the other hand the grape fruit (a highly esteemed
variety of the shaddock) has been a recognised article
of e xport for many years, sometimes, amounting to the
value of £10,000 per annum.

ee

Toronto Exhibition 1902.

The arrangements for this great Canadian Fair to
be opened at ‘Toronto at the end of next month are
advancing rapidly. We learn that the products of
3ritish Guiana, Trinidad and most of the West Indian
Colonies are likely to be well represented. Messrs.
Pickford & Black, Limited, are doimg all they can to
assist by the free transist of exhibits and they will, also,
arrange them attractively in their places. he last
opportunity for shipping cured produce, intended for
this Exhibition, will be by 8.8. ‘Ocamo’ as_ follows :—
Demerara, July 25; ‘Trinidad, July 26; Barbados,
July 29; St. Vincent, July 30; St. Lucia, July 30
Dominica, July 31; Montserrat, August Antigua,
August 2; St Kitts, August 4. Further information
may be obtained from the Agents of the Pickford &
Black Ste: unship Company, Limited, in each Colony.

Bird Migrants in the West Indies.

The season is fast approaching when the large
annual flight of bird migrants, plover, teal, snipe,
duck ete. will be passing over these islands. It is
stated that about forty species appear at Barbados
between the beginning and end of August, but they
merely alight here on their passage to some distant
land. If a southerly wind and rain prevail they are
said to rest a short while, whereas fine weather tempts
them to continue their flight. The birds no doubt
are migrants from the mainland of North America
and they appear to fly, especially during fine weather,
to the east. That would bring them to the coast
of West Africa; but there is no doubt a large number,
possibly the bulk of them, travel south to the mainland
of South America, A fairly complete list of the bird
migrants that visit these islands would be an interest-
ing contribution to the pages of this Journal.

re 6 oe
Birds and Insect Pests.

It is observed that increased attention is being
devoted in these Colonies to the protection of native
birds, both ornamental and useful. Birds are admitted
to be the most attractive and interesting members of
our fauna and every effort should be made to increase
their numbers. Amongst nations the care of bird-life
for song and beauty is regarded as a sign of advancing
civilization. Apart from the pleasure attorded by their
presence many birds are valuable, if not essential, to
our success in agricultural pursuits. The insect- feeding
birds are the means of saving an appreciable share of
our crops every year. The Barbados blackbird, to take
a single instance, has been known to save a large field
of sweet potatos from being destroyed by caterpillars,
and the numerous fly-catchers tend to reduce within
reasonable limits the plague of flies and beetles that
otherwise would not only seriously interfere with our
comfort but attack our fruit and other crops.

oe
Ornamental Seeds.

There are numerous West Indian seeds of an
ornamental character that deserve to be more widely
known. The following are a few of the accessible

sorts: Horse-eye beans, Nicker beans (grey, black,
en orange and white), Circassian beans, Crab-eyes,
Coral beans, (red with black spots), Soap-berry, Job's

tears, Mammee-apple seeds, Indian shot, Wild tamarind,
Gru-gru, and Velvet seeds. The latter are somewhat
rare and found only at British Guiana and Jamaica.
The present age is one in which there is a great
demand for curios and the increasing number of
winter visitors to these Colonies should enable aged
people, and those who are only able to follow light,
sedentary occupations, to establish quite a small
industry in mounting and preparing the ornamental
seeds of the West Indies.
_— 27 +
Budding and Grahing Fruit Trees.
The regular and permanent improvement of West
Indian fruit of all kinds is a matter of the utmost
importance, It is desirable, in these days, we should

Vor. Ie Now /. THE

AGRICULTURAL NEWS.

103

steadily keep in view that to continue to grow from
seed such fruits as mangos, oranges, avocado pears,
sapodillas, guavas, star apples, and the various fruits
known in the West Indies as plums and cherries is not
only a waste of time and opportunity but it is a con-
fession of our want of appreciation of the advantages to
be derived from the skilful utilisation of our surround-
ings. It is hoped that at all Botanic Stations, Agricul-
tural Schools and Experiment plots throughout the
West Indies special attention will be devoted to bud-
ding and grafting fruit trees and that only budded and
grafted sorts, of known merit, will be planted out at
these institutions.
+ oe

Saccharine Sales Restricted.

About sixteen years ago when the discovery of
an artificial sweetening agent, termed saccharine, 250
times sweeter than sugar, was made there naturally
arose a well-grounded anxiety amongst sugar planters
to learn how far this new substance was hkely to
constitute a competitor with cane-sugar. When it
was found that saccharine could not become a regular
article of food and that its use, in cases where sugar
was forbidden, was more or less injurious, the anxiety
of the sugar planter was relieved. We now learn
that a Bill. has been passed 1 in the Reichstag restricting
the sale of saccharine in Germany to eHenees shops
and to persons officially licensed to sell it. In fact,
saccharine has finally passed out of the category
of an article of diet into that of a drug to be used
sparingly and only under medical advice.

oo

Sweet Potatos for Europe.

As shown, elsewhere, in these pages it is estab-
lished that there is a distinct demand for sweet potatos
during the winter months in Europe. This demand is
not large, at present, but if it were dealt with in an
enterprising and skilful manner there is no doubt it
would steadily crease and prove of considerable value
to the West Indies. To suit the Europe an market the
potatos should be dug a few days before they are to be
shipped and the skin allowed to get dry, they should
be of sorts that are known to keep well without
becoming soft or shrivelling: red-skinned potatos are
eomenanee preterred to white, and it may be added
that none of the potatos should weigh more than about
12 to 20 ounces or be larger (or smaller) than the
closed fist. The best package is the ordinary flour
barrel with small holes drilled in the sides tor ventila-
tion. Large holes admit rats and other vermin.

roa
Chinese Banana at Barbados.

In an account of the interesting experiment
recently published in the Agricultural News (p. 68)
of the trial shipment of bananas from Barbacos it
was pointed out that the fruit sent was not the usual
West Indian kind (the Gos Michel) but the Chinese or
dwarf banana so largely grown in the Canary islands
and forming the bulle of AE bananas now consumed in
Europe. This fact is regarded as of great importance
to the West Indies, ‘because if the Chinese banana
proves on trial to carry better than the other an

impetus to the West Indian fruit trade should follow,
because this is the fruit which is preferred in the

London market. Here is an excellent opening for
Barbados to start a small fruit trade. The plant

yielding the Chinese banana is already abundant in
the Sslontel it is low in stature and theretore not so
liable to be injured by wind while the fruit not only
carries well but is preferred in the London market
to any other. Ifa few planters, with suitable land,
would each plant 500 suckers during the present season,
it would soon be possible to ioe the value of the
industry. Mr. J. R. Bovell would be happy to attord
information on the subject. To obtain large bunches,
strong suckers should be planted, about 12 feet apart,
in sheltered situations, with good soil.

cee. <ai

Cotton Growing in the West Indies.

Cotton, at one time a staple product of the West
Indies, has been almost entirely supplanted by the
sugar-cane and is now grown on a commercial scale
only at Carriacou. The Imperial Department of
Agriculture has recently been conducting experiments
arith a view of testing the possibility of re- establishing
a cotton industry at St. Lucia and Montserrat.
Samples of cotton, oe in these islands, were for-
warded to the Manchester Chamber of Commerce in
March last. The experts ko whom they were submit-
ted for examination report :—

We should value them as undernoted, though it would
be advisable to take the values as more or less nominal,
there having been no actual business in these descriptions of
cotton for some time past. Most of the qualities, however,
would fairly readily find buyers. Cotton of white colour is
preferred to yellow cotton, and commands a higher price.

Sea Island Thd. Hawkins Prolific 43¢.—43d.
King Improved 4$—5 d.
Upland 6 d. Native Montserrat 53¢.—6 d.
Peterkin 4id.

Native Cotton (St Lucia) 44¢.—4 $d.

We think, with regard to the Sea Island, that this
might easily fetch considerably more money.

The following extract from a recent issue of The
Times indicates that the present moment is auspicious
for successful efforts to revive a cotton industry i
the West Indies :—

The ‘shortage’ of cotton which has caused prolonged
short time in Lancashire promises also to bring about a
resolute effort te promote the extension of cotton growing
within the British Empire. An influential committee repre-
senting the Chambers of Commerce and the associations of
millowners and mill hands was appointed some time back to
consider the matter. Yesterday a well-attended meeting of
the committee was held at the Manchester Chamber of
commerce, at which resolutions were passed for the formation
of a British cotton-growing association with a guarantee fund
of £50,000 for inquiries and operations’ during the next five

years. Important subscriptions were announced. Among
those taking part in the movement are Mr. J. Thompson,

president of the Manchester Chamber, Sir G. Cotton, Sir
Alfred Jones, Mr. Musgrave (Bolton), Mr. Newton, vice-
president of the Oldham Chamber of Commerce, Mr. Ashton,
chairman of the Operative Spinners’ Amalgamation, Mr.
Hutton (Manchester), and Mr. Emmott, M.P.

104

THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS.

JuLy 19; 1902:

WEST INDIAN FISHERIES.
Tarpon in Jamaica.

The information published in the Agricultural
News, (p. 72) respecting Tarpon in Jamaica has been
supplemented by some interesting notes, contributed
by Mr. 8S. F. Moyes. It would seem that heretofore
tarpon fishing had been confined to the rivers to which
fishing parties periodically resorted and obtained good
sport. Holland pond has now attracted attention and
is likely to afford excellent fishing. Mr. Moyes wnites:—

Holland pond is very deep. I have seen hundreds of
tarpon ‘freak’ there whilst shooting crocodiles ; but I only
trawled for tarpon once: baiting or fly fishing I consider
better. I have discovered that tarpon bite best in the early
morning and in a rising tide : also fairly well in the evening,
especially on rising water. 1 believe mullet bait the best and
a kerb hook. Fishing parties here made a great mistake at
first by using hooks too small and rods too light. The result
was that, although many large fish, sometimes 15 to 50 Ib.
weight, were hooked, few were landed because they invariably
broke the hooks or the rods and so escaped.

Our season here commences towards the
and virtually closes in August.

end of March

Dr. J. E. Duerden has kindly forwarded a copy of

the following letter from Mr, Jas. H. Cox of Kingston,
Jamaica, on the same subject :-—

Observing the inquiry re ‘Tarpon,’ I may mention
that the Yallahs pond has a large supply. I have very
little time for fishing or other sport, but with an ordinary
line, and bait of sea roach, I have hauled in on a
Sunday morning, at my place, Mt. George, three monsters
weighing 53, 58, and 44 tb., respectively. I have seen float-
ing on the pond the halves of several which had been chopped
in two by alligators, which appeared to me larger than
those I canght. As I never indulge to any extent in fishing,
f cannot say which are the best seasons, but very frequently
I have caught (without any further trouble than baiting the
hook and casting it into the ponds and fastening it to a stick
stuck in the beach) large jacks, and once or twice calipevers.
Snooks and jacks and alligators are plentiful in these ponds.

VOLCANIC DUST AT JAMAICA.

After the recent voleanie eruptions reports were
received of dust falling in the highlands of Jamaica.
Mr. H. H, Cousins, the Agricultural Chemist of. that
Colony, reports that he has received a sample from
Mr. 8. 'T. Scharschnudt, from Hanbury, Shooters Hill,
Manchester. This was compared with a sample of the
dust which tell at Barbados, forwarded to Mr. Cousins
by the Imperiai Department of Agriculture, and ‘found
_ to be indentical therewith in general composition. It
was, of course, finer in grade, but was otherwise
identical.’

GARDEN NOTES.

Recently while on a visit to Antigua there was
noticed an interesting instance of the way the Sacred
or Water Bean, sometimes, but incorrectly, called the
Lotus, bean (Nelumbinin speciosum) had established
itself ima wild state im the island. This lovely plant
with beautiful rosy flowers, on long slender stalks, had
taken complete possession of a large pond on the right
hand side of the high road leading from St. John’s to
Parham. The pond was some distance from any
dwelling and was surrounded by long grass and brush-
wood. It is seldom that so striking and beautiful a
picture is seen even in the tropics.

NeLUMBIUM LUTEUM.
(From the Dictionary of Gardening.)

It is stated that this plant (a native of the East
Indies) has, similarly, become wild in some parts of
British Guiana. The yellow flowered Nelumbium
lutewm, a native of Jamaica and the Southern
United States is cultivated at the Botanie Gardens at
Dominica and elsewhere in the West Indies. We
would be glad of notes of any other interesting foreign
plants that are establishing themselves in these

col mies.

Fig. 9.

The Banana leaf. The gigantic leaves of the banana
when growing luxuriantly are one of the glories of the
tropics. The large green leaf-blade is all in one piece and
soft and pleasant to the touch. This indicates that the
plant will grow best im fairly moist situations and where the
air is still. When planted in windy places, the leaves of
the banana soon become split up into strips. They cannot
then perform their work to the best advantage. Conse-
quently bananas do not thrive so well in windy situations.

Worse lee Nor:

THE

AGRICULTURAL NEWS.

105

The grasses belonging to the genus Andropogon
are remarkable for their aromatic constituents, and
for this reason have but little value as fodder, being

unpalatable to stock. One species, however, the Bar-

bados sour-grass
(A ndropogon per-
tusus) constitutes

an important fodder

in Barbados, Bar-
buda and some
other West In-
dian islands, as
well as in many
parts of the Old
World. (See West

Indian Bulletin,
Vol. II, p: 238.)
Like its con-
geners sour-grass
contains a notable
quantity of aromatic
substances. The
Hon’ble F. Watts
suggests that possi-
bly, these aromatic
principles may be
of value in ward-
ing off the attacks

of ticks, and of

worms 1

parasitic
and

the Jungs
intestines, so com-
monly found in-
festing cattle in the
West Indies.

Aromatic sub-
stances are rapidly
diffused through
the animal system
and are exereted
by the lungs, the
skin and the kid-
neys. Arguing from
the value as vermi-
fuges of similar
aromatic substances,
as for éxample,
turpentine, it 1s
reasonable to con-
jecture that the
aromatic substances
present in sour-grass
may be useful in
the manner here
suggested,

It would be
interesting if stock-

keepers would make observations to ascertain whether
animals fed upon sour-grass are or are not equally
liable to infection by ticks or worms, with animals

1.

SOUR-GRASS AND TICKS.

{

Fig. 10.
(Andropogon pertusus, Wild.)

JARBADOS

Whole plant (reduced). 2 Inflorescence.
Fertile and sterile flowers.

ay
vo.

SOUR-GRASS.

Group of Spikelets.

fed upon non-aromatic fodder.

Jamaica offers a fine field for experiment in
this direction: it would be comparatively easy to
introduce Barbados sour-grass to the stock estates,

4,

and after feeding
animals upon it for
a season, to com-
pare their con-
dition with the
animals fed upon
the ordinary

grasses.

Owing to its
aromatic character
difficulty is some-

times experienced
in getting animals

to eat this grass,
but the habit is
acquired in time

if other fodder is
withheld. Young
animals will perhaps
be more readily
induced to eat it
than older ones.
The poimt now
raised is not the
value of the grass
as fodder, for that
has long been
determined by — its
extensive use in
Barbados and else-
where, but its value
in preventing attacks
of parasites of
various kinds. That
it has a value
in this respect

appears to be
borne out by the
following note by

Mr. Oliver Nugent,
Acting-manager
Barbuda :—

In Barbados
the cattle and
horses that — feed
continually on

sour-grass keep
in excellent condi-
tion and their
skins are perfect-
ly clean and_ free
of ticks, while

the horses kept on the estates and fed otherwise get
covered with ticks and have to be caught and cleaned
continually,

THE AGRICULTURAL

NEWS. Jury 19, 1902

or

POULTRY.

Ticks on Fowls.

On page 74 of this Journal it was mentioned that
a piece of skin, removed from a fowl’s breast, covered
with ticks, had recently been forwarded to this Depart-
ment by Mr. C. W. Meaden, who was of opinion that
these parasites were the cause
poultry. Referring to this pest Mr. Hart writes ——

This tick was described in the Trinidad Bu//etin for
April 1899. It is mostly nocturnal in its habits when mature,
while in the primary stages it infests the skin of fowls.
Mr. Meaden sent them to me for identification when he found
them at Valsagn The tick has been sent to the Department
of Agriculture, United States of America, and Prof. Howard
has had it determined as Argas sp.—probably to be referred
to a Guiana species. It kills fowls rapidly unless they are
treated. We have found kerosene and cocoa-nut oil, equal
parts, very effective. It is quite useless to burn down fowl
houses alone, because the ticks are always sure to be on the
fowls and will infest the next fowl house readily. The only
plan is to destroy a// the fowls as well as the fowl house.

Referring to the query on page 90 concerning an
imported Plymouth Rock rooster whose legs have
become covered with scales, Mr. J. Barclay, the
Secretary of the Jamaica Agricultural Society, writes:—

This is a common disorder among fowls, more especially
those having Asiatie blood and yellow legs, as the Plymouth
Rocks have, and it is termed ‘sealy leg.’ The rough warty
scale may safely be picked off, and it does not matter if
a little blood shows. Then the legs should be rubbed with
kerosene and sweet oil, equal parts mixed,

It isa simple matter to cure when taken at an early
stage, but when it is as bad as stated, it will take some little
time before the bird is fit again. Give a dose of one tea-
spoonful of Epsom salts in water or soft food once a week,
and do not feed corn for three weeks, but rather some dry
rice, pigeon peas and household seraps. i

Bats prefer Purple Grapes.
What appears an interesting case of bats prefer-
ring purple grapes to green kinds comes to hand from
Montserrat. The Agricultural Instructor reports that

the bats bit through and in some cases tore off

mosquito netting bags placed over pure purple grapes
at the Grove Station, whilst a little distance off green
grapes not protected at all, ripened without molestation.

of considerable loss of

BEE-KEEPING.

Montserrat.

Satisfactory progress is reported from Montserrat of the
bee-keeping industry in this island. A considerable increase
has been made in the number of colonies, the number at the
Experiment Station rising from eighteen to forty-four during
the last three months. The principal source of honey is
stated to be Cleome, a common weed, found every where and
flowering a few days after rain. A considerable amount of
honey was also gathered by the bees at Olveston Station
from Logwood which remained in flower only a short time.
On several occasions when the Alfalfa, a well-known Ameri-
can bee-plant has been in flower, the Italian and Black
bees have altogether discarded it, though the little wild
stingless bee worked actively on it.

Honey a Nutritive Laxative. Sir James Sawyer,
the well-known physician, is never tired of dilating upon the
virtues of honey. Addressing the members of the Warwick-
shire Bee-keepers’ Association recently, he declared that
honey was a nutritious food, capable of administering to
every activity of the body and mind, of muscular action, and
of resistance to cold and disease. If we consume ordinary
sugar it has to be changed into glucose before we can assimi-
late it, but the bee has already done that for us with
regard to the sugar-solution which it took from the flower.
Besides being nutritive, honey is valuable as a laxative.
(Science Sittings.)

Preserving Corn.

In the West Indies, as in most tropical countries,
stored crops, especially cereals, are hable to the attacks
of insects, which result in serious loss to the cultivators.
A simple and inexpensive method of preserving corn,
guinea corn, pigeon peas and all foodstuffs, from
weevils and other insects is recorded in Pamphlet
Series No. 5, (p. 26) issued by this Department :—

‘Grain may be freed from weevils by exposing it
for twenty-four hours in an air-tight receptacle, to the
fumes of carbon bisulphide at the rate of one teaspoon-
ful (1 drachm) per cubie foot of space. This will kill
every insect within twenty-four hours and will not
damage the grain, Carbon bisulphide is obtainable in
cans from 7 tb. upwards at about 5d. per th. in England
or the United States. It may also be imported in 1 tb.
or 5 th. bottles more readily, though at a higher price.
In Barbados the retail price is 2s. per Ib. Benzene
may be used in the same way, taking rather more
per cubie foot as it is less powerful. As both these
substances are very inflammable, care must be exercised
in using them,’

Ais IG INOy We THE

AGRICULTURAL

NEWS. 107

EDUCATIONAL.

Agricultural and Science Education at Antigua.

The following appears in the Antigua Grammar
School Review tor June, 1902 :—

With the sanction of the Secretary of State the
Imperial Commissioner of Agriculture for the West Indies
has arranged to afford assistance to the Antigua Grammar
School to enable it to maintain a regular course of instruc-
tion in elementary science and agriculture.

A Science and Agricultural Master from England will be
provided by the Department, as also scholarships of the
value of £10 for day scholars and £20 (about half the cost)
for boarders.

These scholarships are tenable at the school and are open
to boys in Antigua and Montserrat under sixteen years of
age (preferably the sons of planters) whose fathers’ income is
not more than £150 per annum.

Particulars of these scholarships, and the subjects for
examination will be published later. It is expected that the
Science Master will arrive at Antigua at the beginning of the
next term.

Agricultural Teaching in Hlementary
Schools.

The Education Board at Barbados has recently
issued the following requirements for the Premium
examinations in elementary schools during the year
1903 -—

OBJECT

STANDARD I.

12 Simple jessons on common objects which must have
been given during the year must be ready for the Inspector
on his visit of exainination. The teacher will be required to
give a lesson on one of the subjects named before the Inspector,
who will report to the Education Board on the manner in
which the lesson has been taught and on the teacher's efficiency.
Bat, Horse, Cow, Lizards, Frogs, Bees, Leaves, and Fruits of
any six plants mentioned under Standard II (The children must
identify the plants by their fruits and leaves, show use of
fruits, etc.)

STANDARD II.

12 Simple lessons on Plants and Animals to be given.
These must be illustrated as far as possible by specimens,
diagrams and blackboard. The teacher will be asked to explain
a reading lesson, or give an object lesson. Children must be
able to identify the following :-—

Bamboo, Sugar-cane, Coffee, Orange, Banana, Tobacco,
Mango, Yam, Ginger, Pine-apple, Bread-fruit, Sweet-potato.
Animals as in Stuulard I. Blackie’s Tropical Reader. Part I,
Book I. This is more for guidance of the Teacher, than as
indicating what the children should read.

Sranparp ur.— Plait Life.

Parts of Plant as in Standard IT but more fully.
3 Typical Flowering plants—Sugar-cane, Mahogany, Lime.
3 Flowerless plants—a Fern, a Sea-weed, a Moss.
3 Climbing plants—Creeping pink,* Bonavist,
lemon.
Tuberous root plants—-Sweet-Potato, Cassava, Radish.
Blackie’s Tropical Reader, Part 11, Book I for Teacher’s
guidance.
Blackie’s Tropical Reader, Part I, Book I pages 68—
108 for children.
STANDARD Iv.
(1) Animal Life (see Reader) General knowledge.
Part I, Book II. Blackie’s Tropical Reader, pages 1 to 51.

LESSONS AND NATURE TEACHING.

Water-

(* Ipomea Quamoclit, Ep. A. N.)

In all standards children should be er.couraged to cultivate
plants in boxes and pots. In order to obtain the grant for
teaching of Agriculture, growing specimens must be shown.

STANDARD Vv.

Lessons on the following to be given :—-
Sugar, Coffee, Banana, Cocoa, Tobacco, Yams, Corn, Food of
Pluits, Germination, Tillage aul Drainage. The names and
uses of tools used in cultivation. Experiments in digging, hoeing,
raking and planting. Blackie’s Vropical Reader, Part TH,
Book II.

Sranparps vi. & vu.—Cultivation of Crops.—Health.

Questions from pages 109 to end including Sweet Potatos,
Yams and Eddoes‘—Blackie’s Tropical Reader, Part II,
Book IT.

Opportunities for showing growing plants, for practical
gardening, use of tools, garden plots cultivated by children
&e., &e., should be given whenever possible.

The portions named for the Tropical Readers are intended
for the guidance of teachers rather than as portions to be learnt
by scholars. In the higher standards the children will be
expected to have made themselves thoroughly acquainted with
the subject matter of the portions indicated.

SCIENCE NOTES.

Pine-apple as an aid to Digestion.

On page 43 of the Agricultural News we drew attention
to the fact that the pineapple contained a ferment, called
‘bromelin,’ almost identical in its action with papain, the
ferment contained in the papaw. The value of the papaw as
an aid to digestion has long been known, whilst that of the
pine-apple has only recently been recognized. The Lancet
has taken up the question and says ‘the partaking of a slice
of pine-apple after a meal is quite in accordance with physio-
logical indications.’ Bromelin exerts a powerful action on
proteids, digesting ‘1,000 times its own weight within a
few hours.’ Fibrin disappears entirely, the white of eggs is
digested slowly, whilst albumin of meat is transformed first
to a pulpy gelantinous mass, to be completely dissolved later.
Cooking destroys the activity of the ferment, but the Lancet
is of opinion that ‘unless the pine-apple is preserved by
heat, there is no reason why the tinned fruit should not
retain its digestive power.’ Unfortunately, however, for this
hope pineapples are sterilized by steam-heat during the
process of canning, the ferment being almost certainly
destroyed. ‘Unlike pepsin, the digestive principle of the
pine-apple will operate in an acid, neutral, or even alkaline
medium, agcording to the kind of proteid to which it is
presented. It may therefore be assumed that the pine-apple
enzyme would not only aid the work of digestion in the
stomach but would continne that action in the intestinal tract.
Pine-apple, it may be added, contains much indigestible
matter of the nature of woody fibre, but it is quite possible
that the decidedly digestive properties of the juice compen-
sate for this fact.’

Cockroach Poison.

Cockroaches can be destroyed by mixing equal
parts of molasses, or sweet chocolate, and boracie acid,
and spreading this on small pieces of tin or cardboard,
which are placed in cupboards or under furniture.
The mixture is not poisonous to dogs and other domes-
tic animals, but will destroy the cockroaches.

108 THE AGRICULTURAL

NEWS. Jory 19, 1902-

Molasses as a Food for Army Horses.

Attention has already been directed in this
Journal to the value of molasses as a food for horses
and cattle (pp. 22 and 66.). The following important
paper by My. E. F. Griffin, Veterimary Artillery Corps,

Fort Sheridan, Illinois, U.S.A., appeared, under the
above title, in the Louisiana Planter tor April 26,

last. This account is well worth the careful attention
of all owners of horses and cattle in the West Indies :—

While serving with the Fifth cavalry in Porto Rico,
1899 to 1901, it was observed that the natives used consid-
erable molasses in the feeding of their ponies. On inquiring
into the reasons we were informed that the corn of the
country was sinall, hard, scarce and expensive ; oats had to be
imported ; hay was an unknown quantity, it being practically
impossible to cure grass in a country where the rainfall was
so great and frequent ; besides, as vegetation flourishes the
year through, grass in large quantities was always obtain-
able, althongh of a coarse variety and containing 85 per cent.
of water.

USE BY NATIVES IN PORTO RICO

Grass as fed, is cut early in the morning, made into
bundles from 10 to 15 1b., transported on oxcarts to the
neighbouring towns, and there retailed for a small sum
to the horse owners. An unlimited supply of this grass is
allowed to the horse, it, however, being cut or chopped into
short lengths first. In nddition to this, where molasses is
obtainable (and it is very plentiful in this sugar-raising
country), and cheap enough, it is added to the drinking
water and the animal is allowed to partake of it in large
quantities. All of the ponies do good work on this
ration and endure surprisingly the hard usage and brutal
abuse to which they are subject by the native Porto Rican
and the Spaniard, who are seemingly devoid of merey where
horse flesh is concerned. The question suggests itself,—why
not feed army animals in this manner ?

Through the kindness of Colonel Clem, chief quarter-
master of the then Department of Porto Rico, a money allow-
ance of S80 was placed at our disposal for the purchase of
molasses for the purposes of experiment.

EIGHT HORSES EXPERIMENTED ON.

Six troop horses and two private horses were soles
for the feeding experiment, which was inaugurated January
1, 1899, and continued until May 31 of the same year. In
carrying out the experiment [was ably assisted by a detail
of enlisted men, in charge of Farrier Pagoda, of Troop L.,
Fifth cavalry.

On the appointed day the eight horses were weighed,
pulse, temperature, respirations, secretions, ete., noted and
recorded ; also the condition of the teeth and general health,
all of which were normal; selection of horses was made
without discrimination except that of the two private horses,
one of which belonged to the adjutant of the regiment, the
other to ourselves.

RATIONS.

Commencing with the morning feed on January 1, the
oats ration was gradually decreased and grass substituted, at
the rate of 3lb. of grass for one of oats. Commencing on
the 4th, the hay ration was gradually diminished and_ its
place supplied with grass at the rate of 2lb. of grass for
one of hay. On the 6th, in addition to the grass, now
amounting to 211b. a day (chopped), there was added, mixed
therewith, 3lb. of molasses. The hay and oats were partaken
of eagerly, also the fresh grass, but that mixed with the
molasses was absoutely refused, except by horse No. 2,
which was very fond of candy or sugar, He, however,

appeared to have trouble in its mastication, when it struck
us that the molasses. was. not sutticiently diluted. At the
next feed 25 per cent. of water was added to the molasses,
when five of the animals commenced to eat it gingerly. By
the 10th. of the month all of the horses were eating 35lb.
of grass and 141b. of molasses daily without the addition
of any other feed whatsoever.
TEMPORARY LOSS IN WEIGHT.

From the 7th. to the 18th. each horse lost in weight
from 25lb. in the case of No. 2 to 521b. m the case of No. 5.
Contrary to expectations, there was no relaxation of the
bowels noticed : in fact, at a late period bran had to be
given to overcome a partially constipated condition in all of
the subjects ; urine was clear and secreted in greater quantity

than usual, but on* test for sugar no reaction could be
observed.
During this time each animal was doing the usual

routine work of the garrison—drills, parades, scouts, horse
exercise and patrols, amounting in all to about five or six
miles a day.

On the morning of the 17th. it was decided to give the
animals a regular amount of work, consisting of twelve miles
a day each, with saddle packed with soldier's field kit, or
its equivalent, which with the man, averaged 203 Ib.

Animals were watered at 6 a.m., fed 151b. of grass and
Tlb. of molasses immediately afterwards ; at 7:30 a.m. they
were all saddled, and the detachment, under our direction
(riding No. 2), proceeded thus: One mile walk, one mile
regulation trot, one mile walk, one mile slow gallop, two
mile walk, one mile fast gallop, one mile trot, two mile walk.
Returning to the stable not earlier than 9:30 a.m., unsaddled,
placed horses on picket line ; water was offered at all the
numerous streams crossing the line of march while en route,
but was refused except on rare occasions, and then partaken
of only by the oldest animal in the detachment, No. 6, fifteen
years old ; water was offered at noon, but little partaken
of ; at 4:30 p.m. 201b. of grass and 7]b. of molasses were
again fed, salt was offered twice a week, and about three
ounces partaken of for the week; the molasses was diluted
with 25 per cent. of water and mixed with the chopped grass
as far as possible; where all could not be mixed it was
dissolved in water and offered as a drink, which was
partaken of during the night out of the bucket left in each
manger.

THE HORSES INCREASE IN WEIGHT.

Commencing with January 20, all the horses commenced
to pick up, and by February 5, all of them had arrived at
their original weight, and in some cases, notably No. 2, had
surpassed it, with the exception of No. 6, the old horse,
which regained his weight slowly. By the end of February
all the horses had increased in weight over the original
fron 35 to 68 tb., the former in the case of No. 6,
the latter No 2. This increase was maintained or varied
from very little throughout the experiment, except in the
case of No. 6, the old horse, which slowly put on 52tb.
over the original. The work was continued daily, rain
or shine, Sundays excepted, and addition to this we
were glad to let the horses out to garrison riding parties
for drills and parades so long as it did not inter-
fere with the regular work, with the understanding, however,
that no food should be offered while absent from the
stable. In addition to this all the horses were given a
swim in the sea every Sunday afternoon for about half an
hour with the object in view of washing off any molasses
sticking to the coat. Grooming was only indulged in once a
day, and that about 4 in the evening.

: (To be continued.)

Wor lee Nowe: THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 109
6, to Thursday, August 14, next. The theoretical
lectures will take place in the morning and the practi-

HEPORT.5) cal demonstrations at the Botanic Gardens in the
Zs > fp a afternoon of each day. The examination will be held
J K on Thursday August 14.
: ; The half-yearly examinations of the resident
/ ( pupils at the Agricultural Schools at St. Vincent, St.
« Lucia and Dominica were held at the close of last
neta month, ‘The results will shortly be published.
ST. VINCENT: ANNUAL REPORTS ON THE
BOTANIC STATION, AGRICULTURAL SCHOOL

AND EAND SETTLEMENT SCHEME, 1901.

Botanic Station: The report deals, in detail, with the
routine work of the Station. The mole-cricket seems to have
done considerable damage to the lawns and some of the
provision crops such as onions and English potatos. ~ The
most successful remedy for this pest was the application of
common soap suds. Budded oranges were introduced from
Jamaica. Economie and other plants, principally cacao,
limes and coffee, to the number of 25,000 were distributed
during the year ; including 9,000 supplied gratis to settlers
on Crown Lands and to Public Institutions in the island.
The experiment plot at Georgetown proved satisfactory but

those on the Soufriere and Mount St. Andrew were
abandoned.
Bee-keeping occupied considerable attention. The

Christmas wreath (Jpomeu sidaefolia), a useful bee plant,
was established and seeds were distributed to bee-keepers.
The rainfall during the year was 125 inches being twelve
inches above the average for the last twelve years. Two
Poland China boars, two Southdown rams and three lop ear-
ed ram goats were introduced during the year by the
Imperial “Department of Agriculture for the purpose of
improving the local breeds of stock. The expenditure for
the year was £675. The amount received from the sale of
plants and produce was £52.

Agricultural School: The report deals with the work of
the new agricultural school founded in 1901 and maintained
by the Imperial Department of Agriculture. Twenty-four
boys were in residence during the latter part of 1901, They
received practical instruction in Agriculture and Horticulture
every morning except Sundays for three and a half hours.
Most of the provisions used at the school were raised by the
boys themselves. Four hours a day were devoted to indoor

work the instruction comprising reading, composition,
arithmetic, geography and the elements of agricultural
science. About a quarter of an acre of the gronnds is

devoted to boys’ gardens in the cultivation of which, during
their spare time, the students take great interest. The
expenditure during the year was £622.

Land Settlement Scheme. The progress during the year
was satisfactory. Upwards of 7,000 economic plants, chiefly
cacao and coffee, were planted. Numerous drains and ten
and a half miles of windbreaks were established, the trees
employed being Galba (Calophyllum Calaba) and Angelin
(Andira inermis). In connexion with this scheme an
experienced local planter has lately been appointed Agricul-
tural Instructor.

DEPARTMENT NEWS.
The third and concluding course of lectures to
Teachers.of Elementary schools at Grenada is proposed
to be given at St. George’s from Wednesday, August

AGRICULTURAL NOTES.

St. Lucia.

Mr. G. 8. Hudson contributes the following
notes :—
Weather. The weather continues extremely wet. Up

to June 18, there was not a single day that could by any
courtesy be called ‘fine.’ The rainfall to the same date was
about 11 inches.

Cacao Crop. This continuously wet weather cannot
fail to have a prejudicial effect on the coming crop,
occurring as it does during the principal flowering season.
With the atmosphere almost continually at saturation point,
it is extremely difficult for fertilization to take place. After
bad weather the ground is found strewn with unfertilized
cacao flowers which planters often attribute to wind, but if
one would try to blow off a newly opened cacao tlower with
a pair of bellows, he would probably fail. If a flower remains
unfertilized after the time for fertilization has passed, changes
take place in the stalk and then the flower will fall with the
shghtest touch.

Arrowroot. The St. Vincent disaster has sent up the
price of arrowroot to 4d. and 6d. per Ib., and as the major
part of the 1902 crop must have been dug, cured and shipped
before the eruptions, there is a possibility of these high prices
being maintained for a couple of years. But West Indian
planters do not move easily into a new groove. There is still
time to plant and every prospect of a good profit, the cost
of production being usually not more than 2 cents per pound.

Ginger. Prices for the last three years have been
practically profitless, but now show some signs of mending.
A certain class of Jamaica peasants have been accustomed to
plant ginger, and their fathers before them, and they will
plant ginger no matter what the market conditions may be.

Sweet Potato. The same thing occurs in regard to
this product. It is the rule to plant potatos as soon as the
rains come, and every one does so; consequently potatos are
practically given away in October, November, and December.
Dry lands could carry their crops as late as March, and
humid forest estates almost all the year through.

An Experiment with Swedes in Ceylon. At
the Hakgala Botanic Gardens (about 6,000 feet elevation)
in Ceylon, an interesting experiment on the growth of Swedes
has just been made. An ounce of seed was sown on July
25 on a piece of land 48 yards square. The crop was taken
up on December 9,—43 months from the time of sowing—
the yield being 280 Ib. or at the rate of 121 tons to the acre.
The largest weighed 8 Ib. and measured 24 inches in circum-
ference. These roots possess good feeding qualities for
cattle and sheep.

110 THE

AGRICULTURAL NEWS.

Juty 19, 1902.

THE
CULTURE. KHdited by L. H.
London and New York. 4 vols.

The fourth and concluding volume of this important
work has just been issued, the first volume having appeared

CYCLOPZDIA OF

AMERICAN HORTI-
Bailey, Macmillan & Co.

in 1900. Its aim is to make a complete record of the
condition of horticulture in North America at the begin-
ning of the twentieth century. The work discusses
the cultivation of fruits, flowers and garden vegetables,

describes all the species which are known to be in the horti-
cultural trade, outlines the horticultural possibilities of the
various states, territories and provinces including Porto Rico
and the Phillipines, and indicates the leading monographic
works relating to the various subjects.

In carrying out this scheme the editor has availed himself
of the assistance of some four hundred and fifty contributors
—specialists in the subjects on which they have written,—
among whoi are many of the leading American botanists and
agricultural experts. Particular attention has been devoted
to tropical and sub-tropical economic ,plants, a fact which
greatly enhances the value of the work from a West Indian
point of view. Among the contributors are Messrs. Fawcett
and Harris of Jamaica, and Mr. J. H. Hart of Trinidad.

The classification adopted is that of Bentham and Hooker
in their Genera Plantarum, and the standard of nomenclature
that of the Index Kewensis—facts which render these volumes
more useful to English workers than if the system of Engler
and Prantl had been used.

Many of the special articles are adinirably
and contain much valuable information of use in the West
Indies. Special mention may be made of those on pruning,
seedage (the propagation of plants from seeds and spores),
cuttage (growth from cuttings), pine-apples, citrus plants,
spraying, transplanting, insects, and horticulture.

A valuable feature of the work consists in the references
to the standard works in each subject on both the practical
and the scientific side. By this means anyone wishing to
make a detailed study of any particular plant or subject is
at once placed on the right track to obtain the really useful
literature of the subject—a boon of the utmost value to the
worker at a distance from a good scientific library.

Although much of the information in these volumes is

illustrated

not of direct application in the West Indies, nevertheless.

the work, as a whole, is well worthy of close study by all
interested in tropical agriculture and horticulture, mainly on
account of the suggestive character of many of the articles.
Tn its pages some idea of the great strides which have been
made in American horticulture can be gathered, as well as of
the methods by which this progress has been achieved. As
a general up-to-date work of reference on horticultural
subjects, these volumes are bound to prove of great value to
all interested in the raising of economic plants, whether in
the tropics or in temperate regions. To the various Agricul-
tural Societies, Natural History clubs, and libraries in the
West Indies, we heartily recommend the work.

_ Sir Fielding Clarke.

AGRICULTURAL INSTITUTIONS IN
THE WEST INDIES.

Jamaica Board of Agriculture : Chairmai:
Sydney Olivier, C.M.G.; Secretary: W.
B.Se. ; Publication—Oceasional Bulletin.

The Hon'ble
R. Buttenshaw, M. A

Jamaica Agricultural Society (with thirty two aftihated
Branches). Kingston, Jamaica. President : Sir Augustus W.L.
Hemming, G.C.M.G. | Deputy Chairman: Hon'ble Wm. Faw-
cett, B.Sc., F.L.S. Secretary: John Barclay. Publication :
“Journal of the Jamaica Agricultural Society.”

Royal Jamaica Society of Agriculture & Commerce &

Merchants’ Exchange, Kingston, Jamaica. President: Hon’ble
Lieut-Colonel. Ward, C.M.G. Secretary: J. L. Ashenheim.

Publication: Annual Report.

The Institute of Jamaica: Kingston, Jamaica. Chairman :

Secretary: Frank Cundall, F.S.A., Curator

E.S. Panton Publications “Journal of the Institute
“Jamaica in 1901.”

of Museum :

of Jamaica.’

’

Kingston & St. Andrew Horticultural Society.
Jamaica. President: Hon'ble Wm. Fawcett, B.Sc.
William Harris, F.L.S.

Kingston,
Secretary 2

British Guiana Board of Agriculture, Georgetown, Demera-
ra. Chairman: Hon’ble A.M. Ashmore, C.M.G. Deputy Chair-

maw: J. B. Harrison, M.A., C.M.G., ; Secretary: Oscar Weber :
Agricultural Dustructor: R. Ward : Assistant Tustructor in
Agriculture: J. E. Beckett (on probation) ; Veterinary

Surgeon: J. A. Raleigh.

British Guiana Royal Agricultural & Commercial Society
Georgetown, Demerara. President: Luke M. Hill, B.A.,
M.1.C.E. Secretary : Thomas Daley. Local Secretary : (Berbice,)
Dr. C. F. Castor. Assistant Secretary and Librarian: J. Rod-
way, F.L.S.. Curator of Musewm : Richard Evans, M.A., B.Se.,
Publication : ** Sournal of the Royel Agriculture and Commer-
cial Society of British Guiana.”’

Trinidad Agricultural Society,
President : Sir Alfred Moloney,
Tripp. Publication : *
of Trinidad.”

Port-of-Spain, Trinidad.
K.C.M.G. Sceretary : Edgar
Proceedings of the Agricultural Society

Presi-
W. E.

Grenada Agricultural Society, St George’s, Grenada.
dent: Sir Robert B. Llewelyn, K.C.M.G. Secretary:
Broadway. Publication; Minutes of Meetings.

Barbados General Agricultural Society & Reid School of
Pr otic Chemistry, Bridgetown, Barbados. President: Sir.
George Pile, Kt. Secretary: J. H. Poyer. Publication :

ok srebadce Agricultural Gazette and Planters’ Journal.’

St. Lucia Agricultural Society, Castries, St. Lucia : Presi-
dent :-—_—— -Secretary : R: G. McHugh.

Dominica Agricultural Society, Roseau, Dominica. Pres-
ident: The Hon’ble H. Hesketh Bell. Secretary: A. K. Agar.

Antigua Agricultural Society. President Secretary =
W. N. Sands.

St. Kt Yevis Agricultural Society. President : Honour-
able E. G. Todd. Secretary: C. A Smith.

[Further ek. &: of Agricultural and Horticultural
Institutions in the West Indies “would be gladly received for
this list. Also fixtures for Agricultural Shows ‘for 1902. ]

!

THE

AGRICULTURAL NEWS.

111

COMMERCIAL.

With the view of assisting in finding a market for the
disposal of local produce, arrangements have been made with
the following Agents in these Colonies who will be prepared
to receive consignments and obtain the best prices for them.

It is desirable that inquiry be made, beforehand, as
to the terms on which such produce will be received, and
whether the market is favourable or not.

It is particularly urged that no shipments be made until
an assurance has been received from the Agents themselves
that they are prepared to aecept such shipments.

Agents in the West Indies.
BRITISH GUIANA—B.S. Bayley, Water Street, Georgetown.
TRINIDAD—J. Russell Murray, Port-of-Spain.
BARBADOS—T. 8. Garraway & Co., Bridgetown.
ST. LUCIA—Captain H. Henville, Contractor & Agent, Castries.

MARKET REPORTS.

London,—June 24, 1902.—Messrs. J. Hates Carrp & Co.
> ? ?
Messrs. GILLESPIE Bros. & Co. and THE PusBiic
Lepcer, June 7, 1902.

Atogs—-Barbados 13/- to 35/ ; Socotrine 70/- to 80/- per ewt.

ArRowRoOT—St. Vincent, fair 4d per Ib.

Barara—Demerara sheet 2/4 per Ib.

Beres-wax—Jamaica, fair palish £7 17s Gd to £8 per ewt.

Cacao—Trinidad, dark defective 58/- to 62/- ; good to fine
red 64/- to 70/- per ewt.
Grenada, ordinary to fair 56/- to 62/-; good to fine
61/- to 65/- per ewt.
Jamaica, fair ordinary 54/- to 56/-; fine fermented
61/- to 62/6 per ewt.
Dominica, fair 56/6.to 59/- ;

~Carpamoms—1/10 to 2/3 per Ib.

Cassia FisruLa—5/6 to 35/- per ewt.

Castor Orm—45d to 43d per Ib.

Corree—Jamiuca, tine ordinary 43/- to 45/; good bold
66/- to 75/ ; fine bold 98/- per ewt.
Costa Rica, 42/- to 88/6 per ewt.
Peaberry, 68/6 to 81/6 per ewt.

Corron— Carriacou, 4}. per Ib.

CowaGE—1Jd to 2d per Ib

Fusric—Jamaica, quiet.

GinceR—Jamaica, good bright 48/- to 57/- ; common 34/-
to 35/- per cwt.

Hoxey—Jamaica, bright pale amber 18/- to 19/6 ; dark
red 14/- to 14/6 per ewt.

Jatar—4d to 6d per Ib.

Kuus-Kuus Roor—12/- per ewt.

Kora Nuts—Ild to 4/7 per Ib.

Lime Jurce—Raw, 1/2 to 1/5 per gallon ; concentrated,
AD? per pipe.

Locwoop—Jamaica £4 5s to £4 15s per ton.

Mace--no quotations.

NirrateorSona—-Refined £9 15s ;ordinary £9. 2 6d perton.

Nurmecs—No quotations.

Om or Lres—Distilled 1/11 to 2/- per Ib. ; hand pressed
none offering.

Pimento—23d. to 24d per Ib.

SARSAPARILLA—Jamaica, fair 1/3 to 1/4 per Tb.

Sucar-—Muscovado 10/- to 14/- ; crystallized 12/103 to 15/-
per ewt.

SULPHATE oF AmMonraA—Grey, 24 per cent., London £13
per ton.

TAMARINDS—Barbados 12/- to 13/- per ewt.

‘Tonquin Brans—9d/ to 2/9 per Ib.

Fruir—Covent GarpeN MARKET
CuronicLgE, June 14, 1902.)
Bananas—7Z/- to 10/- per bunch..
Lemons—8/- to 14/- per case.
Mancos 6/- to 12/- per dozen.

fermented _59/6 per ewt.

(GARDENER’S

Orances—16/- to 20/- per case.
Pines—3/- to 4/- each.
New York, —June 13, 1902.— Messrs. GitLespreBros. & Co.

Bananas—Jamaica, 9 hands $1.30, 8 hands 95c.. 7 hands
60c. to 65¢e. per bunch.

Cacao—African 12}c. to 13¢. ; Caracas, fair to good ordi-
nary Idec. to 145c.; Jamaica, good fermented 11 fe. ;
Grenada 13jc. Trinidad 13c. to 14c. per Tb.

Cocoa-Nuts—Jaimaicas, $20.00 per M. ; Small Trinidads
$12.00 per M.

CorrEE—Rio, good ordinary 5}c. ; Jamaica ordinary Ge. ;
good ordinary 7e per lb.

GinGeR—8e. to 8he per lb.

Prmento—5dje. to 5}c. per Ib.

Ruseer—Nicaragua Scrap 51e. per lb ; sheet 46c. perlb. ;
Guayaquil Strip 48e. per th.

Sucar—-Muscoyado, 89°, 2Zc. to 3c. ; centrifugals, 96°,
3zge per lb.

INTER-COLONIAL MARKETS.

Antigua,—July 2, 1902.—Messrs. G. W. BENNETT, Bry-
son & Co., Ltd. i
Mouasses—8c. per gallon, package included.
Sucar—Muscovado $1.00 per 100Ib., nominal.

Barbados,—July 5, 1902.—Messrs. T.S. Garraway & Co.
ARROWROOT—good quality, $3.50 per cwt.
Cacao—$13.50 per ewt.

CorreE—Jamaica and ordinary Rio $9.00 and
respectively.

EscuaLorres—12c. to 14¢ per lb.

Hay—lotting 90c. per 1001b.

Manures—Nitrate of Soda $60.00 per ton. Sulphate of
Ammonia—$75.00 per ton.

MorassEs—8e. per gallon and $4.00 for package.

Ontons—Bermuda $1.80 per LOOIb. ; stringed at $2.14 per
100 ib.

Poratos—$3.00 per barrel.

Rice—Ballam $4.90 per bag ;° Patna $3.75 per bag.

Sucar—in hogsheads, 85¢. per 1001b. and $5.00 for
hogshead ; in bags $1.05 per 1LOOIb.

British Guiana,—July 3, 1902.—Messrs. Werrme &

tICHTER.

‘Arrowroot—$8.50 per barrel.

Cacao—-native lle. to 12c. nominal.

Cassava StarcH—$6.50 per barrel.

Cocos-NutTS—$8.00 to $10.00 per M.

Correr—Rio and Jamaica 12c. to 13c. per Ib. (retail.)
Creole, Ile. to 12c. per Ib.

Eppors—$1.20 per LO0Ib.

Ontons— sold out at 4c. per Ib.

Pea Nurs—American 4$c. to 5c. (retail.)

Pranrarns—20c. to 40c. per bunch.

Poratos Enciisu—$4.00 per barrel.

Rice—Ballam $4.80, Patna $5.80 per bag.
—CreEoLE Rice 20c. per gallon, (retail.)

Sweer Poraros—Barbados 5/- per 1001b.

Tannras—$1.20 per 100Ib.

.Yams—10/- to 12/6- per 1001b.

Motrasses—12/6 Vacuum Pan yellow 14}c. to 16c. per
gallon, casks included.

Sucar—Dark Crystals $1.60 ; yellow $2.00 to $2.10 per ewt.

Timper—Greenheart 32c. to 40c. per cubic foot.

WALLABA SHINGLES—$3.00 to $5.00 per M.

Trinidad,—June 18, 1902.—Messrs. Gorpon Grant & Co.
and Messrs. EpGar Tripp & Co.

Cacao—Ordinary to good red $13.35 to $13.60; fine
fermented estates $13.75 to $14.00 per ewt.

Barata—vs8e. to 39c. per Ib.

CorreE—No quotations.

Ontons—$2.00 per 1001b. Scarce

Poratos EnciisHh—$2.00 per 1001b. Market bare.

Rice—Yellow $4.70; White Table $5.90 per bag.

Sucar—For Grocery use, $1.70 to $3.00 per 1001b.

Mo rasses—No quotation.

$9.50,

112 THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. Jury 19, 1902.

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A #ORTNIGHTLY REVIEW

OF

IMPERIAL DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE FOR THE WEST INDIES.

THE

Vo. I. No. 8 BARBADOS, AUGUST 2, 1902. Pricr ld.
CONTENTS island. It is one of the oldest as well as one of
the largest of the British possessions in this part of the
2] hn an - > . n
Pace. Pace. world, and its fortunes are typical of what has
pereuleur Ht feeoles 123 | woe eee ) jg9 happened, and is happening, in most of these Colonies.
gua... eee ese eee a0 De C é agg ~~ da
eaeen parece oO | Jamaies Prospects in ... 113 The economic condition of the island within the
Uy NEO Bass “Gps 1k’ > b00 ss
Market Reports _y9¢ last fifty years has depended almost entirely on the

3ee-keeping :—
Lizards and Bees... 122 | ‘ Natural

Stingless Bees ... ... 122 Plants@eet-cs) cos yee U2
Notes and Comments ... 118

History of

Wolea robusta... <.. ... 121

@ommmercileueeeee eel 200) E oul tiyeeemen run t-.- ae) 122,

121 Rubber Forests in the

Department News... .. a
Soudan

Department Publications 127
Department Reports :—

: Sugar Industry :—
Costa Rica—Trade of, i 2

Experiments at Jain-

LOOM Ret ess watose: se, AZO aien
ciel Government “OF Forked Sugar-canes ... 115
nalys +s ore Leo How new pests are
Trinidad Government aod ae f ‘ 115
Stock Farms... ... 125 aaa ree
Molasses as food for
Educational :-— army horses (coiel ded) 124
Barbados ; 5 1933 Porto Rico ... .. sy LSS
British Guiana ... ... 123 Stunted and Rotten
Jamaica... 123 canes ... ves ld
imnectmNates a Toronto Exhibition... ... 121
Mosquitos 2. «2. 120) |) Vanilla,y cultivation in
Plague of Flies at the Seychelles — (cou-
Grenada . 120 tinued) ... soo) LAS

Prospects in Jamaica.

Ae N The Times of June 28, there is an
Ps

important article entitied ‘ Jamaica Revis-

ited’ which deserves more than a passing
Jamaica is an interesting and picturesque

notice.

exports of the following commodities viz., sugar, and
rum, coffee and dye-woods. The sugar and rum exports
have unfortunately been steadily declining both in
quantity and value since emancipation; the coffee
industry has suffered recurrmg periods of great depres-
sion due to drought and low prices; while the dye-wood
industry, principally logwood, has been so seriously
crippled, by falling off in demand, that its value has
fallen to almost one-third of its former dimensions.
Latterly the island has passed through an acute crisis
of a three-fold economical, financial and
political. The first was due to a singular concourse
of circumstances whereby all the staple industries were

character

depressed at one time. The financial situation already
acute was rendered more difficult by the burden
of an ‘ill constructed, badly financed and unremu-

nerative railway.’ The political crisis we need not

discuss. According to The Times ‘never very serious

at any time—it is now less severe than ever.’

The question of the How
stand financially economically ; ‘and

moment is: does

Jamaica and
what are its prospects as compared with a few years
ago? According to the correspondent of The Times
‘there is manifest progress in several directions and
in almost every direction a fair prospect of further

improvement. Many economies have been instituted

114 THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS.

Aucust 2, 1902.

retrenchment has been rigidly enforeed—rather rigidly
than wisely in some directions perhaps—and though
the financial prospect is not over-bright, yet the
extreme tension of three years ago has been relieved,’
Of the economic erisis Lhe Times continues ‘it 1s
possible to speak in much more positive and hopeful
terms. First and foremost in importance, though
latest in point of time, has been the happy conclusion
of the Brussels Conference which seems to point to
the final disappearance of the European Bounties on
beet sugar in September 1903.’ Jamaica will probably
now enter upon a new era of sugar production and it is
confidently hoped that ‘many cane fields now desolate
will onee more smile with the verdure of the sugar-
cane, many a modern factory, equipped with all
the best appliances for making sugar on the most
favourable terms, will in time take the place of the
deserted and now antiquated factories to be found in
all parts of the island.’

Since 1899 the fruit industry has been extended
and improved by the establishment of the Direct service
with England. The exports of fruit are now of the
annual value of three-quarters of a million sterling.
But, aceording to The Times correspondent, one of
the greatest changes wrought at Jamaica is ‘the very
large and sudden development of the tourist traftic.
Jamaica has never known such a tourist season as that
of last winter. It is probably the precursor of many
It is a moderate estimate that
this abundant and unprecedented influx of tourists
£35,000 in the
and it is obvious that a great portion of

such seasons to come.

has involved the expenditure of
iSlandesen -
this sum must filter down through all classes of the
community.’

We may conclude that although much remains to
be done to restore the financial equilibrium and to
build up large and successful industries in the island
the outlook is distinctly brighter than it was, and we
may hope that as one of the most accessible and
attractive of tropical lands Jamaica may soon regain
its former prosperity.

Rubber Forests in the Soudan.
The following extract from The Board of Tirade
Journal of April 24, 1902, is of imterest to rubber
planters in the West Indies :—

Lord Cromer, in his recent report to the Foreign Office,
states that considerable quantities of rubber trees are reported
in many of the districts of the province of the Bahr el-Ghazal.
The Director of Woods and Forests has been despatched to
report on the possibilities of re-opening the india rubber
trade of the Bahr-el-Ghazal, which, in former days, was one
of the principal sources of revenue of that district.

SUGAR INDUSTRY.

Experiments with Varieties of Sugar-Cane at
Jamaica.

Mr. H. H. Cousins, Island and Agricultural
Chemist of Jamaica, contributes the following report:—

The experiments on cane varieties at the Hope
Gardens have just been completed. One hundred and
two varieties were tested.

B. 254 came out first with 11,831 Ib of sucrose
per acre. B. 379 was second with Otaheite and Poaole
third and fourth, respectively.

D. 95 yave the richest juice, 10896, and the
highest sucrose, 2°3 Ib per gallon.

D. 142 the poorest juice, 10557, and the lowest
sucrose content, 0998 tbh per gallon. Some varieties
gave a high quotient of purity approximating 95 per
eent.

B. 147 was eighth. It gave a high qnotient of
purity and a low glucose ratio. This cane should do
well on some soils in Jamaica.

1). 95 is deficient in yield at Hope. It ratooned
at Albion this year at 25 tons crystals per acre as
against 4 tons as plants.

It may be mentioned that the Hope Gardens are
situated in the rather dry plains of Liguanea about
six miles from Kingston, at an elevation of 650 feet
above the sea. The average rainfall is 46°4 inches,
the mean annual temperature 77° F.

Stunted and Rotten Canes.

A correspondent writes: I have read a report
which appeared in the Barbados Advocate (of July
21) from the Parish of St. John’s, that in the crop just
over ‘the canes seemed stunted and hard and the juice
so weak that it would scarcely granulate in the coolers;
then there was the large amount of rotton canes to be
seen everywhere.’ In these days of low prices and
short crops it is really remarkable that the planters in
St. John’s, at all events, should allow themselves to
large a share of their canes owing to
circumstances entirely within their own control. The
stunted, hard canes were, no doubt, badly affected by
the root-disease, and this is usually due to want of care
in selecting tops, or to error in planting, leaving the
tops to be attacked by fungus as suggested by Mr.
Howard at the late Conference. As to rotten canes,
they are, I expect, largely, if not entirely, due to the
presence of the moth-borer, which could be prevented
with a little care as effectually as any other trouble of
the sugar-cane. As a planter of many years’ experi-
ence I can truly say that on plantations where ‘stunted

lose so

Von. 1. No. 8. THE

AGRICULTURAL NEWS.

115.

and hard canes’ appear in any quantity, and a ‘large
amount of rotten canes are to be seen everywhere, no
excuse can be made when the remedies are at hand and
when, with alittle care, the loss could be reduced to a
minimum. I would suggest that a short note on the
subject may appear in the Agricultural News pointing
out that if we are to maintain a successful sugar
industry in this
the canes and prevent the enormous loss referred to as
having recently taken place in the Parish of St. John’s.

How New Pests are Introduced.

In a recent cireular issued by the Hawaiian Sugar
Planters’ Association an interesting example 1S given
of the manner in which new pests may be introduced
into an island. At present the Hawaiian Islands are
singularly free from many of the more destructive
insect and other pests which bring about so much
damage in other parts of the world where the sugar-
cane is cultivated. In particular, the various destructive
‘“moth-borers’ of the West Indies and Java do not at
present occur in the Sandwich Islands. In order to
prevent the introduction of new pests into these islands,
the Director of the Sugar Experiment Station,
Dr. C.F. Eckhart, has drawn attention to the advisability
of obtaining all new varieties of cane for trial from
other parts of the world through the Experiment
Station only. In -this way alli shipments can be
examined by a competent expert and dangerous samples
destroyed immediately. That this precaution is neces-
sary is evident, he states, fromthe condition in which
a sample of seedling canes from Demerara arrived
at the Hawatian Station: The canes were sent in
a ventilated sugar barrel and arrived at Honolulu in
eighty-five days. On examination it was found that
the cuttings were almost completely destroyed by
borers, but fortunately, all these had in turn been
destroyed by ants and parasitic fungi with the excep-
tion of one beetle which arrived alge The barrel and
its contents were immediately burned. This example
is sufticient to show the great danger of introducing
plants or cuttings from other parts of the world imal
due precautions are taken to prevent the introduction
of harmful pests at the same time. The safest way
would undoubtedly be to limit plant imtroduction as
far as possible to Experiment Stations and Botanic

Gardens where all due care could be taken.
Porto Rico.
PROSPECTS OF SUGAR CROP, 1902.

It is judged that the fine sugar crop of last year,
1900-1, 80,000 tons, said to be the largest ever Fe
from the island, w ill be exceeded this season, 1901-2,
some 15,000 fous!

Its shipment under free trade is a matter of great gain
to the planters, as it enables many of the smaller planters to
undertake improvements before impossible, while the fair
prospect for the future has induced the creation of various

island we must take more care of

new sugar enterprises and land investments for further
planting. This would seem, however, as far as individnal

planters are concerned, a useless operation ; for there is but
little doubt that in a short time the entire sugar industry
will be absorbed openly (as it is virtually now, though
unayowedly) in the great mainland trust. The trust, in the
beginning of the autumn, voted an increase of capital stock
for the acquirement of land in Cuba and Porto Rico, and the
political conditions of the former not being at present at all
favourable for such ventures, it is possible that the entire
sum (313,000,000 United States) may be utilized in Porto
Itico. Several important sugar works were taken in hand
during the year, the principal being a $1,000,000 Central at
Guanica, owned by a new company controlled from New
York. It will have a grinding capacity of 1,600 tons of
cane per day. Its cryste lizers and filters come from
Germany and all the other machinery from the United
States. (Diplomatic and Consular Report, No. 2,826. Z'rade
of Porto Rico for 1901),

Forked Sugar-Canes.

Oceasionally sugar-canes showing a marked depar-
ture from the ara form and Beli are met with.
The oceurrence of bud variation in sugar-cane was
described (with coloured plates) in the West Indian
Bulletin, Vol. I. pp. 216-223. More recently specimens
of forked canes have been kindly communicated to
this Department. In these the usual single stem is
divided into two stems both of equal size antl appear-
var They are identical, also, in colour and markings.

A sketch is given below of a forked cane (W hite
Transparent) ) presented to the Department by Mr. W.
H. Smith of Drax Hall, Barbados.

It will be observed that
this forking of the stem is quite
distinet Renae the branching due
to the development of side buds.
The latter is a common occur-
rence when the top of a cane
is injured, or there is an abnor-
mal growth of buds in ‘stand
over’ canes. This is well illus-
trated in the plate facing p. 219
of the Bulletin above referred
to. Forked canes, on the other
hand, are apparently the result
of a division of the growing
tissue at the apex of the stem.
Examples have been described
in Java by Benecke ina seedling

cane, and by Kriiger in the
Cheribon variety. An excellent
photograph of two forked canes,
that occurred recently at
Farm estates at St. Kitts, has
been forwarded by Mr. W. Lunt, the Curator of the
Botanie Station in that island. These are very similar
to the specimen found at Barbados figured above. In
both instances at St. Kitts, the forked specimens
happened to be cane B. 147. As Mr. Lunt remarks
they are ‘interesting as fre: iks of nature but they have
no economie Imp rtance.’

Fig. 11. Forkep Sucar-
CANE.

Brighton and West

116 THE

AGRICULTURAL

NEWS. Aueust 2, 1902.

VANILLA.

Cultivation
(Contin ued trom page 101.)
POLLINATION GF

The work of flower fertilization (pollination)—-for they
have all to be fertilized by hand, and that on the day they
open—-is mostly done by women and children. The opera-
tion is a very simple one, and an average negro will acquire
the knack after being shown a few examples.

[The illustration on the opposite page, reproduced from
the Aew Bulletin, with its descriptive letter press will allow
readers to follow clearly, Mr.

Ed. A. Y.]

The flower is taken in the left hand, three fingers being
placed at its back and the thumb in front, the column with
organs of fertilization on top being supported against the
middle sepal behind. A bit of hard wood, cut to the size of
a toothpick and scraped smooth and flat at one end, is the
only tool required ; this is held in the right hand. ‘To get
at the organs of fertilization easily, the sack which grows
from the side of the column enveloping its front and marking
the sexual organs is pressed down by the bit of wood, or
this is run through its base, and the sack torn up, or the
whole sack may be plucked off with finger and thumb, it
matters not how it is laid open, so long as this is done
quickly and without injury to any other part of the flower.
The smooth end of the fecundating instrument is then laid
flat on the front of the column just beneath the organs of
fertilization, and being pushed up it catches under the flap
which keeps the pollen from coming into contact with the
stigma. The flap is raised along with the stick till it lies
flat against the upper part of the column, being held in that
position by the bit of wood. The stamen, at first raised
along with the flap, now falls down again in its original
position, and the flap being out of the way the pollen comes
into contact with the stigma, and a slight pressure of the
thumb on the stamen lodges the pollen in the position
required ; the bit of stick being then quickly but gently
withdrawn, the operation is complete.

Galbraith’s description. —

The whole affair is very much easier done than described,
and with flowers fairly numerous, an ordinary hand will
fecundate a hundred or so per hour, Early morning, from
7 to 9, is the best time for fertilizing; but the work may be
started with sunrise and carried on well into the afternoon,
though about mid-day flowers begin to close some and_ the
work goes slower. Most plants in full crop produce many
more flowers than it is advisable to fertilize, for other
parts of the vines, besides the checked hanging branches,

blossom in favourable seasons and the number of pods

in the Seychelles.

THE FLOWERS.

which a vine is able to mature properly must be
estimated from the plant’s size and condition, In the
course of four or five years, though by that time the plant
cutting will be spent, if well cared for it will have grown a
large quantity of vine ; and as each new shoot, when long
enough, sends down aerial roots in its own behalf, it
becomes, so to speak, an independent plant and the parent of
others. If none of the shoots from a strong growing vine
have been removed the mass of growth in time becomes
enormous, and may be equal to maturing a hundred or more
good pods. When the supporting tree is stout and furnishes
forks enough to admit of the vine being spread out so as to
let plenty of air through it the vine may be allowed to
accumulate to this extent, and if it gives, say, twenty
clusters, each yielding ten or more flowers, five or six might
be fertilized on each.

But, generally speaking, about 30 pods to a vine is as
many as should be left, and he would be a lucky planter who
should average thit number. In selecting flowers to
fertilize those should be chosen which spring from the lower
part and from the sides of the flower stalks, from which
position they grow straighter pods than those coming out on
top. In favourable weather, i.e. moist but not heavy rain
(which latter often washes the pollen grains away before they
germinate), only a small percentage of flowers will fail of
fecundation. In case of faiiure, the flower drops off in three
days or less, but otherwise remains attached to its stalk and
slowly withers ; the gynostemium adheres to most pods till
they begin to ripen; thus it is easy to see the number
successfully fecundated in each bunch, and where enough are
secured the rest can be broken off. Later it is advisable to
cut clean off with a knife the flower stalk a quarter of an
inch or so beyond the last fertilized flower. Some planters
plaster a bit of sticky clay on the cut surface to prevent it
rotting back. Dry lime is perhaps hetter ; this 1Ay he
dabbed on with a piece of cloth dipped in the powder.

Pods grow to their full size in five or six weeks, but
take some eight months, more or less, according to the
altitude at which they are grown, or the amount of shade
over them, before they ripen. The indication of ripening is
a slight yellowing of the whole pod, which is more marked
near its free end. When under too much shade the change
in colour is less noticeable, and many pods grown in
such places split before they are gathered, and for that
reason lose in value. To guard against splitting, and yet
gather them at perfect ripeness, they should be gone

Wor: If No: 8:

THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 117

over every other day. In removing them from the flower
stalks the pods are grasped one by one near their attached
ends, very slightly twisted, and at the sme time
thumb. They must be taken
off quite clan. If a bit of the flower stalk comes away
with a pod, as sometimes will happen, it should be cut

pressed aside with the

Fic.

12.

FERTILIZATION OF VANILLA.
(From the Kew Bulletin.)

a

off smoothly. Any break or crack in the pod itself, however
near its butt, ranks it is as an inferior quality. Buyers are
very particular in this respect. After each day’s gathering,
before the pods are started on their first stage of curing,
it is well fo sort them roughly into four classes; 1, long;
2, medium ; 3, short, and 4, split.

{—Portion of stem of Vanilla plant, with
leaf, aerial root, and cluster of flowers ;
a, front view of Vanilla flower; ), side
view ; ¢, aerial root, with root hairs.

2—Single flower of Vanilla, exhibiting the
firs; stage in the process of artificial
fert lization. The operator, provided
with a finely-pointed piece of bamboo,
divides the lip or labellum medially,
so that the central lobe is separated
from the two side lobes. This exposes
the column and organ of fecundation.
The instrument is represented as placed
against the column, ready to press
upwards the anther «, and bring the
pollinia in contact with the stigma b.

3—Single flower of Vanilla, exhibiting the
second stage in the process of artiticial
fertilization ; b shows position of column
exposed by division of the lip [the
middle lobe of lip is pulled forward
and curled upon itself to show the
position of the column ; the side lobes
of lip, separated as shown in Fig. 2,
arerepresented at back of the column] ;
a, the position of pollen masses, taken
from the anther and placed on the
stigma.

4—Enlarged front view of top of the
column ; a, the anther.

5—Enlarged side view of top of thecolumn ;
a, the anther ;b, the stigma or visced
surface on which the pollen masses
must be placed to ensure fertilization.

6—Enlarged section through top of the
column ; a, one of the pollen masses in
situ ; b, the stigmatic cavity.

7—Enlarged section through top of the
column ; a, the pollen masses, having
been transferred from a, Fig. 6, are
now represented in contact with the
stigmatic surface. [Although diagram-
matically shown, these figures give a
tolerably good idea of what is actually
necessary in order to produce fertili-
zation in a Vanilla flower. }

118 THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS.

Aucust 2, 1902.

EDITORIAL NOTICES.

Letters and matter for publication, as well as all
specimens for naming should be addressed to the Commis-
sioner, Imperial Department of Agriculture,
Barbados.

It is particularly requested that no letters be addressed
to any member of the staff by name. Such a course may
entail delay.

Communications should always be written on one side
of the paper only. It should be understood that no contri-
butions or specimens will, in any case, be returned.

All application for copies of the ‘Agricultural
News’ should be addressed to the Agents, and
not to the Department. A complete list of the London
and Local agents will be found on the last page of this
number.

Correspondents sending newspapers should be careful to
mark the paragraphs they wish to bring under notice.

Agricultural dlews

SATURDAY, AUGUST 2,

Vion. ae 1902. No. 8.

NOTES*AND COMMENTS.

The Chinese or Dwarf Banana.

Referring to the account published in the

Agricultural News (p. 68) of the trial shipment of

bananas from Barbados, wherein it was pointed out
that the fruit sent was not the usual West Indian kind
(the Jamaica banana or Gros Michel) but the Chinese or
dwarf banana, known also as the ‘Cavendish’ banana,
largely grown in the Canary islands, and imported
thence to England on a large scale, Mr. J. F. Waby,
head gardener at the Botanic Gardens, British Guiana,
writes :—

I am not surprised to find that the Cavendish banana
carries well, for I have always noticed that this hangs long
on the bunch when ripe, whereas the Gvos Michel falls away
as soon as ripe. The stature of the Cavendish is decidedly
in its favour for cultivation, being less affected by the wind,
and can be planted more closely together.’

> > eet

Agricultural Shows, 1902-3.

The Agricultural Shows to be held under the
auspices of the Imperial Department of Agriculture
during the year 1902-3 are as follows :—

The Montserrat Agricultural Show was originally
fixed to be held on Friday, June 27, as one of the
functions in connexion with the Coronation. Whether
a second show is to be held, later, has not been decided.
The show at Tortola, for the Virgin Islands, is proposed
to be held in October next. The Agricultural and

Commercial Society of Antigua is desirous of holding
an Agricultural Show at St. John’s in December next.
The Barbados Local Agricultural Show (as already
announced) will take place at Todds’ Plantation on
January 13, 1903. A proposal is under consideration
for holding an Agricultural Show at St. Lucia in
March 1903, in connexion with the Agricultural School
at Union, about three miles from Castries.

It is desirable to mention, in connexion with these
Shows, that the primary object in view is to encourage
the better cultivation and preparation of crops for
export. No prizes provided by the Department should
be awarded unless there is good competition and the
exhibits show special care has been taken in curing and
presenting them for exhibition. As a condition of the
Grant (approved by the Secretary of State) it is
required that a draft copy of the Prize List, and of the
Rules and Regulations for each Show, be forwarded,
beforehand, for the approval of the Commissioner of
Agriculture,

0

Poultry Raising.

The Agricultural News has been described as
‘exhibiting a catholic spimit and there is hardly any
branch of Agriculture which does not come, at some
time or other, within the scope of its view. It is
hoped to maintain this spirit and give in an interesting
and helpful way hints that may eventually improve the
condition of all agricultural interests in these Colonies.
Amongst the small industries, conveniently within
reach of everyone, there is not one so full of promise as
the raising of poultry. The potential value is enormous,
yet the systematic raising of poultry, outside a few
poultry fanciers, is almost a lost art in the West
Indies. With the view of affording simple and_practi-
cal information on the subject, it is proposed to publish
a series of short articles in the Agricultural News on
poultry raising, from the pen of Mr. John Barelay, the
Assistant-Secretary of the Jamaica Agricultural
Society. The first of these articles appears in this
number.

OO +o

Grafted Mangos.

In the last number of the Agricultural News
(p. 102) attention was directed to the extreme import-
ance of keeping steadily in view the improvement of
West Indian fruit trees by budding and grafting.
The mango is possibly the most popular, and when of
really good quality, the most highly esteemed of all
tropical fruit. There is no difficulty in propagating
the best sorts, and we trust to see the day when bud-
ded and grafted mango trees will occupy the place of
the thousands of useless mango trees that now cover
the land. We are led to these remarks by the receipt,
from the Curator of the Botanic Garden at St. Vincent,
of a delicious grafted mango known as the Peach
mango. It is a large, plump fruit, weighing 10 to 12
ounces, yellow when ripe, juicy, of a delicate flavour
and free from fibre. It well deserves its name of
Peach mango.

Mor. T.. No: 8.

THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS.

tS

Extending the Mango Season.

Sufficient attention does not appear to have been
directed to efforts for extending the mango season by
selecting early and late sorts and cultivating them
with the special view of producing fruit earlier or later
than the ordinary sorts. It is suggested that a list be
prepared of ec: arly and late varieties of mangos, and
when this is done it would be well in er afting them

that early-fruiting sorts be grafted only on see dlings of

early- -fruiting sorts, and vice versu, instead of promuseu-
ously, as at present. We commend the
raising grafted mangos to some of the more enterpris-
ing of the small proprietors in the West Indies.
Grafted mango plants of first-rate quality, and true to
name, would readily sell for a dollar a piece.

Onn + ae ___

Scientific Commission.

The members of the Royal Society Commission
for the study of the phenomena associated with the
recent volcanic eruptions in the West Indies after
completing their visit to St. Vincent left that Island
on Saturday, July 5, in the “Yare” for St. Lucia
where they were received by Colonel Dalrymple Hay,
the Acting-Administrator. They left the next day for
Fort-de-France, Martinique. ‘They landed at St.
Piérre on Tuesday and examined the ruins and took
samples of the voleanie deposits in and around the city.
On Wednesday they chartered a sloop and visited the
coast to the north of St. Piérre and made observations
on the slopes of Mont Pelée. In the evening of the

same day (Wednesday, July, 9) they witnessed a
terrific eruption (almost identic: I m character and
degree with that which two months before had

destroy ed St. Pierre). This was accompanied by vivid
flashes of lightning, both single and confluent, and by a
tornado of superheated steam, hot ashes and mud.

A telegram from St. Lucia dated July 10, stated:
“The RMS. Yare, which arrived here this evening
from Martinique reports a severe eruption of Mont
Pelee last evening at 9 am. accompanied by vivid
lightning which was visible here, and causing
a panic at Fort-de-France. The English Scientists
Drs. Anderson and Flett, who were near Mont Pelée,
are reported to have narrowly esc: tped, arriving at
Fort-de-France bespattered with mud’ The detona-
tions and flashes of lightning which accompanied this
eruption were also seen by several persons at Barbados.

On Friday, July 11, the members of the
Commission landed at Dominica. Here they were
greatly assisted by the Hon. Hesketh H. Bell, the
Administrator, Dr. Nicholls, Mr. George Branch and
others. Dr. Flett visited the boiling lake in the
interior of the island and afterwards in company with
Dr,;, Anderson. examined the boiling and sulphur
springs, at. Picard and other localities, Also the
Soufriére on the South Western coast. Drs. Flett and
Anderson returned to Barbados by.the. ‘Eden’ on July
MB and. left: for England in. the “ a Plata” on July ob

-The members of the Commission expressed «them-
Elves very highly pleased with the results»of their

business of

mission, and greatly y appreciated the valuable assistance
everywhere rendered to them. The papers that have
been kindly prepared by various correspondents
containing observations relating to events that took
place immediately preceding and during the recent
eruptions may be addressed to the Commissioner of
Agriculture for the West Indies, Head Office, Barbados.
In order that the information contained in these
returns may be included in the forthcoming report by
Drs. Flett and Anderson, it is desirable the papers
should reach the Commissioner of Agriculture not
later than the 16th. instant.

——— >

Grafting Nutmegs.

The success so far attained in this operation in
Jamaica, and Ceylon has been alluded to on page 69
of the Agric ultural News. By an oversight we then
omitted to mention the earlier work of Mr. J. H. Hart,
who in the Bulletin of the Royal Botanic Garden,
Trinidad, for 1894 (p. 241), reports the successful
grafting of both male and female scions on to seedling
stocks. In his Annual Report for 1900, Mr. Hart
records the fruiting of some of the grafted plants,
‘a little over Ave: years from planting outs = le
recommends grafted nutmegs for wind-blown localities
to which, owing to their dwarf. -spreading habit, they
are more Buited than ordinary nutmeg trees. To
Trinidad, then, belongs the credit of the et successful
attempts to graft nutmegs on seedling stock,

ED + oa

Jack-in-the-Box Tree.

On page 7 of the Agricultural News we stated that this
plant (2lernandia sonora) was not a native of the West
Indies but an introduced plant from the East. Mr. J. H.
Hart has since written pointing out that it grows in the
woods of Trinidad, and the Rev. H. Hutson of St. Lucy’s,
Barbados, has drawn attention to its occurrence in Turner’s
Hall wood, in that island. It must however be borne in mind
that there are two very closely related species, by some
botanists regarded as identical: Hernandia peltata found
throughout the tropics generally, and //ernandia sonora, a

native of the East Indies according to the Index Kewensis,
whose ruling we adopted in the note in question. It

would be interesting to have the identity of the West Indian
species definitely established.

ETD OO

Whales Ashore at Antigua.

A school of young whales, twenty-eight in number,
supposed to have been pursued by sword fish, became
stranded on the shore at Royals Bay, Antigua. They were

small specimens, the largest measuring about 18 feet in
length. The blubber of one was boiled down and a quantity

of oil obtained. Of the remainder some were towed out to
sea and the others used as fuel and manure on neighbouring
estates. A considerable quantity of oil could have been
obtained had facilities for boiling down the blubber been on
the spot. It is suggested these young whales might have
been ‘Black fish’ a species of Globicephalus.

120 THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS.

Aueust 2, 1902.

INSECT NOTES

Mosquitoes.
The discoveries made during the last decade as to

the part played by mosquitoes in the dissemination of

diseases have drawn general attention to these insects,
In the British Colonies, a general effort has been
made to collect’ the mosquitoes, and the specime ns
so obtained have been studied by Mr. F. V. Theobald
of the Natural History Museum, who has lately
published an account of his investigations. [4
Monograph of the Culicide of the a world] In these
volumes Mr. Theobald describes all the known mos-
quitoes and gives their geographical distribution.
As these volumes are not accessible to everyone,

it may be of interest to give the number of

species recorded from these Colonies. In compiling
these figures, Mr. Theobald’s list of West Indian
species has been used as the basis, but additional
information has been kindly added by Dr. G. C. Low,
whose researches on mosquitoes in relation to disease
are generally familiar in these Colonies. This list
ranmot claim to be complete as many of the specimens
sent by Dr. Low to Mr. Theobald are bei ‘ing studied
at present.

Perhaps the most interesting of West Indian
mosquitoes are those which are instrumental in spread-
ing (sease. Anopheles is now regarded as an agent
in spreading malarial fever, and Anopheles argyrotur-
sis leretore assumes a peculiar interest as being the
common West Indian species. Stegomyia fuse iata,
the very common ‘Scots-Grey’ mosquito, 1s apparently
instrumental in diffusing yellow fever, and Culex
futigans, the common brown mosquito, 1s the interme-
diate host of the Filaria which causes ‘fever and aone
and ‘elephantiasis. The number of species which will
be found to have this function of spreading human
diseases cannot be estimated, but these three common
species certainly appear to play an important part.

The total list of species for the West Indies at
present is forty-one, including four not found in the
British West Indies. The number found in’ each
Colony is as follows :—

Total number. Not found elsewhere.

British Guiana... ... 18 7
Trinidad tel Bara 9 2
Jamaica ee tL 3
Grenada eee LO 3
Winwvincent) onee... LZ 2
Barbados Scoeeee 6 —
St. Lucia BR Se at) |
Dominica Ree Bes 4

Montserrat se 1 —
Antigua Be Ny, 6 —
St. Kitts Heat stai, @O —

Further collecting will add to these figures, and a
large number of species probably are awaiting record.
On of the thirty- Fi species so far found, ‘cighteen

» found in one Colony only, and nine more are found
Baie in two localities. ‘Five only have anything like a
general distribution and can be re garded as common
West Indian mosquitoes. Any additions to the
mosquito fauna will prove of interest, and it is to be
hoped that those who have opportunities to collect
in the less known islands will send specimens to Mr.
Theobald, either direct or through this Department.
Living mosquitoes if despatched immediately could be
properly set at the oftice of this Department, and any
specimens received will be forwarded to Mr. Theobald.

Plague of Flies at Grenada.

The Editor of The Mederalist and Grenala People
describes in somewhat facetious but graphic language the
annoyance felt at S*: George’s by the recent invasion of
myriads of flies that had taken possession of the town :
‘the air is charged with their buzzings, they alight on every-
thing... they take cooling baths in water goblets, dive
recklessly into the butter-dish and frisk nimbly over the
delicacies of the kitchen. Fly-paper has no alluring charms
for them: they pass it with contempt... one may as well
think of goading a stubborn mule as driving off a fly..
the fly always comes off vietorious, and sounding a triumphant
buzz leaves his victim fretting and fuming at his own impo-
tency and his failure in squelching his tormentor.’

An invasion of flies of this character can very well be
understood to be most troublesome and annoying. The best
remedy is to attack their breeding places in stable yards, in
fresh manure and in any garbage that may bane escaped
notice in the town. As flies can only breed in organic
matter, their abundance at any time is evidence that animal
refuse of some kind exists, not far away in the neighbour-
hood. The most effectual means of combating a plague of
flies is to remove the opportunity for them to breed. It is
recommended to examine closely for their breeding places
and treat all refuse, and especially litter in stable yards and
fresh manure, with a sprinkling of chloride of lime or other
cheap and effective disinfectant.

Sapodilla Maggot.

On page 88 we mentioned that the sapodilla was
sometimes infested by a yellow maggot which eventually
develops into a handsome black and yellow fly. It is
reported that this pest is not known in Grenada and that
sapodillas from that island may be eaten without suspicion
of their containing unwelcome intruders.

Duty on Arrowroot.

It should interest planters and exporters in the West
Indies to know that the grain duty recently adopted by the
British Parliament is somewhat far-reaching in its effeet.
Arrowroot, cassava starch and tapioca, potato flour and sago,
come within its operation, being liable to the imposition of
5d. per ewt. like flour and meal. On wheat, barley, ete., the
duty is 3d. a ewt.

THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS.

y21

THE TORONTO EXHIBITION.

The preparation and collection of specimens for the
Toronto Exhibition has been proceeded with actively
and the West Indian exhibits should make a striking
show and aftord a good representation of the yaried
products of these Colonies.

British Guiana: The British Guiana Institute
of Mines and Forests shipped by the C.M.S. Ocamo,
July 23, two cases containing nineral specimens,
together with a set of geological maps of the Colony
prepared by Professor J.B. Harrison and Mr. H. J.
Perkins. The exhibits will be under the
Mr. W. P. Kaufmann, of the Government Laboratory,
both during the course of shipment and during the
exhibition. By the same boat, to supplement the
general exhibit, a pair of growing sugar-canes, speci-
mens of Cassareep, Mahoe fibre, Crowattee Ink, and
Cocoanut and other palm leaves were also forwarded.

Barbados: The nonperishable exhibits from Bar-
bados put up in bottles, ete., for the Toronto Exhibition
were shipped by Messrs. Pickford & Black’s 5.8.
Dahomé which lett on July 15. There were eight
packages containing altogether 102 exhibits. ‘These
consisted of the various grades of sugar, from white
vacuum pan crystals to sugar made from second grade
yacuum pan molasses ; samples of the ditferent grades
of molasses and of rum; samples of falernum, worm-
wood bitters, sorrel liquer, scraped and unscraped
dried ginger: meals from cassava and guinea corn;
cassava cakes, tapioca, pea-nuts, pigeon peas :
mens of Barbados imanjak, petroleum oils,
bitumen, infusorial earth. ete., ete.

It was intended to despatch perishable articles,
like sweet potatos, yams, ete, in the SS. Ocamo
scheduled to sail on July 29, but unfortunately
quarantine regulations have prevented this project
being carried out.

Tobago: A collection of fibres, starches, coffee,
cacao, woods, ete., was forwarded by the S.S. Duhomeé.
Ti is to be regretted that steps were not taken in time
to allow a representative exhibit of rubber to be sent,
especially as it is now becoming an important industry
in the island.

Grenada :

speci-

hiquid

From this island we learn that bottles
containing samples of the principal products of the
island were ready to be despatched together with a
number of copies of the useful Grenada Hand-book for
the current year,

St. Vineent: A ge vod collection has been got
together and a preliminary exhibition was to be held
in the Court House on July 23, from which the best
exhibits were to be selected for transmission to Canada.
The recent eruption seriously interfered with the work
in St. Vincent, but a good representative collection has
been made,

care of

DEPARTMENT NEWS.

Mr. Francis Watts, F.LC., F.C.S., Government and
Analytical Chemist of the Leeward Islands has recently
had conferred upon him the degree of B.Sc. (Bachelor
of Science) in the University of Birmingham.

Owing to quarantine restrictions imposed against
Barbados the engagements of the officers of the
Heal-Quarters Staff of the Imperial Department of
Agriculture, in the other Colonies, are cancelled until
further notice.

The second number of Volume I} of the West Indian
Bulletin is now issued. It contains the papers on
Edueational and General Subjects read before the Agricul
tural Conference held in January last in Barbados. The
Conference papers on the Sugar Industry were issued in the
preceding number in April. The Educational papers epito-
mize the results of efforts made during the last three years to
introduce the teaching of the principles of Agriculture into
the colleges and schools of the West Indies. They were
contributed by those actually engaged in the educational
work in the several Colonies.

The Hon. 8. Olivier’s important paper on the Regula-
tion of the Quality of Exported Fruit should be carefully
studied by all frnit growers and exporters in the West Indies.
Mr. Lefroy deals with the question of controlling the impor-
tation of insect pests, and shows that several islands have not
yet pests which are found on neighbouring islands. The need
for some method to prevent the spread of pests from one island
to another and from foreign countries is clearly demonstrated,
and valuable suggestions made. An exhaustive paper appears
from the pen of the Hon‘ble W. Fawcett, covering the
botanical, agricultural and economical aspects of the Banana
industry in Jamaica. Mr. J. H. Hart treats of the Essential
Oils of the West Indies and discusses the possibilities of a
future industry. Mr. W. G. Freeman contributes an illustrated
account of the Barbados Aloe industry, worth at one time

£7,000 per annum, now unfortunately almost entirely
lost, although capable of being revived should condi

tions warrant it. The last paper is by Mr. A. Howard on
methods of removing epiphytic growths from cacao and lime
trees, a question of considerable importance to planters in
Trinidad, Grenada, Dominica and elsewhere.

The price of the number is 6d. Post free 8/. It may be
obtained from any of the local agents of the Department, a
complete list of whom is given on page 127 of this number.

Coffea robusta. This is a new species of coffee
from the Congo. It has flowered and fruited during the year.
It produced large clusters of pure white flowers having an
exquisite perfume, and_ bears small g¢lobular red berries.
The crop produced has all been used for seed. The tree has
somewhat the habit and size of leaf of Liberian coffee, but
it is quite distinct from that variety. It is reported that
the favour of this coffee is superior to many other species.
The trees have again flowered, and a larger crop is antiei-
pated during the coming season. (Annual Report, Royal
Botanic Gardens, Trinidad, 1901-2.)

—
w
tw

THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS.

Aucust 2, 1902.

POULTRY.

Mr. Barclay, the Scat tary of the Jamaica Agri-
cultural Society, has kindly
short articles on poultry, written especially for the
Agricultural News. His notes will deal with the
general usefulness of poultry, the various breeds, hous-
ing, feeding, ete., and will, throughout, be written with
a view to the special requirements and circumstances

of keepers of poultry, on a small scale, in the West
Indies :—

IMPORTANCE OF POULTRY

In almost every country in the world, the hen is
considered an indispensable adjunct to the agriculturist ; and
in many countries like Ireland, France, Germany, Belgium,
and Denmark, she is one of the best profit-making items of
the cottager as well as of the farmer. In the West Indies
we are apt to overlook, if not actually despise, the impor-
tance of a poultry industry to the country. It may not be
that the West Indies will ever have an export trade in eggs,
such as other British Colonies with less favourable climates
have,—Canada and South Australia, for instance ; but eggs
and fowls are staple articles of diet, and being home-raised,
the more they are in use, the better for these islands.
Kees are indeed a cheap and nutritious food, and, taking
into account the amount of actual food-stutf contained in an
egg and which may principally be elaborated from seeds and
grubs and waste products picked up from the land, there is
nothing cheaper. It is just as important to save outlay for
importation of food-stuffs as to get returns from the exporta-
tion of our products. A free consumption of home-laid eggs
and house-raised fowls is immeasurably better than tinned
and pickled meats which are of less nutritive value.

USEFULNESS OF POULTRY.

Poultry are exceedingly useful, first for the
their eggs, which if not sold can be used at home ; secondly,
their flesh is the stand-by of the g and economical
country housewife. If housed at night, as they should be,
their droppings are value to the extent of £3 per ton as
manure, and if mixed with five to ten times its weight of
earth as it should be, twenty hens will yield about one ton
of rich manure ina year. They eat up countless numbers of
insects, slugs, worms, ete., that might cause much damage to
crops, and in a eattle-pen they delight to go among the cows
and pick off the bloated ticks from the animals. Turkeys
are especially useful in a pasture for this purpose. Thus, at
the same time the fowls are clearing the land of pernicious
insects and other pests, they are also feeding themselves, and
as other food required can be grown in most districts in odd
corners of a property with but little outlay, it might soon
become a fact that the keeping of poultry, if done systemati-
cally as bee-keeping has been entered upon in Jamaica, and
other islands, or looked after as you would look after your
cultivation, would become a_ very
a plantation, and more especially to
The hen will respond here in the

value of

gor vl

profitable item on
the small cultivator.
West Indies to

care

promised a series of

and attention just as she has responded in the United
States, France, Denmark, and other countries where she is
responsible for as big figures as any other item of commerce, or
agricultural industry. She may, standing alone, be a humble
item and worth only about 2s. 6d., but she and her kind
were responsible for two billion ‘twenty five-million eight
hundred thousand eggs imported into Great Britam from
foreign producers last year, and five-and-a-half million
pounds sterling were paid for these eggs to—Russia,
£1,109,533 ; Germany, £1,106,719; Denmark, £923,551;
France, £868,123; Belgium, £753,455; and various other
countries £750,000 between them. So that all these countries
are exceedingly indebted to the hen for the receipt of so
much solid British cash, and Britain is as much indebted for
the eggs, without which, a breakfast table there would seem
blank. The American hen, too, is a diligent earner and
producer of wealth, as the amount realized for eggs and fowls
in the United States in one year amounts to the huge sum of
$290,000,000, which is far greater than all the silver and gold
produced from all the mines in the United States,—greater
than the value of the sheep industry, the cattle industry, the
wheat crop, cotton crop, everything, except the value of all
the horses which amounts to $500,140,186. The production
of eggs in the United States, all consumed at home, amounts
to 9,856,674,922. There are no figures available for the
West Indies, but I make a conservative estimate, that there
are two millions of feathered stock in Jamaica; that one
hundred million of eggs are produced yearly, and that the
market value of these, at an average of three farthings
each, amounts to £312,500, and the value of the fowls, at
an average price of 2s. each (of course, turkeys, ducks,

geese, and guinea fowls average far more), amounts to
£200,000— -making a total value to the island of poultry

products of over “£! 500,000. The value of horse-stock in
Jamaica is £460,280, and of cattle £607,795.

BEE-KEEPING.

Stingless Bees.

In the Agricultural News of May 24, (p. 40) attention
was drawn to the fact that stingless bees were not uncommon
in the West Indies, and that a colony was to be seen in the
Dominica Botanic Station. The native bee of Tobago is also
reported to be stingless. Four colonies, of two species, which
were caught in the island are now to be seen working at the
Botanic Station. As to the prospects of the bee-industry in
Tobago, the Curator of the Botanic Station writes :
‘Logwood and other honey plants which are an important
element in bee culture occur generally distributed through-
out the island, and with the introduction of Italian queen
bees the industry should prove an important one.’

Lizards and Bees.

Mr. W. N. Sands, the Curator, reports an interesting
observation made at the Botanic Station Apiary at Antigua
in regard to lizards and bees, which seems to indicate that
lizards eat the drone bees in preference to workers In
several instances it was observed that as soon as a drone
alighted on the entrance board of the hive, even among a

large number of worker-bees, he was snapped up by the
lizards. The drone, it might be remarked, is without a sting.

This discrimination on the part ot the lizard is beneficial to
the Apiary. Whether Queen bees will not also be killed isa
matter for further observation. F = og

Vor) le Now 8! THE

AGRICULTURAL NEWS.

123

EDUCATIONAL.

Jamaica.
LECTURES TO TEACHERS’ ASSOCIATIONS.

The following extract is taken from the Report of
Mr. W. R. Buttenshaw, M.A., B.Se., the Lecturer in
Agriculture, Jamaica, to the Board of Agriculture -—

During February and March T visited the following
places and addressed the teachers : Montego Bay, Point Hill,
Linstead, Frankfield, Highgate and Mizpah (N. Manchester).
In no case did the teachers fail to turn out in good numbers
and show considerable interest in the lectures, the audiences
at Linstead and Mizpah being particularly large. From the
questions and discussions at the close of the lectures it was
very evident that the teachers desired to get all the possible
assistance in introducing Nature Study into their schools.
It was encouraging to find that a large number of them,
especially perhaps in the Linstead districts, were starting
school gardens. One told me that the profits upon the
workings for the first year had been sufficient to enable him
to purchase a complete equipment of tools for the pupils. It
seemed to me that the men who have left the Mico during
the last two or three years were particularly prominent in
this practical work. At Frankfield and Mizpah there was
also a good attendance of school managers. At the latter
meeting a short address was given by Colonel Hicks.

Barbados.

PLANTS GROWN BY CHILDREN
ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.

In order to encourage the cultivation of plants grown
by children attending elementary schools, the Education
Board at Barbados has issued a list of prizes to be offered
by the Imperial Department of Agriculture at the next Local
Exhibition to be held at Todds’ Plantation, on January 13,
1905. Before any prize is awarded, it is necessary that a
certificate be presented from the supervising Minister, or
members of the School Committee or the Schoolmaster
of the school, at which the child attends, certifying
that, from his personal knowledge, the exhibit was entirely
planted and cared for by the exhibitor. There are fifty
prizes offered, varying in value from two dollars to twenty-
five cents each.

In order to assist the children in growing plants of a
useful character, small packets of vegetable seeds will be
forwarded for distribution in each school. The plants may
be shown in small barrels, tubs, pots, or boxes.

PRIZES FOR ATTENDING

British Guiana.
ENCOURAGEMENT FOR STUDIOUS TEACHERS.

The following extract is taken from a report of

the proceedings of the meeting of the Board of Agricul-
ture of British Guiana, of Tuesday the 8th instant -—

The Secretary laid on the table certain copies of the
Agricultural News, and a report on the Botanie Station and
Agricultural School at Dominica.

Professor Harrison, referring to the Agricultural News,
moved the following resolution :-—

Be it resolved,—That to mark this Board’s appreciation
of the manner in which those teachers who were placed in
honours and in the first-class at the recent examination in
the elements of agricultural science, and who are now attend-
ing the Board’s demonstration classes have utilized the

opportunities for study offered to them, and to assist them in
the continuance of such studies, the Board recommends that
each teacher be supplied with copies of the Agricultural
ews issued during the Financial year 1902-3.

‘Tt is considered,’ he said, ‘that for those schoolmasters
who have done their utmost it will be an encouragement, and
of very great assistance to them to knew exactly what is
taking place in the West Indies, and also enable them to get
certain information in regard to work elsewhere. They will
probably talk over it with their friends and lend them their
copies, and in this way we think that a good deal of informa-
tion may be disseminated.’

Mr. Jones seconded, and the motion was carried.

‘The Natural History of Plants.’ Messrs.
Blackie and Sons announce the re-issue of the translation,
by Professor F. W. Oliver and others, of Kerner’s Natural
History cf Plants, in sixteen monthly parts, at 1s. 6d. each
net. The English editicn of the work originally appeared
in sixteen parts at 2s. 6d. each. This fascinating book, which
is profusely illustrated, can be cordially recommended to all
lovers of plant life. It treats of plants as living things,
full of ingenious devices to overcome the difliculties of
their surroundings.

AGRICULTURAL SOCIETIES.

Antigua.

Mr. W. N. Sands, the Hon. Secretary, has for-
warded an account of the usual monthly meeting of
the Society, held on the 4th ultimo, from which the
following items of interest are reproduced :—

The Agricultural Show for the current year was proposed
to be held in December next.

VANILLA IN ANTIGUA.

Mr. Sands briefly outlined the methods of propagating
and growing Vanilla, illustrating his remarks by specimens.
He advocated the use of Physie nut (Jatropha Curcas) as the
best support for the vines, and pointed out that vanilla can
be grown readily in parts of Antigua, and thrives in St.
John’s. Green pods, 74 inches long, gathered from a vine
growing in a garden at St. John’s were exhibited. A limited
number of young plants were available at the Botanic
Station where further imformation concerning vanilla culti-
vation could be obtained.

Mr. Watts expressed the opinion that there was a
considerable area available for vanilla cultivation within the
town of St. John’s itself ; that the shelter afforded by the
houses, and the somewhat damp atmosphere of the town
were favourable, and thata minor industry was thus brought
within the reach of all classes of residents in the town.

ARBOR DAY.

The question of establishing an Arbor Day, already
discussed in the Agricultural News (pp. 49 and 55), was
brought forward by Mr. Watts, and it was agreed that, for
this year at least, November 9, the King’s birthday should
be observed as an Arbor Day throughout the island, and that
the Agricultural Society and other bodies in Antigua, as
well as masters, mistresses and managers of schools of all
grades should be invited to give their cordial support to the
scheme. It had been the intention to include tree planting
in the Coronation festivities on June 26, last, but the
suggestion was not brought forward in time to allow of the
organization of proper schemes,

724

THE AGRICULTURAL

NEWS. AucGust 2, 1902.

Molasses as a Food for Army Horses.

(Continued from p. 108.)

On April 18 No. 3 stumbled on a stone and strained the
superficial flexor of the off fore, necessitating his remaining
in the stable for seven days; during this time he gained
42 tb. in weight.

On April 29 a barrel of fermenting molasses was
delivered in the evening ; on the morning of the 30th this
molasses was fed at the regular time. As the customary
monthly muster was to be held at 7 o'clock, the usual work
was postponed until later, and all the horses turned out for
this function ; they behaved in a most scandalous manner,
breaking up the ranks, smashing up things at the reviewing
point and even dismounting the saddler Sargeant, who was
an expert horseman. Query: Had the pannus molasses
anything to do with it !

Commencing with February 5, it was noted that the
feos were becoming quite dry and the animals had difficulty
in defecating ; to correct this we had to give a little bran on
the 11th, which was partaken of greedily ; it had the desired
effect and had to be repeated on an average of every two
weeks.

TRIAL ON SICK HORSES.

Tt was noticed in Porto Rico that the young horses were
those that kept the sick report full all of the time, while
horses of seven and over were seldom reported ; the trouble
was usually of a digestive nature, with its consequent “out-of-
condition ” scratches, skin abrasions, etc. Four of these cases
were chronic sick report horses and could not be vee with
the usual drugs, except for a few days. On February 3 all of
them were suddenly deprived of their grain and hay and put
on a ration of 6lb of molasses and 201b of green grass daily.
They refused the molasses for two days, but hunger being a
fine stimulant to the appetite, on the morning of the 6th we
were gratified to see that everything had been ¢ cleaned wp. (No,
their teeth were not in poor condition ; we were positive of
this, as we noted it on the record.) Strange to relate, these
animals commenced to pick up immediately, and within ten
days they improved so wonderfully that their riders failed to
recognize them. These horses did their usual troop work,
which was light. After living a month on this ration they
were, as suddenly, returned to their hay and oats. Both of
them suffered with indigestion for several days, but otherwise
the sudden change was not injurious. We were under the
impression that we would certainly have some acute diges-
tive disorder on the sudden change from dry to green feed
and molasses, but none appeared that could be observed.
We were not surprised at the indigestion on going back to
the dry feed.

GENERAL RESULTS.

All of the horses partaking of the molasses, including
the four sick ones, improved in spirit, coat, condition, wind

and flesh, and looked better than any of the other horses in
the garrison. Remembering that they (the eight) accom-
plished considerably more work and under more unfavourable
conditions, apparently, and that they probably received less
grooming, the results, as observed, are certainly astonishing.

We will not go into the relative nutritive qualities of
foods, as we are positive very few of those who peruse this
would care to read it, but [ will remark that the grass raised
on the island of Porto Rico is very innutritious, consisting of
little but water and cellulose ; as a consequence, the pastured
cattle are large of abdomen and watery and. stringy of
muscle. The ox, which is the draft animal of the country, is
fed on the tops of sugar-cane and in many ways has_ his
ration of the innutritious grasses added to.

On ending the experiment the horses were gradually
restored to their usual ration of 12lb of oats and 14tb of hay
daily, which they ate greedily. ;

So much interest was shown in the experiment that not
a single question was ever askéd as to its results, or if
molasses was of any value as a food for horses. As this is
the first time the result of the experiment has been put on
paper, it may be of some interest to veterinarians. We do
not claim originality for this ration, it having been in
constant the island of Porto Rico from time
Immemorial.

use on

COST.

Army horses in the West Indies when the regular
ration is not obtainable, can be subsisted without loss of
flesh or vitality on grass and molasses, both of which are

cheap and easily obtainable. The average price per day for

the grass and molasses rations was 15 cents, that of the
regular ration about 27 cents. The price of molasses depends

upon the
ground.

Thirty-five pounds of grass and from 13 to 15]b. of
molasses as a daily allowance are sufficient to maintain a
horse of 1,000 lb. weight in good working condition
climate similar to that of Porto Pico.

On this ration animals appear to do more work, condi-
tion and coat improve, there is less tendency to perspiration,
wind decidedly improves, urine increases but slightly, bowels
have a tendency to constipation, which is easily corrected by
feeding of a few pounds of bran at stated intervals.

Sudden change from dry to this ration is not at all
injurious, and does not der range the digestive apparatus. On
changing to a dry ration it should be gradually, or
serious consequences May arise.

Molasses attracts insects, notably flies and ants ; it sticks
to the animal’s coat, smears his face and breast, halter and
halter strap, soils the clothing and the equipment of the men,

season, it being cheapest when the cane is being

ina

done

and causes some trouble and delay in mixing it with the
grass, which must be cut fine. It is believed that molasses

in small quantities in the United States could be used to
good advantage in the treatment of sick horses recovering
from some debilitating disease, also in cases of animals sufer-
ing from dyspepsia where the coat is rough and skin harsh
and tight, as well as in horses with chronic that
will not respond to the ustal tonies.

If molasses as a feed or partial feed be used by any of
your readers with a therapeutical object in view, it is hoped
he will place the result of his observations at the disposal of
the profession.

indigestion

To Destroy Ants on Lawns.

We find certain small species of ants that make their
hills in our lawns and gardens, or in grass-plots and are
sometimes decidedly troublesome in such localities. Dr.
John B. Smith in Heonomie Entomology (p. 395) advises
where this occurs there is nothing better for getting rid
them than bisulphide of carbon. Pour, he says, a quantity
into each of the openings of the disk or hill, closing them up
by stepping on each as it is treated. The fumes will
penetrate the chambers in every direction, and if a sufficient
amount has been used, will kill not only the adults, but all
larvae as well. A single application is usually all that is
but in a very large colony it may sometimes
happen that the farther chambers are not reached by the
fumes, and that the nest reappears near by ; rarely in the
old spot. When that oceurs, a second treatment is tolerably
certain to be effective.

necessary ¢

THE

AGRICULTU

TAL, NEWS.

TRINIDAD :

ANNUAL REPORT OF THE GOV-
ERNMENT ANALYST 1901-2. By Professor P. Carmody,
F.LLC., F.C.

The report deals principally with the routine analytical
work of the Colony, many of the details of which are only
-of local interest. 2,210 analyses chiefly official, were made.
In connexion with the reported discoveries of mineral
‘oil in Trinidad, some samples of which were analysed
at the laboratory with favourable results, it is interesting
to note that nearly half a million gallons of petroleum
are annually imported into the Colony, Ten samples of
aerated waters were found to contain excessive quanti-
tities of lead, and two brands of imported beers were
found to contain Salicylic acid in small quantities. Several
analyses of local coals are given the majority of which
compared with imported coals of the best quality contain
an excessive amount of water and ash as well as a
high percentage of volatile matter. Although none of
the local coals are of first-class quality, some of them can be
used with advantage. Of great interest to cacao and coffee
planters are the analyses of the flowers of various shade
trees used in cacao culture in Trinidad. In 1900 as much
as 6 per cent. of nitrogen was found in the drded flowers of
some samples of the Immortel: this year the highest
figure is 4°03 per cent., the lowest being apparently 2°65 per
cent. It was found that an average-sized tree yields about
130 Ib of fresh flowers. Fifty trees per acre would yield
800 Ib of dry flowers, which at 3 per cent. of nitrogen only
would yield 24 Ib of nitrogen. his is nearly double that
removed by 500 Ib of cured cacao per acre. Speaking
‘of these figures, Professor Carmody says: ‘These figures
are of considerable agricultural importance, for they suggest
that flowering trees may be utilized to keep the nitrogen in
the soil in cireulation by bringing it from lower de spths in
‘one form and periodically spreading it in another form on
the surface of the land.’

A course of lectures in agricultural chemistry was given
to a-class of 56 schoolmasters. All the head teachers in
Trinidad have now received a short instruction

course of

and in every school in the Colony agriculture is being
taught. There can be no doubt that the Government

Laboratory at Trinidad is of considerable service to the
Colony in many ways, and amply fulfils the purposes for
which it is maintaimed. During the year a considerable
sum of money was paid into the Treasury for fees for analyses,
and in addition still larger sums were obtained by fines
under the Food and Drugs Ordinance,

TRINIDAD: REPORT ON THE GOVERNMENT
STOCK FARMS, 1901-2. By Mr. C. W. Meaden, Manager.

The report deals with the work of the farm since its
transference from St. Clair to Valsayn, St. Joseph. Many
‘difficulties arose in converting the old sugar land now at the
‘disposal of the farm into suitable pasture. At present many
-of these initial difficulties have been overcome and the farm
is being gradually established. Seven pure-bred Zebu

‘bunches

Jamaica,

heifers have been added to the herd and-a bull and two cows
are on their way from India. The milch herd has been
increased to 147 breeding cows. Cross-bred Guernseys have
proved useful and a Hereford bull has been added. The
annual stock sale was held on January 21 and realised
1,282 dollars. Most of the stock shown at the Exhibition of
the Agricultural Society gained prizes in addition to the
Diploma of the Department of Agriculture. Butter-making
has been started; 1,668 pounds were made. which sold for
£138. 18. 9. The butter produced compared favourably

with the imported article and much more could have been
disposed of.
Mule breeding has been started at the farm but the

manager does not regard horse breeding as likely to yield
any profit in Trinidad at the present time. The Tamworth
pigs introduced have adapted themselves to the climate and
the introduction is regarded as a very useful one. The
advantage of pig keeping in Trinidad as an industry for
peasant proprietors seems to be clearly realized. Andalusian
fowls and Pekin ducks are very promising. The sheep at
the Tobago farm imported from Halifax have not done well
and the manager is of the opinion that it is better to improve
the native breed by importing rams from time to time. There
can be no doubt that the Trinidad stock farm is a highly
practical and useful institution and of considerable service to
the Colony. The failures at such a farm are often more
valuable than the successes asthe former prevent losses to
individual planters who may wish to experiment in animal
introduction. All interested in stock in the West Indies
would do well to secure copies of this and previous reports.

COST A
YEAR 1901.
April 1902.

The staple agricultural products of Costa Rica are
coffee, bananas, timber and rubber.

The coffee crop of 1901, although abundant in quantity
was poor in quality; prices ruled 25 to 30 per cent.
lower than during the previous year, and the value of produce
exported fell by some £200,000. Cotfee has formerly borne
an export tax of 4s. per 100Ib. This has been found to be
too heavy a burden to allow the growers to maintain good
cultivation, and has been abolished from September 1901.

The banana trade continues to increase. The exports for
1901 are 13 per cent. more than in 1900, and 1,000
times greater than ten years ago. Nearly 4,000,000
were sent to the United States. Bananas are
grown on the alluvial lands of the Atlantic Coast, carried
by rail to Limon and shipped thence to America. The
United Fruit Company maintain a tri-weekly service of
special banana boats. Five other lines of steamers also call
regularly. The Fruit Company have built a railway from
the banana district to the port, and a new wharf, costing
over £80,000, has been constructed at Port Limon. The
banana farms are mainly worked by coloured labour from
a man’s wages being about 2s. 10d. per day.

The exports of timber and dye-woods have each
declined about 50 per cent. owing to the increased difficulty
in working the more remote districts.

The export of about 450 ewt. of cacao is recorded.
This is more important than the mere quantity would
suggest. The Oe has been endeavouring to stimulate
this industry by offering premiums for trees of three or
more years old. In 1901 the plantations were inspected
and nearly 500,000 trees earned the reward. <As_ these
plantations come into bearing, cacao may be expected te
take a leading place in the exports of Costa Rica.

RICA: THE TRADE OF, FOR THE
Diplomatic and Consular Report, No. 2776,

126 THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. Aueust 2, 1902.

COMMERCIAL.

With the view of assisting in finding a market for the
disposal of local produce, arrangements have been made with
the following Agents in these Colonies who will be prepared
to receive consignments and obtain the best prices for them.

It is desirable that inquiry be made, beforehand, as
to the terms on which such produce will be received, and
whether the market is favourable or not.

It is particularly urged that no shipments be made until
an assurance has been received from the Agents themselves
that they are prepared to accept such shipments.

Agents in the West Indies.
BRITISH GUIANA—B. 8S. Bayley, Water Street, Georgetown.
TRINIDAD—J. Russell Murray, Port-of-Spain.
BARBADOS—T. 8. Garraway & Co., Bridgetown.
ST. LUCIA—Captain H. Henville, Contractor & Agent, Castries.

MARKET REPORTS.

London,—July 8, 1902.—Messrs. J. Hates Carp & Co.,
Messrs. Gittesriz Bros. & Co. and THE Pusiic
Lepcer, June 26, 1902.

Ators—Barbados 13/- to 35/-; Socotrine 70 - tu 80/- per ewt.
Arrowroot—St. Vincent, fair 4d per lb.
3anata—Demerara sheet 2/45 per lb.
Bers-wax—Jamaica, fair palish £7 17s 6 to £8 per ewt.
Cac Boe eeudad, good red 65,- to 66- ; fine 67/- to 68/- ;
choice 72/- per ewt.
Gnu: 60/- per ewt.
Jamaica, fine 62/6 per ewt.
Canrpamoms—1/10 to 2/3 per Ib.
Cassia Fistuta—5/6 to 35/- per ewt.
Castor Om—4}d to 43d per lb.
CorreE—Jamaica, ordinary 35/- to 38-; good bold low
middling 47/6 to 51/6 per ewt.
Costa Rica, 44/- to 77/- per ecwt.
Peaberry, 62/6 to 65/- per ewt.
Corron— Carriacou, 42d. per lb.
Corron Seep—£7. 1. 3. per ton ex ship.
CowacE—ld to 2d per Ib.
Fustric—Jamaica, quiet.
Gincer—Jamaica, fair bright 45/- to 45.6; good common
33,6 to 35,6 per ewt.
Honrty—No sales. Steady at previous rates.
Jatar—4d to 6d per Ib,
Kuus-Kuvus Roor—12/- per ewt.
Kora Nurs—1d to 4d¢ per Ib.
Live Jvuice—Raw, 1/3 to 1/5 per gallon with a firm
market ; concentrated, £12. 5s per pipe.
Loawoop—Jamaica £4 5s per ton.
Macre—-l1/- to 2,6 per tb.
Nirrave or Sopa-- Refined £9 5s; ordinary £9.8s per ton.
Nvurmecs—140’s to 100's, 65 to 9/5 100's to GO's 9d to 2/4
per tb.
Om or Limes—Distilled 1/9 per lb. ; hand pressed
none offering.
Pinenro—23d. per 1b.
SARSAPARILLA—no quotations.
Sucar-—Muscovado 10/9 to 12/6 ; erystallized 13/- to 15/-
per ewt.
SuLpHate OF AmMMoNIA—Grey, 24 per cent., London £12.
10s per ton.
Tamanrinps—No sales reported.
Tonquin Beans—9d to 2.9 per Ib.
Frurr—Covent Garpen Marker (GarpeNnrr’s
Curonicir, July 5, 1902.)
Bananas—6,- to 10/- per bunch.
Lemons—13/- to 18/- per case.
Mancos—-2/- to 4/- per dozen.
ORANGES—18/- to 20/- per case.
Prxes—38/6 to 5/- each.

New York, —June 13, 1902.— Messrs. GILLESPIE Bros. &Co.

Bananas—Jami tica, 9 hands $1.30, 8 hands 95c.. 7 hands
60c. to 65ce. per bunch.

Cacao— African 12#e. to 13c. ; Caracas, fair to good ordi-
nary l4c. to iio ; Jamaica, good fermented Ages
Grenada 13he. Trinid: ud 13c. to 14c. per lb.

Cocoa-Nuts—Jamaicas, $20.00 per M. ; Small Trinidads
$12.00 per M.

Correr— Rio, good ordinary 5jc. ; Jamaica ordinary Ge.

good ordinary Te per lb.

Grixcer—8e. to 8$e per lb.

Pimento—djc. to 5$e. per lb.

Ruseer— Nicaragua Scrap 5le. per lb ; sheet 46c. per lb. ;
Guayaquil Strip 48e. per tb.
Sucar—Muscovado, 89°, 2fc. to 8c.

3yis¢ per lb.

,

; centrifugals, 96°,

INTER-COLONIAL MARKETS.

Antigua,—July 16, 1902.—Messrs. G. W. Bennett, Bry-

son & Co., Ltd.
Mo .asses—%e. per gallon, package included.
Sccar—Muscovado $1.025 per LOOLb., nominal.

Barbados,—July 19, 1902.—Messrs. T.S. Garraway &Co.

Arrowroor—good quality, $3.50 per ewt.

Cacao—8$13.50 per ewt.

Corree—Jamaica and ordinary Rio $9.00 and $9.50,
respectively.

Hay—lotting $1.00 per LOOLb.

Manures—Nitrate of Soda $60.00 per ton. Sulphate of
Ammonia—§S75.00 per ton.

Mo tasses—8c. per gallon and $4.00 for package.

Oxtons—Madeira $2.60 per 100 Ib.

Poraros—8$3.00 per barrel.

Rice—Ballam $4.90 per bag ; Patna $3.75 per bag.

SHators—12e. to 14e per lb.

SucGar—in hogsheads, $1.00 per 100lb. and $5.00 for
hogshead ; in bags $1.20 per LOOIb.

British Guiana,—July 17, 1902.—Messrs. Wertinc &

Ricwver.
Arrowroot—$8.00 per barrel.
Cacao—-native lle. to 12c. nominal.
Cassava Srarcu—$6.00 per barrel.
Cocoa-Nuts—$8.00 to SLO.00 per M.
Corree—Rio and Jamaica I1$e. to 12c. per lb. (retail.)
Creole, Ile. to 12c. per Lb.
Eppors—$1.20 per LOOLb.
Ontons— sold out at 4c. per Ib.
Pea Nurs—Curacoa 3$c. to 3c. American 4c. (retail.)
Pranranis—Il6e. to d2c. per bunch.
Poraros Encuisu—$4.00 to $4.50 per barrel.
Rice—-Bellam $4.80, Patna $5.80 per bag.
—CrroLe Rice 20e. per gallon, (retail. )
Sweer Poraros—-Barbados $1.32 per LOOLb.
TANNIAS— $1.56 per LOOLb.
Yams—-10/- per LOOIb.
Motasses—Vacuum Pan yellow I4$c. tc 15e. per gallon,
casks included.
Sucar—Dark Crystals $1.60; yellow $2.10 per ewt.
Timber—Greenheart 32c. to 40c. per cubic foot.
WALLABA SHINGLES—S3.00 to $5.00 per M.

Trinidad,—July 16 & 17, 1902.—Messrs. Gorpon Grant

& Co.

and Messrs. Encar Trier & Cc

Cacao— Ordinary $13.00 to $13.25 ; eat ites $15.50 to $13.
per cwt.

BaLATA—no quotations.

Corree Roe melan. Ordinary T{e. per lb.

Ontons— $2.00 per 1O01b.

Poraros Encrisu—$2.00 to $2.25 per 1001b.

Rice—Yellow $4.50 to $4.65 ; White Table $5.25 to $5.75
per bag.

SuGar—For Grocery use, $1.70 to $3.00 per 1001b.

Morasses— No quotation.

Vou. J. No. 8. THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 127

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Mr. R. G. McHucn, Castries. Dominica: Messrs. C. F, Duverney & Co., Market St., Roseau. Montserrat: Mr. W.
LieweLLyn Watt, Plymouth. Antigua: Mr. F. Forrest, St. John’s, St. Kit/s: Messrs. S. L. Horsrorp & Co., Basseterre.

128 THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. Avucust 2, 1902_

THE BEST MANURES FOR COLONIAL USE

PACES een

Ohlendorff’s Dissolved Peruvian Guano—For Sugarcane and general use
Ohlendorff’s Special Sugar-cane Manure
Ohlendorft’s Special Cocoa Manure

Sulphate of Ammonia, Nitrate of Soda, Superphosphates, high grades,
Potash Salts, Basic Slag and all other high-class Fertilizers.

APPLY TO LOCAL AGENTS OR DIRECT TO
THE ANGLO-CONTINENTAL (LATE OHLENDORFF’S) GUANO WORKS,

London Agency, 15, Leadenhall Street, London E.C.,
Barbados Agents: Messrs. James A. Lynch & Co., Bridgetown.

THE BARBADOS MUTUAL LIFE ASSURANCE SOCIETY.
EST ABE tS HED. i8'408
CHIEF OFFICE, Beckwith Place, Bridgetown, Barbados.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS :

MICHAEL J. BOVELL, Esq., CHatrMan,
E. T. RACKER, Esq., Vick-CHarrMan.

J. R. BANCROFT, Esq., | JAS. H. INNISS, Esq.,
B. ERNEST BYNOK, Esq., | Hon. J. THOMAS JONES, M.L.C.,
JOS. W. CRONEY, Esgq., | H. LAWRANCE JOHNSON, Esq.,

Jor WRIGHT, Esq., M.C.P.
Transactions to December 31, 1901.

Total Assurances Issued oe Ne tae ee Aa we $11,752,403.
Total Bonuses Declared (31 December 1900)... Se bias a he BA 3,610,921
Sums Assured and Bonuses Existing oor 582 mer a8 ak 5,154,157
Total Claims by Death and Matured Endowments sas 636 on as acs 5,375,545»
Life Assurance Fund... xe we wae 2h nae as oe 2,118,650:
Annual Income : ot ie <a APE ae ie 245,345

Net Surplus December (31 1900) ago ae ee ate sae ae 297,124
The Premiums are Lower than those charged by other Life Oftices doing business in the West Indies.
The Bonuses declared have not been equalled by any other Assurance Society in the world.
Its Policy Contracts are Liberal, Fair and Equitable.
The Policy is Absolutely Non-Forfeitable so long as any surrender value remains.
Loans granted on Security of Policy.
Liberal Surrender Values.
Claims promptly paid.
Every facility given for the revival of Lapsed Policies.
It grants Interim Bonuses.
It gives Compound Bonuses.
All the profits belong to the Policy-Holders.
H. J. INNISS,
May 22, 1903. Secretary.

Printed at Oftice of Agricultural Reporter, 4, High Street, Bridgetown, Barbados.

Ja

BORDTNIGHTLY REVIEW

OF THE

IMPERIAL DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE FOR THE WEST INDIES.

Vou. I. No. 9.

BARBADOS, AUGUST 16, 1902.

Price 1d.

CONTENTS.
Pace. PaGE.
Barbados :— Market Reports peer alo
Se ree ot Pe Sse 131 Notes and Comments... 134

Our Book Shelf :—
Lectures on some of the
physical properties of

Cacao :
Appearance of pods as

test of purity... ... 130 . aC
Citrus Fruits, stock for... 132 sol oy)
Commercial 142 | Pine apples with cocks-
Coral Snakes 131 comb heads . 130
Department Reports :— : ae Hic? roe Ace
St. Kitts-Nevis, Botanic wae
Stswont90r2).. 14i)|7, and See see
Tobago, Botanic Station SUT Yeo wes
1901-2 -. .. 141 | Rum manufacture, Expert
medcational s= for Jamaica J albil
School Gardening . 139 | St. Lucia Arrowroot . 152
Fisheries :— Sugar Industry :—
Tarpon at Grenada... 136 Crops at Barbados,
Game shooting at Barbu- 18991902. =. .-- 13!

OE cee “ee. cag ogo Lee}
Grape culture at Grenada 132
Ground-nuts, Barbados... 136
Gunga in the West Indies 136

Expert for Rum manu-
facture dod. cece 3 |
Tobacco, Experiments at
St. Kotisies).. ... 130

Brsect Notes = Trinidad Trade:.. ... <.. 136

An attic full of honey... 140 | Vanilla, cultivation in
Preserving Books . 140 the Seychelles — (con-

cluded) ... «.

Uses of Carbon Bisul- - b
West Indian Bulletin ... 129

phide... . 140

West Indian Bulletin.

| [3 HE publication of the July number (Vol.
) III, No. 2) of the West Indian Bulletin,
the quarterly Scientific Journal of the
Imperial Department of Agriculture for the West

Indies, affords a convenient opportunity for drawing
attention to the extent to which the Bulletin might
be utilized as a means for improving the agricultural
Colonies. | Each
about one hundred pages of original matter, all directly
bearing on West Indian conditions and written by men

resources of these number contains

of wide experience and undoubted authority on the
subject on which they treat. The four numbers issued,
each year, form a volume of about four hundred
pages with a title-page and index complete. The
articles that have already appeared deal with several
important questions affecting the sugar industry and
present a summary of the latest results of experiments
carried on in the West Indies and in all the
leading sugar-cane growing countries of the world.
It is not too much to claim that the West Indian
Bulletin is indispensable to every progressive sugar
planter in these colonies and it is the planter’s own
loss if he does not fully avail himself of the valuable
information so plainly worded and conveniently placed
within his reach. Similarly with regard to the cacao
industry which, next to sugar, is the most important of
any in this part of the world. An exhaustive series of
articles on the fungoid and insect diseases of cacao
has appeared in the West Indian Bulletin with clear
and practical hints for dealing with them whenever
and wherever they occur.

In the current number of the Bulletin the first
article recounts the results of efforts, during the last
three years, to introduce the teaching of the principles
of agriculture into the colleges and schools in the West
Indies, The several colonies dealt with, according

130 THE

AGRICULTURAL NEWS.

to their geographical position, are Jamaica, British
Guiana, Trinidad with Tobago, Grenada, St. Vincent,
St. Lucia, Barbados and the Leeward Islands.
Immediately after, follows the Report of the Educa-
tional Section at the Conference of 1902. My. Sydney
Olivier, C.M.G., the capable and energetic Colo-
mial Secretary and Chairman of the Agricultural
Board at Jamaica contributes an important paper
on the * Regulation of the quality of exported Fruit’;
Mr. H. Maxwell Lefroy, F.E.S., deals with ‘ Sugges-
tions for controlling the importition of Insect Pests,’
followed by a valuable paper by Mr. W. Fawcett,
F.LS., on the ‘Banana Industry of Jamaica.’ There
can be no doubt as to the thoroughly exhaustive and
useful character of this paper, and, in view of. the
possible extension of the banana industry into the
Lesser Antilles the article will be read with great
It is evident from what is
being done at Jamaica that successful banana cultiva-
tion requires quite as much skill and forethought as
cane cultivation. Mr. J. H. Hart, F.L.S., discusses the
‘Preparation of Essential Oils in the West Indies’; Mr.
William G. V.LS., gives an interesting
account of the ‘Aloe Industry of Barbados’; and Mr.
Albert Howard, F.C.S., F.L.S., concludes with ‘Sugges-
tions for the removal of Epiphytes from Cacao and
Lime trees.’

interest in those islands.

Freeman,

It may be added that the West Indian Bulletin
is readily obtainable (price sixpence, post free eight
pence) from all Agents of the Department throughout
the West Indies. The London Agents are Messrs.
Dulau & Co., 37, Soho Square, W.

PINE-APPLES

PINES WITH COCKSCOMB HEADS.

Pine-apple growers in Jamaica have been dis-
turbed recently by the pines forming, at times, large,
flattened ‘cockscomb’ tops instead of the normal
crowns. It was feared that such monstrosities might
be handed on from generation to generation, and hence
the use of suckers from these plants was looked on
with suspicion, Mr. H. H. Cousins in discussing the
question says :—

It has been proved by direct experiment that suckers
and even offshoots from the crowns of monstrous or ‘ cocks-
comb’ pines develop normally under healthy soil-conditions.
The monstrosities are caused by the overcharge of nitrogen
due to the mechanical and chemical conditions of soil on
which the pines had been grown. Magnificent Cayennes
have been grown on some soils this year where the previous
crop had largely consisted of monstrosities. It was thought
at first that a nematode worm was involved, but no
evidences of such injury could be obtained, and the
foregoing results confirm the opinion formed last September.

Aueusrieaiaam

CACAO.

APPEARANCE OF PODS AS TEST OF QUALITY.

The question of attempting to use the external
characters of a cacao pod to determine the colour and
value of the seeds inside it, is commented on in recent
reports from Jamaica and Ceylon. In the Annual
Report on the Jamaica Botanic Department for 1901-2,
Mr. W. Fawcett says :—

A chemist who has studied cacao in the various West
India Islands where it is grown, states that he has formed
the opinion that not much dependence can be placed on the
form of the pod in making choice of good seed. One seed
in the pod should be cut, and the colour noted. This he
thinks is a more reliable test than the form of the pod. For
flavour he prefers the white colour in the interior of the seed.
But if this kind of cacao is produced by a tree not so
vigorous as that yielding seeds with red or purple colour, at
any rate the light pink colour is preferable to the purple
colours.

Mr. J. B. Carruthers, of the Botanie Gardens,
Ceylon, has been devoting considerable attention to the
subject, and in his annual report for 1901-2 says :—

The external shape and size of the fruit affords no
criterion as to the commercial value of the seed within, and
may often be a most misleading character. The pods
examined—more than 1,000 in all—were of all kinds and
varieties and on different estates. They were all measured
accurately, both length ways and around the thickest part,
and weighed; then they were opened and the number and
weight of the seeds and the weight of the fruit-wall recorded.

WXPERIMENTS WITH TOBACCO AT
ST KITTS.

Considerable interest is being taken in the cultivation
andcuring of tobacco in St. Kitts. (See p. 53). In the
Annual Report on the Botanic Station, recently issued, Mr.
W. Lunt, the Curator, records the steady progress of the
experiments. About half en acre was grown near the Station,
and the resulting crop is being carefully cured, and ‘ promises
well for a first venture.’ Plots of tobacco were also started on
four estates. The final results cf these experiments are
awaited with interest. Meanwhile it is gratifying to learn
that an independent private experiment, on a _ small
scale, has been carried through successfully, by Mr. William
Sprott, a schoolmaster of Basse‘erre, St. Kitts. He planted
a garden plot, 40 ft. by 25 ft, with plants raised
from seed gathered from tobacco plants found growing in
different localities in the island. The plants were set 2 ft. 6
ins. apart, in rows 3 ft. apart. They were given great care
and attention and grew rapidly, producing leaves 3 ft. long
by 6 inches wide. Most of the plants produced from fourteen
to twenty pairs of leaves. When mature the leaves were
harvested and carefully cured, as far as possible in accordance
with the Cuban method. The cured tobacco was pronounced
by several persons who smoked it, either in pipe or made
into cigars, to be better than tobacco obtainable locally.
This experiment goes to show, that tobacco plants grown at
St. Kitts, cultivated and cured under favourable conditions,
are capable of producing a fair quality tobacco.

Worse 1 Now 2: THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 131
SUGAR CROPS OF BARBADOS.
The following Memorandum has been prepared by — ten years is placed by Mr. Bovell at £12 8s. 7d. On

Mr. J. R. Bovell, the Agricultural Superintendent of
Sugar-cane Experiments, on the Sugar and Molasses
crops of Barkacos for the four years 1899-1902
inclusive.

It should be understood that the returns are
approximate only, as it has not been found possible
to obtain figures from every plantation in the island.
Tt will be observed that the average cost of producing
a ton of sugar and 100 gallons of molasses, on 75 per
cent. of the plantations in Barbados, during the last

many plantations where the conditions are favourable
the cost is less. On the other hand, in some districts,
especially in the Scotland district, it is higher.

The most prominent feature in these returns
is the fact that at the average prices for this year (1902)
the planters apparently sustain (where no material
reduction has been made in the cost of production)
an average loss of £4 on every ton of sugar and 100
gallons of molasses exported from the island :—

Sugar and Molasses Crops of the island of Barbados for the four years
1899 to 1902 inclusive.

Cost oF Propuction, Ete Ete. 1899 1900 1901 1902

Sugar Crops of the island vs Tons... 40,317 44,250 53,440 40,914*
Molasses Crops of the island . Puncheons... 29,134 37,234 46,043 42,191*
Cost of producing sugar on the average for ten

years on 75 per cent. of the Plantations in

Barbados7 Ret tonven||ce lon de col 2, (8 eee Cue (tell amma
Average price at which sugar sold seen 00Mb | £0898 We £0) 8 SSIREO NG Ie On 4a
Average price at which molasses sold Ber gal-.. || 0 0) GEIL 0 0 SHEEIO 0) 5 ri£ 0) 0) 32
Value of 1 ton of sugar and 1 hogshead, less

weighing and testing £10 138 4 |£10 17 OLISS 18 9E/£5 19 OF
Value of 100 gallons of molasses and 1 pun-

cheon, less guaging eo On Ay 4 - 4. 1 ROI ES 22 Sees
Average selling | price of 1 ton of s sugar and 100

gallons molasses, including hoyshead and

puncheon : egh 3) tch Eile | Silt TG) ees! |G
Gain per ton of sugar and 100 gallons of

molasses 25 \l 1tsy. lee PE iy —- —-
Loss per ton of sugar and 100 gallons of

molasses — —-- a5 (0) 2) NOEs Ze Ik Tl

* Sugar and molasses exported to July 31, 1902.

j} The data were obtained from numerous estates situated in all the districts of the island.

The cost includes the production

of a ton of sugar and its 100 gallons of molasses, and also the value of the hogshead and puncheon.

Note—The average crop of sugar for the twenty years 1881 to 1900 inclusive was 50,688 tons.

EXPERT FOR RUM MANUFACTURS.

With reference to the proposal, on page 98 of the
Agricultural News, for the employment of a special-
ist in Rum fermentation at Jamaica, the Hon’ble
Emmanuel DuBoulay of St. Lucia writes :—

I was much struck by reading in the Agricultural
News of July 19, kindly sent me, an account of a proposal
made by Mr. Cousins, the Agricultural Chemist of Jamaica,
that a Specialist should be appointed to investigate the
present process of rum manufacture and to advise as to its
improvement.

I think this an excellent move and one that could
with advantage be adopted in the islands with which the
Imperial Department of Agriculture has connexion. I am
personally aware of how much good was done in Martinique
in this direction, when the methods of rum manufacture,
once crude and wasteful, were brought to a high state of
efficiency by the advice and superintendence of Experts.

I hope the Department will be able to make some
move in this matter. I am sure the services of such an
expert would be warmly welcomed and would add one more
factor of usefulness to the Department.

Coral Snakes: An article on the coral snakes of
British Guiana appears in the Argosy for July 26, from the
pen of Dr. R. Evans, the new Curator of the Museum at
Georgetown. It appears that coral snakes may be non-
venomous, slightly venomous or highly venomous according to
the species. Unfortunately there are no distinctive popular
names for the different species. There are three highly
venomous snakes (Zaps), two slightly venomous and two
non-venomous. One of the latter (Z/ysia seytale) which
grows to nearly a yard in length ‘on account of its beauty,
perfectly harmless nature and for “cooling purposes” is
sometimes worn by the Indians as a necklace.’

—
i)
to

THE AGRICULTURAL

NEWS. Avucust 16, 1902.

WEST

STOCK FOR CITRUS FRUITS.

The following extract contains the conclusions
arrived at by Mr. J. W. Mills, Foreman at one of the
stations for experiments on citrus plants, attached to the
University of California, as to the best stock for citrus
‘plants. Mr. Mills’ views are based on careful work
extending over many years, including investigation
into the root-systems of the plants experimented upon.
The complete account of his work is to be found in
Bulletin No. 138, of the University of California
Experiment Station, entitled Citrus Fruit Culture.
(Jan. 1902.)

The sweet orange rot is a persistent surface feeder,
having almost its entire root-system above a depth of 18
inches and rising to within 8 inches of the surface. This
stock produces an abundance of fibrous roots that concentrate
near the surface, just beneath the reach of the plough and
cultivator, thus making the tree too susceptible to drought.

On the other hand, the root of the sour-orange penetrates
toa depth of 9 feet or more, sometimes having numerous
laterals near the surface, and sometimes having fewer but
more sharply descending laterals. Both a deep root-system
and broadly extending laterals, not too near the surface, are
essential to the ideal stock. There would seem to be room
for some selection among sour-stocks so as to obtain these
qualities in the highest possible degree. Though the sour-
stock does not appear to bring trees into full bearing as
soon as do the sweet orange and the pomelo stocks, the
value of the sour-stock in other directions may compensate
for this defect, and it seems probable that in localities where
the sweet stock fails, sour-stock will be used to a greater
extent than now.

It has been shown that the lateral roots of the pomelo
are found at a somewhat greater depth than the laterals of
the sweet orange. The pomelo produces more fibrous roots
than do either of the other stocks, and consequently the tree
is a ravenous feeder. It is resistant, to a certain extent, to
the form of gum disease that attacks the roots of citrus trees.
On the whole the pomelo is deservedly becoming the
favourite stock in Southern California. In practice it has
succeeded better at the station than has the sourstock,
which seems to lack uniformity of root growth, sometimes
having few laterals, in which case the crops are small. The
pomelo seedlings have made the best growth in the nursery.

INDIAN FRUIT.

GRAPE CULTURE AT GRENADA.

A plant of the Muscat Hambro grape is thriving
at the Ballast Ground, Grenada. It was iitroduced
some four yeacs ago along with other varieties from St.
Vincent, and this year scores of bunches have been
cut of leaving over 300 more to ripen. The Pied
Carreau or Mocking Bird of Grenada unfortunately
appreciates the grapes whilst yet green, and the
bunches have had to be carefully ‘bagged’ very early
in mosquito netting in order to protect them.

ST. LUCIA ARROWROOT.

A sample of arrowroot grown and prepared at the
Riviere Dorée Experiment Station, St. Lucia, was
forwarded to Messrs. Dalton & Young, London, for
examination and report as to its merits and market
value. The sample was obtained from plants of
Bermuda arrowroot introduced into St. Lucia by the
Department of Agriculture some months ago. The
main point of interest was to learn how the St. Lucia
product compared with the arrowroot exported from
St. Vincent and other West Indian islands. Messrs.
Dalton & Young report :—

In its dry state it is rather dull in colour, but it jellies
nice and white, and is quite sweet in taste but it lacks
strength, being much weaker than some of the well-known
marks coming from St. Vincent, say for instance, the Owia.
The recent volcanic eruptions in St. Vincent, and consequent
destruction of some of the larger Arrowroot estates caused
prices to rise rapidly, but subsequent large arrivals (about
4,000 barrels having taken place within the last few weeks)
have caused considerable re-action to set in and quality, like
your sample, which was worth a month or six weeks ago
4h¢., we should not, to-day, value at more tham 2}d. to 23d.
per Ib., and with any pressure on the part of owners to
realize would in our opinion cause a further drop in prices.
Previous to the eruptions the value of your sample would
have been about 1}d. to 2d. Although the sample you send
is grown from Bermuda root, it would not enhance the value
on this market, as it would be shipped from St. Lucia and
sold on its merits. We shall be pleased to give you any
further information if you require it.

Won. 2. 2Nos-o! THE

AGRICULTURAL NEWS.

133

VANILLA.

Cultivation in the Seychelles.
(Concluded from page 117.)
CURING THE PODS FOR MARKET.

There are many different modes of preparing vanilla,
but for brevity’s sake one alone will be described ; it is
probably the simplest, and appears to be as successful as any
other. About 400 of the longest pods are placed in a basket
and plunged into hot water (190° F.) for ten seconds ; this
is repeated twice, the dips being increased to twelve and
fifteen seconds respectively, with intervals of half a minute
between each two. After the third dip, when most of the
water has drained off, the pods are placed in a wooden box
or barrel lined with blankets, and closely covered up with
the same material. When lot 1 is finished, lot 2 is similaily
treated, and for them the water may be a few degrees cooler,
or the dipping times a trifle shortened ; and so also with lot
No. 3, while No. 4 may be treated as No. 2. Perhaps it is
as well to add that 190° I. is not an absolutely essential
heat, but it is about as high as it is safe to go ; while even
the longest pods may be adequately treated in water at
170° F. if they are kept in it long enough. An experienced
preparer will be guided more by the appearance of the pod
after each dip than by any fixed formula. When small
quantities are dealt with less heat is needed, and the above
figures are given for a boiler 22 inches in diameter by 12
inches deep. It is best to have good-sized boxes or barrels
to sweat the pods in, those holding 2,000 or 3,000 each
being preferable, for the more pods there are together the
better heat is retained. The lots (1, 2, 3, and 4) should
be kept apart, a fold of blanket being laid on each if all
go into one box. By the following morning they should
have changed to chocolate or puce colour, and are then
ready to spread on the drying shelves ; but if there is a large
number together, and the heat has been well kept in,
they may be left for another twenty-four hours.

A curing house for preparing a crop up to 2,000
pounds (dry) may have the following dimensions and fixings:
30 feet long, 15 feet broad, 13 feet in height of walls. It
should be divided into four counterparts, two on the ground
and two above, each being approximately 15 by 15 and 64
feet high. One compartment on the ground floor is used as
a hot room, having a flue 2 feet wide covered with sheet
iron running through the centre. If the heat is too intense
from this, sand may be sprinkled on top to reduce it. Above
this flue and around two sides of the hot chamber tiers of
shelves are fixed 6 inches apart, on which the pods are spread
to dry. The shelves may be conveniently made of laths, on
top of which mats or canvas can be laid, or fine-meshed wire
netting would serve the same purpose, perhaps, better than
anything else.... The worker, sitting on the floor, keeps the
four lots of pods—long, medium, short, and split—distinct
on the shelves. This facilitates the sorting, the short and split
pods needing to be examined sooner and oftener than the
Jonger and sound sorts, as they dry more rapidly.

A good average heat for the hot chamber is 110° F. A
few degrees more or less does not matter, but pods are apt to
dry too quickly if the heat is much greater. The slower the
progress the more uniform and better is the result. As they
begin to turn soft and show longitudinal wrinkles the pods
are removed from room 1 to 3, and after reaching a certain
degree of flexibility they pass on to the shelves in room 4
and there finish their curing. If kept too long in either a
hot or warm room the thin ends of pods shrink too quickly,
and this is to be avoided. Ina large crop there are always

some inferior, ill-nourished pods in which this occurs, but
the last remark will be useful to a beginner. When fully
cured the pods are much wrinkled and pliable, bending easily
around one’s finger. There is considerable difference in the
degree of dryness preferred by different curers. If the
contents move easily all along a pod, without any uneven-
ness being noticed when it is drawn between the finger and
thumb, it is nearly dry enough ; but the right stage can only
be learned by experience. When finished the pods are well wiped
with bits of soft flannel and thenkept in boxes with close fitting
lids. It is better to sort them roughly into lengths as each day's
lot is put away, and tie up the various sizes in bundles of
about 200 each if the numbers allow of it, for they have
to be examined once or twice a week in order to remove the
moulded ones, and this is much more quickly done with
bundles than when they are loose. Moreover, it makes
the ultimate accurate measuring easier. Either at this time
or later the different qualities are more exactly separated,
none but faultless pods, without scar or defect in curing,
being allowed in the first quality. The rest rank as seconds,
ete. The split pods and the pods that have been cut on
account of mould are also kept distinct. It is well to keep
a crop at least three or four months before marketing. By
that time nearly all shaky pods that are liable to mould will
have shown themselves. All are then measured and tied up
in neat bundles of 50 pods each of even length, the pods
varying in length not more than one-eighth of an inch,

The general sightliness of a marketed crop has much
influence on the price it will bring, and whatever whims
buyers get into their heads the producer must conform to or
suffer in pocket. Bundle tying is something of an art, and
a deft hand at it is valuable. Sixteen or thereabouts of the
shapliest pods in each 50 are selected for the outside ; the
rest are tied up as a core, being kept in position by a few
turns of the fiber-tying cord, while the chosen sixteen are
carefully placed round them. The bundle is tied in either
three places, near each end and in the middle, or in two
places, an inch or more from the ends, according to the
length of bundle. The core-holding string is pulled out
before the final tie is fixed. Two-tie packets are boxed as
they are. With those of three ties buyers prefer that the
end cords be removed before packing, to enable them to
examine the bundles inside and see if the contents are of
uniform quality. If kept tied some time before being packed
the bundles set, as it were, and retain their neat shape. The
tin boxes used here for packing vanilla in measure 125 by
8} inches in width, are 45 inches deep, and hold about 12
pounds. Each box has a label pasted on it which bears the
grower’s trade mark, the length and number of packets, their
quality, and net weight, and a similar label is put inside.
As some chemical action is set up when vanilla rests in
contact with tin or iron, thin vegetable parchment paper is
placed in the boxes to keep the two apart. The lids are then
sealed close with pasted paper and the tins packed in wooden
cases, Six in each, and thus dispatched to market.

Game Shooting at Barbuda.

The following notice appeared in the Leeward
Tslands Gazette of July 10, 1902 :— ‘Deer and other
game shooting at Barbuda. Excellent shooting can
be had at the above island during the months of July,
August, and September. Applications for licences to
shoot should be made to the Colonial Secretary at
Antigua. For further particulars apply to O. Nugent,
Esq., the Acting-Magistrate of Barbuda.’

134 THE

AGRICULTURAL NEWS.

'

Avucust 16, 1902.

EDITORIAL NOTICES.

Letters and matter for publication, as well as all
specimens for naming should be addressed to the Commis-
sioner, Imperial Department of Agriculture,
Barbados.

It is particularly requested that no letters be addressed
to any member of the staff by name Such a course may
entail delay.

Communications should always be written on one side
of the paper only. It should be understood that no contri-
butions or specimens will, in any case, be returned.

All application for copies of the ‘Agricultural
News’ should be addressed to the Agents, and
not to the Department. A complete list of the London
and Local agents will be found on the last page of this
number,

Correspondents sending newspapers should be careful to
mark the paragraphs they wish to bring under notice.

Agricultural Slews

Wor.

I

SATURDAY, AUGUST 16, 1902. Nos9:

NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Honey Production in Jamaica.

According to recent statistics Jamaica is probably,
for its size, the most successful honey-producing country
in the New World. The amount of honey produced,
per square mile, in some of the leading countries and
in Jamaica is as follows :—Texas, LS8tb.; California, 31th. ;
Cuba, 114tb.; Jamaica, 385tb.; i
Jamaica compares very favourably with the alfalfa,
sage and white-clover honey of the United States. A
Jamaica Bee-keepers’ Association has just been formed
to assist bee-keepers and enable them to ship their
produce to the best markets.

a

Surra Disease in Horses.
In a recently issued Emergency Report by the

United States Department of Agriculture (Bureau of

Animal Industry, Bulletin No. 14, 1902) an account is
given of the Surra disease in horses in the Philippines.
‘lhe disease is caused by a microscopic parasite ( Try-
panosoma Evansi) transmitted by biting flies,
especially horse flies. It is a wet weather disease and
reported as invariably fatal to horses and mutes. If
the disease were likely to be entirely confined to the
Philippine Islands it would not be of immediate
interest to the West Indies. We find, however, that
although ‘animals from the Philippines are now excluded
in the United States, some animals were landed before
it was known that surra existed in the Philippines.’
There is a possibility, therefore, that this serious disease
has already been introduced into the United States.
The Report states : ‘if once thoroughly introduced into
the United States surra would cause a loss of millions

The logwood honey of

of dollars.” The question arises whether, under the
circumstances above related, and until it is shown
that there is no surra in the United States, it would
be safe for horses and mules from the United States to
be landed in the West Indies. The risk is great, and
considering the fatal character of this essentially
tropical disease we are of opinion that, for the present,
the several Governments in the West Indies (following
the example of the United States Government with
regard to horses from the Philippines) should absolutely
prohibit the landing of American horses and mules in
these islands.
—_—_ n> + ae

Personal.

It is desirable to state that Mr. W. K. Morrison
temporarily employed for a few weeks, as lecturer in
bee-keeping, by the Imperial Department of Agricul-
ture ceased to have any connexion with the Depart-
ment since May 1901. Certain communications that
have recently appeared in American and Canadian
Journals from Mr. Morrison in which he makes it
appear that he is still connected with the Department
are not only misleading, but are regarded as caleu-
lated to misrepresent these colonies.

EEE Te
Onion Cultivation.

It is desirable to remind those who have ordered
onion seed through the Department that the seed may
arrive at any moment and everything should be in
readiness to deal with it. In the first place the seed
beds to receive the first sowing should be. specially
prepared with the soil well pulverized. It would be an
advantage in most cases to sow the seed at intervals,
say of a week, during August and September, The
rows, across the beds, might be 6 inches apart. When
the onions are 4 or 5 inches high, that is in: about
eight weeks after sowing, they are ready for transplant-
ing into the field. Where the seed is to be sown,
at once, in the open, the land requires to be well
worked and the soil in fine condition, The drills may
be about 15 inches apart. After the seed has been
covered with about half an inch of well pulverized soil
the whole may be gently patted down. Further
particulars may be obtained from Hints on Onion
cultivation, Pamphlet Series No. 16, obtainable from
all Agents of the Department, price two-pence.

r+ re

Bananas from Barbados.

In continuation of the experiment described on
page 68 of the Agricultural News, Mr. J. R. Bovell,
the Superintendent of the Botanic Station, Barbados,
forwarded two more bunches of the Chinese or Dwarf
banana, to England by the R.M.S. Trent on July 5.
The bananas were packed in crates and put up exactly
like those sent from the Canary Islands. Mr. Munro of
Covent Garden writes: ‘The bunches were in good
condition and very well packed.... This variety suits
our London trade better than the coarser ones from
Jamaica if they come in good condition ; and by the
appearance of the fruit I think they will stand the

Vou. I. No. 9.

journey well as they seem to be firm and grown under
drier conditions than the Canary fruit.’

_ This report is distinctly encouraging and when
further data are to hand, figures will be published
showing exactly the profits in each case.

EET Oo
Preserved Bananas.

At Jamaica where bananas are so extensively
grown for exportation there are large numbers of
bunches that are rejected and left on the hands of the
growers because they are either too small, unripe or
over-ripe, or otherwise unsuitable for shipment. It
would lead to a valuable enterprise if means were
devised for utilizing these bananas and saving them
from being thrown away or fed to pigs. Many
attempts have been made to manufacture banana meal,
but there are so many attractive and popular competi-
tors amongst cereals and starches that it is doubtful
whether banana meal on account of its colour, its
somewhat low nutritive value, and cost of production
will, at any time, enter largely into consumption.
Dried bananas have also been tried. They have been
most carefully prepared at Jamaica, Montserrat and
elsewhere. They have been packed in attractive boxes
like figs and offered at a comparatively low price. So
far efforts in this direction have invariably failed. In
spite of discouragement in the past we are not without
hope that means will, eventually, be devised to preserve
waste bananas and present them in an attractive form
for consumption in temperate countries. There can be
no doubt, however, as to the popularity of bananas
in the fresh state. The possibilities in this direction
are unlimited if only the fruit is presented in really
good condition.

ED ee
Vanilla-Growing at Dominica.

Recently two interesting samples of well-cured
vanilla pods were received from Dominica and
forwarded to London for valuation and report by
experts in Mincing Lane. By last mail Messrs.
Brookes and Green write as follows :—

‘As regards curing, the beans are in a satisfactory
condition. ‘The larger pods are in good condition and
beginning to crystallize. They would realize here to-day
7s. per lb. (seven shillings per English pound) for the
perfectly sound beans ; some few are split at the ends
and these are worth 4s. per lb. The second lot, viz.,
the shorter pods are not so goodas the above, but are
also, of fair quality and the sound beans would sell
here to-day at4s. to 4s. Gd. per lb. and the split ends at
3s. per lb.

As a first attempt to cure and prepare vanilla
pods to compete with those produced by experienced
planters at Seychelles, Bourbon and other countries
the report is most encouraging. Messrs. Brookes
and Green add useful hints in regard to sorting
and tying up the beans. They also advise that, in
place of tin-foil, parchment paper should be used to
line the inside of the tins in which the pods are
packed.

_ A series of articles have appeared in these pages

THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS.

135

(the last in this number) giving simple and practi-
cal hints for the cultivation of vanilla, fertilizing
the flowers, and gathering and curing the pods. We
commend these hints to the careful attention of all
who are interested in vanilla production in these
Colonies,

a

Volcanic Eruptions and Agriculture.
Mr. Hesketh H. Bell, the able Administrator of

Dominica, deserves credit for his letter to The Times
of July 22, drawing attention to the serious effects
that the graphic accounts of the recent voleanic
eruptions are likely to produce upon agricultural
development in the West Indies. Those not well
acquainted with these Colonies are apt to conclude
that they are all within a short distance of each other,
and that the recent eruptions threatened to destroy the
whole of them. As a matter of fact, Jamaica is as far
from Barbados as Gibraltar is from Plymouth, and
Jamaica, British Guiana and Trinidad, all equally
removed from the effects of voleanic agency, contain
about nine-tenths of the total area of the West Indian
Colonies. St. Vincent is the only British island that
has suffered from an agricultural point of view, and it
is hoped that Mr. Hesketh Bell’s letter and the very
conclusive leading article that appeared in The Times
of July 23 will re-assure those who have interests in
the West Indies that, with the single exception of St.
Vincent, these Colonies have not been rendered less
deserving than before of the notice of intending settlers
or are less advantageous for the investment of capital.
The cacao, lime and fruit industries are as flourishing
as in any part of the world, and it is hoped when the
full eftects of the abolishment of bounties are realized,
the sugar industry, also, will be more prosperous than
unfortunately it is at present.

Se

Plant Breeding Conference.

An International Plant-breeding and Hybridiza-
tion Conference is proposed to be held at New York on
September 30 and October 1 and 2 next. This Confer-
ence is receiving the active support of the United States
Department of Agriculture, of the Department of
Agriculture of the Dominion of Canada and_practi-
cally of all the leading Botanical and Horticultural
Societies in the New World. Jt is also being supported
by the Royal Horticultural Society of London. It is
proposed, as a matter of special interest, to include in
the programme the results of work on hybridizing
tropical crop-plants such as sugar-cane, bananas, maize
or Indian corn. Cinchona and others. As it is evident
that the Conference will prove of interest and value to
the West Indies and bring forward subjects likely to
bear directly on the important work in» which the
Imperial Department of Agriculture is engaged, such
as raising new varieties of sugar-cane, Indian corn,
sweet potatos, bananas, ete., the Secretary of State
has approved of the support of the Department being
given to it, and, if circumstances permit, a representa-
tive from the West Indies will attend the Conference.

THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS.

Avucust If, 1902.

WEST

INDIAN FISHERIES.

Tarpon in Grenada.

We learn from the Rev. D. Silver that tarpon, known
locally as ‘Grand Ecaille,’ exist in abundance in the lakes,
rivers and seaboard of Grenada. In the dry season fish 5 feet
in length are said to be picked up at Lake Levera (in the
lagoons) in cart loads. People carry the fish away and
preserve them in salt. The existence of tarpon in these
lagoons is said to be unknown to persons other than those
residing by the lake because firstly, the roots of the wild
mangrove trees which grow in the lake render angling
almost unpossible, the fish making for these when hooked;
and sacondly, with the exception of one or two travelling
English sportsmen, no one in the island is expert in baiting
a hook or fishing with a rod. Tarpon also occur in Lake
Antoine and along the coast near St. Georze’s but are never
caught because they are not fished for.

GUNGA IN THE WEST INDIES.

Under the heading of ‘The Gunga curse in the
West Indies,’ a writer in the July number of Chambers’s
Journal gives a somewhat sensational account of the
oceurrence of the Gunga habit at Jamaica. What are
known as Bhang and Gunga are the produce of the
common hemp plant which, in temperate countries,
yields the well-known ‘hemp fibre’ and the ‘hemp seed’
used for fec ‘ding caged birds. In the tropics the plant
yields Bhang from the large leaves and Gunga from
the dried iow ‘ring tops. "Both are used for smoking
by natives of India. and possess a strong narcotic odour
and taste. A third product, also used for smoking, is
Charras, a gum resin collected from the growing ple units
in the field. ane Kast Indian (¢ ‘oolie ‘s at British
Guiana, Trinidad and Jamaica have brought with them
the abit of smoking Gunga. In extreme cases it is

admitted the habit leads to injury to health, to fits of

intoxication, and sometimes temporary insanity. One
hears very little however of these ill effects in either of
the Colonies named. It is true that, with the view of
discouraging the use of Gunga amongst Coolies, the
Government of Trinidad, some time ago, prohibited
hemp being grown in the Colony and an import duty
of 15s. per Ib. was imposed on the dried drug.

Whether the Gunga habit in Jamaica has of late
assumed serious proportions is open to doubt. In any

case the sensational article above referred to does not
apply ge nerally to the West Indies, and its effect is
likely to give rise to misapprehension and mislead
those interested in these Colonies.

TRINIDAD TRADE.

We are indebted to Professor Carmody for a
Pamphlet with Statistics of Trinidad Trade compiled
by him in behalf of the Agricultural Society for
distribution at the Toronto Exhibition. This should
prove useful in making known the resources of the
Colony and also in attracting the attention of merchants
and shippers in Canada to openings for Dominion
products. The principal exports of Trinidad are
sugar and its by-products, cacao, asphalt, cocoa-nuts
andl cocoa-nut oil, The average annual value exported
during the five years ending 1900 was as follows :—
Sugar £620,000 ; cacao, £664,000 ; asphalt, £137,000.
Itis stated that the any exports have in 25 years
decreased in value by 25 per cent., while the cacao
exports have increased 100 per cent., and asphalt
500 per cent. The Colony is peculiarly suited for the
production, in very large quantities, of starches, fibres,
fruits, spices, tobacco, kola nuts, castor seeds, dyes,
rubber, and ornamental palms, etc. It is added that as
the agricultural advantages of Trinidad are confined to
a very limited number of tropical products, it is
dependent upon other countries for many substances
that could, readily, be produced locally. Amongst
these are cereals, cattle foods, dairy products, preserved
meat and fish, cattle and sheep, fuel, etc. Amongst
manufactured goods there is a demand for building

material, furniture, textiles hardware and machinery,
boots and shoes, soap, malt liquor, whisky, brandy and
wines.

THE GROUND-NUT INDUSTRY
OF BARBADOS.

The Ground-nut, known also by a variety of other
names, such as earth-nut, pea-nut, monkey-nut, pindar,
and pistache (Fr.) is cultivated on a small scale in
Barbados and in other localities in the West Indies.
The so-called nut is the fruit of the plant, Arachis
hypogaea, a member of the Pea or Leguminous
order. The general characters of its fohage, flowers,
and fruit are sufficiently well indicated in the accom-
panying figure.

CULTIVATION.

A light soil is the most suitable, and the presence
of lime would appear to be essential. No special treat-
ment is necessary. The soil is tilled to a depth of 6
inches, manured if necessary, and the seeds sown at
the onset of the rainy season, usually about June in
Barbados. ‘The nuts are shelled before planting and
the seeds sown about 18 inches apart, and 38 inches
deep. The varicty at present grown takes some six
months to ripen. In normal years therefore the crop
is harvested about November to January. The ee
are dug up and the nuts Be off by hand,
iaponioue proceeding owing to the fact that the ei
occur all along the trailing branches. The average
yield per acre seems to be about 2,000Ib. rising
sometimes to 4,000Ib.

The Department of Agriculture has recently im-
ported seeds of an American variety which only takes
about three months to ripen and which bears its
fruits more on the main stem. ‘These have been

Vor: 1 Nos 9:

THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS.

137

given away to various cultivators to test its suita-
bility for local conditions.

LOCAL USES.

The nats are eaten either fresh or parched, used in
the preparation of nut cakes, and sometimes employed
to make a ‘cocoa.’ Their most important value in other
countries as a source of oil is not taken advantage of.

VALUATION IN ENGLAND.
In order to ascertain
their value for dessert pur-
poses in the London market
the Imperial Department of

Agriculture forwarded — two
small consignments for re-

port as to their merits and
market price. The samples
sent consisted of nuts of last
year’s crop, selected for size
and general — appearance.
Messrs. Leete, Son & Co.,
Liverpool, reported on their
sample in the — following
terms :—

‘Having examined the
sunple of ground-nuts, we are
of opinion that same? are very
fine in size, and would be sale-
able in considerable quantities
for eating purposes at a value

of about £16 10s. to £17 per \ \¥
ton, if the outside shell could be
kept clean and bright, (this is y /

important, as people buying for
dessert purposes require a nice
appearance) also the nuts should
be dry when shipped, as we find
that inside the shell the kernels
are inclined to be mouldy in the
sample.

‘Should it be impossible to
obtain the nuts in any better
conditions than the sample
shows, they would only be fit
for crushing purposes, and the
valu2 would only be from £10
to £11 per ton, but no doubt
large quantities could be sold
for this purpose.

‘This year there is a partial
failure in the Senegal ground
nut crop, while India (East) has
produced a considerably larger
crop than usual.’

Messrs. James Philip &
Co., to whom the second sam-
ple was sent, reported as
follows :-—

‘With reference to the ground-nuts we shall be happy
to try and sell any you may send over, but the brokers say
they ought to be cleaner looking. Much better specimens
come from the States and elsewhere, and they will fetch
about £3 or £4 a ton more without the shells. At present

Fig. 13. THe Grounp Nut.

(From the Dictionary of Gardening.)

they are worth about £9 to £12 a ton here, perhaps more,
but like everything else it is all a question of supply and
demand.’

POSSIBLE EXPORT TRADE.

There is thus a possible opening for an export
trade in ground-nuts for dessert purposes. But as will
be seen from the reports, 1t is essential that the nuts are
perfectly dry and of good colour and appearance. These
desiderata can be obtained
by growing the crop on light
calcareous soil, harvesting the
nuts carefully, washing if
necessary and thoroughly dry-
ing them before export.

VALUE OF THE OWL AND
OIL CAKE,

Of probably more value,
even, to Barbados are the local
uses to which they might be
put. Ground-nut oil is one of
the best oils. Its good quali-
ties are perhaps best summed
up by saying that ground-nut
oil is the most common adul-
terant of olive oil, and the
most difficult to recognize. It
could be employed as a substi-
tute in many cases for cotton
seed, and cocoanut oil in these
Colonies. The potential value
of the plant to Barbados alone,
which in 1900 imported over
£8,000 worth of cotton seed oil,
and £4,000 worth of other oils
is very considerable. After the
oil has been expressed an oil
cake is left which has been ex-
perimented with in England,
India, and elsewhere as food
for stock, ete. Chemical analy-
ses show it to contain rough-
ly speaking 50 per cent. of
nitrogenous matter, 25 per
cent. to 30 per cent. of carbohy-
drates, and about 8 per cent.
of fat. ‘It is one of the most
concentrated feeding — stuffs
with which we are familiar,
ranking with cotton seed meal,
linseed meal, ete., and in some
cases ahead of them, (U.S.A.
Department of Agriculture,
Farmer's Bulletin, No. 25,
p- 6.)

That there is room for

the local production of such
a material in Barbados is indicated by the fact
that in 1900 oil-cake and oil-meal were imported
to the value of over £15,000. Oil-meal and oil-cake
are in great demand on estates and it remains to be
seen whether it may not be possible to satisfy part,
if not all the demand, by locally grown produce.

(ARACHIS HYPOGAEA.)

138 THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS.

Avucust 16, 1902.

POULTRY.

(Continued from page 122.

BREEDS OF FOWLS.

It will thus be seen that the raising of poultry is an
industry of very great importance in agricultural countries.
Although the West Indies may have no export of eggs and
fowls, an industry producing an annual value of over
£500,000 in one island is one that deserves some study,
and while we are seeking for knowledge and applying it in
the breeding of cattle and horses and in the improvement
of our cultivated plants, we ought not to overlook the utility
of poultry. Bcsiles, poultry-rearing is especially suitable
as a cottage industry and can be engaged in by almost
everybody in the country. If we put the average number of
eggs laid by each hen in the West Indies, under present
conditions, at fifty per year as I have done in my figures, —
Yam sure that number is a fair estimate,—and if, by
better knowledge of different breeds of fowls, a more intimate
knowledge concerning their breeding feeding, and housing,
we can make the average number of eggs laid by individual
hens to be a hundred, which is no great figure in comparison
with the average of many flocks of hens in the United States
and Great Britian, this alone would mean an increase of
value of over £300,000 to Jamacia, and a proportionate
increase to other islands.

Whatever we do should be done creditably. Good fowls
take no more food than bad ones : the latter we find generally
the greatest eaters, indeed, but they put their food in an ill
skin. Therefore I shall write about the breeds found most
suitable in Jamaica, which island is a composite one, so far
as climate and weather are concerned, and the conditions
found therein will include everything to be found elsewhere
in the West Indies.

First, let me explain, that here, as in other lands,
there are two distinct classes of poultry keepers: the
fancy, and the utility men—the first, keeping fancy breeds
only as a hobby to please their eye and to take prizes at
shows perhaps ; the second, keeping fowls for usefulness
alone, not caring so much about their fine feathers, if they
get plenty of eggs. Both have pleasure and profit ; if we
keep them for profit and get it, we have pleasure: if we keep
them for pleasure and get it, we have profit. But I am
dealing strictly on the utility and profit side of poultry as
represented by cash saved or cash gained.

CLASSES OF HENS.

Hens are roughly divided into three classes: the lay-
ing breeds, the table breeds, and the all-round breeds. ‘The
Jast are principally latter-day productions made by crossing
the originally distinct laying and table breeds and making
new breeds. The table birds are large and fleshy and, with
the exception of the Dorking, an old English breed, they

hailed originally from Asia (principally China) and are:
therefore sometimes called Asiatic breeds. They are all
feathered on the leg except the Game classes, and the princi-
pal are the Brahma, the Cochin and the Langshan, The:
first two are now bred very heavily feathered on the legs and
are thickly feathered and fluffy on the body. They are thus.
excellently adapted to stand cold and are just as ill adapted
to stand heat, and hence they have never thrived well in
Jamaica, having the worst record of deaths on the voyage
here and shortly after arrival of any breeds. The Langshan,
on the other hand, is more lightly feathered, and is the only
breed of the large Asiatic class that is in any way suited
for the West Indies. Yet it is more of a cold-country type 5.
but it is excellent for crossing, as will be afterwards explained-
The Cochin is usually a poor layer of small, brown eggs, and
is kept mostly for crossing for size, and for its beautiful
butf colour. It is an entirely useless breed for the West
Indies. The Brahma is a fair layer of good-sized, brown eggs-
All three take long to mature and are not ready to lay
until they are nine months old. They are hot sitters, getting
broody readily, yet they do not make good mothers owing to
their clumsiness.

GAME FOWLS.

None of these three breeds can be selected as utility fowls.
for Jamaica, but the cocks are sometimes useful for crossing
for size when that is desired. The Game breed, most in
vogue for usefulness, is what is called the Indian-Game,.
Cornish Tndian-Game, (a latter-day production of the
County of Cornwall, England,) and is not in any way to be
confounded with the Pit Game or Fighting Game. This.
Cornish Indian-Game isa favourite fowl among penkeepers.
in Jamaica, and is much more suitable for the climate
than the feathered-legged breeds. It is large and very
solidly built, very close feathered, and thus never looks as.
heavy as it really is. It is purely a table fowl, and as such
is surpassed only by the Dorking. The hens, exceedingly
poor layers, are strong sitters and make good mothers. The
Old English Game is also a splendid table fowl, not so.
large as the Cornish ; but the hens are better layers. They
are not of great use when kept pure, owing to their pugnacity
and the small size of the hens, but for crossing with good,
large, fair-laying hens of any type, they give activity, hardi-
ness (either against heat, cold, or damp) and food-seeking
propensities to the crosses, so that this is altogether an
excellent fowl to breed from, where many enemies to chickens
are common, for the hens make wary, careful, tender, mothers,
and the cocks are thorough gentlemen in looking well after
their mates.

DORKINGS.

The Dorkings as table fowls are unsurpassed. They
have short, white, or pink legs, deep bodies, full breasts, small
bones, white flesh, and would be suitable for dry localities in
the West Indies where there is plenty of shade. The hens are
rather poor layers of white eggs, of fine size, and are strong
sitters. The table fowl that generally takes the prizes at
the great stock shows in England, is a cross between the
Dorking and Indian or Old English Game. The Dorking is
the modern type of the old barn door fowl. It is an old
English breed which ‘ came over’ indeed before the Normans,
for it is supposed to have been first introduced by the
Romans, and was always a well-known type, through its
having five toes on each foot. It has not been very success-
fully keptin Jamaica. (John Barclay.)

(To be continued. )

BVOL. Tepp Nos-9: THE

AGRICULTURAL

NEWS. 139

LECTURES ON
PROPERTIES OF SOIL. By Professor R. Warrington,
F.R.S. Clarendon Press, Oxford, 1900.

SOME OF THE PHYSICAL

The volume deals with the physical properties of soil
and their bearing on crop production, a branch of Agricul-
tural investigations which has been greatly neglected by
English workers but has attracted a considerable amount of
attention in the United States and Germany. In the former
country, a special branch of the Department of Agriculture
is maintained to conduct inquiries in this field. That the
failure on the part of investigators in England to appreciate
the importance of the physical properties of the soil has
done much to maintain the divorce between practice and
science in the minds of agriculturists in that country is
plainly stated by the author as follows :—

‘There can be no doubt that the neglect of the physical
conditions of the soil as a subject of study, and in
consequence, as a subject of teaching, has done much to
hinder the appreciation of science by” practical men. The
experienced farmer knows the overwhelming importance of a
proper texture of the soil for the profitable culture of each
crop. His scientific teacher has, however, little to say on
this subject, while he freely recommends the use of expensive
manures which a proper culture of the soil might render
unnecessary, and which must fail to yield a profitable return
if a favourable physical condition of the soil is absent.
The farmer feels that this teaching is out of touch with the
experience he has gained on the farm; he also frequently
finds that the plan suggested is not a financial success.
He therefore characterises the advice given as “theoretical,”
and concludes that science is not a safe guide to the farmer.’

As the author points out in the preface, it is only on
the results of experimental investigations that agricultural
science can be safely built. Any general principles under-
lying soil constitution must therefore be deduced from a
careful study of accurate and long continued experiments.
Proceeding in this way the author has condensed the vast
masses of results accunmlated by King and other workers
in the United States, by many investigations in Germany
and those obtained at Rothamsted, which bear on the subject,
into the volume before us. The result is, as would be
expected from the distinguished author, a masterly treatise
which should find a place in every agricultural library.

While parts of the work deal with matters and condi-
tions which are foreign to West Indian experience, the
greater portion will prove of great interest to all connected
with field experiments in these Colonies, Especially useful
are the earlier chapters dealing with the physical constitu-
tution of the soil, mechanical analy sis of soil, the production
-of tilth, the relation of the plant to water and the ameli-
-oration of the physical properties of the soil.

SCHOOL GARDENS.
The Church Weekly for March 27, contains an

interesting article on School gardening. We _ repro-
duce the greater portion :—

‘There is nothing new under the sun,’ said the Wise
Man, and every day we prove the truth of the assertion, and
learn that our most wonderful discoveries are but the repro-
duction of some made in what we are pleased to term the
‘Dark Ages.’ Three hundred years ago there was a
Marconi, and about the same time Comenius was urging that
‘a garden be connected with every school where children
can gaze on trees, flowers and herbs, and be taught to enjoy
them.’ Francke, in 1695, established a garden in connexion
with his school for orphans. But it was Rousseau, in 1762
who fully developed the idea of garden work as a part of
real education in his ‘ Emile.’

The school garden suggested by Austria was rapidly
taken up throughout Europe. In 1869 the Austrian
imperial law prescribed that, where practicable, a garden and
a place for agricultural experiments should be established in
connexion with every rural school.

There are at present in Austro-Hungary 18,000 such
gardens. The Federal Government of Switzerland appro-
priates money annually for their establishment. In France
since 1887 no plan of a school building is accepted without
an adequate garden attachment. In Belgium each school
must have a garden of at least 39} square rods. Vegetable
culture must be taught, and fitness for this speciality is made
to determine the acceptance of teachers. In 1876 Sweden
had 1,600 school gardens, and now she has ever four
thousand. In Southern Russia are found school gardens in
which are cultivated, by the children, grapes, berries, vege-
tables, grain, together with silkworms and bees. There are
twelve thousand fruit trees in such gardens, and to bring
them to their proper condition is as much a part of the pupil’s
work as lessons in mathematics. Germany has in some
respects gone even further ; for not only with the real-schools
and gymnasia are there gardens, but the normal schools are
provided each with a few acres of land, where teachers get
their training in the industries.

In England the movement has been sporadic. A recent
letter in The 7imes recounts a private enterprise, where
each boy has a plot of land, 30 feet by 10 feet, for individual
experiment—besides the work he must do in the larger
garden connected with the school. Instruction is given in
soils, in vegetable botany, in manures, in growing plants,
flowers and vegetables. The pupils are required to take
notes, and all their private investigations are under
review by the teachers, and their inquiries are carefully
answered. From their personal plots they may sell what-
ever fruits or vegetables or flowers they are able to raise.
The results of this sort of education are not immediately
apparent. But it is a universal comment that there is
a very speedy result in the way of an impulse to improve
home grounds. The school garden or gardens stand as object-
lessons to the whole country about. Not only the pupils
themselves, but their parents, have their ambition awakened
to have their homes surrounded with the beautiful as well as
the useful. In some parts of England the county councils
are doing the work—appointing instructors who are practical
gardeners. It is reported that upwards of 40,000 crops
have been grown since 1892, and subjected to rigid examina-
tion and valuation. It is noted also that great gain has been
made in the cash value of the work accomplished by the
pupils.

140

THE AGRICULTURAL

NEWS. Aucust 16, 1902.

INSECT NOTES.

Uses of Carbon Bisulphide.

This liquid has been recommended for the destrue-
tion of weevils in grain, (General Treatment of Insect

Pests. Pamphlet 5, Department Series) and has
many uses in agriculture. Up to the present it does
not appear to have been generally tried in the West
Indies. It is used in Grenada as a means of freeing
nutmegs from weevils, and in Trinidad against ants
and for pests of grain, seed, etc.; but as an insecti-
cide it is by no means so generally familiar as it
should be.

The United States Department of Agriculture has
recently issued a bulletin on Carbon Bisulph ide as an
Insecticide, (Farmers Bulletin, No. 145, by W. E.
Hinds,) which should be in the hands of all who contem-
plate employing this valuable substance. The bulletin
describes the properties of the liquid and its vapour
with the effects it produces on human beings it
inhaled. Evidently carbon bisulphide can be confi-
dently recommended as a general insecticide and can
be handled with perfect satety if the user is familar
with the properties of the liquid and its vapour.

Carbon bisulphide is said to cost from 35 cents
per pound retail to 10 cents or less a pound if bought
in 50lb. cans or drums. Its uses in agriculture in
America and Europe appear to have been very varied.
Ti has a special value against underground pests, such
as the Phylloxera of grape vines: the liquid injected
into the soil vapourises, and the vapour while proving
fatal to the insect does not remain long enough in the
ground to prove injurious to the plants. Whether
there are any root-infesting insects in these islands
against which carbon bisulphide could be used is
doubtful; none have yet been found — sufficiently
destructive to warrant the recommendation of this
remedy. The liquid has also been used against root
maggots and ants. The latter are often a source
of trouble here, and were carbon bisulphide obtainable,
it would frequently be used to destroy ants’ nests.
The many household ants which have nests outside
can be readily destroyed by pouring the liquid into
the nest and plugging it up with clay. This is the
simplest method of mdding a house of these ants.

Carbon bisulphide is also recommended against
mole crickets, one ounce being injected into the soil
in three or four injections tor every square yard.
Whether this method would prove successful in St.
Vincent and St. Lucia is not certain, but it
least worth a trial.

Another use is found in destroying borers in trees.
In the case of large borers it should give good results,
the liquid being injected into the burrow by means of

is at

a spring-bottomed oil can, and the burrow then sealed
with wax or damp clay.

In the case of plant lice and similar pests, on melon
vines and low growing plants, the carbon bisulphide
is used by covering the plant with a small tight box
and then introducing one or two teaspoonfuls of the
liquid, either through a hole at the top or by placing
it ina saucer under the box.

All of these methods are applicable in the West
Indies. But this liquid should especially be used for
treating stored products such as Indian corn, guinea
corn, ete. It has a great use for this purpose in
the United States, and is constantly employed to
fumigate buildings. There is at present a great
scope for this insecticide against pests that destroy
corn, seeds, cacao beans, nutmegs, flour, groceries and
household articles. Its use is simple and the treatment
is cheap. The odour is somewhat unpleasant, but
the vapour will entirely disappear after a short exposure
to the air.

The above bulletin contains much information that
cannot be summarized here. It gives full information as
to the uses of carbon bisulphide, and any one who
reads it will readily appreciate the value such an
insecticide has in the treatment of many agricultural
and household pests. It is to be hoped that planters
and merchants may see the applicability of it and test
it. Until there is some demand for it, it cannot be
imported in large quantities and so is not as cheap as
it should be; but even at the retail price in the West
Indies (48 cents), if would prove a cheap way of
fighting many pests.

Preserving Books.

In the tropics books are often seriously damaged
by cockroaches, moths and other insects. As a means
of preserving them from the attacks of these pests, the
covers of books both inside and outside should always
be slightly painted over with the following mixture,
put on with a brush :-—

1 oz. corrosive sublimate
1 oz. carbolic acid
2 pints methylated or rum spirit.

This solution does no damage to the books, and
has been proved by many years’ test to be an efficient
protection. Books should be repainted with the
solution every two or three years.

The solution must not be put into a metal plate
or dish, unless it is enamelled. An ordinary saucer is
the best.

The solution is poisonous and should be kept away
from children or animals. After it has dried the books
may be handled without any risk of danger.

An Attic Full of Honey.
An extraordinary discovery of honey has been made.
It was found in the roof of Strawberry Hall, at Tydd
St. Mary. Two swarms of bees have hived there for 16 years,
and the proprietor has many times offered the honey to
any one who would shift the bees and make the roof good
again. This task has been at last accomplished by a builder,
who obtained 280 Ib. of honey as his guerdon.

aVior Nong!

THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS.

142

Ts)

TOBAGO: REPORT ON THE BOTANIC
STATION, 1901-2. By Mr. H. Millen, Curator.

The Imperial Grant-in-aid of this station (£500) was
supplemented by the Government of Trinidad to the extent
of £150 for establishing this new station, and a house was
built on the station for the Curator at a cost of £400. The
amount realized by the sale of plants, ete., was £35 showing
an increase of £15 on the proceeds of sales for the previous
fifteen months. Experiments with economic plants such as
vanilla, rubber plants, cardamoms, cacao, new varicties of
coffee, yams, cassava, tannias, sweet potatos, fibre plants,
spices, seedling sugar-canes and tobacco have been carried
on. The most promising food plants have been regularly
distributed to settlers and by these means their resources
have been greatly increased. The experiment in onion
growing, from seed supplied by this Department, was distinctly
promising and deserves to be repeated on a larger scale. On
an outlay of 12s 4}d. the net profits were 8s Sid. The
value of the onions imported into Trinidad during five years
was as follows:—1895, £7,537; 1896, £4,905; 1897,
£10,583; 1898, £7,857 ; 1899, £10,431. The total value
of the imports for five years 1895-1899 was £41,313. It
is evident that if onions could be grown at Tobago to supply,
even a portion, of the rejuirements of Trinidal, a consid
erable industry might be established in the former island.
The results of the expenditure of the Agricultural Grant-
in-aid at Tobago are fully satisfactory, and Mr. Hart, the
Superintendent, the Curator and the Agricultural Instructor
deserve credit for the valuable services rendzred in carrying
out the several duties entrusted to them.

ST. KITTS-NEVIS: REPORT ON THE
STATION, 1901-2. By Mr. W. Lunt, Curator.

The Curator reports steady progress in the efforts to
improve agricultural conditions in the Presidency. The
sugar industry has, necessarily, taken the greatest share of
attention. A popular summary of the results of the
experiments made in this direction during 1901 have already
appeared in No. 12 of the Phamphlet Series of the Depart-
ment. The detailed results are to be found in the Reports on
Sugar-cane Experiments in the Leeward Islunds: Part 1.
“Experiments with varieties of Sugar-cane’ and Part IT.
*Manurial Experiments,’ consisting of 32 and 78 foolscap
pages respectively. The importance of other cultivations
has not been lost sight of and experiments in tobacco, onions,
English potatos, were carried out. The teachers have
received a course of lectures in the principles of Agriculture,
and practical work is being carried on by school children on
plots in the Botanic Station.

BOTANIC

A half-bred Maltese Jack, three boars, and two rams
hhave been introduced by the Imperial Department of
Agriculture in order to improve the breeds of stock at
St. Kitts and Nevis.

PORTO RICO.

TOBACCO, COFFEE, FRUIT, RICE AND COTTON.

We have elsewhere drawn attention to the pros-
pects of Sugar in Porto Rico for the coming season.
The following extracts from the Consular Report
(p. 115) on The Trade of Porto Rico for 1901, are of
much interest to those engaged in similar cultivations
in the British West Indies —

Tobacco —Great attention is now being paid to the
future, and serious plans are under consideration for the
entire control of Porto Rican tobacco interests by the Tobacco
Trusts.

The year’s crop is said to have been about some 30,000
ewts. and to have fetched from $5.00 to $6.00 per ewt. but
from the demand created it will certainly bring much more
in 1902.

Coffee —Coffee for the year did better than was fore-
casted, producing some 27,000 bags to last year’s 12,000 or
14,300 bags. When, however, this yield is contrasted with
that of the year before the hurricane, which so effectually
devastated the plantations, viz., 225,000 bags, it will be
seen how much more there is to pick up to recover the normal
output which was estimated to be worth at least £2,000,000.

The island very naturally feels keenly any depreciation
of its cotfee industry, for unlike that of sugar, the bulk of
the production money remains on the spot with the workers.

Free trade with the United States more than compen-
sating for the loss of Porto Rico’s former markets, the present
extent of planting is sure to be improved upon, although,
strange to say, while hearing a great deal of the absorption
of sugar and tobacco by the great Trusts, no such fate,
appears as yet, to have been prescribed for coffee.

Oranges.—The prospects of orange growing are
encouraging, but considerable time must elapse before
sufficient experience is attained by the island planters to
place the trade on a business footing. The capital required
is not large, but as at least five years must be passed without
remuneration, if is not an attractive speculation for limited
capitalists.

It is claimed that Porto Rico, when all conveniences
shall be established, will be able to get its orange crop to
market at a time when it will be free from competition and
thus reap a great advantage. This, however, remains to be
proved by practice.

During the year considerable quantities of oranges were
shipped to the United States from the western port of
Mayaguez, but the business is said not to have been very
brilliant though satisfactory in a sense, owing to the crude
methods of handling and packing the fruit as well as the too
grand expectations of the growers.

Pine-apples.—Pine cultivation is increasing in favour,
all conditions of the situation appearing to be favourable to
their growth, and there is a steady demand for them. How-
ever, before the trade in fruit of any kind can arrive at any
remarkable growth of importance, quick and regular trans-
port, both on land and sea, must be organized.

Rice.—Although a good quantity of rice is raised on
the island, entirely for home consumption, it is estimated
that all the country can produce must be augmented by at
least 20,000 tons of imported grain per annum.

Cotton.—During the year attention has been directed
to the possible cultivation of cotton, based upon its former
production on the island in 1869, during the time of the
Civil War, when a very fine quality is said to have been
raised. There is ample land lying idle fit for the growth of
cotton to be bought for about $25 per acre.

THE AGRICULTURAL

NEWS. Avuaust 16, 1902.

COMMERCIAL.

With the view of assisting in finding a market for the
disposal of local produce, arrangements have been made with
the following Agents in these Colonies who will be prepared
to receive consignments and obtain the best prices for them.

It is desirable that inquiry be made, beforehand, as
to the terms on which such produce will be received, and
whether the market is favourable or not.

It is particularly urged that no shipments be made until
an assurance has been received from the Agents themselves
that they are prepared to accept such shipments.

Agents in the West Indies.
BRITISH GUIANA—B.S. Bayley, Water Street, Georgetown.
TRINIDAD—J. Russell Murray, Port-of-Spain.
BARBADOS—T. S. Garraway & Co., Bridgetown.
ST. LUCIA—Captain H. Henville, Contractor & Agent, Castries.

MARKET REPORTS.

London,—July 22, 1902.—Messrs. J. Hanes Carrp & Co.,
Messrs. GILLEesrre Bros. & Co. and Tor Pusiic
Lepcrr, July 19, 1902.

Ators— Barbados 13/- to 35/- ; Socotrine 70/- to 80/- per ewt.

Arrowkoot—St. Vincent, good to fine 23d to 4d per Ib.

Batata—2/44 per lb.

Brrs-wax—Jamaica, gocd to fine £7
per ewt.

Cacao—tTrinidad, middling to good red 64/- to 67/- ; fine
72/- per ewt.
Grenada, good reddish 58/- to 60/- ; fair to fine 61/- to
64/6 per ewt.
Jamaica, good to fine 60/- to 63/- per ewt.

Carpamoms—Mysore, 1/- to 3/- per lb.

Cassia Fistuta—5/6 to 35/- per ewt.

Castor O—43d to 4}d per lb.

CorreE—Jamaica, small grevish 38/- to 44/6; bold coloury
@ 73/- per cwt.
Costa Rica, 40/- to 78/- per ewt.
Peaberry, 43/6 to 62/6 per cwt.

Corron— Carriacou, 42d. per lb.

Corron Srep—£7. 1. 3. per ton ex ship.

CowacE— ld to 2d per Ib.

Fustic—Jamaica, quiet.

Gincer—Jamaica, fair bright 44/- to 53/- ; good common
34/6 to 36/6 per ewt.

Honry—Pale brownish 17/- to 18/6; clear amber 17/6 ;
dark 14/6 per ewt.

Jatar—4d to 6d per Ib.

Kuus-Kuus Roor—12/- per ewt.

Kora Nuvs—1ld to 4d per lb.

Lime Jurce—Raw, 1/3 per gallon ; concentrated, £12. 5s.
to £12. 10/- per pipe.

Loawoop—Jamaica, quiet.

Macre—-1/- to 2,6 per tb.

Nirrare or Sopa-- Agricultural £8. 17s. 6d per ton

Nurmecs—140's to 80's, 64 to 1/3d; 60's to 2/4 ;in shell
4d to 54d per Ih.

Om or Limes—no quotations.

Pimenro—2}d. per Lb.

SARSAPARILLA— 10d to 1/2d per Ib.

Sucar-—Muscovado 9/9 to 14/6; crystallized 12/105 to
13/9 per ewt.
SuLeHare oF AMMONIA

10s per ton.
TAMARINDS— Barbados 13/-; Antigua 12/- per ewt.
Tonquin Beans—9d to 2/6d per Ib.
Frurr—Covent Garpen Marker
CuHronicir, July 19, 1902.)
Bananas—8/- to 12/- per bunch.
Lemons—18/. to 25/- per case.
Mawnaos—-2/- to 4/- per dozen.

Ts6d to £8. 2. 6.

Grey, 24 per cent., London £12.

(GARDENERS

Orances—20/- to 35/- per case.

Pinrs—2/- to 4/- each.

New York,—July 11, 1902.— Messrs. Grttespre Bros.& Co.

Bananas—Jamaica, 9 hands $1.05, 8 hands 70c.. 7 hands.
40c. to 45e. per bunch.

Cacao— African 12}c. to 13c. ; Caracas, fair to good ordi-
nary 14c. to 14$e.; Jamaica, good 10%e. ; good fer-
mented 11 Ze.

Grenada 13}c. to 1°$c. Trinidad 13e. to 14e. per Ib.
Cocoa-nuts ; Small Trinidads $12.00 per M.
Corree—Rio, gcod crdinary 5c to 5ic.; Jamaica good

ordinary 6c. to 7e. per lb. ; Manchesters 8c. to 103c,

Gincer—8c. to 82c¢ per |b.

Pinenro—dje. per lb.

Rupeer—Nicaragua Serap 50c. to 505c. per lb ; sheet 44c.
to 45c. per lb. ; Guayaquil Strip 47c. to 48e. per th.

Sucar—Muscovado, 89°, 28c.; centrifugals, 96°, 32 per lb.

INTER-COLONIAL MARKETS.
Antigua,—July 50, 1902.—Messrs. G. W. Benner?, Bry-
son & Co., Ltd.
Mo.asses—9c. per gallon, package included.
Sucar—Muscovado $1.10 per 100lb., nominal.

Barbados,—Aug. 2, 1902.—Messrs. T.S. Garraway &Co.
ARkOowROOT—good quality, $3.50 per ewt.
Cacao—$13.50 per ewt.

Corrre—Jamaica and ordinary Rio $9.00 and
respectively.

Hay—lotting $1.00 per 100Ib.

Manures—Nitrate of Soda $60.00 per ton. Sulphate of
Ammonia—$75.00 per ton.

Motasses—8c. per gallon and $4.00 for package.

Ontons—Madeira $3.75 per 100 lb.

Poratos—$3.00 per barrel.

Rice—Ballam $4.90 per bag ; Patna $3.75 per bag.

Suarors—12c. to 14e per lb.

Sucar—in hogsheads, $1.00 per 100lb. and $5.00 for
hogshead ; in bags $1.20 per 100lb.

British Guiana,—July 31, 1902.—Messrs. Wertinc &

RicHTEr.

Arrowroor—$s.00 per barrel.

Cacao—native llc. to 12c. nominal.

Cassava Starcu—$6.00 per barrel.

Cocoa-NutTs—$8.00 to $10.00 per M.

Corree—Rio and Jamaica Ile. to 12c. per Ib. (retail.)
Creole, llc. to 12e. per lb.

Eppors—$1.20 per LOOLb.

Ontons— sold out at 4e. per Ib.

Pea Nutrs—Curacoa 3he. to 3fe. American 44c. (retail.)

PLanTaiIns—20c. to 48c. per bunch.

Porates Eneiisn—$4.50 pcr barrel.

Rice—b:llam $4.80, to $4.90; Patna £5.50 to $6.00 per bag
—CreEOLE Rice 20e. per gallon, (retail. )

Sweer Poraros— Barbados $1.52 per LOOLb.

TAaNNIAS—$1.56 per LOOLb.

Yams—$3.00 per LOOLb.

Motasses—Vacuum Pan yellow I4se. te
casks included.

Sucar—Dark Crystals $1.60; yellow $2.10 per ewt.

Timeer—Greenheart 32c. to 55¢c. per cubie foot.

WALLABA SHINGLES—$3.00 to $5.00 per M.

Trinidad,- July 30 & Aug. Ne 1902.—Messrs. Gorpbon
Grant & Co. and Messrs. EpGar Tree & Co.
Cacao— Ordinary $12.90 to $13.00 ; estates $15.25 to $13.50

per ewt.
BaratTa—no quotations.
Corree— Venezuelan.
Ontons—$2.25 to $2

£9.50,

l5c. per gallon,

Ordinary 7

2 AO per 1001b.

Potatos ENnGiisu—$2.50 to $2.60 per 1001b.

Rice— Yellow $4.50 to $4.75 ; White Table $5.25 to $5.75
per bag.

Sucar—For Gr cery use, $1.70 to $3.00 per 1001b.

Motasses—No quotation.

1c. per lb.

WiGlin diss ING THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 143

DEPARTMENT PUBLICATIONS ON SALE,

The ‘WEST INDIAN BULLETIN.’ A Quarterly Scientific Journal.

Volume I. Reports of the Agricultural Conference of 1899 and 1900 and other papers ; complete, in the original paper
covers as issued, post free, 5s. The parts can no longer be sold separately.

Volume II. Full report of the Conference of 1901, and other papers. Price, in original paper covers as issued, post
free 2s. 9d.

Votume III. Number 1. Agricultural Conference of 1902: President’s Address and Sugar Industry. Price 6d. Post
free 8d. Number 2. Conference of 1902 (continued). Educational and General Papers. Price 6d. Post free 8d.

PAMPHLET SERIES.

(3,) Seedling and other Canes at Barbados 1900. Price 2d. Post free 2d. (5.) General Treatment of Insect Pests,
2nd Edition Revised. Price 4d. Post free 45d. (6.) Recipes for cooking Sweet Potatos. Price 2d. Post free 25d.
(7.) Scale Insects of the Lesser Antilles. Price 4d. Post free 5d. (8.) C ‘ultivation of Vegetables in Barbados. Price 2d.
Post free 24d. (9.) Bee-keeping in the West Indies. Price 4d. Post free 5d. (10.) Manures and Leguminous Plants af
Barbados, 1898-1901. Price 4d. Post free 5d. (11.) Hints for School Gardens. Price 2d. Post free 2)d. (12.) Seedling
and other Canes in the Leeward Islands, 1900-1901. Price 2d. Post free 24d. (13.) Seedlings and other Canes at Bar ba.
dos, in 1991. Price 4d. Post free 5d. (14.) Screw Worm in Cattle at St. Lucia. Price 2d. ap aat free 2d. (15.) Plain
Talk to Small Owners. Price 2d. Post free 25d. (14) Hints on Onion Cultivation, Price 2d. Post free 23d.

‘NATURE TEACHING.’ A text book based upon the general principles of Agriculture

for the use of schools.
Prepared by the Honourable Francis Watts and others. (Pages 12 and 199). Price, limp cloth 2s. , in superior binding 2s. 6d.
Postage, 3hd extra.

The ‘AGRICULTURAL NEWS’ A Fortnightly Review, Subscription 3s. 3d. per annum, post free

Agents for the sale of the publications of the Department :—

London: Messrs. Dutau & Co., 37, Soho Square, W. Barbados: Messrs. Bowen & Sons, Bridgetown. Jamuica:
THe EpucarronaL Suppty Company, 16, King St., Kingston. British Guiana: The ‘Daily Chronicle Office, Georgetown.
Trinidad: Messrs. Munro, & Co., Frederick St, Port-of-Spain. Tobago: Mr. C. L. Puacemann, Scarborough. Grenada: Messrs.

F. Marrast & Co., ‘ The Stores,’ St. George. St. Vincent: Mr. W. C. D. Prouproor, Kingstown. St. Lucia: Mr. R. G.
McHveu, Castries, Dominica: Messrs. C. F. Doverney & Co., Market St. Roseau. Moutsorrat: Mr. W. Lrewe.iyn Watt,

Plymouth: Aitijwa: Mr. F. Forrest St. John’s. St. Kitts: Messrs. S. L. Horsrorp & Co., Basseterre

AO) WAkislsk

suanrina wort. Seeds & Plants of Commercial Products,

HijVBEA BRASILIENSIS. Coming crop of seeds August-September shipment. As orders must reach us at
least at the end of July to avoid disappomtment, ordering by wire necessary on the appearance of this advertisement. There is
only one crop in the year. A leading Sumatra planter who purchased 150.000 seeds on two previous occasions writes under date
May 10, 1902: ‘I shall like to have your lowest terms for delivery of 100,000 Hevea seeds in the same way as before from the
coming crop.’ 75% guaranteed to germinate. Shipments to West Indies can be made to London only : re-shipment must be
arranged by purchasers.

lor special offer of seeds and plants see the following descriptive Price Lists, post free on application.

1. Tropical Seeds and Plants of Commercial Products, enlarged edition for 1902.

2. Seeds and Plants of Shade, Timber, Wind-belts, Fuel, and Ornamental Trees, Trees for Road-sides, Parks, Opon
Spaces, Pasture Lands, Avenues, Hedges, and for planting among crops (Tea, Coffee, Cacao, Cardamons, etc.)

3. Seeds and Plants of Tropical Fruit Trees including Mango grafts. 4. Bulbs, Tubers and Yams.

5. Orchids—Ceylon and Indian. 6. Seeds and Plants of Palms, Calamus, Pandanus, Cyeads, Tree and other Ferns,
Crotons, Roses, Dracaenas, Shrubs and Creepers.

SPECIAL ARRANGEMENTS inade with foreign Governments, Botanical and Agricultural Departments,
Planters, and others for supplying seeds and plants of Commercial Products in large quantities.

AGAVE LURIDA. This highly recommended fibre yielding plant yields a fibre equal to that of S¢sa/ in lustre
and tensile strength valued at from £28 to £34 per ton in London. Bulbils (seedlings) £1 per 100, £8 per 1,000 post free =
special quotations for large orders.

COFFEE. Arabica-Liberian Hybrid and Maragogipe Hybrid—New crop March-April, 1903: early booking
necessary.

A Foreign Agricultural Department writes dating 9th September, 1901 :—‘‘Please accept our order for 175 tb. of Tea
seed and for 2,000 Coffee beans. In regard to Coffee seed I would say that this will be the first importation made by this
Department, and we will leave the selection of the varieties to be sent to your judgement.”

“SOUTH AFRICA.”—The great authority on South African affairs of 25th March, 1899, says :—An interesting
Catalogue reaches us from the Kast. It is issued by William Brothers, Tropical Seed Merchants of Henaratgoda, Ceylon,
and schedules all the useful and beautiful plants which will thrive in tropical and semi-tropical regions. We fancy Messrs. Williams
should do good business, for now that the great powers have grabbed all the waste places of the earth, they must turn to and

prove that they were worth the grabbing. We recommend the great Powers and Concessionaries under them to go to William
Brothers.”

Agents in London: Messrs P. W. Woolley & Co., 90, Lower Thames Street.

Telegraphic Address: Wittram Henararcopa, Ceylon. J. P. WILLIAM & BROTHERS,
Lieber’s, A.I. & A.B.C., Codes used, Tropical Seed Merchants, Henaratgoda, Ceylon.

144 THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. Avcust 16, 1902.

THE BEST MANURES FOR COLONIAL USE

IX De AEE

Ohlendorff’s Dissolved Peruvian Guano—For Sugar-cane and general use
Ohlendorff’s Special Sugar-cane Manure
Ohlendorff’s Special Cocoa Manure

Sulphate of Ammonia, Nitrate of Soda, Superphosphates, high grades,
Potash Salts, Basic Slag and all other high-class Fertilizers.

APPLY TO LOCAL AGENTS OR DIRECT TO
THE ANGLO-CONTINENTAL (LATE OHLENDORFF’S) GUANO WORKS,

London Agency, 15, Leadenhall Street, London E.C.,
Barbados Agents: Messrs. James A. Lynch & Co., Bridgetown.

THE BARBADOS MUTUAL LIFE ASSURANCE SOCIETY2
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Total Claims by Death and M: tured Endowments sss sat we Sat <2 5,375,545
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Annual Income aac aa is ee St as 245,345
Net Surplus December (3 i] 1900) . bic Sf 297,124
The Premiums are Lower than those ane zed by ities Life Offices aoe business in the West Indies.

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Printed at Office of Agricultural Reporter, 4, High Street, Bria. getown, Barbados.

AGBORDNIGHTLY REVIEW

OF

IMPERIAL DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE FOR THE WEST INDIES.

THE

Price 1d.

Worl. INoy 10: BARBADOS, AUGUST 30, 1502.
CONTENTS. evidently possesses a wide knowledge of his subject.
7 : He starts with the statement that the ‘West Indian
AGE AGE, : : ey : 5,
eee ark Sore ae sugar industry is suffering not only from the effects
ee-keeping :— Marke eports 5s ae 3: : :
Tilernil lngeaGl GU aoe ox 1D of the bounties but from a deeply-seated internal
Oum proce, cure tor ---) 24 || Notesjands@omments 150 %
Grenada... ee disease. With regard to the latter, it is pomted out
Cacao, Experiment plots Our Book Shelf :— | , c | ae re TeneoGa Stee
mpeomenada ca) «-. 154: ‘Feeds and feeding’ 155 that even in the sugar factories with good iachinery
Commercial vee eee LO “Le cacao, sa culture et ‘there has been no corresponding improvement in the
Cotton Growing in the sa preparation’... - 155 Pater, Ie t of that machinery or in the manipulati
Tiseward) Telands 153 ‘St. Vineent Soufrieee 155 Management of that machinery or in the manipulation
Department News .... ... 157 Straits Settlements of the juice... in many West Indian sugar-houses
Department Reports :— ‘Aoricultural Bulletin’ 155 on. . : : .
“eer ae a mineral Tara ‘Bulletin of that important officer, a chemist, is absent, while
Agricultural Chemists 157 miscellaneous . infor- in others he merely accumulates a mass of figures
IWontserratecc. seen lOu mation’ Meese bess LOD jhGend VaR ee. : 5. as
Boies aStock atlier= oppembalieAcricultivist” 156 and statistics which are not turned to any practical
cultural School 156 | Poulttyy ee) =... ... |... 154 “account . there is frequently a lamentable want
Educational : Rice cultivation in British of co-ordination between the different departments
Agricultural schools, Guiana Rai) cee LDS: 2 3
examinations .. 156 | Stock and aromatic grasses 157 . the economy of labour and the adoption of labour-
Jamaica, Instruction to Sugar Industry :— oer TIGaS aaeelsarsd lai rr
ee BE oa Ce saving Glewices ... have hardly begun to be seriously
Stock at Dominica Agri- Java... ... ... ... 146 studied.
cultural School... 156 Production in St. Lucia 147 ; . ; ; 55
English Potatos 149 Mlasecuit oe, ere AG) Turning to the field, Mr. Lamont is of opinion
Insect Notes :— _ | Surra disease in horses... 147 ‘the case is still more deplorable” Except in a few
Insect moults .... ... 155 | Tobago, notes from 148 ane ; ations oe neal sis
Scale Insectsand moulds 152 | West India Isinglass ... 154 localities ‘the various operations incident to the
Lime industry, Montser- : West Indian Sugar Indus- preparation and tillage of the soil are all performed
rat 49 try 145

West Indian Sugar Industry.

NDER the

rome,

August a thoughtful article which deserves more than

a passing notice.

title
a Warning anda Way’ Mr. Norman Lamont

of ‘The West

Indies:
has contributed to The Empire Review for

Mr. Lamont is proprietor of one of

the most important sugar estates in Trinidad, and

by hand at an enormous cost... rotation of crops
is scarcely practised ... ratooning is still largely
and naturally diminishes the yield per
the
of chemical fertilizers to the soil, there is room for the
at present they are usually

in
acre... In

vogue
vital matter of the application
greatest improvement .. .
applied in an utterly haphazard manner.’

After reviewing the nature of the internal disease,
Mr. Lamont endeavours to point out the cause :—‘The
West Indian backwardness is directly due to two
causes: first, the abundance of labourers, working for a

146 THE

AGRICULTURAL

NEWS. Avueust 30, 1902.

low wage; secondly, the extreme rarity of skilled
scientific direction. It is insisted that ‘the
abundance of labour has stunted the desire for, and
the adoption of, labour-saving appliances, both in the
field and the factory;’ and in regard to the absence of
scientific direction, the West Indian planters are
described as ‘having endeavoured to continue the fight
against the scientists and specialists of Continental
Europe and the United States with a class of men
whose technical knowledge is hopelessly inadequate.

upon

Mr. Lamont deprecates the idea of introducing
skilled men from other countries to revive the sugar
industry of the West Indies. He asks, ‘why is it
that among young men, born and bred in the West
Indies, and therefore acclimatized, we seeno competition
for positions of trust on the sugar plantations or in
the sugar factories ? We see battalions of them pouring
all this is
the youth of the West Indies must
be given facilities for a wider range of choice of

into the legal and medical professions .
utterly wrong . .
occupation. T have said that you cannot success-
fully conduct the sugar (or any other) industry of
the West Indies without trained intelligence; I will
say more, you cannot conduct it without trained West
Indian intelligence.’

Coming to the means or the ‘way’ of saving the
West Indian sugar industry, Mr. Lamont expresses the
opinion that ‘the crying need of the West Indian
Colonies is a University of Tropical Agriculture. It
is an imperative necessity that their young men should
be trained to take part in building up the future of
their country upon the only substantial foundation,
and in making their agriculture an example instead of
a by-word; for in agriculture alone lies the promise of
any permanent prosperity for these “British Dominions
beyond the Seas.”’

After describing in detail proposals for establishing
a University of Agriculture, Mr. Lamont concludes :—
‘For the solution of these vital West Indian problems
I appeal to the business instinet of the people of this
country, and to the ever-watchful alertness of the
distinguished statesman who presides over the destinies
of our Colonies. Mr. Chamberlain has won for himself
in the hearts and minds of the West Indian people
a place occupied by none of his predecessors at the
Colonial Office; and I predict with confidence that if
out of the germ of his “Imperial -Department of
Agriculture,” he evolves an agricultural, mechanical,
and commercial university, he will not only restore
a large measure of prosperity to the West Indies but
immeasurably strengthen the bonds that unite them to
the mother country,’

SUGAR INDUSTRY.

Note on Cross fertilization of the Sugar-Cane
in Java.

Since the independent establishment by Dr.
Soltwedel in Java and by Messrs. Harrison and
J. R. Bovell in Barbados that the sugar-cane bears
fertile seed, investigations in Java have centred
around two other important discoveries.

In 1894 Dr. J. H. Wakker, then Director of the
East Java Sugar Experiment Station, found out that
the Cheribon cane bears infertile polien while the
ovary is normal. Consequently any fertile seeds formed
by this cane are the result of cross fertilization, by the
pollen of another variety of cane, and give rise to hybrid
plants. About this time the new seedling canes
raised were only those of well known mother
canes, e.g., of the Cheribon, The Chenbon in Java,
like the Bourbon in the West Indies, is a cane
with rich and abundant juice and is therefore valuable
as a sugar producer. Unfortunately, like the Bourbon,
it is hable to disease.

Soon after Wakker’s discovery, Dr. Kobus, the
present Director of East Java Sugar Experiment
Station, suggested the crossing of the Cheribon with
certain of the East Indian canes imported by the Java
Government from British India so as to raise seedlings
from the former cane crossed by the latter, some of
which would probably combine the good qualities of
the Cheribon with the disease-resisting power of the
East Indian canes. Experiments at this Station were
set on foot to cross the Cheribon with the Chunnee
variety from India, a very vigorous and disease-resisting
cane. Dr. Kobus has published four reports on the
results of the seedlings obtained from the Cheribon-
Chunnee cross. In raising the seeds the parent plants
were planted alternately in rows :—

Cher. Chun. Cher. Chun.

x xX x x
x Xx >.< x
>. x x x
xX x x x
x xX x x
».4 x x xX

x x x

The reports are entitled De caadplanten der

kruising van Cheribonriet met de Knglesch-Indische
variéteit Chunnee, and were published as the Proceed-
ings of the East Java Station Nos. 1, 12, 21, 33 of the
Third Series.

The seedlings raised are observed for four years at
the Station and compared with the Cheribon. The best
are then distributed to the estates. The anticipation of
Dr. Kobus have been realized as canes combining both
high sugar content and disease-resisting power have
been obtained by this The yield of sugar
of some of the canes varies from 6 to 8 tons per acre.
In some cases the fecundating power of the pollen
of the Chunnee is so strong that more than 95 per
cent. of the hybrids resemble the male parent,

cross.

Wor. EF ™Noe=10: THE

AGRICULTURAL

NEWS. 147

a EE a es

Sugar Production in St. Lucia.

Mr. G. S. Hudson, the Agricultural Instructor,
St. Lucia, reports -—

A recent inspection of all sugar-producing estates in the
island showed a total area in sugar-cane of about 3,000 acres,
of which some 2,200 acres are connected with the four
central factories, the balance being devoted to muscovado
and syrup production. The central factories show an
average of about 22 tons of canes producing 2 tons of sugar
to the acre. On muscovado estates, where steam or water
power is employed, about 1 ton of sugar is the product of an
acre, and where cattle power is used the production falls as
low as $ ton per acre. On the smaller estates no record of
weight of canes is kept, but their methods and crops are, of
course, very inferior to those of central factories. There is
no material reduction of area under cultivation for 1903, and
only the stimulus of prices showing even a small margin of
profit, is required to enlarge this area considerably.

Molascuit.

Attention has been called in this Journal (p. 22) to the
preparation of ‘ Molascuit,’ a new stock food which it has been
suggested might form an article of export from the West
Indies. Further, the value of molasses as a food for horses
has also been referred to in these pages (pp. 66, 108 and
124).

The advantages claimed for the new product are that
vacuum pan molasses can be used in its preparation and that
the manufactured article can be handled as a dried food
stuff.

One important matter however seems to have been
overlooked, namely, the digestibility of the product. The
fine megass used in its preparation consists of small fragments
of the vascular strands and cells of the cane, the former of
which are really pieces of cellulose tubing with open
ends. It is possible that a portion of the molasses will
escape digestion and will be expelled from the alimentary
tract unchanged. Before therefore the value of molascuit as
a stock food can be seriously entertained by practical men, it
is suggested that digestion experiments should be under-
taken to find out how much of the molasses can actually be
absorbed by the animal.

SURRA DISEASE IN HORSES.

A short note on this disease appeared in the last
issue of the Agricultural News (page 134). It is
desirable to supplement the information there given
so that our readers may have some indications of the
character of the disease and the symptoms that accom-
pany it.

The first indications are usually impairment of
appetite, constipation, fever and thirst. These are
followed within a few days by rapid and_ progressive
emaciation. ‘There are nearly always presented ‘swell-
ings of the sheath, legs, and pads under the belly.’
These are described as marked symptoms. The course
of the disease may extend from a few weeks to two
or three months. As already stated, the disease (of a
malarial type) is due to infection, transmitted by
biting-flies. The examination of the blood, in a well-
marked case, shows the existence ofa microscopic animal
parasite, ‘a whip-like worm’ rather blunt at one end
with a flagellum at the other. The pathological
change caused by the parasite (flagellate) is a rapid

destruction of the red blood-corpuscles causing an acute
anemia.

The following extract taken from the Report
issued by the United States Department of Agriculture
(Bureau of Animal Industry. Bulletin No. 43, 1902)
contains the official definition of the Surra Disease :—

Surra is a specific and continuous infectious febrile
disease occurring in solipeds and camels, and capable of
being transmitted by inoculation to other animals. It is
due to the presence of a flagellate protozoon (Trypanosoma
Evanst) in the blood. It is chiefly met with in an epidemic
form, during certain months of the year, namely, during or
immediately following the wet seasons. It is characterized
by an intermittent, remittent, and sometimes a relapsing,
type of fever which continues for varying periods, from a
few days to months, according to the species and the
constitutions of the animals attacked, and presents definite
symptoms following one another in regular sequence. The
chief symptoms, in addition to the fever, are the occasional
appearance of an urticarial eruption, general or localized,
closely following the first rise in temperature, but which
may make its appearance at any time during the course
of the disease ; then the presence of petechiae on the
mucous membranes, chiefly those covering the membrana
nictitans ; lachrymation, and the exudation of a yellow
semigelatinous material into the subcutaneous and other
connective tissues. There is rapid wasting and great
weakness, although in the great majority of cases the
appetite remains good throughout, no matter how high the
fever is. There is extreme pallor of the visible mucous
membranes, and this is followed at a later period by
yellowness. From first to last there is progressive anemia ;
the blood at first presents a normal character, but after a
varying period of time undergoes marked changes. The
white corpuscles are increased in number, and the red
corpuscles usually cease to form normal rouleaux, lose their
individuality, and run together, forming irregular masses,
which at first dark, but gradually, as the disease advances,
almost entirely lose their colouring matter and become pale.

The presence of the flagellate is not continuous during
the whole course of the disease. At first it is usually found
in small numbers in the blood, and increases with greater or
less rapidity until, having attained a maximum, it disap-
pears either gradually or suddenly, to reappear after an
interval. The periods during which it is present in and
absent from the blood are marked by extreme irregularity,
varying from one to six days, but the latter number is very
unusual.

The disease is invariably fatal, death being generally
due to exhaustion, but sometimes to concurrent complications.
After death no specific lesion is present, but as a rule there
are small subpleural and subendocardial extravasations,
together with enlargement of the liver and spleen, and if
death takes place during the paroxysm the hematozoon will
be found for a certain time in the blood.

We would repeat the note of warning given on
page 134, and strongly recommend that, for the present,
and until we are more fully informed as to the occurrence
of Surra in the United States, no American horses or
mules should be landed in any part of the West
Indies. In the meantime it would be desirable that
the character and symptoms of the disease be carefully
studied in the Bulletin above referred to. This
contains a summary of the literature on the subject
and numerous illustrations of the parasite and affected
animals.

148 THE

AGRICULTURAL NEWS.

Avucust 30, 1902.

WEST

NOTES FROM TOBAGO.

Mr. D. Macgillivray, a well known resident of

Tobago, has contributed the following notes on grafting
and budding nutmeg and fruit trees. They attord an
interesting sketch of the difficulties that are usually
met with in these Colonies, difficulties, it is hoped,
that will eventually disappear by means of the circula-
tion of the Agricultural News and other plainly
worded publications of the Department, and also by the
advice and assistance of the Curators ot the Botanic
Stations and of the travelling Agricultural Instructors
being generally utilized -—

NUTMEGS,
I have seen notes in the Vews about grafting nutmegs.
I once took a plant in a bamboo pot from my nursery
(male or female, 1 knew not) and grafted it by approach to
a young sucker of an old female tree. This I have planted
out, but it will never make a shapely tree. The nutmeg,
like the cacao, throws out suckers of two kinds. One the
shape of a lateral branch, the other tree-shaped. I have
tried transplanting a young male underneath a female having
the tree-shaped suckers and grafting by approach but. failed.
I have gone in for nutmegs ona small scale. Their present
small commercial value does not encourage one to go in for
them extensively, and my soil, a light sandy loam, is very
susceptible to the effects of the sun in the pinch of the dry
season, Some of my large bearing trees were nearly killed
out two seasons ago.
GRAFTING OR BUDDING

SOUR ORANGES.

About twenty years ago I sowed seeds of a specially
sweet orange. I raised about thirty and planted them out.
The trees came to maturity and bore sour oranges. The
majority of them came into bearing in seven or eight years.
Seven of them grew to be large trees but did not bear
until they were twelve to fifteen years old, and then they
gave me very fine sweet oranges. I cut down some of the
sour orange trees 3 feet from the ground, allowed selected
shoots to grow two on each stump, and, in the case of two
trees, have ring-budded them with shaddock. One tree has
succeeded admirably : the buds sprang and the branches are
now about 10 feet high and will, I hope, soon bear. The
other ring-budding (two buds on two separate suckers) took
and lived, but the buds would not spring. I have since

INDIANS FRUIT

then done some budding of the ordinary kind, cutting a bud
from the shaddock and inserting it in a cut in the bark of the
scion. Several have taken, but in only one case have I
been able to induce the bud to spring. I am an extremely
green amateur with very little time from my daily work to
devote to agriculture. [ now write in the hope that some of
the correspondents of the Department, experts in citrus culti-
vation, may be able to point out the cause of my failure. Are
there barren and fertile buds on a branch, and how ean they
be distinguished ? Or is my experience of barren buds the
result cf taking buds from a young tree that has not yet
borne ¢

I may mention that any information conveyed to me can-
not be too elementary, as I have never witnessed the operation
of grafting or budding by any one, and I feel sure my methods
are clumsy. I have succeeded in grafting several mangos
“by approach,’ but in ‘Crown’ and other kinds of grafting I
have always failed.

LABUAN POMELO,

The ‘shaddock’ which I have been trying to propa-

gate is a thornless one and the fruit is seedless, the
finest shaddock, Mr. Hart says, that he has ever seen.
It is really a Labuan pomelo sent from Labuan by

Mr. Ussher, a former Lieutenant-Governor of Tobago, to the
late Mr. D. Yeates here. Mr. Yeates kindly gave me a plant
grown from a cutting under glass. It bore splendid fruit for
some years and then succumbed to an attack of fungus at
the 100t. Fortunately, at the suggestion of Mr. Hart, when
the tree was in full vigour, I sent him some cuttings. From
these he succeeded in making three grafts, one of which he
kindly sent me. The other two are thriving trees at
St. Clair. IT may mention that I was recently particularly
gratified by receiving from Mr. Hart a budded plant of the
shaddock together with two orange plants (navel and pine-
apple) all of which I have planted out as Coronation Trees.
With regard to the name, I prefer to call my plant pomelo
instead of shaddock. The ordinary West Indian shaddock is
a very degenerate fruit.

IT have always thought it a disgrace to Tobago to have
so few good fruit trees. Now that there is a prospect of
a prosperous future for good West Indian fruit, every assis-
tance and guidance ought to be given to our people here in
the work of grafting and budding so that in the future no
one will dream of raising a mere seedling for the sake of
its fruit.

ors ee NowlO:

THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS.

149

ENGLISH POTATOS.

CULTIVATION EXPERIMENTS IN THE WEST INDIES.
' Attention has been given by the Imperial

Department of Agriculture during the last three years
to the question of growing English potatos in the
West Indies. An attempt, suggested by Mr. James
Martland, a leading English merchant interested in
the subject, was made in 1900 to establish an industry
in raising early potatos for the English market.

Experiments were carried on between December of

that year and March 1901 by the local officers of the

Department at Barbados, St. Vincent, Dominica,
Montserrat and St. Kitts-Nevis. The seed was

obtained from Mr. Martland and arrived in the West
Indies in) November. During the severe drought
experienced in these islands at the close of 1990, the
plants sutfered severely and were also attacked by both
insect and fungoid pests. Owing to these drawbacks,
the results obtained were unsatisfactory. he total
yield of potatos rarely exceeded 4 tons per acre.
Qver 60 per cent. of the tubers, in some cases, were
either damaged or undersized and therefore unsaleable.
After discarding these, the sound potatos were shipped
to England and offered for sale in the London and
Liverpool] markets. The reports received with regard
to these shipments were not favourable, the potatos
only realizing from 3s. to 5s. per ewt. A further
sowing was made in the same islands in December
of 1901. The results of these experiments may be
gathered from the reports of the officers in charge them,

At Burbados My. J. R. Bovell, the Superinten-
dent of the Botanic Station, writes:—‘When_ these
potatos arrived the long drought had just commenced
so that not only did the potatos grow badly but there
was practically no result, the “seed” that did grow
producing potatos about the size of walnuts. This I
think is in great measure due not only to the drought
but also to the fact that they were planted too late in
the season. In confirmation of this, I may mention
that at the request of the Hon’ble Dr. John Sealy, I
imported three barrels of “ Bliss Triumph” potatos from
Messrs. Peter Henderson & Co., of New York, the
potatos arriving here on Noveniber 8. hese potatos,
in spite of the drought, did fairly well’? A memoran-
dum of the results of this experiment was prepared by
Dr. Sealy and shows that from one sixth of an acre,
740 th. of marketable potatos were obtained ata cost, in-
cluding artificial manure, of $9.01. Placing the market
value of the potatos at 2c. per th, there appeared a net
profit on the transaction of $5.79 or about $35 per acre.

From St. Vincent, Mr. Powell, the Curator of the
Botanic Station, reports: ‘The plot of English potatos
at the Botanic Station, at one time very promising
was almost entirely destroyed by mole crickets. From
1} acres only 18 tb. of potatos were obtained.’

At Dominica, Mr. Jones, the Curator of the
Botanic Station, mentions that ‘the results were poor.
One barrel of “Scottish Trimmphs,” which again did
better than the other kinds, was sent to Barbados and
realized $4.00.

At Montserrat, Mr. Jordan, the Agricultural
Instructor, states: ‘The English potatos have not done

well again this year owing to late planting. In the
early part of February the plants looked as healthy and
promising as any I have seen in England, but just at
the time the tubers were forming, dry weather was
experienced, with the result that, when dug, the potatos
were found to be numerous but very small. It is
evident that good results cannot be expected if the
potatos are planted later than the middle of October’

At St. Kitts, Mr. Lunt, the Curator of the Botanic
Station, mentions: ‘A further experiment with potatos
(English) was conducted. The results were not satis-
factory and tend to prove that we cannot obtain what
are recognized as new potatos here, their flavour and
condition when reaped being precisely that of old
potatos,’

At Jumaiea where corrresponding experiments
were conducted in 1900-01 (Journal of the Jamaicu
Agricultural Society, Vol. V., pp. 237-241) the reports
show that while satisfactory yields were obtained on
the upper lands, the crop on the lowlands was a failure
owing to drought. Both at Jamaica and in the
Windward and Leeward Islands the variety of potatos
known as the ‘Scottish Trinmph’ was found to be by
far the inost suitable for cultivation under all conditions
of soil and chmate.

So far as the smaller islands are concerned,
the results of these experiments, although not so
successful as was anticipated, yet afford valuable
information to those who may think of taking up the
industry at any future period. It is important to bear
in mind that while on the cool highlands the time
of planting may be slightly extended, on the lowlands,
owing to the risk of drought during the months of
November to February, successful results can only be
expected ifthe potatos are planted out early in October,
and it would always be of advantage if they could be
irrigated during spells of dry weather.

LIME INDUSTRY OF MONTSERRAT.

The following extract is taken from the Montser-
rat Herald of August 9; 1902

It is just three years since the lime industry of the
Montserrat Company was destroyed, and so complete was the
destruction, that it was intimated that the Company had
contemplated packing up and clearing out of the island to
established themselves somewhere else outside the hurricane
zone. It was not untilafter Mr. Joseph Sturge, the Director,
came from Birmingham and visited the scene of devastation
in the fall of the year, that it was decided to re-establish the
lime cultivation on a limited scale. Six years was the time
computed for the company to get any return on their outlay.
But the rapid growth and healthy appearance of the limes,
and the bearing of some in less than three years have been
something marvellous. That the prospect of the Company
for the year is 600 casks of raw and concentrated juice is
surpassing the most sanguine expectation. And this shows
how adapted is the soil of this island to the growth of the
lime. It is to be hoped that the outlook may encourage the
Company to extend their cultivation. That Mr. Driver the
Company's Attorney, and his coadjutors are deserving of
praise goes without saying. So far as the lime industry goes,
if everything else in the island were as hopeful, in five years’
time, the material condition of the Presidency would be in a
healthy state,

150

THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS.

Auaust 30, 1902.

EDITORIAL NOTICES.

Letters and matter for publication, as well as all
specimens for naming should be addressed to the Commis-
sioner, Imperial Department of Agriculture,
Barbados.

It is particularly requested that no letters be addressed
to any member of the stati by name. Such a course may
entail delay.

Communications should always be written on one side
of the paper only. It should be understood that no contri-
butions or specimens will, in any case, be returned.

All application for copies of the ‘Agricultural
News’ should be addressed to the Agents, and
not to the Department. A complete list of the London
and Local agents will be found on the last page of this
number,

Correspondents sending newspapers should be careful to
mark the paragraphs they wish to bring under notice.

Agricultural Sews

AUGUST 30,

Vou. I. SATURDAY, 11902., No: #10!

NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Vanilla Cuttings from Vera Cruz.

Replying to an inquiry as to the price of vanilla
vine slips at Vera Cruz, Mr. L. J. Nunn, the Vice-
Consul of that place, writes :—

The best Vanilla vine slips would cost you free on
board Vera Cruz from $30.00 to $35.00, Mexican currency,
per thousand, or more or less £3 to £3 10s. The cost to
ship them from here to New York would be $5, United
States currency, this being the minimum rate of freight on
any parcel.

I must also inform you that it is not possible to buy
per hundred, as you would be charged just the same per
hundred as you would be per thousand.

——<—<—<—<—

Agricultural Exhibitions in British Guiana.

The Board of Agriculture has recently published
a resolution setting forth the lines on which it is
proposed in future to assist Agricultural Exhibitions
and Farmers’ Competitions in the Colony.

Three classes of Exhibitions are recognized: (1)
Colonial Exhibitions to be held triennially, or otherwise,
at Georgetown; (2) County Exhibitions to be held
annually in one of the three counties, the first at New
Amsterdam with a grant of $500; (8) District Exhibi-
tions to be held in selected villages, with a grant of
$150, on condition that $120 shall be expended in
prizes leaving 530 available for general expenses.

It is laid down that Agricultural Exhibitions aided
by the Board of Agriculture ‘shall include only Exhibi-
tions of Field and Garden produce of Economic
importance and Live Stock.’

Toronto Exhibition, 1902.

As a contribution to this Exhibition from the
Imperial Department of Agriculture for the West
Indies there were despatched by S.S. Sobralense on the
14th instant, two large cases containing copies of the
Bulletins, Pamphlets, Leaflets and other publications
recently issued by the Department. There was also
forwarded an attractive looking pamphlet specially
prepared for this Exhibition containing facts and
figures respecting the resources and products of the
West Indies, list of exports and a popular description
of each of the principal West Indian products, suitable
for Canadian readers.

These publications are intended to be distributed
at the West Indian Section free of charge.

$$ $$

Growing Onions for Sets.

The soil should be only moderately fertile for
growing sets, but free from little stones and weed
seeds. Seed is drilled in at the rate of from 50 to 60 Tb.
per acre. It is desirable to defer sowing until
most of the weed seeds which may be present in
the soil have germinated. The aim of the grower
should be to secure a crop of very small bulbs as
nearly uniform in size as possible. The price
received is largely regulated by the size of the sets.
Of course, a bushel of the smallest sets will plant a
greater area than the same quantity of the larger ones,
hence they command a higher price. When mature,
the sets are lifted by a trowel and deposited with the
surrounding soil in a sieve with meshes small enough
to hold the smallest bulbs. A crib or dry, well-venti-
lated apartment may be used to cure the onions,
spreading them in thin layers. [t is extremely 1mpor-
tant to dry the sets thoroughly so that they will
remain in an entirely dormant condition until sold or
planted. Before the final storing a fanning mill is
used to remove the loose skins or other light refuse.
White sets command the highest price.

For further particulars see Pamphlet No. 16,
Hints on Onion Cultivation, obtainable from all
Local Agents of the Department. Price 2d. Post free
Qhd.

DD OO

Duty on Exported Sugar at St. Kitt’s.

According to the Export Duty Ordinance of 1898,
the following duties are levied on sugar and rum
exported from St. Kitt’s and Nevis :—

Sugar— s

Per hogshead, not above 42 inches truss 4
,, tierce = SO eee . 3 2
5, barrel Os 0

4

In other packages... per ton 8
Rum—
Per 100 gallons ... So: Sos 3 6

The receipts go to the general revenue.

Wor. Io No: 10:

THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS.

151

Bananas in the United States. é

A recent number of the official Crop Reporter of
the United States Department of Agriculture gives an
interesting summary of the banana trade of the States.
During the last thirty years the imports of bananas have
increased so rapidly that they are now the most impor-
tant single factor in the fresh fruit trade, export or
import, of the country. The significance of this may be
realized by noting that the annual value of the bananas
imported is about three times that of apples exported.

The United States is almost entirely dependent
on imports for its bananas. Southern Florida usually
presents favourable condition for their cultivation, as
instanced by its output of bananas being 32,000
bunches in 1889, increasing to 67,000 bunches in 1893.
In 1894 came the ‘great freeze’ and the output was
nil. From this blow the industry has been slow to
recover, the number of bunches produced by Florida in
1899 being only 3,782.

The principal sources of bananas for the States are
Central America and the West Indies. In 1900 Central
America sent to the States bananas to the value of
$2,340,000, the British West Indies $2,172,000, and
Cuba and Santo Domingo $234,000. In addition
bananas to the value of $999,000 were received from
Colombia, $96,179 from British Honduris, and
$36,000 from Hawai. The total imports of bananas
into the United States in 1900 were approximately
of the value of $6,000,000, or £1,250,000.

Oo
Arbor Day.

It is gratifying to find that active steps have been
taken to give practical effect to the suggestion made
in the Agricultural News of establishing an Arbor
Day in the West Indies.

At Trinidad Mr. J. H. Hart reports that a tree
was planted on Coronation Day (August 9) in the
Queen’s Park Savannah by his Excellency the Acting
Governor, Sir C. C. Knollys, K.C.M.G. Mr. Hart
continues: ‘It is to be hoped that this excellent
example will be followed in each subsequent year by
the people in general. The time of year is especially
suitable for planting purposes in ‘Trinidad and it
would be a great encouragement to cultivators were a
regular day set apart each year for the purpose of
planting trees. It is a practice which would tend
largely to the benefit of the community, and in which
the poor as well as the rich may share, and the ninth
of August each year might well be commemorated by
the planting of fruit, timber, or ornamental trees.’

At Grenada his Excellency the Governor planted
a Genip 'l'ree in the Anglican Churchyard, immediately
after the Coronation Service, in the presence of a large
number of the Officials and other residents of the
island. Mr. Broadway, the Curator, reports that in all
eighty-five trees were planted, some on July 2, the
remainder on August 9. In addition to the Genip, trees
were planted at the Botanic Station, Government
House, the Ballast Ground, the Presbyterian Church,
the Bower, St. Georges, the Wesleyan Church, the
Convent, the Market Square St. Georges, ete.

At Tobago also, several trees were planted on June
26, and several further Coronation trees on August 9,

Weeding.

Adverting to the importance of weeding in the
cultivation of various crops, the Agricultural Instructor
of St. Lucia writes :—

Considering that about fifty per cent. of the expenditure
in all planting ventures is devoted to weeding, it is astonish-
ing how little comment is ever given to this subject in
agricultural literature: how few proprietors or managers
possess any first-hand knowledge on this matter. The work
is generally relegated to the weeding overseer or ganger,
generally a man of few attainments: the manager can tell us
how much his weeding costs and there his knowledge ceases.
It is a common thing for the writer to visit two adjoining
estates where conditions are almost similar, and to ascertain
that the weeding on one estate costs double what it does on
the other. It is generally lack of proper economy in this
item that makes for failure, or absence of profit. This is a
large subject and cannot be fully treated here, but the
following advice may be appropriate. Every manager (even
though he cannot do it continually) should find time for an
occasional day behind his weeding gangs. It is absolutely
imperative during rainy weather to limit the use of the hoe
as much as possible in favour of the cutlass, and to go back
over your weeding and turn all heaps of weeds (shaking
out all soil) within seven or ten days of weeding, choosing the
driest weather for this work. It is a case of ‘a stitch in
time saving nine’. One shilling spent in turning weed heaps
will save nine shillings’ worth of weeding.

EEE eee

Snakes of Barbados.

There are comparatively few reptiles existing in
Barbados, and it is possible that some of them will, if
they have not already, soon disappear owing to the
introduction of the mongoose. Two species of snakes
have been recorded. The larger one (Liophis perfus-
cus) is known only from Barbados. It is singular that
it has been found nowhere else in the West Indies,
In the early days of the settlement of the island this
snake, though completely harmless, was troublesome
from its habit of crawling in through the windows of
the dairies and drinking the milk. At the present
day it is so scarce that few people have seen it. A
smaller snake (Stenostoma bilineatum) called the
2 seven-year snake,’ because he or she who killed one
Was supposed to obtain remission of sins for a like
period is still more rare. It is said to occur at
Martinique and Guadeloupe. It would be interesting
to learn whether either of these two harmless and
interesting reptiles of Barbados have been seen in any
part of the island within the last year or two.

EDD Or

Old Tree Stumps.

To remove old stumps, a correspondent to the Country
Gentleman gives the following :—‘ Get a 2-inch iron pipe,
8 ft. long; have a steel point welded into one end of it.
With a sledge hammer drive this under the stump as far as
may be necessary. Drop half a stick of dynamite into the
hole thus made, and tramp earth upon it until the hole is
filled, then light the fuse. The stump will be lifted entirely
out of the ground with no earth adhering to it, so that it
may be burned the next day.’

AGRICULTURAL NEWS.

Aucust 30, 1902.

BEE-KEEPING.

Grenada.

The bee-keeping industry is reported to be progressing
favourably in Grenada. Several Italian queen bees are said
to have been imported from Jamaica and America by bee-
keepers in the island. The question as to whether eight-
frame hives are preferable to ten-frame hives in the production
of section honey is attracting attention. This would seem in a
great measure to depend upon local conditions, and the
amount and the duration of the honey flow, matters which
can only be determined by local experiments.

Cure for fou!-brood.

The following method for the cure of foul-brood
in hives, reproduced by the Cunadian Bee Journal
for July 1902, should be of interest to bee-keepers in
the West Indies :—

Sections of comb were taken out and placed in a box
the same size as an ordinary hive. The exit at the bottom
was plugged with the exception of a small hole, and a small
opening about half an inch in diameter was left at the top.
To the lower hole was affixed a formalin apparatus consist-
ing of a small alcohol lamp at the bottom, with a reservoir at
the top which contains formalin. Formalin, I may say, is
the trade name given toa 40 per cent. solution of formic
aldehyde in water. A small portion of this is put in the
reservoir over the alcohol heater and then the top is screwed
down. The top connects with a small hose pipe, and it is
placed in the lower hole of the hive. Directly after the
apparatus is attached the alcohol lamp is lit and the
formalin is vapourized and spreads throughout the hive.
This means of disinfecting the hives was used ; and the wax
of the comb that was placed in it was several years old,
judging from the looks of it, and contained dead larvae, foul-
brood, and also a certain number of capped cells, so that
probably all the conditions were present which would be met
with ina bad case of foul-brood. After the gas had spread
through the hive, and the smell of the gas could be noticed
issuing at the hole at the top, this top hole was closed and
almost immediately afterwards the formalin apparatus was
disconnected and the lower opening plugged up, and it was
kept thus from one to four hours. At the end of that time
the hive or box was opened and the combs taken out and a
careful examination made not only of the capped cells but
also of the foul-brood cells and of certain marked cells
which contained honey and also spores of the foul-brood

bacillus. In not a single instance did foul-brood germs grow
from these combs after they were treated. Since then I

have performed the experiment three separate times with
three other distinct combs and with equal success. In
each case the germs were killed, whether they were in dead
larvae, whether they were in honey, or whether they were in
capped cells.

RICE CULTIVATION: BRITISH GUIANA.
INTERESTING STATISTICS.

A summary of information respecting the culti-
vation of Rice in British Guiana was published in the
West Indian Bulletin, Vol. IL, pp. 275-84. It would
appear from an interesting pericle contributed to the
Demerara Argosy of August 9, that the industry, in
spite of many difficulties, is steadily extending and that
in consequence, the importations of rice into fhe Colony
during the last seventeen years have decreased to less
than one-third. The following table shows the imports
(in pounds weight) for certain years from 1885 to
1902 inclusive :

1885 ao is
1889 dec Sefo

50,572,740
46,930,392

1895 > 1 bo. ee 33,219,824
1899 as tte val 25,060,498
1902 - 15,213,303

The article states that these figures clearly indi-
cate the highly significant fact that were the loeal rice
industry sufficiently capitalized and efticiently managed,
the inhabitants would not only be able to be supplied
with rice ‘on the premises’ but be in the position of
shipping rice out of the country.

The successive stages in the early history of rice
growing are described. “The pioneering e forts of the
late Mr. William Russell, Mr. Colvin and Mr. Bascom
drew spec ‘al attention to the subject and, at the present
time, rice growing gives employment to a large number
of the peasantry——East Indians, Chinese il Creoles.
From a retarn recently published by the Board of

Agriculture it would appear that there are about
19,119 acres under rice cultivation in the Colony

yielding, approximately, 395,948 bags of rice.

The chief difficulty hitherto expe rienced has been
milling the paddy and converting it into clean rice.
The principal cause of this is said to be the unsuita-
bility of the machinery that was imported for the Rice
Factory in Georgetown. The article in the Argosy
concludes as follows am So far, there has been more
success in the cultivation of the rice than in its
manufacture—the very reverse, by the way, of the cane
sugar industry. But there is no good reason why rice
Snead not develop into a large and remunerative
industry, for our coast lands are “eminently Bat for
the cultivation; while the profits are large, so large
indeed that the profit of a fat year is quite sufficient
to counterbalance the loss of a lean year.

Scale Insects and Moulds. time ago
specimens of the ‘Brown Shield Seale’ covered by a yellowish
white fungus were forwarded to the Department by
Mr. Sands, the Curator of the Botanic Station, Antigua, who
reported that the fungus apparently attacked both young and
old scales. Unfortunately at the time, the fungus was only in
the vegetative condition and therefore could not be determined.
Inoculation experiments were made on healthy specimens of
the scale insect at Barbados, but the results were negative.
The weather at the time however was extremely dry, and
negative results under these conditions are not conclusive.
Further careful study is necessary to determine whether or
not the fungus is a parasite or only one of the sequels of some
other natural enemy.

Some

Wor. yy Nox1.0! THE

AGRICULTURAL NEWS.

153

COTTON GROWING IN THE LEEWARD
ISLANDS.

In the Agricultural News (p. 103) mention was
made of the experiments that have recently been
conducted by the Imperial Department of Agriculture
with a view of testing the possibility of re- establishing
a cotton industry at St. Lucia and Montserrat. The
following interesting paper, on cotton growing in the
Leeward Islands, read by the Hon. Francis Watts,
Government and Analytical Chemist, before a meeting
of the Agricultural and Commercial Society of Antigua
on August 1, throws additional light and points to
the possibility of the industry being successfully re-
established in a few, at least, of the Leeward Islands :—

The question of cotton planting has recently received a
good deal of attention in several of the West Indian Colo-
nies, planters being urged thereto by the rapid fall in the
price of sugar. When muscovado sugar can be sold for
good prices, such as £10 per ton and upwards, there is little
inducement for the inhabitants of such places as Antigua,
St Kitt’s, Nevis and Montserrat to think of cotton growing,
or people can find profitable employment in the long-estab-
lished industry and cotton offers no prospect of greater gain
or more congenial employment.

But now matters are on a different footing. Sugar of 89°
test is selling at about £5 to £5 10s. a ton, and molasses is
difficult of sale at 2¢. per gallon. On the other hand, cotton
appears to be in increasing demand, and relatively high
prices appear to be obtainable for certain kinds. This being
so, cotton warrants careful attention on the part of landowners
in these islands.

VARIETIES OF COTTON,

Varieties of cotton are roughly divided into two kinds :
(a) long stapled and (b) short stapled. Amongst the former
is the variety known as ‘sea island’: this has unusually
long silken fibres and for this reason the product is always
valued at a much higher price than that of short-fibred
varieties. This variety of cotton can only be grown success-
fully in a limited area; im the great cotton-producing
areas of the United States it can only be cultivated
commercially in the maritime districts of the Southern
States, though the enterprise and skill of the American
agriculturist is breaking down this restriction. It is
this restriction of area which gives rise to the relatively
high price. Now the point of interest for us in the Leeward
Islands is, that this variety of cotton is a native of these
islands : the West Indian Islands are the countries of its
origin, thus, with care and energy, we should be able to
succeed in the cultivation of sea island cotton beyond those
less favoured people amongst whom the plant is an intro-
duced one.

Long stapled cottons of the sea island type are also
grown to some extent in Egypt and the East Indies.

Short stapled cottons have a much wider range and are
capable of cultivation in districts where sea island will not
thrive. These short stapled cottons usually produce much
heavier returns per acre, but the cotton is much less valuable
than sea island.

With these facts before us, it is fairly evident that our
energies should be directed towards growing sea island
cotton, unless experiments prove to us that some other
variety will produce such a large yield per acre as to compen-
sate for its comparatively low price.

QUALITY OF COTTON.

If we are to attempt to establish a cotton industry in
the Leeward Islands, I think there are several things we
should set before our minds at the outset: we should
endeavour to produce a high and uniform grade of cotton,
and we should endeavour to put this upon the market in a
uniform manner so as to establish well known marks and
thus secure ready sales at maximum prices.

With regard to the first of these, we must remember that
cotton carelessly grown from badly selected seed is lable to
deteriorate year after year. Conversely, with care in the
selection of seed, it may be improved. We are face to face
with a danger, and at the same time have two means of
averting it. The most rigid and careful selection of seed
should therefore be the duty of every cotton planter in
the Leeward Islands.

The demand for a long stapled cotton is increasing and
there is some competition to secure a good supply. This
offers us the opportunity of establishing a steady and reliable
trade either with Great Britain or with the United States.

In some of the districts where sea island cotton is now
grown, the industry is stated to be ‘chiefly in the hands
of small farmers of the coloured race, whose intelligence,
skill and care are wholly occupied in securing a bare
subsistence for themselves.” With our established estate
system we ought to be able to improve upon those condi-
tions and produce an article commanding the highest prices.
If that can be done, cotton may prove a very remunerative
crop.

PACKING.

Now, as to the packing, a neat package has much to do
with the sale of high-class goods such as we must produce
here if cotton is to pay. The ordinary cotton bale is
anything but neat. One authority writes: ‘Taken altogether

it is generally admitted that the American bale is the
clumsiest, dirtiest, most expensive, and most wasteful

package in which cotton, or in fact any commodity of like
value is put up anywhere. It has no friends either among
manufacturers, buyers, shippers, insurers or producers.
Custom seems alone responsible for this incubus on the
industry.’ (H. Hammond, The Cotton Plant, p. 362.) I
learn that there is an improved method of baling known
as the Bessonette system which, if not too costly, appears
te be exactly suitable to the kind of trade we should
endeavour to establish. By this system the cotton (lint)
is tightly wound into a cylindrical bale about 30 inches
long and 15 inches in diameter; these bales are easily
covered with cotton cloth and the ends are capped with
cotton cloth held in place by a small hoop of wire ; no ties
are used nor are they necessary, for the bale retains its
shape without them. Prospective cotton growers are strongly
advised to make inquiries as to the machinery required for
this system of packing. A uniform system of baling for all
the cotton from a given district is much to be desired, and at
this stage, when all the plant will have to be purchased, we
have the opportunity of securing the best, unhampered by
old machinery and traditions.

No doubt, in the early stages of the new industry many
mistakes will be made, but these will be less serious if a
high ideal is intelligently aimed at. What we must see is
that cotton is not merely cotton, but that there are good
kinds and indifferent kinds. Good kinds may deteriorate
with careless cultivation and careless handling, and we must
recognize that we have all the conditions necessaiy to enable
us to secure the best, and make up our minds to use our
natural advantages to the full.

(To be continued.)

THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS.

Avueust 30, 1902.

POULTRY.

The following notes on on Be eds of Poultry are from
the pen of Mr. John Barclay, of the Agricultural Society,
Jamaica, in continuation of those in previous issues :—

PLYMOUTH ROCKS.

Of the all-round birds there are,—the Barred Plymouth
Rock, an American breed, a fair layer and a fair table fowl of
good medium size, hardy, but more suitable for the cooler
and moister parts than the hot dry plains. Plymouth Rocks
have yellow legs and skins ; the hens lay brown eggs of a
fair size, are strong sitters, and make fairly good mothers.
There are also the white and buff varieties with the same
qualities.

ORPINGTONS.

Then there are the Orpingtons, English breeds, black and
buff varieties, the former being the better layers, the latter
the larger and better for table. They average about the same
size as Plymouth Rocks and are of short and stocky build,
good layers of light brown eggs, go broody and make good
mothers. There are also the white, and two spangled
varieties. The Buff Orpington is a first-class table fowl
with white legs and white skin. The Black Orpington is
much like a cleanlegyed Langshan,

It is to be noted that taste for table birds differs in the
United States and Britain. In America, yellow-legged birds
and so birds with yellow skins are the favourites; in the
United Kingdom and in France, table birds must have white
skins to be first-class.

WYANDOTTES.

Thea follow Wyandottes, of which there are white, buff,
silver, golden, black, and partridge varieties ; they are smaller
than Plymouth Rocks and Orpingtons, but rather better layers
of rather small brown eggs; the hens are good sitters and
mothers. Plymouth Rocks and the Wyandottes are not old
breeds like the Brahmas, Cochins and Langshans,
latter-day productions of the

but are
United States, made by crossing
various breeds—the big heavy Asiatic breeds with the
smaller, non-sitting, laying breeds, and by a process of
selection of the fittest made what they are—good utility
fowls. The Orpingtons are also new breeds and were
produced in England to fill the same end.
DORKINGS.

As a table fowl Dorkings are unsurpassed ; they have
short white or pink legs, deep bodies, full breasts, small
bones, white flesh, and would be suitable for dry localities in
the West Indies where there is plenty of shade anda good
run. ‘The hens are rather poor layers of large, white eggs,
and are strone sitters.

For table purposes we have, then, the Cornish Indian
Game, large and heavy, but the hens poor layers, with
the old English Game much more active and very useful

for crossing but a great fighter. We have the Plymouth
Rock, black and butf Orpingtons and Wyandottes as ‘all-
round’ fowls. The Old English Game and the Indian
Game thrive anywhere. The others while doing well
in most places, are better suited in the cooler upland parts of

the West Indies where there is shade for them to run.

It is to be remembered that the all-round breeds mentioned
were produced to be hardy in the cold north and are good
winter layers there, w hieh does not alw ays mean a here : :
but still they have ‘proved very adapt able. When, however,
eggs are the principal object, and the table is a secondary
consideration, we turn to the laying breeds, principally
Leghorns and Minorcas, sometimes called the Mediterranean
class, because they came originally from Italy and Spain.
There are other purely laying breeds not Mediterranean, such
as the Hamburgs, most beautiful birds but very small ;
Campines of the same type from Holland, and Braekels from
3elgium ; and there are also valuable French breeds such as
the Houdans, Faverolles and La Fleche, but these not
having been tested or proved in Jamaica (except the Houdan
which would be the best fowl of all except for its large top
knot which obscures the eyes of the chickens so much that
they fall an easy prey to hawks, vultures and mongooses)—I
will not dwell upon them.
(To be continued.)

CACAO.
EXPERIMENT PLOTS AT GRENADA.

A report by Mr. Murdo MeNeill, the Agricul-
tural Instructor, for June last, gives an account of the
work done in connexion elit the experiment cacao
plots at Vendéme, Belle Vue, Vincennes, Nianganfoix
and Columbier estates, and other agricultural ettorts
in that Colony. Considerable improvement is recorded
in the condition of the cacao trees in these plots since
they were placed under the care of the Imperial
Department of Agriculture. ‘Results of the manurial
experiments have been so far extremely satisfactory.
At Nianganfoix estate, on Section A of the plot,
treated with pen manure, only an average yield of 5
bags per acre for the last two years were obtained,
while on Section B, to which basic slag followed by
sulphate of ammonia had been applied, an average
yield of 6 bags per acre was obtained in 1900, and of
8} bags per acre in 1901. This would seem to indicate

that the latter method of manurial treatment is the
one most likely to prove successful in renovating old
and neglected cacao trees on red clay lands in the

interior of the island, Several visits were paid by the
Agricultural Instructor to the holdings of peasant
cultivators and, where possible, practical demonstra-
tions were given in budding oranges and other plants.
Efforts are also being made to enconrage the cultiva-
tion of limes localities unsuited for the growth of
cacao, and allusion is made to an interesting experiment

in reforestation at present being carried on by the
Hon. W. Lascelles near the Grand Etang Lake.’
The trees which consist of the native ‘gommier’

(Daeryodes hevundra) planted 4ft. apart either way,
are now two years old and are described as ‘being
from two to two-and-a-half feet high and growing well.’

West India Isinglass. There is observed in
Messrs. Hales Caird & Co.’s Market Reports of the 5th inst.,
a quotation for Isinglass as follows :—‘Isinglass, West India
firm—Nine packages offered and sold, darkish to fair pale
lump at ls. lld. to 2s, 4d.; purse—thin to fair 10d. to
ls. 2d. per lb.’ It would be interesting to learn the origin
and nature of the product above quoted. In other words :
what is ‘West India Isinglass.’ ?

THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS.

155

Worl seNow 10!
6% £-~% or = ——
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OTES

REVIEWS

TRINIDAD: BULLETIN OF MISCELLANEOUS
INFORMATION, JULY 1902. Edited by Mr. J. H.
Hart, F.L.S.

Mr. Hart has continued the publication of this quarterly
Bulletin for several years, and he deserves great credit for the
time and attention devoted to it. The present number is
fully equal to its predecessors and contains a mass of infor-
mation of a useful character. It is recorded that a slight
quantity of the dust from the recent voleanic eruptions fell
at Trinidad and the sky line was obseured by a thick fog.
The seismograph at the St. Clair Station registered only
‘small disturbances.’ Mr. Hart states that, as the result of
the comparatively small experiments with seedling canes at
St. Clair, ‘the Barbados Seedling B. 208 stands at the
head of the list for sugar contents as grown side by side
with the Trinidad varieties.’

SETTLEMENTS :
BULLETIN.
This is a comparatively new monthly publication edited
by Mr. H. N. Ridley, M.A., F.L.S., Director of Botanical
Gardens and Forests in the Straits Settlements.

STRAITS AGRICULTURAL

It contains interesting notes on the cultivation of

rubber and gutta percha trees, timber trees and other
important economic productions of the far East. In the

number for June, 1902, Mr. Ridley discusses plants yielding
volatile oils likely to be remunerative in the Straits and
Federal Malay States. The trade and market reports, as
also the meteorological reports are useful features of this
Bulletin.

LE CACAO, SA CULTURE ET SA PREPARA-
TION. By Dr. Paul Preuss. Augustin Challamel, Paris,
1902.

This work consists of an extract, in French, of a larger
treatise by Dr. Preuss entitled Expedition nach Central und
Stid-Amerika, and deals solely with the growing and curing
of cacao. In its present form it will no doubt be more
accessible to West Indian readers than in the fuller German
edition.

As the local practice both as regards cultivation and
curing vary a good deal in various parts of tropical America,
the author treats the subject under the various localities
visited. Thus there are separate chapters on cacao in
Surinam, Trinidad and Grenada, Venezuela, Ecuador and
Central America. The work is well printed and _ illustrated
and forms a most valuable contribution to the literature of
the subject. All interested in cacao whether as planters or
as experimenters, should find time to study this work so as
to obtain a comprehensive view of the present condition of
cacao culture in the New World.

FEEDS AND FEEDING—A HAND-BOOK FOR
THE STUDENT AND STOCKMAN. By Professor
W. A. Henry, Director of the Wisconsin Agricultural Experi
ment Station.

During late years a large number of experiments on the
feeding of animals have been carried out at the Experiment
Stations of the United States, Germany and elsewhere, the
results of which are to be found in the numerous bulletins
issued by these Stations. For the most part they are inac-
cessible to the general public. The need therefore of a modern
work on the subject in which all these results are collected
and set out in such a manner as to appeal to the practical
man is evident. It is to fill this distinct gap in the literature
of the subject that the author has put forward the volume
before us, a work of more than 600 pages.

The book is divided into three parts,—-animal nutrition,
feeding stuffs, and the feeding of farm animals, the two
former being of more immediate interest to the student than
the farmer. In the section dealing with feeding those
portions concerning the horse and dairy cow will probably be
of greatest use to West Indian readers. It is interesting to
note that the American experience as to the value of
condiments in stock feed is negative, no advantage in their
use being shown in the experiments. We cordially recom-
mend this volume to all interested in stock in these Colonies
as a valuable work of reference for the practical agriculturist.
It should also find a place in the various public libraries in
the West Indies. We may add that the work is published by
the author at Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America,
at $2.00 per copy.

ST. VINCENT SOUFRIERE.

We have received from The Times Printing Office,
St. Vincent, a small pamphlet containing ‘An account of the
Eruptions of the St. Vincent Soufriére (with wood cuts) by
Mr. P. Foster Huggins.’ This is an interesting record of the
events that accompanied the eruptions of 1812 and 1902
with, in addition, a table of soundings in the crater lake in
1896 and 1900 and two diagrams showing sections through
the Soufriére mountain from East to West.

TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST.

This ‘Monthly Magazine of information regarding
products suited for cultivation in the Tropics’ has just
completed its twenty-first year. It is published at the
Observer Office Ceylon, and is one of the best known publi-
cations devoted to tropical agriculture. We heartily
congratulate Messrs. Ferguson on their long-continued and
successful efforts to assist planting industries in the tropics.

Insect Moults. Insects on hatching from the egg
are very small and grow in size as they become older. The
outer skin being only elastic to a certain extent does not
allow of a great growth in size, and so has to be periodically
shed as the size of the body increases. This operation of
skin-casting is generally known as moulting. The whole of
the harder outer layer of the body is thrown off, together with
the lining of the air tubes and the alimentary canal. The
insect then emerges with a white soft skin which allows for a
certain amount of expansion. The number of moults during
the life of an insect is very variable in different species,
amounting in some to as many as twenty-five. More gener-
ally the number lies between four and eight, but is dependent
on a variety of conditions.

156.

THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS.

Avcust 30, 1902.

EDUCATIONAL.

Examinations of Agricultural €chools.

The half-yearly examinations in theoretical and
practical subjects of the pupils of the Agricultural
Schools at St. Vincent, St. Lucia and Mownicace a have
recently been held.

The questions were drawn up under the direction
of the Commissioner of Agriculture and forwarded in
sealed packets to the presiding officers in each case.

ST. VINCENT.

Nine boys,—Glasgow, McMaster, Carr, Trotman,
Thomas, Wright, Derrick, H. Browne and Haynes were
placed in the First Rank, and fifteen boys,—D. Browne.
Warner, Placid, Olivierre, Yorke, Durrant,
Ramirez, Yearwood, Rankin, Lougheed, Byam, Edghill,
Cordice and Peters in the Second Rank. In Agricul-
ture and Botany the examiner reports that more than
one-half the boys scored high marks. In some cases
weakness was shown on the practical side. In
Chemistry seven candidates sent up good papers. In
Arithmetic, Composition and Geography the examiner
recommends that the examples should, in every case,
have a practical trend and refer to matters ‘closely
associated with the daily life of the planter.

ST. LUCIA.

As this school was only opened in October 1901, it
is not possible to draw more than general conclusions
from the examinations just held. “One boy, Demay,
was placed in the First Rank and Flavien Suid Goring
at the head of the Second Rank. The examiner reports
that the answers in Agriculture, Botany and Che mistry
were on the whole fairly accurate ; but the standard of
attainment generally, was lower than at the St. Vincent
and Dominica schools.

1 7
George,

DOMINICA.
Eleven boys were placed in the First Rank :—

H. D. Shillingtord, Elwin, Serrant, Nicholas, Leslie,
Watty, Rolle, Alleyne, Etienne, Winston, and W: ayland;

and nine boys in the Second be te :— Richards,
Josse, Bruney, Lawrence, P. Shillingford,
La Rocque, and Theodore.

The examiner reports that in Agriculture the
practical questions were very well answered and the
results reflect great credit on the teacher. The be: aring
of the elementary facts of botany on agriculture hi ad
been well graspe d by many of the pupils. The answers
in Chemistry were not so good as in the preceding
subjects. Arithmetic was weal and C omposition fair.
The most satisfactory feature of the Domne a school
was the effort that had evidently been made to render
the mdoor studies of real value to the students in after
life.

The next half-yearly examination of He pupils at

Gre en,
Gachette,

the Avricultural Schools will be held in December
next.
Jamaica.

AGRICULTURAL INSTRUCTION TO TEACHERS.

In a previous number of the Agricultural News (p. 75)
attention was drawn to the forthcoming course of practical
instruction in agriculture to teachers at the Mico Training

College, Kingston, Jamaica. A large
have ‘arranged to atten the course.

The Time Table is as follows :—

number of teachers.

DAILY—MONDAY TO FRIDAY.

7-9.30 a.m.—-Practical work at Hope Gardens under
Messrs. Cradwick and T. J. Harris.
11-11.45 a.m.—Lecture on elementary physics and

chemistry, or on animal life, by Mr.
12-12.45 p.m.—Lecture on
Mr. Buttenshaw.
1.15-2 p.m.—Lecture on soils, by Mr.

Buttenshaw.
plant life and growth, by

Suttenshaw.

SATURDAY.
Practical work at Hope as usual :

writing up
book study.

notes ;

ADDITIONAL LECTURES.

On three afternoons each week (Tuesday, Thursday and
Friday) Lectures on special subjects will be given as follows
commencing at 4.30 p.m. :—

July 22, Tuesday: The
Cousins, Esq.

July 24, Thursday: The
market, C. EK. deMercado, Esq.
July 25, Friday: Bee-keeping, H. C. Burnet, Esq.

July 29, Tuesday : Cultivation of pine-apples, C. Eugene

fertility of the 1s 13 l-

soil,

preparation of produce for

Smith, Esq.

July 31, Thursday : Cultivation of citrus plants, Hon.
T. H. Sharp.

August 1, Friday: The relations of teachers to the
general agricultural development of the Island, 4 p.m., His
Grace the Archbishop.

August 1, Friday : Bee-keeping, H. C. Burnet, Esq.

August 5, Tuesday: Dairying, C. A. T. Fursden, Esq.

August 7, Thursday: How Jamaica was made, His
Excellency the Acting Governor.

August 8, Friday : Grape vines, Rey. W. Griffith.

August 12, Tuesday: Co-operation of the farm, J. T.

Palache, Esq.

August 14, Thursday: How to make the imost
holdings without borrowing capital, Hon. H. Cork.

August 15, Friday : Recent changes in the
T. Capper.

The afternoon lectures will be open to the public,
seats will be specially reserved for the schoolteachers.

In addition to the foregoing courses Mr. Peet
Mr. Skyers will hold evening Manual
prescribed in the Code.

of small

Hon.

Code,
but

and
classes in work as

It is gratifying to note that in Jamaica the value of
Agricultural Education is appreciated to such an extent that
at the teachers’ courses some of the leading personages of the
island attend and in addition to the regular
lecturers.

give addresses,

Stock at the Agricultural School, Dominica.

Mr. David Tannock, the Officer-in-charge, reports an
increase in the stock kept at the Agricultural School,
Dominica, by the introduction of the following animals by
the Imperial Department of Agriculture, namely, three
Tamworth pigs, (one boar and two sows) purchased from the
Government Farm, ‘Trinidad ; five woolless sheep, (four rams
and one ewe) of a breed highly appreciated in Barbados ; also
a trio of Pekin ducks, from the Government Farm, Trinidad.

The pigs will be kept and bred pure, as in the case of the
Poland China breed already at the school, and the young

ones sold to planters and stock-keepers in the island. The
Tamworth pigs are reddish-brown in colour. This is
probably the first introduction of animals of this breed into
Dominica, and it will be interesting to note if they thrive
as well as the black Poland China and Berkshire.

Wait, lig IN, 10), THE

AGRICULTURAL NEWS.

HEFOET 3)

Gray LE
. e

MONTSERRAT:
MENT STATIONS, 1900-1901,
Agricultural Instructor.

REPORT ON THE
By Mr. A.

EXPERI

J. Jordan,

The report is on the whole of a very favourable
character. Notwithstanding the severe drought experienced
during the year and the many difficulties encountered in
starting agricultural work of this kind in the West Indies,
substantial progress has been made and the Experiment
Stations at Montserrat are now actively engaged in further-
ing the agricultural interests of the island. Plants and
packages of seeds to the number of 37,864 were distributed
from the Station during the period reviewed ; and in addition
to these a large quantity of English potato and yam plants,
purchased from Relief Funds were distributed to 115
peasant proprietors and others resident in the island.

Two Agricultural Shows were held. These were supported
by grants contributed by the Imperial Department of Agricul-
ture and were well attended. Amongst the more interesting
exhibits were some English potatos and onions. There was
keen competition in most of the classes, especially those for
starches and provisions. Two courses of lectures were given
to the school teachers by the Travelling Superintendent of
the Department. These were attended by seventeen and
twenty-one teachers respectively, and were much appreciated.
Bee-keeping is progressing favourably: an apiary is being
formed at each of the Experiment Stations and a stock of
bee-keepers’ supplies is kept on sale at the Grove Station.

ASSOCIATION OF OFFICIAL AGRICULTURAL
CITE MISTS. Proceedings of the Eighteenth Annual Con-
vention, held at Washington, D.C., in Nov. 1901. Bulletin 67,
Bureau of Chemistry, U.S, Denartment of Agriculture.

For nearly twenty years it has been the custom of the
Official Agricultural Chemists in the United States to meet
annually for the purpose of discussing methods and results,
and of organizing research with the view of improving
the processes employed in chemical analysis. The result of
these conferences are published every year by the Depart-
ment of Agriculture and should find a place in the working
library of every chemist in the West Indies.

In the bulletin under review, the subjects which came
up for discussion are very numerous and include many
problems in the analysis of manures, foods and feeding stuffs,
and the sampling and analysis of soils.

The remarks of the President of the Convention on the
manner in which conference papers should be delivered
are deserving of notice. They should consist of sharp,
clear and comprehensive statements of results so expressed
that all present should hear and understand them.
Scientific training is described as ‘a training in clear,
thorough, precise statement, accurate observation, the verifi-
cation of evidences and the ascertainment of truth,’

DEPARTMENT NEWS.

The Secretary of State for the Colonies has
appointed Dr. Morris, C.M.G., Imperial Cominissioner
of Agriculture for the West Indies, to attend the
International Plant-Breeding and Fertilization Confer-
ence to be held at New York on September 30 and
October 1 and 2 next.

The Secretary of State for the Colonies has
appointed Mr. L. Lewton-Brain, B.A., late Foundation
Scholar at St. John’s College, and Hutchinson
Student for research in Botany, in the University of
Cambridge, to the post of Mycologist and Lecturer in
Agriculture on the statf of the Imperial Department of
Agriculture for the West Indies, in succession to
Mr. Howard, B.A., F.L.S., F.C.S., whose term of service
expires on September 17 next.

Professor J. P. d’Albuquerque, M.A., F.LC., F.C.S.,
Chemist-in-charge of Sugar-cane Experiments at
Barbados under the direction of the Imperial Depart-
ment of Agriculture has been granted an extension of
leave of absence for two months and four days from

August 24.

It is in contemplation that Mr. J. R. Bovell,
F.LS., F.C.S., the Agricultural Superintendent im
charge of the Sugar-cane Experiments at Barbados,
under the direction of the Imperial Department of
Agriculture in the West Indies, will give an address
before the Barbados Agricultural Society on or about
September 12 next. ‘The address will contain some of
the results of the sugar-cane experiments for the crop
season 1900-1902. A summary will afterwards be
published in Pamphlet form for the information of the
planting community.

STOCK AND AROMATIC GRASSES.

A suggestion was made on page 105 of the Agricultural
News, that the aromatic principle in the Barbados seur-grass
might be of value in warding off ticks, ete., from animals. In
this connexion Mr. C. W. Meaden, Manager of the Govern-
ment Farm, recounts the following experiment made to
determine whether such grasses had any effect on the milk
of cows eating them: A single cow was stalled and fed
entirely on an aromatic grass (known in Trinidad as ‘sour
grass,’ but not the Barbados sour-grass). The milk was
tested twice daily and no change was observed either in taste
or smell. If it should be definitely proved that the aromatic
grasses are of direct use in warding off the attacks of ticks,
ete., it is of interest to know that they have apparently no
influence on the character of the milk, Further observations
on this head would be welcome.

158 THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. Aveust 30, 1902.

COMMERCIAL.

With the view of assisting in finding a market for the
disposal of local produce, arrangements have been made with
the following Agents in these Colonies who will be prepared
to receive consignments and obtain the best prices for them.

It is particularly urged that no shipments be made until
an assurance has been received from the Agents themselves
that they are prepared to accept such shipments.

Agents in the West Indies.
BRITISH GUIANA—B.S. Bayley, Water Street, Georgetown.
TRINIDAD—J. Russell Murray, Port-of-Spain.
BARBADOS—T. 8. Garraway & Co., Bridgetown.
ST. LUCIA—Captain H. Henville, Contractor & Avent, Castries.

MARKET REPORTS.

London,—August 5, 1902.—Messrs. J. Hanes Catrp & Co.,
Messrs. GinLesrié Bros. & Co. and THE Purnic
Lepcer, July 19, 1902.

Ators—Curagoa 10s to 43s; Barbados 13s to 35s per ewt.
Arrowrkoor—St. Vincent, good to fine 23d to 4d per Ib.
Barara—2/4} per lb.
3EES-wAX—Jamaica, fair to good pale £7 17s 6d to £8.
per cwt.
Cacao—T'dad, good red 65/- to 67/- ; fine 68/- to 71/- ¥ ewt.
Dominica 57/- to 58/- per cwt.
Grenada, good to fine 59/6 to 64/6 per ewt.
Jamaica, fair to good 56/- to 61/- per cwt.
Carpamoms—Mysore, 1/- to 3/- per Ib.
Cassia FisruLa—5/6 to 35/- per ewt.
Castor Om—4$d to 4}d per lb.
Correr—Jamaica, ordinary pale mixed 32/6 ; fine coloury
@ 75/6 per ewt.
Costa Rica, 41/- to 72/- per ecwt.
Peaberry, 60/- per ewt.
Corrox— Carriacou, 4} to 5d. per Ib.
CowacE—1Jd to 2d per Ib.
Fustric—Little demand. Small sales @ £5 ) ton.
GivcEr— Jamaica, fine bold 56/- ; ordinary to good ordi-
nary 38/- to 41/- per ewt.
Honry—Pale reddish 18/- ; brownish red J7/- ; pale
dull 15/- to 16/- per ewt.
Jararp—4i to Gi per Ib.
Kuvus-Kuus Roor—12/- per ewt.
Kora Nurs—lid to 4d per Ib.
Lime Jurce—Raw, 1/3 per gallon ; concentrated, £12. 10s.
per pipe.
Logwoop—No quotations.
Mace-—-1/2 to 1,10 per th.
Nirrate or Sopa-- Agricultural £8 17s. 6d. per ton
Nurmecs—146’s to 80’s, 5d; 80's 1/1 to 1/3 ; 66's, 2/1 to
2/3; in shell 4d per Tb.
Oi or Liwes—no quotations.
Pimento—2 fd. per Ib.
SARSAPARILLA— Jamaica fair 1/3 per lb.
Sucar-—Muscovado 11/3 to 12/3 duty paid ; crystallized
12/6 to 14/6 per ewt.
SutpHare or Ammonta—Grey, 24 per cent., London
£12 2s Gd per ton.
TAMARINDS—11/6 to 14/- per ewt.
Tonquin Beans—9d to 2/6d_ per Ib.
Freir—Covent Garpren Marker (GARDENERS’
CrronicLr, August 2, 1902.)
BaANANAS—-7/- to 12/- per bunch.
Lemons—13/- to 30/- per case.
Manaos—-4/- to 6/- per dozen.
Orances—12/- per case.
Pinrs—4/- to 6/- each.
Halifax N. S.—The Maritime Merchant July 31, 1902.
Lemons—4.00 per case
Motassres—Porto Rico 30c. to 3le., Barbados 24c. to 25ce.
per gallon.

Prive AppLes—$2.00 per dozen.

New York, —Aug. 8, 1902.—Messrs. GrtiespPrE Bros. & Co.

Bananas—Jamaica, 9 hands $1.00 to $1.10, 8 hands 75c.,
7 hands 45c. per bunch.

Cacao—African 12$c.-to 13c. ; Caracas, 133c. to I4be. ;
Jamaica, good ordinary lle ; good fermented 12e.
Grenada 13c. to 1%3c. Trinidad 13c. to 14c. per Ib.

Cocoa-Nnuts ; Small Trinidads $12.00 to $13.00 ; Jamaicas
$21.00 to $23.00 per M.

Corree—Rio, good ordinary 5}c.; Jamaica good ordinary
6c. to Tc. per lb.; Manchester grades 9c. to Ile.
per lb.

GIncER— 8c. to 8hce per lb.

Prvento—5dbc per |b.

Ruseer—Nicaragua Scrap 49}c. per Ib ; sheet 43c. to 45c.
per lb. ; Guayaquil Strip 475c. per tb.

Sucar—Muscovado, 89”, 28c. to 2Zc. ; Centrifugals, 96°, 33
per lb.

INTER-COLONIAL MARKETS.

Antigua,—August 13, 1902.—Messrs. G. W. BENNETT,

Bryson & Co., Ltd.
Mo assEs—9c. per imperial gallon, package included.
Sucar—Muscovado $1.10 per 100lb., nominal.

Barbados,—Aug. 16, 1902.—Messrs. T. S. Garraway

& Co., and Messrs. J. A. Lynch & Co.

Arrow Rroot—good quality, $3.50 per 100 Ib.

Cacao—$13.50 per 100 ib.

Corree—Jamaica and ordinary Rio $8.50 and $9.50,
per 100 lb. respectively.

Hay—New Brunswick 90c. per 100 Ib.

Manures—Nitrate of Soda $60.00 per ton ; Ohlendorff’s
Dissolved Guano ; $60.00. Sulphate of Ammonia $50.00;
Sulphate of Potash $70 per ton.

Mo.asses—No quotations.

Ontons—Madeira $4.00 per 100 Ib.

Poratos—$3.00 to $3.50 per 160 Ib.

Rice—Ballam $4.60 per bag ; Patna $3.75 per bag ; Ran-
goon $3.00 per bag.

Swarots—12c. to Le per lb.

Sucar—No quotations.

British Guiana,—August 14, 1902.—Messrs. WeITInG &

NIcHTeER.

Arrowroor—$3.00 per barrel.

Cacao—native llc. to 12c. nominal.

Cassava Starcu—$8.00 per barrel.

Cocoa-Nuts—$8.00 to $10.00 per M.

CorreE—Rio and Jamaica Ile. to 12c. per Ib. (retail.)
Creole, lle. to 12c. per lb.

Eppors—$1.20 per bag.

Oxtons—bulk sold at 4c. per Ib.

Pra Nvurs—Curacoa 3fec.; American 4c. (retail.)

PLanrarns—20c. to 48c. per bunch.

Poratos Enciisu—$4.00 per barrel.

Rice—Ballam $4.80 to $4.90 ex store; Patna $5.90 to
$6.00 per bag—Creore Rice 20¢. per gallcn, (retail.)

Sweet Poraros—-Barbados $1.68 per barrel.

TANNIAS—$1.68 per bag.

Yams—$4.00 per bag.

Motasses—Vacuum Pan yellow I4$c. te 15c. per gallon,
casks included.

Sucar—Dark Crystals $1.60 ;

Timper—Greenheart 32c. to

WALLABA SHINGLES—S$3.00 to

yellow $2.10 per ewt.
. per cubie foot.
$5.00 per M.

Trinidad,—August 14 & 15, 1902.—Messrs. Gorpon

Grant & Co. and Messrs. EpGar Tripp & Co,

Cacao— Ordinary to good red $13.00 to $15.25; estates
$13.50 to $13.75 per ewt.

BaLatTa—no quotations.

CorreE—Venezuelan. No quotations.

Ontons—$1.20 to $1.25 per 1001b.

Poraros ENnGiish—$1.50 to $2.00 per 1001b.

Rice— Yellow $4.75 ; White Table $5.50 per bag.

Sucar—For Grocery use, $1.70 to $3.00 per 1001b.

Mo tasses—No quotation.

Wor. T= No, 10: THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 159

DEPARTMENT PUBLICATIONS ON SALE.

The ‘WEST INDIAN BULLETIN.’ A Quarterly Scientific Journal.

Volume I. Reports of the Agricultural Conference of 1899 and L900 and other papers ; complete, in the original paper
covers as issued, post free, 5s. The parts can no longer be sold separately.

Volume II. Full report of the Conference of 1901, and other papers. Price, in original paper covers as issued, post
free 2s. 9d.

Votume III. Number 1. Agricultural Conference of 1902 ; President’s Address and Sugar Indust.y. Price 6d. Post
free 8d. Number 2. Conference of 1902 (continued). Educational und General Papers. Price 6d. Post free 8d.

PAMPHLET SERIES.

(3,) Seedling and other Canes at Barbados 1900. Price 2d. Post free 2}d. (5.) General Treatment of Insect Pests,
2nd Edition Revised. Price 4d. Post free 44 3d. (6.) Recipes for cooking Sweet Potatos. Price 2d. Post free 2}d.
(7.) Scale Insects of the Lesser Antilles. Price 4d. Post free 5d. (8.) Cultivation of Vegetables in Barbados. Price 2d.
Post free 2}d. (9.) Bee-keeping in the West Indies. Price 4d. Post free 5d. (10.) Manures and Leguminous Plants at
Barbados, 1898-1901. Price 4d. Post free 5d. (11.) Hints for School Gardens. Price 2d. Post. free oh. (12.) Seedling
and other Canes in the Leeward Islands, 1900-1901. Price 2d. Post free 2}d. (13.) Seedlings and other Canes at Bar ba-
dos, in 1901. Price 4d. Post free 5d. (14.) Screw Worm in Cattle at St. Lucia. Price 2d. “Post free 23d. (15.) Plain
Talk to Small Owners. Price 2d. Post free 25d. (16) Hints on Onion Cultivation, Price 2d. Post free 2hd.

‘NATURE TEACHING.’ A text book based upon the general principles of Agriculture for the use of schools.
Prepared by the Honourable Francis Watts and others. (Pages 12 and 199). Price, limp c! loth 2s. , in superior binding 2s. 6d.
Postage, 34d extra.

The ‘AGRICULTURAL NEWS’ A Fortnightly Review, Subscription 3s. 3¢. per annum, post free

Agents for the sale of the publications of the Department :—

London: Messrs. Dunau & Co., 37, Soho Square, W. Barbados: Messrs. Bowen & Sons, Bridgetown. Jamaica:
THe EpucationaL Suppty Company, 16, King St., Kingston. British Guiana: The ‘Daily Chronicle Oftice, Georgetown.
Trinidad: Messrs. Munro, & Co., Frederick St, Port-of-Spain. Tobago: Mr. C. L. PLaGemMann, Scarborough. Grenada: Messrs.
F. Marrast & Co., ‘ The Stores,’ St. George. St. Vincent: Mr. W. C. D. Prouproor, Kingstown. St. Lucia: Mr. R. G.
McHueu, Castries, Dominica: Messrs. C. F. Douverney & Co., Market St. Roseau. Montserrat: Mr. W. LirwetiLyn Watt,
Plymouth; Antigua: Mr. F. Forrest St. John’s. St. Kitts: Messrs. S. L. Horsrorp & Co., Basseterre

TO THE

PLANTING WORLD. - Seeds & Plants of Commercial Products,

HEVEA BRASILIENSIS. Coming crop of seeds August-September shipment. As orders must reach us at
least at the end of July to avoid disappointment, ordering by wire necessary on the appearance of this advertisement. There is
only one crop in the year. A leading Sumatra planter who purchased 150,000 seeds on two previous occasions writes under date
May 10, 1902 : ‘T shall like to have your lowest terms for delivery of 100,000 Hevea seeds in the same way as before from the
coming crop.’ 757% guaranteed to germinate. Shipments to West Indies can be made to London only : re-shipment must be
arranged by purchasers.

For special offer of seeds and plants see the following descriptive Price Lists, post free on application.

1. Tropical Seeds and Plants of Commercial Products, enlarged edition for 1902.

2. Seeds and Plants of Shade, Timber, Wind-belts, Fuel, and Ornamental Trees, Trees for Road-sides, Parks, Open
Spaces, Pasture Lands, Avenues, Hedges, and for planting among crops (Tea, Coffee, Cacao, Cardamons, ete.)

3. Seeds and Plants of Tropical Fruit Trees including Mango grafts. 4. Bulbs, Tubers and Yams.

5. Orchids—Ceylon and Indian. 6. Seeds and Plants of Palms, Calamus, Pandanus, Cycads, Tree and other Ferns,
Crotons, Roses, Dracaenas, Shrubs and Creepers.

SPECIAL ARRANGEMENTS made with foreign Governments, Botanical and Agricultural Departments,
Planters, and others for supplying seeds and plants of Commercial Products in large quantities.

AGAVE LURIDA. ‘This highly recommended fibre yielding plant yields a fibre equal to that of Szsa/ in lustre
and tensile strength valued at from £28 to £34 per ton in London. 3ulbils (seedlings) £1 per 100, £8 per 1,000 post free :
special quotations for large orders.

COFFEE. Arabica-Liberian Hybrid and Maragogipe Hybrid—New crop March-April, 1903: early booking
necessary.

A Foreign Agricultural Department writes dating 9th September, 1901 :—‘‘Please accept our order for 175 tb. of Tea
seed and for 2,000 Coffee beans. In regard to Coffee seed I would say that this will be the first importation made by this
Department, and we will leave the selection of the varieties to be sent to your judgement.”

“SOUTH AFRICA.”—The great authority on South African affairs of 25th March, 1899, says :—An interesting
Catalogue reaches us from the East. It is issued by William Brothers, Tropical Seed Merchants of Henaratgoda, Ceylon,
and schedules all the useful and beautiful plants which will thrive in tropical and semi-tropical regions. We fancy Messrs. Williams
‘should do good business, for now that the great powers have grabbed all the waste places of the earth, they must turn to and
prove that they were worth the grabbing. We recommend the great Powers and Concessionaries under them to go to William
Brothers.”

Agents in London: Messrs. P. W. Woolley & Co., 90, Lower Thames Street.
Telegraphic Address: Witt1am Henaratcopa, Ceylon, J. P. WILLIAM & BROTHERS,
Lieber’s, A.I. & A.B.C., Codes used. Tropical Seed Merchants, Henaratgoda, Ceylon.

160 THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. Aucust 30, 1902.

THE BEST MANURES FOR COLONIAL USE

oe, ACR yee

Ohlendorff’s Dissolved Peruvian Guano—For Sugar-cane and general use
Ohlendorfi’s Special Sugar-cane Manure
Ohlendorff’s Special Cocoa Manure

Sulphate of Ammonia, Nitrate of Soda, Superphosphates, high grades,
Potash Salts, Basic Slag and all other high-class Fertilizers.

APPLY TO LOCAL AGENTS OR DIRECT TO
THE ANGLO-CONTINENTAL (LATE OHLENDORFF’S) GUANO WORKS,

London Agency, 15, Leadenhall Street, London E.C.,
Barbados Agents: Messrs. James A. Lynch & Co., Bridgetown.

THE BARBADOS MUTUAL LIFE ASSURANEE SOCIETY.
ESTABLISHED 1840.
CHIEF OFFICE, Beckwith Place, Bridgetown, Barbados.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS :

MICHAEL J. BOVELL, Esq., Crartrman,
EK. T. RACKER, Esq., Vick-CHarrMan.

J. Rk. BANCROFT, Esq., JAS. H. INNISS, Esq.,
3. ERNEST BYNOE, Ksq., Hon. J. THOMAS JONES, M.L.C.,
JOS. W. CRONEY, Esq., H. LAWRANCE JOHNSON, Esq.,

J. O. WRIGHT, Esq., M.C.P.
Transactions to December 31, 1901.
Total Assurances Issued an

$11,752,403

Total Bonuses Declared (31 December 1900)... es ane ee Sad Be 3,610,921
Sums Assured and Bonuses Existing ae = aoe “oh ace Sac 5,154,157
Total Claims by Death and Matured Endowments eae = a Si we 5,375,545
Life Assurance Fund... Rs fe Bes oe “4 ee ee 2,118,650
Annual Income aor Poe ar A aa ak 245,345

Net Surplus December (31 1900) ee = = A a. ane
The Premiums are Lower than those charged by other Life Offices doing business in the West Indies.
The Bonuses declared have not been equalled by any other Assurance Society in the world.
Its Policy Contracts are Liberal, Fair and Equitable. ;

The Policy is Absolutely Non-Forfeitable so long as any surrender value remains.
Loans granted on Security of Policy.

Liberal Surrender Values.

Claims promptly paid.

Every facility given for the revival of Lapsed Policies.

It grants Interim Bonuses.

It gives Compound Bonuses.

All the profits belong to the Policy-Holders.

297,124

H. J. INNISS,
May 22, 1902. Secretary.

Printed at Office of Agricultural Reporter, 4, High Street, Bridgetown, Barbados.

A. BORTNIGHTLY REVIEW

OF THE
IMPERIAL DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE FOR THE WEST INDIES,

won IL, No. Wile . BARBADOS, SEPTEMBER 13, 1902. y ae a.
relating to seedling and other canes and manurial
SOS eueainen te The Dement Daily Chronicle reviews

this report as follows :—

PAGE PAGE: ;

Antigua, Lime industry Insect Notes :— ‘In the covering letter Messrs. Bovell and
Mc Re 2 165 Green Page Moth ... 168 d’Albuquerque explain that the work was conducted at

Insects attacking Bana-
Barbados, Reptiles of |... 170 NaS een ee -e- LOG
Bananas for British Mar- Language of Birds ... ... 171

Dolds Botanic Station and at thirteen plantations
situated in different typical localities of the island.

= ae or er see ee 164) Market Reports ... ... 174 The experiments. they add, involved the growth,
ee-keeping :— (ase tha Misianie 79 es 3 ey : 3
Production of B2es-wax 165 Ree eee ae tan reaping and analysis of about 1,000 plots of canes.
British Guiana :— sg ia Mev Winetorenne 1c ssi slings OP ay oy
ivealth of the Tinter- Our Boolasheli Che volum vefor us is thus an illustration of the zeal
land Zoey accep lb Bermuda Lily disease... 171 and industry with which the Barbados scientists are

Queensland A griculturs : c : ey E atts
4 Stara see 171 prosecuting their arduous inquiries in behalf of the
Corn, aknormal specimens 163 0 OU mens! ons) 2o~ a West Indian sugar industry. As the head quarters of
Cotton Growing in the Pine-apples, packing and su indlan sugar mdustry. S the head quarters 0

Leeward Islands ... 169 - shipping of ... ... 164 the Imperial Department of Agriculture, it is signifi-
Department News .... ... 171 sae aa a cant that within the past few years Barbados should

Department Publications 175 : : :
oT FELD have taken the leading place in that branch of research

Department Reports :— Sugar-cane Experiments 161 : 5 fies F : hed
Jamaica Government Sugar Industry :— which had its origin in the island—the raising
aboratory... ... ie darbi Props 382 | vis a o i i
Laboratory een) a ad aeers of, 1882 163 Of new species of canes by germination. There
10 © —_ . eee eee ID 5 . .
Educational :— Tick Dip ee eeet63) can be no doubt thatmathis important botanical
Jamaica, Avricultural West Indies, Agricultural isc i i ° omi
ee te ne : sesh NS é discovery is destined to prove of real economic
Raining ee. cy see 162 Institutions ... ... 173 a !

value in connexion with the canc-sugar industry.

The returns contained in the report are most exhaustive;
1 5 o . and of all the varieties experimented with, it is again a
Sugar-Cane Experiments. seedling, B. 208, Sa holds the premier Tllese.
Though this new variety heads the list for the first
time, it is a cane which has already given satisfactory
HE detailed Report on the Sugar-Cane results in the island, and its characteristics, so far as
Experiments for 1899-1901 carried on at its cultivation in Barbados goes, may thus be said to be
Se Barbados, under the direction of the fixed and reliable. he actual results of these
Imperial Department of Agriculture, has recently been experiments were published in December, last, in an
published. This consists of a bulky volume of 178 epitomized form and have already been reviewed in
pages containing a mass of valuable information these columns, In the report under notice detailed

162

THE AGRICULTURAL

NEWS. SerreMBER 13, 1902.

analytical and statistical tables are presented setting

forth the results to the fullest extent. As is well
known, the seedling variety B. 147 has been deposed
from its former position in the list of canes experi-
mented with
chiefly to the unfavourable weather conditions... .. .
The seedling B. 208 is for the moment in favour, and,
have said, it seems to stand the test of local
Though the records of a single year may,

a circumstance which seems to be due

as we
conditions.
as Dr. Morris has observed, be “necessary
connexion with these experiments, we may note that
B. 208 appeared high on the list in the report for 1900
and displayed the same essential characteristics as those
which distinguish it in the latest report. ‘Thus, its
juice in 1900 was richer and purer than that of B. 147,
and the advantage denoted in the
returns before us. B. 208 is deseribed by the compilers
of the report as the best all-round cane for the season
1901, “taking into account its ready germination, the
general absence of disease, the yield of sugar, the great
richness aud purity of its Juice, and the satisfactory
results obtained in both black and red soils, plants and
The indicated

evils” in

is accentuated

ratoons.” muscovado

average sugar
yield of this seedling was 26 tons per acre. “The

juice was highly suitable for the muscovado factory,
and was so rich and pure that the canes could safely be
mixed with others not so rich and pure in order to
enable the planter to make a better class of sugar.” It
is a hardy, drought-resisting species,
the experimenters it
extent of a few

and according to
careful trial to the
estate.” The White
used as a standard, has
«The

expressed juice was fairly rich and moderately pure.

“ claserves
acres on every

Transparent cane, which is

always taken a hign plaze in these experiments.

It required care in the boiling-house to ensure in all
In order
of yield it stands fifth on the red soils, but taking the
the
A variety
closely resembling the White Transparent in appearance

eases the making of good muscovado sugar.”

average of all plots if comes second on the list,
muscovado yield being 2°5 tons to the acre.

and behaviour is the Jamaica cane, which has acquitted
itself both black The Sealy
seedling, on the given disappointing
the juice being Other
canes, including the cane, D.
D. 145 tested in
but the
account of the small tonnage of canes or the inferior

well on and 1ed_ soils.

whole, has

results, poor.
Hall

the

unsatisfactory,

130 and
the

either on

Re ek

were course of year,

results were so

juice, that it is not proposed to continue their experi-
mental cultivation. These failures will be replaced by
newer seedlings and imported varieties, and the

scientists intend also to extend the cultivation of three

species of

or four of the best canes to a small estate seale of one
acre plots planted 1 in duplicate. On the whole, though
the unpropitious season has served to disturb the
belief of the planters in the variety which headed the
list for two successive years, it has in no way shaken
the confidence of the public in the value of these
experiments and the correctness of the methods by
which they are conducted. The manurial experiments
are in themselves of considerable importance, and the
details show the relative results arising from the
application to cane cultivation of phosphates, potash,
nitrogenous and other chemical manures.’

TRAINING FOR AGRICULTURAL STU-
DENTS AT JAMAICA.

The Board of Agriculture of Jamaica has recently
approved of a scheme, under which provision is made
for the practical training of agricultural students at the
Government Laboratory, Jamaica. Mr. H. H. Cousins,
the Government Chemist gives instruction in practical
chemistry and physics, and agricultural chemistry
and sugar production. The Hon’ble W. Faweett,
Director of Botanic Gardens, has promised to lecture
on the ‘Economic Plants’ of Jamaica. Mr. Buttenshaw,
the Lecturer in Agricultural Science for Jamaica,
lectures on general agriculture, chemistry, botany,
physies and Tooke keeping. Mr. J. J. Harris of the

Botanic Department, Jamaica, has charge of agri-
cultural botany, and Mr. H. S8. Hammond, assistant
to the Government Chemist, of practical botany,

economic entomology and mensuration,

The Gleaner of Jamaica, says :—

The course begins on October 1. There are two classes
of students ; regular students and occasional students, the
first being those who wish to become experts in the branches
they study, or who desire to gain a thorough knowledge of
agricultural science ; and the others being those who w ish to
attend short courses and get some scientific knowledge of the
principles underlying their work in field and works. The
candidates must be over 16 years of age, and must satisfy
Mr. Cousins (the Government chemist,) that they are fit and
desirable persons to undertake the work. This is to be done,
if necessary, by examination, the standard of attainment
being the Junior Cambridge Local Examination. The
regular students are to pay a fee of £4 per term but
provision is made for a number of free students. The
normal length of a course is to be two years. An important
part of the instruction will be that dealing with the
production of rum, a specialist on which will, it is hoped,
be shortly obtained from England to devote himself to the
subject. It shows that a good deal of work is packed into
a week, and the students will have to work hard. But if
they do, they will issue from the college with an equipment
which will make them qualified to take a responsible position
in the country. Jamaica has now facilities for turning out
well-trained agriculturists which have previously only existed
abroad. Should these be steadily taken advantage of we may
look forward to substantial economic advancement in the
future. The influence of the work will not be restricted to those
who have studied ; it cannot fail to tell on others when the
knowledge is put into practice. The general mass of the
people learn more by example than precept, and everything
that is being done in the direction of higher agriculture is
having its effect on their mind and effort.

Worle: INOS lie

THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS.

163

SUGAR CROPS OF BARBADOS,

Some weeks ago Mr. J. R. Bovell, the Agricultural
Superintendent of- the Sugar-cane Experiments. for-
warded a memorandum on the sugar and molasses
crops of Barbados for the four years 1899 to 1902
inclusive (Agricultural News, p. 131). Since then
Mr. Bovell has prepared a further memorandum of the

1882-1902.

sugar and molasses crops, for the past twenty-one years.

The principal point in connexion with these figures
is the fact that whereas twenty-one years ago the
plante rs of Barbados obtained a profit of nearly eels
they now sustain a loss of about £4 for each ton of
sugar and its molasses.

Sugar and Molasses crops of the island of Barbados for the 21 years 1832 to 1902 inclusive.

Average price at} Average price at Market value ’ of Cost of producing Gain per ton of Loss per ton of
. Pee : =e 1 ton of sugar} 1 ton of sugar and
Year. which sugar sold} which molasses < Oe a a sugarand 100 gal- sugar and 100 gal-
: : i and 100 gallons}100 gallons of V > “, 2a Re
per 100 tb. sold per gallon, BE iblasses Pialasens lons of molasses. | lons of molasses.
£ s: d. £ s. d LPs: d. £ Ss. d.
1882 $3.80 255 cents 24 17 _ ot 14 0) i) LOM ine 25 —
1883 $3.75 23 a 24 2 1s 14 0 0 10 2 it ——
1884 $2.55 144, 16 «14 st 14 0 0) 2 14 8 —-
1885 $2.30 10}, 14 14 8 3 0) 0 1 14 8 aaas
1886 $2.00 eT gp 13} 5} OE 13 © © ) iy 0 ——
1887 $2.05 bp 13 15 64 13 0 0 O 15 6% —--
1888 $2.45 1 16 5 4h 12 8 7 3 l6e 94 ==
1889 $3.02 13a Opal, Oi aes et 7 CE a ——
1890 $2.50 133, 15 7 24 12 8 7 eS ie —--
1891 $2.45 17; OR ai, Os 12 8 7 4 9 3h oe
1892 $2.20 13555; I4 17 10s 12 8 7 2 9 3h ——
1893 $2.65 13k ,, 16 19 10% 12 8 7 4 11 3% ———
1894 $1.924 Liga 13 os 12 8 7 OF is" 24 —
1895 $1.60 13ers il aly 12 8 of oo 8 9
1896 $1.974 125 Lele 5 8h 12 8 7 1 4 If —-—
1897 $1.58 62, lO 1 103 12 8 7 —-- WIGS fe
1898 $1.66 OE. ll 8 8} 12 8 7 == 19 10!
1899 $2.07 13 mes yShr ll) loneSae 1 il ——
1900 $2.11 Ge, 5, 15 ib ales 12 8 7 2 13 4% ——
1901 $1.70 NOS oy 11 18 8 12 8 7 —— 9 104
1902 $1.06 1% Sie i 16s 1 Se 27 == ee oe

The data for the cost of production of sugar and molasses from 1882 to 1887 has been obtained from only a
few estates. The cost from 1888 to 1897 is based on data obtained from many estates situated in all the districts of
the island. These amounts should include the cost of a ton of sugar and its 100 gallons of molasses, and also the
value of the hogshead and puncheon.

The average price at which sugar and molasses sold from 1882 to 1896 is taken from a return prepared for the
Royal West India Commission and is the mean of the highest and lowest prices in each year. From 1897 to 1902 the
prices are the mean of the bi-weekly prices at which sugar and molasses sold during each year’s crop season.

Abnormal Indian Corn. The Indian corn or
maize usually bears its male and female flowers on distinct
portions of the plant The males form the terminal branched
tassel, whilst the female flowers are borne lower down and are
Indicated by the well-known ‘silk’ of the young cobs. An
interesting example was recently forwarded to the Depart-
ment by Mr. W. Walcott of the Pine estate, Barbados,
in which the terminal inflorescene was mixed, consisting of
a small cob, bearing normal, nearly ripe corn, surrounded by
about a dozen spikes of ordinary male flowers, such as
comprise a normal tassel. Three other examples of this
phenomenon have also recently been seen in Barbados, and
one was reported from Trinidad. Dr. Maxwell T. Masters

states in his well-known book on Vegetable Teratology that
the phenomenon is known to occur now and then in the
maize plant in various parts of the world.

Tick Dip.

The Agricultural Department of Natal after many trials,
have decided on the following as a standard dip. It is a
modification of Christian’s, which was always found the most
effective, and is most destructive to tick life, even affecting
the parasite in the larval stage. The ingredients are—arsenic,
8lb ; caustic soda, 441b.; tallow, 8lb.; Stockholm tar, 21
gallons to 400 gallons of water.

164 THE

AGRICULTURAL

NEWS. SECTEMBER 13, 1902.

oO

WEST INDIAN FRU

BANANAS FOR THE BRITISH MARKET.

The following interesting letter has been addressed
to the Secretary of State for the Colonies ly
Mr. A. C. Stewart, the Government Emigration Agent
for Jamaica, at Calcutta. It is singular that while this
Department has been strongly advocating the claims
of the Chinese or Dwarf banana (that is, the Canary
banana) for cultivation in the Lesser Antilles,
Mr. Stewart is prepared to recommend that this banana,
well known throughout the West Indices, should be
grown at Jamaica as well as the Gros Michel banana,
in order, as he states, that Jamaica may have two
strings to its bow. Mr. Stewart’s letter is as follows :—

London, July 19, 1902.

T have the honour to submit for the consideration of the
Right Honourable the Secretary of State for the Colonies
the following remarks regarding the Banana Trade of
Jamaica, in the hope that the point to which I venture to
draw attention in its interests may be thought of sutticient
importance to warrant the forwarding of this letter to the
authorities in the West Indies.

2. I have now been in this country on leave of absence
for nearly four months, staying in different parts of England
and Scotland. Wherever I have gone I have made it my
practice when visiting fruiterers’ shops to make inquiries as
to the demand for bananas. I regret to state that in almost
every case a preference has been expressed for the variety
imported from the Canary Islands.

T think I may say that I have had a very wide experi-
ence of the fruit, having lived in both the East Indies and
the West Indies. Personally, of the two, I prefer the Canary
banana and I find this preference shared very largely by
persons who have resided in the tropics. I believe I am
also right in saying that the Canary banana commands a
readier sale in the Covent Garden Market. It may be urged
that the Jamaica banana appeals to a different class. I
understand that this is the case, but, so far as my experience
goes with the Jamaica banana, this is a lower class. It is
sold very largely on street barrows and fetches retail a lower
price than the Canary banana, which in its turn appeals to
a better class.

My suggestion is not that the variety now grown in
Jamaica should be entirely replaced by the Canary variety.
What I feel is this: firstly, that the better article will always

command the market in the leng run, and secondly, that it is
admitted that there is a large demand for the Canary variety.
I, therefore, consider that it would be wiser for Jamaica to
meet the public taste and to grow both varieties, so having
two strings to its bow.

I have not seen the Canary banana actually growing,
but I believe it to be nearly identical with the dwarf variety
grown in Trinidad under the name of ‘Governor Fig’ and
known in India as ‘Kabuli Kela’—J/usa Cavendishit. This
variety produces large well shaped bunches, and, owing to its
less luxuriant habit, would probably be found less exhausting
to the soil, while it certainly withstands strong winds better.
In any case it would not be difficult to make the experi-
ment, if necessary, obtaining some suckers of the Canary
variety.

3. Ido not claim that the Canary banana is the best
that can be grown. In my own garden in Calcutta I grow
at least five varieties, two introduced by myself from Fiji
and three indigenous to India—‘Champa’, ‘China Champa.’
and ‘Martaban’, which I consider much better as regards
flavour and consistency; but, as far as my experience goes
they are not so profitable—both the bunches and the indi-
vidual bananas are smaller, while the Martaban variety is
more difficult to grow and travels badly.

4. I think also it would be worth while to make
inquiries as to the varieties which are grown in Fiji for the
Australian market. I am quite sure that the public will
always appreciate a good article and I feel that Jamaica
should try to supply the best possible rather than to rest
satisfied with producing the particular variety which it may
happen to have, without inquiring whether or not it is that
which people here prefer and are prepared to pay for.

PACKING AND SHIPPING PINE-APPLES.

The following practical hints in respect of the
packing and shipment of pine-apples from the West
Indies have recently been published by Mr. H. Hesketh
Bell, the Administrator of Dominica :—

(1) Exercise the greatest care in handling the fruit from
the field to the packing shed. The slightest bruise at this
stage involves absolute ruin to the fruit when it ripens.
(2) Carefully grade your pines. Do not put large and small
in the same crate. Pines weighing less than 3} Ib. are
hardly worth shipping to London. (3) Pack your fruit with
all possible precautions. Wrap them first in clean paper and

Worse Now lls

then liberally swathe them in dry banana trash. Be most
careful to prevent the fruit from rubbing against the wood
framing of the crate. Do not cram your fruit into the
crates. Be satisfied to pack eight pines safely rather than
ten which may arrive damaged and worthless. (4) Never
be tempted to use anything else but erates, or, in winter,
closed cases. Pines in barrels are a byword in Covent
Carden market. A planter friend in Antigua, who has
recently been in correspondence with me on the subject of
pines which he sent to London a few weeks ago, packed,
upon my recommendation, in erates, realized 3s. 3d. per fruit.
The pines that were » shipped i in barrels by the same steamer,
fetched 24d. It is, however, only fair to say that the fruit
sent in barrels were of the ordinary Antigua variety while
those shipped in crates were ‘Smooth Cayenne’ and other
specially fine kinds. The standard crates used by Florida
pine-growers measure 10 by 12 by 36 inches. The
materials in the ‘flat’ can be obtained through Messrs.
Wesse!s & Co., Fruit Brokers of 248 Washington Street,
New York. They cost from 10d. to 1s. 2d. each (according
to quantity) landed in Dominica. (5) If possible, get early
or late fruit. Pines are cheapest in London during June,
July ard August. During the winter they realize great
prices.

BRITISH GUIANA.

Wealth of the Hinterland.

In a leading article entitled The Untold Wealth
of the Hi nterlund, the Demerara Argosy of August
13, in reviewing a Report by Mr. Michael MecTurk,
C.M.G., the Commissioner of the Essequebo and
Pomeroon Rivers District, for 1901-2, discusses several
interesting points connected with the future develop-
ment of the interior lands of the C olony. The following
extracts are worthy of being placed on record:—

‘There are not a few pessimists in the Colony who
have nothing but mournful forebodings of the future of this
Jand of ours; of these Mr. McTurk, is not one. Buoyant,
hopeful, ever looking on the bright side of things without
being unduly optimistic, the Commissioner of Essequebo and
Pomeroon Rivers District has done a great deal to direct
attention to the vast resources of the interior, and to stir up
interest in the vast uncultivated and, for a great part,
unexplored //interland which, according to him, is a
veritable land of Ophir, if it do not actually contain that
El Dorado for which so many have searched in vain. . .
Mr. McTurk does not speak rashly when he thus dilates on
the riches of the interior ; and in the course of his report, he
takes the opportunity of reminding Press critics and others
that in the past he was the first to discover the diamond fields
of the Mazaruni though his statements were not altogether
accepted with credence . Regarding the gold
industry, the Commissioner remarks that "ihe Omai is the
only company in his district that is developing its properties
on modern lines, and they deserve every credit and encourage-

ment as the pioneers of an expensive experiment. The
report also deals with the neglect of the india-rubber

industry. Although there are several varieties of trees
producing india-rubber indigenous to the Colony, Mr. MeTurk
is not aware of a single instance in which an attempt

has been made to collect it in quantities . . Letter-
wood, one of the most valuable of varieties known,
which is sold by weight instead of by measure is to be

THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS.

juice and 4 casks of concentrated juice were shipped.

165

found in large quantities. It is gathered, not by people
of this Colony be it noted, but in considerable quantities
by the Brazilians from the Canaku mountains, within the
colonial limits, and taken down the Takuta and Rio Branco
for exportation... .. Mr. MeTurk makes some pungent
remarks on the neglect of the timber trade. “Ido not think,”
he says, “that in any part of the world there is a greater
variety of timber than in this colony. When properly selected,
and free of sap, its durability is unimpeachable, and its
beauty for cabinet work is recognized. Still, this only
applies to such kinds as are in general use. Many of those
that are both handsome and durable await recognition. Some
feeble attempts have been made, I know, to introduce other
than the general used woods, but unsuccessfully.... A tree
is cut down and squared and is often on the sawpit a week
or a month after it has been cut down; no time is allowed
for seasoning in its log form, and this equally applies after
it has been sawn into boards. If this wood (as it usually is)
is taken and used in this state, I think there is little cause
for wonder that it proves unsatisfactory” There are
many Other valuable hints and suggestions in the report—
a report of a different type from the dry-as-dust ones, the
productions of some other departments — and business men
will do well to peruse it.’

PRODUCTION OF BEES-WAX.

Mr. George 8. Hudson, the Agricultural Instructor
of St. Lucia writes :—Muscovado Sugar can now be pur-
chased throughout the West Indies in wholesale quantities
at from 3s. to 4s. per cwt. Bees-wax is worth about
£8. 0. O. per ewt. I suppose the honey flow in the
West Indies does not exceeed four months a year in the
most favoured localities, and in most places much less.
How would it pay to work for wax production by keeping
a ‘feeder’ in each hive with either dry sugar or syrup or
molasses nearly all the year round, making the honey
produced (which would naturally be execrable) a by-product,
and wax the main product ? This is a matter in which I doubt
whether American experience can help much, but I think
some Jamaican bee-keepers could tell us something about
this. It should not be very difficult to ascertain precisely
the feeding value of 1 cwt. sugar to bees in wax and honey
production, in the same way that the feeding value of fodder
to cattle is found.

Mr. Hudson’s suggestion seems a good one, but there
is a slight doubt whether feeding the bees to such an extent
would not incite ‘swarming. He would, of course, have to
use the extractor and feed back the ‘honey-syrup.’ It is
said that it takes about 10lb. of sugar to make 1 lb. of
bees-wax. It would be a great boon to West Indian bee-
keepers if the method should prove successful, as they could
import the Indian bees, spoken of in the Department
pamphlet Bee-keeping in the West Indies, p. 13, for the
purpose.—[Ed. 4.1. ]

The Lime Industry of Antigua.

Efforts are being made to encourage the lime industry
in Antigua, Last season 36 barrels of limes, 98 casks of lime
The
Botanic Station has received orders for 10,000 plants for
next season’s planting.

THE

AGRICULTURAL NEWS.

SepTEMBER 13, 1902.

EDITORIAL NOTICES.

Letters and matter for publication, as well as all
specimens for naming should be addressed to the Commis-
sioner, Imperial Department of Agriculture,
Barbados.

It is particularly requested that no letters be addressed
to any member of the staff by name. Such a course may
entail delay.

Communications should always be written on one side
of the paper only. It should be understood that no contri-
butions or specimens will, in any case, be returned.

All application for copies of the ‘Agricultural
News’ should be addressed to the Agents, and
not to the Department. A complete list of the London
and Local agents will be found on the last page of this
number.

Correspondents sending newspapers should be careful to
mark the paragraphs they wish to bring under notice.

Agricultural slews

SATUR

Vou. I. DAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 1902. No. 11.

NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Popularity of Bananas in England.

At a recent lecture at Liverpool Mr. J. Scouler
pointed out that whereas eleven years ago only about
30,000 bunches of bananas were imported into
England, last year 3,000,000 bunches came from the
Canary Islands in addition to 450,000 from Jamaica,

—r a

Gunga in the West Indies.

With reference to the article on this subject
(p. 136) the Jamaica Daily Telegraph writes: ‘We
agree perfectly with what the Agricultural News says
of the article in Chambers’s Journal on “the gunga
curse in the West Indies.” The statements made by
the writer of the article (as we stated at the time we
reproduced extracts from it) are highly sensational
and almost altogether ecrroncous.’

ee eo

Toronto Exhibition.

According to a notification in the Dominica
Official Gazette (August 23): ‘three packages contain-
ing eighty-cight samples of the island’s produce in glass
bottles, and ten crates of various kinds of fresh fruits
were despatched to the Toronto Exhibition per S.S.
Ocamo on the 81st. ultimo. It is satisfactory to find
that this collection of samples was larger and better in

every way than the one sent last year, to the Halifax
Exhibition, and it is hoped that it may be the means
of drawing public attention in Canada, to the eapabili-
ties and resources of this island. Messrs. Pickford and

Black have kindly consented to arrange the Dominica
samples in an attractive manner. Cordial thanks are
due to those who have contributed exhibits and
especially to Mr. J. Jones for his careful efforts in
collecting, packing and organizing the despatch of the
Wonca exhibits.’

Praedial Larceny.

A Committee has been appointed at Dominica to
inquire into the prevalence of praedial larceny in the
island. His Honour S. R. Pemberton is Chairman.

ee

Dominica Pine-apples.

In a letter to the Dominica Guardian, the
Administrator, Mr. H. Hesketh Bell gives an interest-
ing account of the result of trial shipments of pine-
apples made to the London market. Several crates of
large ‘ Maipur?’ pines (originally obtained from British
Guiana) shipped in April realized only 9d. each. On
the other hand, ten erates of ‘ Bull-head’ (Jamaica) and
‘La Brew (Trinidad) pines, shipped in May sold, twen-
ty-nine at 2s. each and eighteen at 2s. 3d. each. ‘The
Maipuri pines again sold badly only fetching Is. apiece.
The whole consignment after all expenses had been
paid averaged Id. apiece. Mr, Bell concludes: ‘ the
results of the several trial shipments that I have made
from Dominica during the past two years conclusively
prove, I think, that very large profits may reasonably
be expected from the cultivation of pine-apples in
Dominica, and it is hoped that land owners here will
turn their attention seriously to this minor product.’

—_————E—

Sugar-cane Experiments in Barbados.

A special Planters’ meeting was held on Friday
the 12th. inst., under the auspices of the Barbados
Agricultural Society to hear the summary of the results
obtained from the experiments with seedling and other
canes during the past season by the Imperial Depart-
ment of Agriculture. Mr. J. R. Bovell, F.LS.. FCS.
the Agricultural Superintendent of Sugar-cane Experi-
ments stated that Barbados Seedling B. 208 was
the best all-round cane on the result of this year’s
experiments. White Transparent maintained its repu-
tation as a good all-round cane, but b. 147 was
less satisfactory in the average quality of its juice,
although its actual yield of sugar was very high.

Mr. Bovell announced that next year it is proposed
to extend the cultivation of one or two of the best
seedlings, together with White Tr: ansparent as 2%
standard, to duplicate plots of one acre each in extent.
By this means it is hoped to obtain results, under
estate conditions, which should form a valuable comple-
ment to those obtained from the small area plots.

B. 147 in British Guiana.

According to Prof. Harrison Seedling Cane B, 147
is making itself a reputation for ratooning in British
Guiana, “Otherwise it is not much in favour

Wor 1.) Non: THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 167
The Recent Volcanic Disturbances. of its cattle from Porto Rico, and Trinidad from
The August number of the Century magazine is Venezuela. The disturbances in Venezuela have

of more than usual interest to West Indies readers,
containing as it does five articles on volcanic
phenomena. Professor Kemp of Columbia University
gives a general account of ‘Earthquakes and Volcanoes.’
His article is fully illustrated and contains a view of
the old crater of Saba, now ocenpied by a town, and of
the St. Vincent eruption of 1812. ‘The last days of
St. Pierre’ contains a graphic story of the Martinique
disaster, in the form of the daily journal of the Very
Rev. G. Parel, Vicar-General, to the Bishop of
Martinique who was in Paris. ‘As a contribution
to the melancholy record it has a unique and lasting
interest and value.’ ‘Life in the Doomed City’ consists
of a series of abstracts from the leading paper. of
St. Pierre, Les Colonies, from May 1 to 7. These are of
particular interest as almost all the copies of the paper
were destroyed and a complete set for the week previous
to the eruption was only obtained with great ditheulty.

‘The Catastrophe in St. Vincent, contains the
interesting narrative of Capt. Calder, chief of the Police,
and Mr. ‘IT. McGregor McDonald, one of the leading
planters in the island. The series ends with a transla-
tion of the Younger Pliny’s account of the eruption of
of Vesuvius, A.D. 79.

By means of two maps the relative areas of
destruction at St. Vincent and Martinique are graphi-
cally shown.

1 ——

The Guinea Grass Moth.

During the past months a caterpillar has been
a serious pest of guinea grass and other grasses in
Barbados, and is doubtless generaily familiar in the
island. An account of the life-history of the insect
will appear in the forthcoming number of the West
Indian Bulletin, from the pen of the Rev. N. B.
Watson. The insect has been identified as Remigia
repanda Fabr., the insect which proved destructive to
grasses at San Fernando in Trinidad and Grenada
during last year. It is recorded from Canada, Central
Africa, Brazil, Jamaica, St. Vincent in addition to the
above localities, and is evidently widespread, probably
occurring in many foreign localities as well as through-
out the West Indies.

OO
Jamaica Horses.

Jamaica horses are well known throughout the
West Indies for their hardiness and speed. To these
good qualities must be added their comparative
cheapness. It would be of great advantage to both
Jamaica and the other West Indian Colonies if the
trade in Jamaica horses could be increased.

The Royal Mail Company have recently shown
their willingness to help in this direction, and will now
carry horses from Jamaica to Barbados for the sum of
£5. If the Royal Mail Company could see their way
to run a cargo ship between Trinidad, Barbados and
Jamaica, a good trade might also be carried on in
Jamaica cattle. At present Barbados imports most

seriously affected the exports of cattle thence, and
Trinidad is looking at the present moment to the
possibilities of the Tobago stock farms.

With reference to efforts being made to encourage
a trade in Jamaica horses and mules, the Rey. T. P.
George, Honorary Secretary of a Jamaica Horse Show
which it is proposed to hold near Kingston in
February next, writes :-—

I enclose two circulars as to the above, which will
explain the objects of the Show as far as this island is
concerned, but in addition we hope the Show will promote
and increase trade in horses and mules between Jamaica and
the other British West Indian Islands, especially Barbados
and Trinidad. We believe that this Colony can supply all
the horses and mules the other islands require and better
animals than are now being imported from America, at the
same price or less. The idea in Barbados at present seems
to be that our best horses are those that would sell for about
£16. Carriage horses of best quality, four years old, broken,
and in fine conditien can be got here for sums varying
from £25 to £35: and they are horses that can compete with
any in the world for endurance and hardiness, as you
having lived here know.

Our Show will bring together specimens of our best
horses and mules from all parts of the Colony ; and we are
hoping that two or three representatives from Barbados and
Trinidad will come and see what we have and tell us what
they want. ‘

A >

English Hares at Barbados.

It is not generally known that English hares were
introduced into Barbados about sixty years ago and
that they have become thoroughly established in the
island.

Mr. J. P. Mason informs us that hares from
England were obtained by Mr. Thomas Trotman owner
of ‘Bulkeley’ estate, St. George, in 1840-41. These
were placed in an enclosure about three acres in
extent, surrounded by a wall 4 to 5 ft. in height sur-
mounted by a railing. This enclosure is still in exist-
ence near ‘ Bulkeley’ House. The hares increased in
numbers until 1850 when, after very heavy rains, a
pond situated in the neighbourhood of the enclosure
overflowed and caused a portion of the wall to fall.
The animals then escaped and gradually they have
spread all over the island.

Dr. T. Sinclair Browne, and two of his brothers
imported a pack of Beagle hounds and regularly hunt-
ed the hares in the parishes of St. Philip, St. John and
St. George. There were only certain periods of the
year in which they could be hunted, namely, during
the latter part of the time of reaping the sugar-canes,
and for a few weeks afterwards.

Since the introduction of the mungoose, abont
1878, a steady decrease has been noticed in the
number of hares. Many also have been shot every
year by sportsmen. They sometimes weigh as much
as 7 to 10 tb. and are readily bought at about
3s. to 5s, each,

168 THE

AGRICULTURAL NEWS.

SEPTEMBER 13, 1902.

INSECT NOTES.

Insects attacking Bananas.

Two reports have been received during the past
months of insects injuring bananas. In the first,
numbers of beetles were found burrowing in the stems
of the plants at St. Lucia. The beetles also attack
tannias and lead to the death of a large number of the
plants, by burrowing in the stems and roots. The
attack is apparently a serious matter, as the damage is
rarely noticed until it is too late to take proper steps.
The beetle is black, about one inch in length, with
shining wing covers. It is similar in form to the
common ‘ Hardback’ beetles and appears to belong to
that group. The remedial measure found useful

consists in searching for the beetles on the bunches of

bananas. <A few are found every two days.

] ossibly

more could be collected by setting lights with tr: ays of

molasses or water at night as the bee les appear to be
readily attracted.

In the second attack, reported from Jamaica, a
large beetle was found eating green bananas. ‘The
insect is one of the large horned beetles, with three
prominent horns on the front of the body. It belongs
to the same family as the preceding beetles, but 1s
more closely relate .d to the Hercules beetle of Dominica.

Planters of Dominica will recall the plantain
weevil Sphenophorus sordidus that destroyed their
plants during the year 1900. That was a more serious
as the

case Geli life-history was passed in the
banana trees.
These three beetles constitute the only insect

enemies of bananas so far reported to this De ‘partme nt.
It is hoped that further facts will be obtained as to
these insects and any other enemies of bananas and
tanmias ; and when a more complete account has been
obtained, it will be published for the benetit of those
interested in these crops. It is interesting to note
that in the periodical L’Agriculture pratique des
pays chauds for July 1902, there is a reprint of an
article written in 1849 on a weevil (Sphenophorus
dyratus) attacking bananas in Martinique. Mention
is also made of two other species of Sphenophorus,
with similar habits; the author was uncertain whether
live banana trees were attacked and regarded the

insects as possibly useful in hastening the decay of

the dead trees,

The Green Page Moth.
A note entitled the ‘Blue Page Moth’ appeared on page
56 of the Agricultural News, dealing with an insect deter-
mined as Urania sloanus. This identification has been

corrected by Sir G. F. Hampson of the British Museum
( Natural History ) to whom specimens were sent, and it
should be known as Urania leilus, the ‘Green Page’ Moth.
Mr. L. Guppy, junior, of Trinidad has recently ascertained
the food-plant of the caterpillar of this moth and his account
will be published in the next number of the West Jadian
Bulletin.

PINK BYE IN CATTLE.

Mr. C. W. Meaden reports the occurrence at the
Tobago branch of the Government Stock Farm,
Trinidad, and the surrounding neighbourhood of an
infectious disease affecting thee “yes oh cattle. Although
not of a very serious character, it is said to occasion
temporary blindness in some instances. The affected
cattle were successfully treated by segregation, and the
application of a solution consisting of equal parts of
boracie acid and sulphate of zine, by means of a syringe.
The eyes and face were also washed with a disinfect-
ant made by dissolving 10 grains of corrosive sublimate
in a bucket of water.

‘In an article, reproduced by the Harmer and Stock
Breeder from the Montreal Witness, this disease, popularly
known in the United States and Come as “pik eye’ is
described, and preventible measures are The
disease, which is said to be contagious, seems to attack young
cattle rather than old, and old Cattle more severely than
calves, but cattle of all ages will take it. It does not affect
any animals but cattle. The first symptom usually noticed
is a profuse discharge of tears from one eye, running down
over the face: the disease usually begins in one eye and
later attacks the other eye. In some cases both eyes may be
attacked at the same time. Associated with the dise charge is

suggested.

inflammation of the eyelids; the front part of the ey e ball
becomes muilky-white in appearance, and one spot er or
copper coloured. At this point an abcess usually forms,

which subsequently discharges a small amount of pus that
escapes with the tears. In some cases, this abcess weakens
the front of the eye to such an extent that it bursts and
allows the contents of the anterior chamber to escape. In the
majority of such cases the animal is rendered permanently
blind in the affected eye. Practically, however, no animals
die of the disease

The disease may be prevented by keeping infected
animals away from the healthy. Once introduced, it
may be checked by isolating the infected anim: als. As a
successful treatment, the following is suggested: The
affected animal should be placed in a darkened stable,

the eyes thoroughly washed with cold water, all secre-
tions removed, and a solution of borie acid, 20 grains
dissolved in an ounce of water, should be applied. A few

drops of Harlem oil, or a little ointment made by mixing one
part of finely pulverized iodoform with twelve parts of fresh
lard or vaseline, can be applied directly to the eye-ball by
putting it on the inside of the eyelid and gently rubbing it
over the surface. Cloths wet with cold water and kept over
the eyes are useful in reducing the inflammation,’

As will be seen, the treatment adopted in the
United States and Canada is very similar to that used
at Tobago. It will be of interest to know whether this
disease has occurred at Jamaica or any other of the
West Indian Islands.

aVioL. TT.

No. 11.

THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS.

169

‘COTTON GROWING IN THE LEEWARD
ISLANDS.

The following is the conclusion of the interesting
paper on cotton growing read by Mr. Watts, Govern-
ment and Analytical Chemist, before a meeting of the
Agricultural and Commercial Society of Antigua on
August 1 last, and a summary of the discussion
which followed :—

RECENT EXPERIMENTS ENCOURAGING,

Some experiments have already been made in Antigua,
‘St. Kitt’s and Montserrat, and so far they are encouraging,
though far from conclusive. In most instances the yield of
-eotton (lint) per acre was small, but the cotton bushes had
been planted far too wide apart. What the best distance
will be, must be determined by experiment, but I would
suggest that 2ft. by 3ft. will be somewhat near it.

Some samples of Leeward Islands cotton grown last
‘season have been valued in England at 9d. and 10d. per Ib:
and these would have been valued at far higher prices but
for the presence of broken fibre due to imperfect ginning.
The values of other samples are given in the Agricultural
News, July 9, 1902, page 103 :—

‘Sea Island Thd. Hawkins Prolific

King’s Improved 44. — 5d.

Upland 6d.

Peterkin 43d.
Native Cotton (St. Lucia) 44d. — 43d.

The valuers think, with regard to the sea island, that
it might easily fetch more money.

3y next mail I hope to be in receipt of the report on
the samples grown at the Experiment Station, Scots’ Hill,
Antigua, and ginned in the hand power gin recently exhibited
to the Agricultural Society.

Although the experimental yields of cotton were small,
due largely to too wide planting, I see no reason why we
may not expect to reap 300!b. of cotton (lint) to the acre,
and this will pay at prices within those quoted for the
samples.

It is not supposed that planters will put in large areas
in cotton without making preliminary experiments to satisfy
themselves that there is some chance of success. We have
therefore ordered a supply of the best sea island cotton seed,
which is available for distribution amongst those who are
disirous of making systematic trials. I would suggest that
those who are interested should make applications for this
-szed and establish trial plots of about one acre. The cotton
grown on these plots can be cleaned in the gin belonging
to the Department of Agriculture and thus the whole experi-
ment may be made at small cost.

TIME FOR PLANTING.

It is important that we should ascertain the proper time
for sowing cotton seed. It is desirable that the crop should
come to maturity so that the cotton may be reaped in the
-dry months ; these are usually January, February, March, thus
the sowing should take place about August ; but experience is
needed to attord reliable information. Experience may point
-out how cotton may be grown in rotation to other crops and
perhaps to sugar.

It has been asserted here that cotton is an exhausting
crop. This is quite erroneous if care be taken to dispose of
the seed in a proper manner: this being done, cotton ranks

42d. to 43d.

Native Montserrat 53d. — 64d.

with sugar as one of the least exhausting crops. The seed
contains comparatively large amounts of nitrogen, potash and
phosphates, and if these are removed and not returned to the
land there will be some exhaustion. The cotton seed is
valuable for the oil it contains, and it is generally utilized in
the United States for oil production, the oil being expressed
and the residual cake used either for cattle food or for a
manure.

Under our circumstanees I think it will be better to use
it as cattle food until the quantity produced becomes too

great to be so employed; in this way we shall save
the food value of the oil and obtain the residue in
the form of manure, if we have properly constructed

cattle pens and stables. Later on when the industry has
grown to some magnitude we may discuss the desirability
of erecting oil mills for the removal of the oil which may be
exported while the cake is reserved for cattle food and for
manure. In this way our lands will be enriched instead of
impoverished by this crop.

CONCLUSIONS,

The points I want to urge are :

That we have climate and soil conditions thoroughly
suitable for growing cotton.

That we can grow the best and most valuable kind of
cotton (sea island) to advantage, this being the home of the
plant.

That it is necessary to exercise great care in maintaining
the quality of cotton grown by the careful selection of seed.

That in starting the industry we should decide upon the
best method of packing, using a uniform system throughout
the Colony. The merits of the Bessonette system should be
inquired into,

That sea island cotton is now in demand in Europe and
America so that the present is a favourable time for starting
the cultivation.

That the Department of Agriculture is prepared to afford
active assistance to any persons endeavouring to start cotton
growing, or undertaking experiments in its cultivation.

The extract from Zhe 7imes in the Agricultural News,
July 19, page 103, is significant and important.

This affords us a very favourable opportunity for
starting investigations, and I think we should use every effort
to come into line with this movement in England.’

DISCUSSION.

An. animated discussion followed in which Hon. C, A.
Shand, Messrs. Cowley, Spooner, Harper, W. R. Abbott and
others took part. In the course of the discussion frequent
reference was made to the cultivation of cotton in Antigua
between 1860 and 1870. From this the general impression
was gathered that at that time the plants were grown much
wider apart than Mr. Watts had suggested, that the cultiva-
tion was simple and inexpensive, that little or no use was
made of the cotton seed, and that the industry had been
abandoned partly because of the great fall in price coupled
with the relatively high price of sugar. The Hon. C. A.
Shand, who has had some experience in cotton sampling,
spoke in high terms of the qualities of the samples of cotton
exhibited, which were grown at the Experiment Station at
Scots’ Hill. The Hon. C. A. Shand, Messrs. Spooner, Cowley
and S. Smith were nominated as a Committee to co-operate
with Mr. Watts and the Officers of the Department of
Agriculture in endeavouring to ascertain whether it is
possible to establish a remunerative cotton industry in
Antigua, and to assist in the experiments in cotton growing
to be made with the seed supplied for the purpose by the
Department.

THE

AGRICULTURAL NEWS.

SEPTEMBER 13, 1902.

POULTRY.

The following notes on Breeds of Poultry are from
the pen of Mr. John Barclay, of the Agricultural
Society, Jamaica, in continuation of those in previous
issues :—

LEGHORNS.

The Leghorn class, of which there are white, brown, buff,
black and other varieties, hold the best records for number of
laid of any breed? . The white is the warmest
favourite for usefulness, but I prefer the handsome brown
Leghorn for our hot climates. The Leghorn is undoubt-
edly the most popular of the non-sitting varieties, if
we judge by the number kept in the U nited States and
Great Britain; no other besa is so largely kept, and
it is because of its hardiness and excellent laying quali-
ties. The Leghorns are layers; they are not of much
value as table birds; they are so active that flesh is not put on
readily, but this activity which prevents the accumulation of
flesh, encourages the development of the egg organs. In this
particular the Minorcas possess a distinct advantage over the
Leghorns, as their flesh and skins are beautifully white and
tender, and they will be found to get much plumper with
less trouble if put up for fattening and kept from exercise.

3ut in hardiness and activity, whether in the North or in the

South, the Leghorns cannot be beaten. In all my experience
the only pure-bred fowls that will stand and actually thrive
in exposed and wet places in the West Indies just as well as
in hot and dry districts, in confinement or at large, are the
Leghorns, and as they are so pooras table fowls, the all
round fowl, a fair table fowl, and a fair layer, may be
produced by the cross of the Leghorn (preferably Brown
Leghorn) cock, on the Plymouth Rock, Buff Orpington or
Indian Game hens. These will do well under the
most trying conditions of weather in hot countries better
than any pure breeds, and are most handsome birds.

AC OS
egss

crosses

MINORCAS.

The next best layers for number of eggs and the layers
of the largest eges of all breeds as a general rule, are Black
Minoreas. Indeed if eggs were sold by weight, these would be
the most profitable fowls in certain localities. They are
larger fowls than Leghorns, are full breasted, black-legged
with white skins, very delicate flesh, and sometimes run to a
very fair weight. Minorcas are of something the same type
as the Leghorns, very active and not inclined to make flesh
but to turn their They are, however, tender
fowls compared with the Leghorns, and do not give the same
good results in wet and cold places. Minorcas are without
doubt the best breed for the hot plains and dry places, and
they have ever thrived in such localities. It is my deliberate
opinion that they (the Leghorns and Minorecas) are the best
utility fowls of pure breeds for the West Indies and the most
profitable in all directions.

Ege production here is more profitable than the produe-
tion of flesh, and we are not yet such connoisseurs, have not
yet such decided taste in fowls, that we will only take them

food into eges.

for table if they are of a certain colour or size or shape,
whereas northern markets have their whims and prejudices.
You must suit your conditions and market. The laying
breeds come to maturity and begin to lay two months before
the large breeds; they eat less, they work more ; and you thus.
outlay less to raise them and you get profit two months
before your larger breeds begin to lay. Your laying breeds
do not sit; they lay more egys in a year than your sitting
breeds, and as a rule, taking more exercise, are healthier and
at the end of their egg days sell just as readily, though,
having one or two pounds less weight, they fetch about a shil-
ling less. But they make this twice an | three times over in less
cost of raising, and in the greater number of eggs laid, and
I think above all in their favour is the fact that these active
breeds, especially the Leghorns, do not take on fat easily
and that they may therefore be ted freely on the most
common foods and the handiest food produced in the
West Indies, viz., corn (maize), without dying of apoplexy.
Where large breeds are fed freely on corn and cocoa-nut, as is
done in Jamaica, the number of fine fat fowls that are found
dead beneath their roosts in hot weather, is sometimes most
disheartening. They have been over fat and died suddenly
of apoplexy. Of course this can be avoided by not feeding
corn, cocoa-nut, or very starchy foods much, and using
imported foods like wheat, and oats. But I speak of the
conditions as I find them, and people will feed corn as the
food they find the readiest and cheapest to hand, and
to make fowls profitable, you have to study your natural
conditions and adapt your methods to local circumstances
as far as possible. In families where good table birds are as
important as eges and both flesh and eggs are wanted, I
would recommend, especially for wet localities, the Leghorn=
Plymouth Rock, Leghorn or Old English Game- Orpington
cross ; and for hot or dry places or cool upland places, not
too wet, the Minorca-Indian Game, Minorea-Black Orpington,
or Langshan-Minerea cross in order named. All these crosses.
would also do very well anywhere.

(To be continued.)

REPTILES OF BARBADOS.

We have already referred to the two harmless
snakes that at one time were fairly abundant at
Barbados. The other reptiles met with in the island

are four species of lizards. The more common of these
is the pretty green lizard (Anolis alligator) which
oceurs gener ally in the Lesser Antilles and probably
was introduced thence to Barbados. The Gecko or
“Wood Slave’ (Hemidactylus mabuia) found in shady,
moist localities has almost world-wide distribution in
the tropics. Another lizard locally called ‘Scorpion”
(Mabuia agilis) is said to be rare in Barbados.
Colonel Feilden obtained specimens of it from Graeme
Hall Swamp and Chancery Lane in 1888. It occurs
over the greater part of tropical America. The largest-
and handsomest lizard in Barbados is what is known
locally as ‘Guana’, probably a corruption of Iguana,
This is found generally in the West Indies and ‘South
America. Colonel Feilden in 1889 mentioned the
curious a that all the specimens of this lizard in the
British Museum were females and that probably the
male was undescribed. The mongoose has greatly
reduced the numbers of this lizard and probably, before
long, 1t will entirely disappear.

nvor ke Noi: THE

AGRICULTUR? AL NEWS.

171

THE BERMUDA LILY DISEASE. By Albert F.
Woods. bulletin No. 14, Division of Vegetable Physiology
and Pathology, U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Every sunmer large numbers of bulbs of the Bermuda
or Easter lily are raised in Bermuda and shipped to the
United States where they are forced during the following
autumn and winter. For some years a disease of contin-
ually increasing destructiveness has seriously interfered with
the forcing process

The disease is characterised by the spotting and distor-
tion of the leaves and flowers and the stunting of the plant.
It is said to destroy from 20 to 60 per cent. of the crop in
the United States where the bulbs are forced for early

flowering. It is also prevalent in Bermuda. The disease is
due to a combination of causes. In the first place the

bulbs have become weakened by
propagation when they are attacked by mites, fungi and
bacteria. Some damage may also be cansed by overwatering
and consequent asphyxiation of the roots.

The spotting and distortion of the foliage is due to the
attacks of aphides and the young of the bulb nute, to the
Injection of water into the young leaves in watering or
syringing, and to the presence of water between the young
leaves of plants having soft foliage.

The disease cannot be cured or even prevented by
adopting any single course of treatment. It is suggested
that great care should be taken to improve the stock and
only strong and vigorous plants should be used for propaga-
tion. Crop rotation might be practised in order to prevent
the increase of mites and injurious fungi, The bulb should
not be raised till quite ripe and care exercised during forcing

in planting, watering and fertilizing.

improper selection and

THE QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL
Vol. X, Part 6, June 1902.

Situated partly in the tropics and possessing a soil and
climate suitable for products such as sugar, coffee, bananas
etc., and possessing a market in the Commonwealth of
Australia for any tropical produce that may be raised, the
agricultural development of Queensland is naturally of
interest to all connected with agriculture in the West Indies.

In the present number of the Queensland Agricultural

Journal is to be found an interesting account of some
Irrigation experiments with sugar-cane carried out at
3undaberg under the direction of Dr. Maxwell, the well-

known scientific adviser of the sugar planters of the Colony.
The etfect of the water applied to the land under canes is
very evident and large crops are anticipated. So far, however,
the crop has not been reaped so that the yield of sugar per
acre is not known. The results, when published, cannot fail
to be interesting.

A second interesting article is that on the agriculture of
the northern or tropical part of the Colony by the editor. It
would appear that the coffee industry is likely to succeed
and that rice growing pays.

DEPARTMENT NEWS.

Mr. Harold Maxwell-Lefroy, M.A., F.E.S., F.Z.S.,
Entomologist on the staff of the Imperial Department of
Agriculture in the West Indies has returned from
leave and resumed the duties of his appointment from
the thirtieth of August, last.

A pamphlet (No. 17 of the Department series) is
in hand giving Rants and practical hints as to the
Treatment of Fungoid pests on cultivated plants in the
West Indies.

The Report on the Economic Experiments carried
out in connexion with the Botanic Station, Antigua,
has just been issued. These experiments are directed
mainly towards the improvement of existing local food
stuffs and the introduction of new crops, and should
have an important influence on the future welfare of
the island.

THE LANGUAGE OF BIRDS.

Mr. E. Kay Robinson in the course of a pleasant
article on this subject in Zhe Country for March
says :—

Anyon2 who is familiar with
learns to distinguish and understand their language. First
there is the ‘cheep’ of the chicken. Ordinarily this is
pitched in a comfortable conversational key, and so long as
you hear it at intervals you know that everything is going on
all right with the brood ; but when it is loudly and rapidly
repeated you go out to see what is frightening the chickens,
and a very loud and insistently prolonged cheeping tells you
that one or more of the chickens has ‘got lost.’

But the cheeping of the chicks is not the only sound
which comes from the fowlrun. From the clucking of the
old hen you ean tell when she is merely keeping her family
round her while looks for food, when she has found
something good, when she espies danger, when she summons
her chicks to shelter, when she misses them, and when she is
attempting to terrify an enemy in their behalf. Then there
is the hen with no family as yet ; you can hear her communt-
cative ‘cluck’ on discovering an unexplored yard, by which
she invites the company generally to come and give her their
opinions, the reassuring cluck with which she leads them
past the gate, the warning note she utters when something
moves in the straw, and the squawk of terror with which she
rushes from the place on discovering that it is a boy. If it
is some lesser evil, she will stand aloof uttering raucous cries
from her stretched neck, and all the poultry-yard will join in
the chorus. At such times, you are hable to be deceived
into thinking that she has laid an egg, for it is one of the
peculiarities of fowl language that the same phrases seem to
be employed to announce a new laid egg in the nest-box and
acat in the straw-yard. But I think that the clamour of a
hen who has laid an egg is really a device to distract atten-
tion from it. To the cat in the straw-yard she shouts ‘I see
you’! like a woman who, from the doorway, suspects a
burglar’s boots under her bed); ; and so, after leaving her egg
in the nest, she comes out and shouts ‘I see you’! because
the race has found by experience that this is a good way of
distracting the attention of lurking enemies, from the egg
which cannot fly to the hen which can.

poultry unconsciously

she

THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS.

SepreMBER 13, 1902..

NEWS FROM THE ISLANDS.

The Hon’ble William Fawcett, B.Se., F.L.S., has been
appointed representative for Jamaica at the International
Plant Breeding Convention to be held in New York on
September 30 and October 1 and 2 next.

Umbrella ants are reported to be troublesoine to culti-
vated plants at British Guiana, Trinidad, Tobago and
Carriacou. The most effective remedy is carbon bisulphide
soaked in cotton wool and placed in_ the (See
Agricultural News, p. 140.

nests

The third series of lectures to teachers of the Elementary
Schools at Montserrat and the Virgin Islands is proposed to
be delivered by Mr. George Whitfield Smith in November
next.

Onion-growing from sets is often a surer method than
from seed. A small proprietor at Montserrat has successfully
raised his own sets this year. The right method for growing
onion sets is described in the Agricultural News, page 150.

In order to assist in improving the breed of beef and
milch cattle at St. Vincent, the Imperial Department of
Agriculture has allotted a special grant to that island for the
purchase of a thorough-bred Hereford bull.

The Barbados Legislature has recently voted £100 ‘to
be placed at the disposal of the Imperial Department of
Agriculture for the West Indies to meet expenses In connexion
with the attempts which are being carried out by the
Department to establish the sale of local produce in English
and other markets.’

At Montserrat the Papaw is grown in nearly every yard
and small garden, and the milk obtained from the fresh fruit
is sold for making into papain. (See Agricultural News,
pp. 4-5.) According to the local instructor, this plant, which
is almost neglected elsewhere, ‘affords a means of livelihood
to many of the peasantry.’

An interesting plot to be called ‘Coronation Plot,’ laid
out with ornamental plants and in garden beds for the use of
the children attending the Anglican, Wesleyan and Roman
Catholic schools at Plymouth, Montserrat, was recently
opened by his Honour the Commissioner (Mr. I. H. Watkins.)

Mr. George S. Hudson, the Agricultural Instructor at
St. Lucia, during the last fortnight has visited almost every
locality in that island and his report indicates that his
services are becoming increasingly useful to the planting
community.

Mr. Hart has kindly contributed seeds of a fine large-
guava known in Trinidad as the Red or Cayenne Guava. It
has fewer seeds than the ordinary kind and is filled with
a sweet reddish pulp. (See Zrinidad Bulletin, October 1900)-

The Date Palm trees, including the celebrated Tafilat
variety obtained from Algeria in 1891 and planted at Copse
Cross, Antigua, fruited for the first time in 1895. We regret
to learn that the trees are now badly attacked by a fungus.
disease. This is a common disease on half-wild date palms
in the West Indies and requires careful attention.

About 15 acres of Government land adjoining Morne-
Bruce, suitable for the cultivation of lime, cacao and food
crops are about to be added for the use of the Agricultural
school at Dominica.

Mr. Jones the Curator reports that a Garden Pavilion,
a cloak room and other buildings have recently been added
to the Botanic Station at Dominica.

Several plots of Choiseul, Pinra and Kidney cotton have
recently been planted at the Riviere Dorée station at
St. Lucia. Sea Island cotton will be planted as soon as.
seed is obtainable.

A special effort is being made by the Antigua Agricul-
tural Society to enlist the interest of all classes of the
community in the Agricultural Show proposed to be held in
December next. Mr. Sands is giving lectures and addresses.
in the country districts and numerous hand bills have been
distributed giving due notice of the Show.

The war in Venezuela has stopped the export of cattle
thence to Trinidad. Tobago offers good opportunities for
raising cattle, guinea grass being wild throughout the island
and the island should be able to raise cattle for the
Trinidad market.

The mango crop at the Botanic Station, Grenada, this:
year, is reported as quite a failure: even the Grenada
Ceylon No. 1. which has hitherto fruited freely and regularly
failed to produce a single panicle of flowers.

The Cotton Gin, obtained some months ago by the
Imperial Department for use in the Leeward Islands, has
recently been at work at St. Kitt’s, cleaning some 8,000 Ib.
of seed cotton. It is hoped that next year, if circumstances
permit, there will be a steam gin at St. Kitt’s.

Amongst the wild animals of Tobago is the Manacou or
Opossum. It is very common and destructive to poultry,
frequently raiding the yards and killing and carrying off
fowls. The young are carried by their mothers in a pouch,
like the Kangaroo.

The uselessness of shipping undersized pines of poor
quality to the London Market may be judged from the fact
that of a recent shipment of two barrels from one of these
islands, 40 sold at 2d. a piece, 23 at 1d., while the remainder
were reported as ‘worthless.’ An average lot of pines from
two other West Indian Islands fetched 3d. to 9d. each
whilst some special Dominica pines have realized 2s, 3d. each.

An exceptionally heavy fall of rain was experienced at
the Botanic Station, Tobago, on August 21, 1°89 inches of
rain falling in forty-five minutes. Considerable damage was
and roads at the Station and several
landslips occurred throughout the island.

done to seed beds

Mor Ue» eNoss i= THE

AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 173

JAMAICA:
LABORATORY, 1901-2.

3y Mr. H. H. Cousins, M.A.,
F.C.8., Government Analyst and Agricultural Chemist.

The following extract is taken from Myr. Cousins’ report,
for the year ending March 31, 1902:

‘The Laboratory has been considerately treated by the
various public Departments, and unnecessary appeals to the
Chemist have been avoided, thus enabling a larger propor-
tion of agricultural work to be carried out. The work on
soils has been the chief item in the work of the Laboratory
during the last year. It is hoped that analyses of the
soils of all the chief crop-producing areas will soon have
been completed and a preliminary account of the agricul-

tural state of Jamaica soils be made available to the
public. So far, the soils exhibit a high standard of fertility:

phosphorie acid is peculiarly rich in most cases. On the
whole, the reserves of fertility in Jamaica soils seem to
be very great and good cultivation alone should result
in maximum crops for many years in many cases. ‘

It is to be regretted that the Sugar Industry does not
make more use of the Government Laboratory. Analyses of
juice would have shown many estates during the first month
of the crop season that the canes were still unripe and the
season at least a month later than usual. It should also
be of value to an estate to know what its sugars polarize
before shipping to the States or United Kingdom.

Owing to the applications for assistance from planters
in respect to injurious insects and fungoid diseases, the
Imperial Commissioner at Barbados was requested to furnish
a list of books of service in this direction. He gave much
valuable advice and his officers have afforded us material
assistance.

Owing to the operation of his Excellency’s Procla-
mation on October 1, the Laboratory staff have been
responsible for the practical execution of the fumigation of
imported plants. Small consignments are treated at the
Laboratory, while accomim)dation for large importations has
been provided at the wharf in East Street. A consignment
from South Africa badly infested with a scale new to
Jamaica was among the first fruits of the Proclamation,

Owing to the serious consequences that frequently
arise from the planting of infested citrus trees and pine
suckers, growers throughout the island should fumigate such
stock before selling or planting it. The cost is insignificant.

Local Agricultural Experiments.—A grant of £140
having been made for fertilizers, experiments (at 30 different
centres throughout the island, involving 220 manurial plots)
on the chief crops of Jamaica, viz: bananas, canes, pines,
coffee and tobacco have been started. The manures were
weighed and mixed, and bagged at the Laboratory. In many
cases the application was personally supervised by the Labor-
atory staff. Painted posts to mark the plots were also
provided. Samples of soil and subsoil from all experiment
plots, as well as many representing agricultural areas of
interest have been taken for analysis. Detailed reports will
be made to the Board of Agriculture and be available to
the public in due course.

AGRICULTURAL INSTITUTIONS IN
THE WEST INDIS.

Jamaica Board of Agriculture : Chairman: The Hon'ble
Sydney Olivier, C.M.G.; Secretary: W. R. Buttenshaw, M. A.,
B.Se. ; Publicationu—Oceasional Bulletin.

Society (with thirty two afhliated
Presideut : Six Augustus W.L.
Hon'ble Wm. Faw-

Publication :

Jamaica Agricultural
Branches). Kingston, Jamaica.
Hemming, G.C.M.G. Deputy Chairman :
cett, B.Se., F.L.S. Seeretary: John Barclay.
“Journal of the Jamaica Agricultural Society.”

Royal Jamaica Society of Agriculture & Commerce &
Merchants’ Exchange, Kingston, Jamaica. President: Hon'ble
Lieut-Colonel Ward, C.M.G. Secretary: J. L. Ashenheim.
Publication : Annual Report.

The Institute of Jamaica: Kingston, Jamaica. Chairmai:
Sir Fielding Clarke. Secretary: Frank Cundall, F.S.A., Curator
of Museum: E.S. Panton Publications ‘Journal of the Institute
of Jamaica.” ‘Jamaica in 1901.”

Kingston & St. Andrew Horticultural Society. Kingston,
Jamaica. President: Hon'ble Wm. Fawcett, B.Sc. Secretary:
Willam Harris, F.L.8.

British Guiana Board of Agriculture, Georgetown, Demera-
ra. Chairman: Hon'ble A.M. Ashmore, C.M.G. Deputy Chatr-
mai: J. B. Harrison, M.A., C.M.G., ; Secretary: Oscar Weber :
Agricultural Instructor: R. Ward: Assistant Tusteuctor tn
Agriculture: J. E. Beckett (on probation) ; Veterinary
Surgeou: J. A. Raleigh.

Beitish Guiana Royal Agricultural & Commercial Society
Georgetown, Demeriwa. President: Luke M. Hill, B.A.,
M.L.C.E. Secretary . Thomas Daley. Local Secretary : (Berbice,)
Dr. C. F. Castor. Assistant Secretary and Libravian: J. Rod-
way, F.L.S.. Curator of Museum : Richard Evans, M.A., DESes
Publication : ‘* Journal of tha Royal Agriculture and Commer-
cial Society of British Guiana.”

Trinidad Agricultural Society, Port-of-Spain, Trinidad.
Fresident : Sir Alfred Moloney, K.C.M.G. Scevetary : Edgar
Tripp. Publication: ‘‘ Proceedings of the Agricultural Society
of Trinidad.”

Grenada Agricultural Society, St George’s, Grenada. Presi-
dent: Sir Robert B. Llewelyn, K.C.M.G. Secretary: W. KE.
Broadway. Publication: Minutes of Meetings.

Barbados General Agricultural Society & Reid School of
Practical Chemistry, Bridgetown, Barbados. Presidewt: Sir.
George C. Pile, Kt. Secretary: J. H. Poyer. Publication :
“<< Barbados Agricultural Gazette and Planters’ Journal.”

St. Lucia Agricultural Society, Castries, St. Lucia : Presi-
deut : Secretary : RK. G. McHugh.

Dominica Agricultural Society, Roseau, Dominica. Pres-
ideut : The Hon’ble H. Hesketh Bell. Secretary: A. K. Agar.

Antigua Agricultural Society. President: His Excellency
the Governor; Chairman: Hon’ble T. D. Foote ; Vice-Chairman
Houw’ble J. F. Foote ; Secretary: W. N. Sands.

St. Kitts-Nevis Agricultural Society. President : Honour-
able E. G. Todd. Secretary: C. A Smith.

[Further particulars of Agricultural and Horticultural
Institutions in the West Indies would be gladly received for
this list. Also fixtures for Agricultural Shows for 1902.]

74 THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. SEPTEMBER 13, 1902..

COMMERCIAL.

With the view of assisting in finding a market for the
disposal of local produce, arrangements have been made with
the following Agents in these Colonies who will be prepared
to receive consignments and obtain the best prices for them.

Tt is particularly urged that no shipments be made until
an assurance has been received from the Agents themselves
that they are prepared to accept such shipments.

Agents in the West Indies.

BRITISH GUIANA—B.S. Bayley, Water Street, Georgetown.
TRINIDAD—J. Russell Murray, Port-of-Spain.
BARBADOS—T. 8. Garraway & Co., Bridgetown.

ST. LUCIA—Captain H. Henville, Contractor & Agent, Castries.

MARKET REPORTS.

London,—August 19, 1902.—Messrs. J. Hates Cairn &
Co., Messrs. GitLesriz Bros. & Co. and ‘THE
Purnic Lepcrr,’ August 16, 1902.

Arors—Curagoa 16/- to 40/-; Barbados 13/- to 35/- per ewt.
Arrowroot—St. Vincent, 2}d to 3d per Ib.
3aLATA— Venezuelan, 2/1 to 2/4 per Ib.
Brrs-wax—Jamaica, fair reddish and pale £7 17s 6d to £8.
per cwt.
Cacao—T'dad, 62/- to 70/6 ¥ ewt.
Dominica 57/6 per ewt.
Grenada, good 55/6 to 60/-; choice 63/- per ewt.
Jamaica, 56/- per ewt.
Carpamoms—Mysore, 1/- to 3/- per Ib.
Cassta Fistuta—5/6 to 35/- per cwt.
Castor Om—4hd to 44d per lb.
Corree—Jamaica, none offered.
Costa Rica, Pail to 74/- per ewt.
Peaberry, 45/- to 57/6 per ewt.
Corron— West Indian, 45 to 5d. per Ib.
Cowace—1d to 2d per lb.
Fusric—little offerimeg.
Gincer—Jamaica, good bold 52/- ; ordinary to gool ordi-
nary 38/- to 40/- per cwt.
Honey—fair amber 16/- to 17/- per ewt.
Jatar—4i to 6d per Ib
Kuvus-Kuus Roor—12/- per ewt.
Kora Nuts—li to 4/7 per Ib.
Live Jurce—Raw, 1/3 per gallon: concentrated, £12 10s.
to £12 12s. 6 per pipe.
Loa woop: No quotations.
Mace--1/2 to 1/7 per Ib.
Nirrare or Sopa-- Agricultural £8 17s. 6d. per ton.
Nurmecs—103s @ Ou, 74s @ 1/6, 68s 1/11d per Ib. ; in sell
4d to 5d per lb.
Om or Limrs—Distilled 1/9 ; Hand pressed 4/- per Ib.
Pimentro—2id. per lb.
Sarsararmpa—Jamaica fair 1/3 per lb.
Sucar-—Muscovado 13/- to 14/- duty paid ; crystallized
12/3 to 15/- per ewt.
Sutrware or Ammonta—Grey, 24 per cent., London
£12 2s Gd per ton.
Tamarinps—11/6 to 14/- per ewt.
Tonquin Beans—9d to 2/6d per Ib.
Fruir—Covenr Garpen Marker (‘Garpeners’
Crroniciy,’ August 16, 1902.)
3ANANAS—7/- to 12/- per bunch.
Lemons—15/- to 25/- per case.
OraNGES—10/- to 12/- per case.
Pines—3/- to 6/- each.

Halifax N. S.—‘ Tue Marre Mercuanr’, July 31, 1902.
Lemons—$4.00 per case
Monasses—Porto Rico 30c. to Ble., Barbados 24c. to 25e.
per gallon.
Prxe-ArrLes—$2.00 per dozen.

New York,—Auzg. 8, 1902.—Messrs. GILtesPIiE Bros. & Co.

Banwawas—Jamaicas 9 hands $1.00 to $1.10, 8 hands Tdc.,
7 hands 45c. per bunch.

Cacao—African 12$c. to 1c. ; Caracas, 13}c. to 14$c. 5
Jamaica, good Gedin: ry Ile : good fermented 12c.
Grenada 13c. to 1*4e. Trinidad 13c. to 14e. per Ib.

Cocoa-Nuts ; Small Trinidads $12.00 to $13.00 ; Jamaicas
$21 .00 to $23.00 per M.

Corree—Rio, geod ordinary 5}c.; Jamaica good ordinary
Gc. to 7c. per lb.; Manchester grades 9c. to Ie.
per lb.

Grincer—S8c. to 8$e per lb.

Pivento—5dbec per Ib.

Russer—Nicaragua Scrap 49$c. per lb ; sheet 43e. to 45e-
per lb. ; Guayaquil Strip 47 ke. per Tb.

Sucar—Muscovado, 89”, 2c. to 2Zc. ; Centrifugals, 96°, 32
per lb.

INTER-COLONIAL MARKETS.

Antigua,—August 27, 1902.—Messrs. G. W. BENNETT,

Bryson & Os Ltd.
Mo.asses—9 per imperial gallon, package included.
Sucar— Muscovals $1.174 per 100Lb.

Barbados,—Aug. 30, 1902.—Messrs. T. 8. Garraway

& Co., and Messrs. J. A. Lyncu & Co.

ARROW BOCT 207" quality, $3.50 per 100 lb.

Cacao-—$13.50 per 100° Ib.

Corrrr = letanvten and ordinary Rio $9.00 and $9.50,
per 100 lb. respectively.

Hay—New Brunswick 90c. per 100 lb.

Manures— Nitrate of Soda $60.00 per ton ; Ohlendorff’s.
Dissolved Guano ; $60.00. Sulphate of Ammonia $80,005.
Sulphate of Potash $70 per ton.

Morasses—No quotations.

Ontons—Madeira $2.50 to $2.75 per 100 Ib.

Poraros—$3.00 per 160 lb.

Rice—Ballam $4.60 per bag ; Patna $3.75 per bag ; Ran-
goon $3.00 per bag.

Swarots—10c. per |b.

Sucar—No quotations.

British Guiana,—August 28, 1902.—Messrs. Wertinc &

tICHTER.

Arrownoor—&s.00 per barrel.

Cacao—native lle. to 12c. nominal.

Cassava Starcu—$7.00 per barrel.

Cocoa-NutTs—$8.00 to $10.00 per M.

CorrrE—Rio and Jamaica Ile. to 12c. per . (retail.)
Creole, lle. to 12e. per lb.

Eppors—$1.20 per bag.

Ontons—bulk sold at 4e. per Ib.

Pea Nurs—Curagoa 3}c.; American 5e. (retail.)

Pranrarns —20e. to 36e. per bunch.

Poraros Enciisu—wanted.

Rice—Ballam $4.80 to $4.90 ex store; Patna $5.90 to
$6.00 per bag—Creo.e Rice 20c. per gallon, (retail.)

Sweet Poraros—-Barbados $1.56 per barrel.

duress $1.44 per bag.

Yams—$3.00 per bag.

Mon Rees: —Vacuum Pan yellow I4}e. te 15c. per gallon,
casks included.

Sucar—Dark Crystals $1.62} ; yellow $2.10 per ewt.

Timper—Greenheart 32c. to 55e. per cubic foot.

WaALtaba SHINGLES—$3.00 to $5.00 per M.

'
—

Trinidad,—August 28, 1902.—Messrs. Gorpon Granr

& Co.
Cacao—Ordinary to good red $12.75 to $13.09; estates
$13.25 to $13.75 per Fanega.
Batatra—Venezuelan. 425c per Ib.
CorreeE—Venezuelan. Te to Te. per Ih.
Ontons—$2.00 to $3.00 per 100Ib.
Poratros EnGiisH—$1.70 to $1. 75 per LOO0Ib.
Rice—Yellow $4.75 ; White Table $5.75 per bag.
Sucar—For Grocery use, $1.75 to $3.00 per 1001b.
Morasses—No quotation.

VWOe IG op Ne THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 175

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Agents for the sale of the publications of the Department :—

Loudou: Messrs. Dutav & Co., 37, Soho Square, W. Barbados: Messrs. Bowen & Sons, Bridgetown. Jamuica:
Tue Epucationan Suppty Company, 16, King St., Kingston. British Guiana: The ‘Daily Chronicle Office, Georgetown.
Trinidad: Messrs. Munro, & Co., Frederick St, Port-of-Spain. Tobago: Mr. C. L. PLacemann, Scarborough. (rrenada: Messrs.
F. Marrast & Co., ‘ The Stores,’ St. George. St. Vincent: Mr. W. C. D. Prouproor, Kingstown. St. Lucia: Mr. R. G.
McHveu, Castries, Dominica: Messrs. C. F. Doverney & Co., Market St. Roseau. Moutserrat: Mr. W. Liewrettyn Watt,
Plymouth: Autijwa: Mr. F. Forresr St. John’s. St. Kitts: Messrs. 8. L. Horsrorp & Co., Basseterre

1KO) “MEU

panning wort. Seeds & Plants of Commercial Products.

HEVEA BRASILIENSIS. Coming crop of seeds August-September shipment. As orders must reach us at
least at the end of July to avoid disappointment, ordering by wire necessary on the appearance of this advertisement. There is
only one crop in the year. A leading Sumatra planter who purchased 150.000 seeds on two previous occasions writes under date
May 10, 1902: ‘I shall like to have your lowest terms for delivery of 100,000 Hevea seeds in the same way as before from the
coming crop.’ 75% guaranteed to germinate. Shipments to West Indies can be made to London only: re-shipment must be
arranged by purchasers.

For special offer of seeds and plants see the following descriptive Price Lists, post free on ayplication.

1. Tropical Seeds and Plants of Commercial Products, enlarged edition for 1902.

2. Seeds and Plants of Shade, Timber, Wind-belts, Fuel, and Ornamental Trees, Trees for Road-sides, Parks, Open
Spaces, Pasture Lands, Avenues, Hedges, and for planting among crops (Tea, Coffee, Cacao, Cardamons, etc.)

3. Seeds and Plants of Tropical Fruit Trees including Mango grafts. 4. Bulbs, Tubers and Yams.

5. Orchids—Ceylon and Indian. 6. Seeds and Plants of Palms, Calamus, Pandanus, Cycads, Tree and other Ferns,
€yrotons, Roses, Dracaenas, Shrubs and Creepers.

SPECIAL ARRANGEMENTS made with foreign Governments, Botanical and Agricultural Departments,
Planters, and others for supplying seeds and plants of Commercial Products in large quantities.

AGAVE LURIDA. This highly recommended fibre yielding plant yields a fibre equal to that of S¢s/ in lustre
and tensile strength valued at from £28 to £34 per ton in London. Bulbils (seedlings) £1 per 100, £8 per 1,000 post free :
special quotations for large orders.

COFFEE. <Arabica-Liberian Hybrid and Maragogipe Hybrid—New crop March-April, 1903: early booking
necessary.

A Foreign Agricultural Department writes dating 9th September, 1901 :—‘‘Please accept our order for 175Tb. of Tea
seed and for 2,000 Coffee beans. In regard to Coffee seed I would say that this will be the first insportation made by this
Department, and we will leave the selection of the varieties to be sent to your judgement.”

“SOUTH AFRICA.”—The great authority on South African affairs of 25th March, 1899, says :—An_ interesting
Catalogue reaches us from the East. It is issued by William Brothers, Tropical Seed Merchants of Henaratgoda, Ceylon,
and schedules all the useful and beautiful plants which will thrive in tropical and semi-tropical regions. We fancy Messrs. Williams
should do good business, for now that the great powers have grabbed all the waste places of the earth, they must turn to and
prove that they were worth the grabbing. We recommend the great Powers and Concessionaries under them to go to William
Brothers.”

Agents in London: Messrs. P. W. Woolley & Co., 90, Lower Thames Street.

Telegraphic Address: Witt1am Henaratcopa, Ceylon. J. P. WILLIAM & BROTHERS,
Lieber’s, A.I. & A.B.C., Codes used. Tropical Seed Merchants, Henaratgoda, Ceylon.

176 THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. SEPTEMBER 13, 1902.

THE BEST MANURES FOR COLONIAL USE

a AS

Ohlendorff’s Dissolved Peruvian Guano—For Sagar-cane and general use
Ohlendorff’s Special Sugar-cane Manure
Ohlendorff’s Special Cocoa Manure

Sulphate of Ammonia, Nitrate of Soda, Superphosphates, high grades,
Potash Salts, Basic Slag and all other high-class Fertilizers.

APPLY TO LOCAL AGENTS OR DIRECT TO
THE ANGLO-CONTINENTAL (LATE OHLENDORFF’S) GUANO WORKS,

London Agency, 15, Leadenhall Street, London E.C.,
Barbados Agents: Messrs. James A. Lynch & Co., Bridgetown.

THE BARBADOS MUTUAL LIFE ASSURANCE SOGIETY:
ES :A°B EL SiuHI ESD) Fils) 4 oO;
CHIEF OFFICE, Beckwith Place, Bridgetown, Barbados.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS :

MICHAEL J. BOVELL, Esq., CHAIRMAN,
KE. T. RACKER, Esq., Vick-CaarrMan.

J. N. BANCROFT, Esq., JAS. H. INNISS, Esq.,
3. ERNEST BYNOE, Esq., Hon. J. THOMAS JONES, M.L.C.,
JOS. W. CRONEY, Esq., H. LAWRANCE JOHNSON, Esgq.,

J. O. WRIGHT, Esq., M.C-P.
Transactions to December 31, 1901.

Total Assurances Issued 3ae sete ae Bos eee lel pee
Total Bonuses Declared (31 Dec ember 1900)... sac fz a so S6c 3,610,921
Sums Assured and Bonuses Existing oe ie a sie oes 5,154,157
Total Claims by Death and M: itured indowments se eee ee ace mine 5,375,545
Life Assurance Fund... Ps ea an ae Pe asf ee 2,118,650
Annual Income BEY Ate aa a0 Ae he as 245,345
Net Surplus December ‘(31 1900) ae ae ae ae an aor 297,124

The Premiums are Lower than those charged by other Life Offices doing business in the West Indies.
The Bonuses declared have not been equalled by any other Assurance Society in the world.
Its Policy Contracts are Liberal, Fair and Equitable.
The Policy is Absolutely Non- Forfeitable so long as any surrender value remains.
Loans granted on Security of Policy.
Liberal Surrender Values.
Claims promptly paid.
Every facility given for the revival of Lapsed Policies.
It grants Interim Bonuses.
It gives Compound Bonuses.
All the profits belong to the Policy-Holders.
H. J. INNISS,
May 22, 1902. Secretary.

Printed at Office of Agricultural Reporter, 4, High Street, Bridgetown, Barbados.

A B@ORTNIGHTLY REVIEW

OF THE

IMPERIAL DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE FOR THE WEST INDIES.

Wits Is INR IE

BARBADOS, SEPTEMBER 27,

Price ld.

1902.

CONTENTS.
PacE Pace
Agricultural Education ... 177 | Lagos Silk Rubber ... 185
|
Carrapicho or Aramina | Market Reports 190
Fibre... . 189)
| News from the Islands ... 188
Department News .... ... 187 | Notes and Comments 182
Department Publications 191 |
Our Book Shelf :—
SDikror ayn = | Forest Influences . 189
Agricultural — Scholar- |
5 PI +=} ~ Our)
ships, Antigua... ... 187 | Pine-apples, at Dominica 180
Cambridge Local Exami- | Poultry Fry sa _ 186
nations 187 |
Spineless Limes . 180
God Ochro 186 Sugar Industry :—
Experiments at Barba-
Insect Notes :— | dos ect ese. ees gS:
Insects attacking Indian Experiments at British
(CR8T Gon Eps) cop ode a kert Guiana sot fasee oes 179
Insects attacking Sweet Sweet Potatos, shipping 181
PObILOS Weccers 22. LOS: |
Woolly Pyrol Moth ... 184 | Toronto Exhibition... - LS

Agricultural Education. II.

TS N the Agricultural News for July 19, a

brief statement was made as to what was

really in view in the scheme of Agricul-
tural Education in the Elementary schools. It was
pointed out that this was practically identical with
the proposals already in force in other countries under

the name ‘Nature Study, and that whether we label
our efforts ‘Agricultural Education’ or ‘Nature Study’
our object is exactly the same, namely, to draw the
children ‘ to take a deep and abiding interest in the
phenomena of air, soil and water, and in the life of
plants and animals and lead them step by step to
exercise their powers of observation and reason from
cause to effect in watching the every-day life around
them.’

We desire to state that we by no means confine
our efforts to Elementary schools. The next stage in
the scheme of Agricultural Education for the West
Indies is the establishment of scholarships tenable at
Agricultural schools for strong, healthy boys of the
peasant class (from 15 or 16 years of age) irrespec-
tive of creed or colour. These boys are boarded and
trained free of expense to their parents for three or
more years. The object is to turn out an intel-
ligent class of working gardeners and small farmers
capable of not only skilful cultivation but accustomed
to cure and pack produce for export so as to obtain the
best results for their labour.

There are about seventy boys now holding scholar-
ships at the Agricultural schools at St. Vincent,
St. Lucia and Dominica. The results, so far, are distinctly
encouraging.

A higher stage is the scheme of instruction in
Agriculture to boys in Secondary and High schools
assisted by special instructors provided by the Imperial
Department of Agriculture. There are two Scientific and
Agricultural masters and several scholarships tenable
at the Grammar schools at St. Kitt’s and Antigua,

178 THE

AGRICULTURAL NEWS.

SEPTEMBER 27, 1902

There are five local scholarships tenable at Harrison
College at Barbados with a Lecturer in Agriculture
provided to take boys above the fourth form who wish
to specialize in Agricultural Science. There are two
scholarships of the value of £75 each, also tenable at
Harrison College, offered for competition in the Wind-
ward and Leeward Islands. In addition
Lecturer in Agriculture provided by the Department
at Jamaica.
to students at the Training Colleges and assisting in

there is a

This officer is engaged in giving lectures

furthering Agricultural teaching generally in the
island. All the scholarships at Secondary and High

schools are awarded, preferably, to boys from the

country districts, the sons of planters in moderate
circumstances,

pursuits. So

intend to devote themselves to
agricultural keen
competition for all the scholarships offered by the
Department and the boys have acquitted themselves

who

far there has been

creditably.

SUGAR

INDUSTRY,

Sugar-cane Experiments at Barbados.

A special meeting of the Barbados Agricultural
Society was held on Friday the 12th. instant to hear
the report presented by Mr. J2'R. Bovell, F.L.S., F.C.S.,
and Mr. R. Radelyffe Hall, B.A., on

the work conducted during the past season, under
the direction of the Imperial Department of Agri-

culture. The paper was well illustrated throughout
by specially prepared diagrams and charts. In this
way the more important results were brought, in a
graphic and striking manner, to the attention of the
planters.

MANURIAL EXPERIMENTS.

The experiments with manures were conducted on
four estates in ditferent parts of the island, the total
area of the manurial plots being 17 acres.

The weather in December and January was dry,
and the young plants only became established with
difficulty. February to May were, as usual, dry, windy
months, but from June to September the rainfall was
excessive, being no less than two and a half times the
aver ige for these months, for the last fifty years. The

“wi ash’ of the surface soil was very considerable and the
good results of careful tillage were lost to a considerable
extent. The rainfall from October to December
varied conside rably in the different districts and was
not high anywhere. At the end of the year a drought
set in, and persisting, hastened considerably the ripen-
ing of the canes.

Taking the manurial experiments as a
Mr. Bovell said the results indicated that :

whole,

(1) Nitrogen is essential for the production of

the results of

maximum returns and under the conditions which
obtained on the mannrial plots 50 to 60 fb. per
acre of nitrogen as sulphate of ammonia applied half
in June and the balance in August is the most paying
amount.

(2) Where the land has been liberally manured
with farmyard manure, phosphates are not only
unnecessary but may AG harm.

(3) On the w hole, even where the land has been
liberally manured with farmyard manure, applications
of potash are beneficial. The most satisfactory results
were obtained with about 50 tb. per acre.

(4) The time has arrived when each planter
should ascertain for himself what manure is best suited
to his canes under the soil and climatic conditions
which obtain on his own estate. These experiments
if rightly carried out need not cost anything and would
in all probability save the planters many pounds,
Suppose, for instance, a planter wanted to ascertain
whether phosphates were necessary for his cane crops.
Let him choose a fairly level field of, as far as he ean
judge, uniform character which had received uniform
treatment ; let him divide it in half, to one half apply
a manure consisting only of nitrogen and potash, to
the other the same mixture to which phosphates had
been added. When the canes arrive at maturity let
each half ora portion of each half be crushed separately
and the gallons of juice ascertained and the density by
the ordinary Beaumé saccharometer noted. By experi-
ments of this sort, which are easily and inexpensively
carried out, planters will soon be able to decide for
themselves whether it is necessary to apply phosphates
to their canes. The day will, we hope, come when the
planters will have a system of rotation in which the
minerals will be applied to the root crops in the rota-
tion and the canes grown with liberal applications of

farmyard manure supplemented with sulphate of
ammonia or nitrate of soda.
SEEDLING AND OTHER CANES,

Experiments with selected and other varieties of
canes were conducted at eleven estates in typical
localities of the island. he weather conditions were
adverse as already noted.

The complete list of the varieties cultivated is as
follows -—

Jamaica or Mont Blane, Rock Hall, Sealy Seed-
ling, White Transparent, B. 147, B. 156, B. 208, B. 254,
B. 347, B. 376 and D. 95.

As a result of the whole series of experiments,
Mr. Bovell was able to state that Barbados Seedling
B. 208 was, as last year, the best all-round cane,
taking into account its ready germination, the yield of
sugar, the richness and purity of its juice and the
satisfactory results obtained on black and red _ soils,
plants and ratoons. The indicated yield of muscovado
sugar for plant canes was 3°0 tons per acre on black
soils and 2°6 tons per acre on red soils. (The ‘black’
and ‘red’ soils are characteristic of the low lands and of
the hills respectively).

Mr. Bovell recommended B, £
on a strictly limited scale.

The White Transparent maintained its reputation

208 for an estate trial

VOI lee NOS 1:

THE AGRICULTURAL N

EWS. 179

as a good all-round cane. Its juice was rich and pure.
Its indicated yield of muscovado sugar for plant canes
on black soils was 2°6 tons per acre and 1'8 tons per
acre on red soils.

With regard to this cane it was unfortunately
hecessary to give a note of warning. The number and
weight of rotten canes were counted every year, from
each plot, and White Transparent was this year at
the bottom of the list. Last year also it had a
considerable number of rotten canes, Planters should
take pains to plant only from canes showing no signs
of fungoid disease.

B. 147 gave unsatisfactory results as to the
average quality of its juice. Its indicated yield of
muscovado sugar was, however, very high on black
soils, being 3:0 tons per acre; on red soils the estimated
yield was only 1:4 tons per acre.

NEW SEEDLINGS.

A large number of seedling canes have been

crushed and tested for the first time and thirty-one

selected for more extended cultivation. The calculated
saccharine yield of all of these selected seedlings

was over 9,000 Ib. per acre. The juice of the lowest

contained 1928 Ib. of saccharose per gallon, and

the highest 2-487 lb. The quotient of purity of the

latter cane was 94:03 and its glucose ratio 221,
Space does not allow us to dwell on

all the
interesting points discussed by Mr. Bovell. Some of

those remaining, together with the remarks of
Dr. Morris, we propose to deal with in our next
issue.

Sugar-cane Experiments in British Guiana.

The following extracts are taken from the Progress
Report by Profs J. B. Harrison, C.M.G., on the
Sugar-cane experiments in British Guiana, for the
halt-year ending June 30, last. The report for the
previous half-year will be found on pp. 2 and 3. :—

Early in March a commencement was made of the
very necessary work of improving the drainage of the
experiment fields. During the period under review
this has been steadfastly followe dup, and, assisted by
the advice of the Honbles. B. H. Jones and R. (¢
Dunean, and the expert supervision of Mr. B. Gainfort
members of the Sugar-cane Experiments’ Committee of
the Board of Agriculture, the drainage system has
been to a great exten remodelled’ and at present its
efficiency is far beyond that hitherto attained. From
the improvements contemplated to be carried out by
Mr. Gainfort in the near future with regard to the
main (drainage of the Botanic Gardens estate, IT antici-
pate a further marked improvement in the condition
of the Board of Agriculture’s experiment. fields.

The experiments with selected varieties of seedling

canes have been continued in the Brickdam field
during the period under review and the canes have
received appropriate agricultural treatment. The

older varieties of se sedlings there planted show promise
of satisfactory returns as second ratoons: the newer

varieties planted in February have not done so well,
having been adversely attected by the continuous rain-
fall, but now show signs of promise. Similarly, 396
seedlings of 1891 from the White Transparent and
Bourbon varieties, planted in this field have been
retarded in growth.

The canes on the manurial experiment field were
reaped, weighed and examined analytically in Apri,
the results obtained being of some interest and impor-
tanee. Samples of soil have been taken from the
variously manured plots, and analytical examinations
are being carried out on them with the view of ascer-
taining whether any, and if any, what changes capable
of being detected by analy tical examination Shes e taken
place in the soils of the plots during the experiments
conducted continuously on them since 1891.

The southern half of the manurial experiment field
has been re-arranged and planted with certain seedling
varieties with the object of testing their nitrogen

requirements ; the course of experiments with phos-
phoric acid and potash started in 1901 having been
carried to completion.

A very careful selection has been made from the
enormous number of seedlings raised from selected
parent varieties in 1901 and 4,500 have been planted
out. Large numbers of the seedlings of selected
parentage have been distributed to certain managers
of sugar estates who have expressed their desire to
assist In this portion of the work.

On the whole, I am satisfied that the sugar
experiment fields are now In a far more satisfactory
state of cultivation than has hitherto been possible.
Very great assistance has been given to me by the
technical members of the Sugar-cane Experiments’
Committee of the Board of Agriculture, and I am
convinced that the appointment of an advisory com-
mittee, the members of which are acknowledged
authorities in practical cane cultivation, in connexion
with the experiments is a step in the right direction,
and one that cannot fail to be of advantage not
alone to the experiments but to the sugar industry

of the Colony at large. I only regret that this step
was not taken at the initiation of the extension of
the experiments in 1890.

In addition to the various investigations which
are being carried on in the Government Laboratory, I
have devoted much time to the preparation of the
report dealing with the experiment agricultural work
carried on during the crop years 1897-1901 inclusive.

This is now in an advanced stage of preparation
and I hope to have it ready for presentation in the
course of a few weeks.
The total expenditure on the experiments for the
1901-02 has been $2,301.
In bringing this progress report to a close, I desire
to acknowledge, and to direct attention to, the consistent
energy, zeal ain attention which Mr. R. Ward, Agri-
cultural Assistant-in-charge of Sugar-cane Experiments
has devoted to his work and which, in my opinion,
cannot fail in the near future to render the experiments
a credit not only to the Board of Agriculture but to
the Colony at large.

year

180

THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS.

SEPTEMBER 27, 1902.

WEST

SPINELESS LIMES.

The cultivation of a plot of Spineless limes at the
Botanic Station, Dominica, was drawn attention to
on p. 88 of this Journal. We were not then in a
position to say whether the juice of this variety was
equal or inferior to that of the ordinary lime for estate
purposes.

In the Annual Report for 1901-02 on the Dominica
Botanic Station, Mr. J. Jones, the Curator, says: ‘ This
variety ditters from the ordinary lime cultivated in the
island in having a more erect habit of growth, smaller
fruits, with fewer seeds, superior bearing qualities, and
greater acidity of juice.’

Samples of the fruit of trees of the spineless and
the ordinary (spiny) varieties, grown side by side in
the garden, were sent to Mr. Francis Watts, the
Government and Analytical Chemist for the Leeward
Islands, for analysis with the following results :-—

JUICE OF SPINELESS JuIce OF ORDINARY

Lime. Lime.
Oz. per Grains per Oz. per Grains per
gallon. OZ. gallon. OL.
Free Acid ... ...16°88 46-15 14:10 yi
Real Citric Acid...16°60 45°39 14°32 39-15

Mr. Watts adds :-—

“These figures indicate that the spineless variety
of lime produces juice very rich in citric acid. The
quality of the juice is satisfactory. It only remains to
be shown that the quantity of fruit and of juice are
equally satisfactory when it will be safe for planters to
introduce this variety extensively into their cultiva-
tion.’

PINH-APPLES AT DOMINICA.

A collection of pine-apples has gradually been
formed at the Botanic Station, Dominica, with the
object of testing the suitability of various kinds to
local conditions. In the Annual Report for 1901-02 on
the Station, Mr. J. Jones, the Curator, records the
following interesting notes :—

The collection of fourteen varieties has done very well.
Eleven have fruited. Pines of several have been shipped to
test their carrying qualities. It should be noted, that the
plants were grown in ordinary soil, and in no case was any
special or other kind of manure applied.

INDIAN, FRUAE

Black Antigua: This small, excently flavoured, well-
known pine can, under good cultivation in Dominica, be
increased in size until it weighs from 4 to 5 Ib. That this
Increase in size and juiciness has been obtained without
impairing its excellent keeping qualities has been proved by
shipments from this island. A consignment of 100 pines
made by his Honour the Administrator to London, a large
portion being supplied from the Station, arrived in good
order and realized 9d. each, at the same time as fruits
of the same variety grown and shipped from Antigua were
selling in London at 2. and 3d. each. In August a crate of
fruits was sent to the Halifax Exhibition and these remained
in perfect condition several weeks after their arrival in
Canada. In December an experiment shipment was made,
by direction of his Honour, to Liverpool, via Canada. Owing
to a breakdown of the steamer the pines reached Liverpool
after being six weeks on the journey, yet the fruits were in
good order. The Black Antigua is probably the best of all
the pines, and the one thing to aim at is to increase its size
and make it one of the ‘fancy’ pines.

Maipuri: This variety came from Demerara. It is a
fine, bold-looking fruit of good flavour, very juicy, averaging
6 to 7 Ib. Specimens have been grown 10 Ib. in weight.
Its chief drawback is the ridiculously small top for so large
a fruit. A shipment of one crate containing eight fruits,
made in December last per Royal Mail Steamer, reached
Liverpool, via Southampton, in perfect order. The fruits
were much admired and appreciated. Its merits as a shipping
pine cannot be known until further consignments have been
made during the hot months.

The Brazilian Pine, obtained through the Commissioner
of Agriculture, has fruited. It is unsuited for export on
account of its small size. Its habit of growth, too, is bad,
the fruit being borne on a very long stalk. Its flavour is
delicious and it is well worth growing for local markets.

La Brea: Perfect fruits of this are most handsome, but
we find that a very large percentage of the pines are spoiled
by the formation of grotesque tops. A suflicient number of
good-shaped fruits could not be got together to make a trial
shipment. The pines are of a good size averaging 6 to 7 Ib.
in weight.

Queen or Golden Queen: The suckers of the Golden
Queen obtained from Jamaica proved to be the same as the
variety ‘Queen’ already grown here, and which originally
came from Kew Gardens. This variety is largely grown in
hot-houses in England. It is a fine pine producing good
fruits weighing from 5 to 6 1b., but in Dominica it is affected

Worse sNowel2s

THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS.

181

with ‘black heart’ disease to such an extent that it is worth-
less for shipping.

Charlotte Rothschild: The fruits of this variety are
large and perfect in shape. If pines with a good appearance
are required in the markets, this variety would stand first.
Compared with other kinds its flavour is poor.

Slips of all the varieties are being grown in nursery
beds, and should a demand arise for plants the Garden will
be in a position to supply a quantity.

At one of the meetings of the local Agricultural Society
a collection of seven varieties of pine-apples was shown. The
weight of the collective exhibit was 35 Ib. or an average of
5 tb. per fruit.

SHIPPING SWEET POTATOS.

A well attended meeting of planters and others
was held at the Planters’ Hall, Barbados, on September
6, his Excellency Sir Frederic M. Hodgson, K.C.M.G.,
in the Chair. The object of the meeting was to place
before the public the actual results of the experiments
in shipping sweet potatos to England which have been
conducted during the past year.

Sir Frederic Hodgson, in the course of his intro-
ductory remarks suggested that the name ‘ Barbados
potato’ be adopted tor export purposes, adding ‘we
have the Jamaica banana, the Liberian coffee, and we
ought to have the ‘Barbados potato.’

Dr. D. Morms, C.M.G., reviewed the efforts already
made. He pointed out that when the matter
was started last year an appeal was made to a few
planters only to join in the experiment. The most cordial
co-operation was at once received and during the whole
of the period, frony December to May, a certain number
of barrels of potatos was shipped by each mail to
appointed agents in England. ‘The potatos were put
on the market and sold for whatever they would fetch.
The matter having passed successfully through this
preliminary stage, it was now intended to throw it
open to the whole island. Any planter wishing to
take part in the experiment should send in his name
to Mr, J. R. Bovell, the Superintendent of the Botanic
Station, who would arrange for the shipment of the
potatos to appointed agents. An account of the profits
arising from the trial shipments has already been given
(see p. 99). To this Dr. Morris was enabled to add
that, allowing £3 per acre as the cost of cultivation,
the net amount the planter should receive, according
to the available data, appeared to be about £9 to £10
per acre. Planters must, however, carefully bear in
mind that the expurtation of sweet potatos still
demands careful organization. There is as yet only
a limited demand and any large and unexpected ship-
ment may easily swamp the market. It is essential
to have definitely appomted agents ready to receive
an arranged number of barrels of potatos, just
as many in fact as can be disposed of immediately

they arrive. What is wanted is a regular supply of

produce of good quality, and suitable size, delivered in
Bridgetown a day before the mail leaves.

An interesting discussion followed and finally the
following resolution was proposed and carried unani-
mously :—

———)

That it is advisable that Planters who are desirous of
assisting this movement should send in their names at an
early date to the Superintendent of the Botanic Station
stating the quantities they are prepared to ship, and the
special dates on which they are prepared to ship them. That
all arrangements should be left in the hands of the Super-
intendent of the Botanic Station, and we pledge ourselves
to use our influence that no shipments be made except
through him.

DIRECTIONS FOR PACKING.

For the guidance of intending shippers of the
‘Parbados Potato’ the fol'owing regulations have been
issued by the Superintendent of the Botanic Station,
through whom for the time being all shipments are to
be made:—

Potatos intended for shipment to the English
market should be dug on the Monday preceeding the
Saturday on which the Royal Mail Steam Packet
Company's steamers leave Barbados. They should be
then spread on the floor of a dry, well-ventilated room,
until the following Friday, when they are to be packed
in barrels and sent to Messrs. Gardiner Austin & Co.’s
store, Pier Head, Bridgetown. The barrels should
have about one dozen equi-distant, clean-cut holes of
11 inch diameter bored in the sides for ventilation.
The object of drying the potatos for a few days before
they are packed is to harden the skin and so prevent
its being easily bruised.

Red potatos will be taken in preference to white
ones.

The potatos should not be less than twelve nor
more than twenty ounces in weight.

Bruised, over large, or improperly packed potatos
will be rejected.

A deduction of 5 per cent. on the selling price
will be charged for receiving the potatos, shipping them,
receiving and distributing the money, ete.

TORONTO EXHIBITION.

The Toronto Daily Star for September 5, con-
tains the following appreciatory comments on the
West India Exhibit. Great credit appears to be due
to Messrs. Pickford and Black for their care in display-
ing the produce of these Colonies :-—

The display of British West Indies’ products by Pickford
and Black of Halifax is one of the most neatly arranged in
the entire grounds, and to those who have never visited
these islands of pleasant breezes an inspection of the Pickford
and Black exhibit is a revelation.

The West Indies hold as native a tree called the green-
heart, and a sample ef this wood is on exhibition. It is
almost as hard as ironwood, and yet its interior is composed
of pith, which is of considerable value commercially.

The deftness of native fingers is shown in really
marvellous fancy work, made both from the bark of trees
and native grass. Jippi-Jappa hats are also tributes to deft
hands, and a close second to Panamas in looks and lightness.

Gold-bearing minerals and diamonds add mute tribute
to the resourcefulness of the region.

Then there are also seen cocoa-nuts bunched, and ripen-
ing upon a branch; citrons, limes, lemons, oranges, calabashes
aloes, bitter aloes, and raw cotton.

The display is new, and is one of the most artistically
arranged on the grounds.

THE

AGRICULTURAL NEWS.

SEPTEMBER 27, 1902.

EDITORIAL NOTICES.

Letters and matter for publication, as well as all
specimens for naming should be addressed to the Commis-
sioner, Imperial Department of Agriculture,
Barbados.

It is particularly requested that no letters be addressed
to any member of the statf by name. Such a course may
entail delay.

Communications should always be written on one side
of the paper only. It should be understood that no contri-
butions or specimens will, in any case, be returned.

All application for copies of the ‘Agricultural
News’ should be addressed to the Agents, and
not to the Department. A complete list of the London
and Local agents will be found on page 191 of this
number,

Correspondents sending newspapers should be careful to
mark the paragraphs they wish to bring under notice.

Agricultural dlews

No. 12.

Vox. I. 1902.

NOTES AND COMMENTS.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 27,

Surra Disease in Horses.

A summary of the character of this disease and its
accompanying symptoms has already appeared on
p-. 147 of this Journal. The attention of the West
Indian Governments and stock owners is directed to
the following extract quoted by Nature, the leading
English scientific weekly Journal :— :

Surra, a disease affecting horses and other animals,
and due to a protozoan parasite, the Trypanosoma
Evansi, has been found to be very prevalent in the
Philippines, causing the death of no less than 2,000

of the army transport and cavalry horses in a period of

six months. ‘This disease, met with also in India and
3urma, is now regarded as identical with nagana or
the tsetse-fly disease of Africa. In India, the exact
mode of transference of the disease from one animal to
another has not been discovered, though certain
‘horse flies’ have been surmised to be the interme-
diaries. In the Philippines, Curry states that the
intermediary is a fly, Slomorys calcitrans. The tly
lays its eggs in the excrement of horses and eattle,
in which its larvae and pupae thrive, and as the disease
is almost always fatal, prophylactic measures must be
employed, especially the destruction of the larvae and
pupae in the excrements by treatment with lime or
petroleum (Amer. Med. July 19).

The ravages of the tsetse-fly disease in Africa are

unfortunately only too well known. The importance of

this note to the West Indies will be apparent when we
state that the fly (Stomoays calcitrans) which is
stated to be the intermediary in the Philippines, is
known to occur in St. Vincent, and in all probability is

found elsewhere in the West Indies. It appears to be
known popularly as the ‘Biting Stable fly” The
introduction of one diseased horse or mule into any of
these islands would therefore be sufficient to serve as
a centre for the spread of this fatal disease.

a

The Selection of Canes for Replanting.

The attention of sugar planters is directed to the
note of warning given in connexion with White Trans-
parent cane on p. 179 of this number. Mr. J. R. Bovell
there points out that in the past season’s experiments
at Barbados, White Transparent contained more rotten
canes than any of the other varicties alongside which
it was grown. The amount of disease may not be
serious at present, but planters should be extremely
careful to replant only from healthy, vigorous canes,
which show uo signs of fungoid disease,

+ rr

Sugar-cane experiments in Barbados.

In the course of a review of the sugar-cane
experiments at Barbados, the Lowisiana Planter of
August 23, says :—

While the work thus so effectively carried out in
Barbados does not exactly comply with our climatie
and other Louisiana conditions, the whole subject is
one of great interest to us, as we have many points in
cane culture in common, and the careful study of
scientific investigation of the cane plant and of sugar
manufacture in the English West Indies will always be
a matter of great moment to us, and we sincerely wish
the gentlemen promoting it the highest degree of
success,

———_ =

Packing Sweet Potatos.

A Farmer's Bulletin of the U.S. Dept. of Agricul-
ture issued last year gives a good illustration of the
necessity of carefully packing produce which has to be
sent any considerable distance.

‘Some enterprising growers of sweet potatos in
New Jersey took the lead in adopting standards of
appearance and quality, in grading uniformly, and
packing carefully, in giving their produce a distinctive
naine and putting it on the market in the best possible
condition with the grower’s name or initials on each
package. . . Buyers understood that “Jersey Sweets”,
on which the grower has put his name are uniform
throughout the barrel with the single exception that a
layer of selected tubers is placed on the bottom of the
barrel in packing, which appears on the top when the
barrel is opened.’

The care and extra labour entailed has proved to
be well re-paid financially, and shippers of ‘ Barbados
potatos’ would be well advised in endeavouring to
attain a similar standard, so that their produce may
secure the confidence of the market. Directions for
packing sweet potatos for export will be found on
p- 181 of this number.

Vor. E No; 12

THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS.

183

The Usefulness of Botanic Stations.

The list of plants distributed by the Botanic
Station, Dominica, during: the year ending March 31,
1902, affords an excellent example of the useful work
being done by these institutions in promoting the
agricultural welfare of the West Indies. This branch
ot the work of a Botanic Station is apt to be overlooked
by the casual visitor. It makes very little show and
yet demands an enormous expenditure of time on the
part of the most skilled members of the Station staff.

The nurseries, so laboriously filled during the
months of preparation, with plants raised from seeds
and cuttings, are rapidly emptied at the planting
season and all the work has to be commenced afresh.

The Dominica Station during last season dis-
tributed 60,500 economic plants in addition to large
quantities of seeds, pine suckers, onion sets, ete.
Amongst the more important items were 37,000 limes
and 735 of the new spineless variety; 12,000 cacao
plants; over 1,000 nutmeg plants; 3,000 sour orange

plants for stock, and some 600 budded oranges. Of

special importance were 450 rubber plan's, for the
cultivation of which Dominica seems well adapted.

Oe ee

Report of the Scientific Commissioners.

The Preliminary Report of Drs. Tempest Anderson
and J. S. Flett, who were appointed by the Royal
Society to investigate the recent volcanic disturbances,
has been issued in the Proceedings of the Royal
Society, Vol. 70, pp. 423-45. The sequence of events
in St. Vincent and Martinique is concisely given, and
the general similarity of the voleanic phenomena in
the two islands indicated. The violent eruption a
Mont Pelée on July 9, which they were so fortunate a
to view at close quarters and yet escape unharmed is
graphically described :—‘The sailors cried “The mount-
ain bursts”! In an incredibly short space of time a

red hot avalanche swept down to the sea. .
Undoubtedly the velocity was terrific. Had any
buildings stood in its path they would have been

~ utterly wiped out and no living creature could have
survived the blast. . . There can be no doubt that the
eruption we witnessed was a counterpart of that which
destroyed St. Pierre.’

The three fine plates with which the report is
illustrated bear testimony to Dr. Anderson’s skill as a
photographer. The Commissioners express _ their
thanks to the various officers and others who mitigated
their labours and to the members of the Imperial
Department of Agriculture in the various islands who
‘received us with the greatest kindness, and gave us
invaluable help throughout.’ A full account. of the
voleanic phenomena will appear in the forthcoming
number of the West Indian Bulletin, which it is
hoped will be published next month.

ne Al A
Budded Citrus Stock.

The superiority of budded citrus plants seems to
be se appreciated in many parts of the West Indies.
The large number distributed during the past year

from the Dominica Station, where great attention is
given to this work, has been noted above. Mr. J. H.
Hart, Superintendent of the Royal Botanic Gardens,
Trinidad, writes: ‘The fact of the demand being
beyond the supply proves to the hilt that the value oe
budded stock is a well-re cognized fact. He adds that
young budded plants can also be obtained trom Messrs.
Reasoner Brothers, Florida, at 25 to 30 cents per post.
‘They come fairly well, but are not so strong as our
own buds.’

TTD ee
West India Isinglass.

In reply to the inquiry on p. 154 as to the source
of West India Isinglass, Mr. J. H. Hart writes -—

‘This is brought from the mainland rivers and
bartered here for goods. It is the “sound” of a species
of sturgeon round! there in considerable quantity. It
1S shipped from Trinidad to Europe by several of our
merchants.’

Mr. Hart was good enough to accompany his
remarks with a small ‘sound’ bout seven inches in
length, and five ounces in weight.

a
Destruction of Fish at Barbados.

A correspondent, who is deeply interested in the
fishery prospects at Barbados writes in reference to
the illegal destruction of fish going on in this island :—

Has your attention been called to the systematic
destruction of the fish of the best descriptions which visit
our coast in vast shoals in this and the preceeding months,
by poachers using dynamite to kill them? A visit to the
fish market any day will satisfy you that the legitimate
capture wants regulating, to prevent immature fish being
captured and sold. The subject of the fish-food of this
community seriously wants looking after to secure the
abundance from wanton waste. The capture of bait is also
another source of wanton waste of young fish and _fish-food.
It could all be controlled for the benefit of the food supply
of the community.

OO ——
Rubber from Young Trees.

In the Annual Report, 1901, on the Royal
Botanic Gardens, Trinidad, Mr J. H. Hart writes —

‘Some few years ago I published an informal
account of an analysis of a year-old tree, made by a
gentleman who had unde rtaken the study of the ae
of Custilloa, and he reported finding 8 per cent. of
rubber: but it is now evident that ‘although rubber
material may have been found, it was of inferior quality,
and only the lar ger trees, eight or ten years old, can
be depended upon to furnish rubber of good quality.
It was anticipated that rubber material could have
been extracted from one-year-old-trees, but this has
proved illusory, for although, chemically, the rubber is
there, yet it is not in such a condition as to make it of
market value, and up to the present no chemical
process has been devised which will change the soft
and sticky material obtained from young trees into the
hard and elastic produce afforded by mature trees.’

This point was also dealt with by Mr. Hart at the
Agricultural Conference of 1900. (See West Indian
Bulletin, Vol. If, p- 102.)

184

THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS.

SEPTEMBER 27, 1902.

INSECT NOTES.

The Woolly Pyrol Moth.

A large area of green dressings is grown annually
in Barbados and has this year, as in some previous
years, suffered heavily from the attacks of insects.
Whole fields have been destroyed by the caterpil-
lars of the Woolly Pyrol Moth and apparently
little or no effort has been made to check this
destruction. There is a current belief that the eating
up of these green dressings is of no importance
as the vegetable matter reaches the soil after passing
through the bodies of the caterpillars, and thus is not
really lost to the soil. This would be true if the whole
of the material of the plant reached the soil through
the caterpillar, and if as much vegetable matter were
produced by the plant whether or no the caterpillars
ate its foliage. Unfortunately neither of these suppo-
sitions 1s correct.

This moth lives all the year round on a variety of
plants ‘and does not increase to any great cxtent
until its food-plants (woolly pyrol and other green
dressings) are planted over large areas. The abun-
dance of its food supply then leads to rapid increase
and the green dressings are gradually destroyed. As
was pointed out in the 6th. Lecture to Planters in
Barbados, in October 1901, this state of things need
never occur. If at the commencement of the attack,
the plants were sprayed with Paris green or other
arsenical poison, or 1f they were dusted with a mixture
of lime and Paris green, the first batch of caterpillars
would be destroyed and the attack checked ut its
outset. The matter is in the hands of the planter,
and if he followed this course it is probable that his
crop would attain its full growth and he would not
grow a stunted crop to be chiefly consumed in fecding
hordes of caterpillars, which later become moths and fly
away.

Insects Attacking Indian Corn.

Where ever Indian corn has been observed in the
Lesser Antilles, insect attack has been a prominent
feature. The principal pests noted are the following :—

(1) The Moth-borer of sugar-cane, which tunnels
in the stems and ears of the corn.

(2) The Corn Kav Worm, a caterpillar which
destroys the leaves, and especially the cobs, eating into
the latter chiefly at the upper end.

(3)
plant louse found in great numbers on the leaves and
leat-sheaths.

(4) The Corn Fly, constantly present in great
numbers on the leaves and leaf-sheaths. This is a

The Corm Aphis, a somewhat serious form of

small grey-brown insect, very active, similar to the
cane fly (Delphax).

In addition to these four there are others of less
importance. The question of insect attacks on growing
corn appears to be neglected by planters. | No reports
have been received of these attacks and no inquiries
have been made as to the remedies. It is proposed
to study these pests in detail and planters and others
who may observe any insect attacking growing corn
are requested to assist the Department by forward-
ing information and specimens.

This problem is quite distinct from that of the
insects attacking stored corn; this question is also
receiving attention and any information or specimens
concerning insects in stored corn will be of value.
There is no doubt that these pests can be combated
and there need not be so large a loss in the Indian
corn crop as there is at present. But until those who
actually grow and reap the corn are aware of the fact
that these pests are at work and will supply imtorma-
tion and specimens, it will not be possible to assist
them to the full extent possible in the fight against
their insect enemies.

Insects Attacking Sweet Potatos.

The insect pests of the sweet potato have been
under observation during the past two years and some
information concerning them has been already pub-
lished. At the present time, a large amount of the
crop is lost from insect attacks. Itis believed that this
loss is preventable, if planters and others will only take
the necessary precautions to secure the full yield from
their crops. .

There are recorded five serious pests of sweet
potato including ‘Searabee’ or ‘Jacobs, the Potato
Moth, and the Red Spider. These were dealt with
fully in the 6th Lecture to Planters in Barbados in
October 1901. In addition there are two serious
pests, as well as eight of nunor importance. The sweet
potato crop is of such importance in Barbados and the
West Indies generally that it is desirable to obtain
as full facts as possible concerning its pests. Any
information respecting attacks of insects on sweet
potato will be of value, and all specimens forwarded to
this Department will be carefully studied and will
materially aid in the investigation of these pests. So
far as can be seen, a small sum of money spent per
acre will be sufficient so thoroughly to check most of
these pests that the outlay will be far more than
repaid in the increased yield. It is bad policy to grow
a crop and obtain only a portion of the possible yield
when a small outlay would secure a far larger yield,
and it is solely on this basis that any recommendations
are made with regard to the treatment of insect pests.
It is hoped that more attention will be paid to this
point. A. field of young potatos should be most care-
fully watched for signs of disease, as the remedies can
only be successful if applied early. In addition every
planter should, and could, be familiar with these pests
so that he may recognize the onset of the attack of
any of them.

EVOL ele ENO- 12:

THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS.

185

LAGOS SILK RUBBER.

Lagos silk rubber has been repeatedly mentioned
in these pages as one of the rabber plants which is at
present giving the best promise under cultivation im
the West Indies. In Trinidad, Tobago, Dominiea, it 1s
thriving, and so far as can be said now presents every
appearance of becoming of economic importance. The
following early account of the species is taken from the
Cantor Lectures on ‘Plants yielding Commercial
India rubber, given by Dr. Morris before the Society
of Arts in 1898 :—

A new
rubber- yield-
ing plant
suddenly
came into
notice in the
colony of

Lagos in
1894. This

proved to be
a handsome
tree, locally
known as Ire,
Jreh, or Ereh.
Tt belongs to
the same
natural order
as the Lan-
dolphias. The
particulars
respecting 1t
were gradu-
ally accumu-
lated at Kew
until at last
it was deter-
mined to be
Kickria afri-
cand, Benth.,
[now known
as Funtunia
elastica,

Sir George) Denton, C.M.G., two pieces of the trunk of the
Lagos rubber-tree, each about 10 inches to a foot in diameter
scored with the marks of the rubber gatherers. They were sent
as the “female” rubber-tree, a name we learn that is locally
applied to the Aickxria africana, Benth. It is thus distin-
guished from //olarrhena africana, quite a different plant,
which is fancifully called the “male” rubber-tree. The latter is
also an Apocynaceous plant, but not known to yield any rubber.

In tapping the trees the bark is first cut ma vertical
direction from the bottom to the top. This single lme is
about } to 2 of an inch broad, and deep enough to reach
the inner
bark, ‘his
forms the
main groove,
on each side
of this two
series of ob-
lique grooves
about 2 feet
apart are cut,
each running
into the main
groove. The
side grooves
are made, be-
ginning at
the top, and
gradually
reaching the
base of the
tree. All the
milk exuding
froin the lat-
eral grooves
will find its
way into the
main groove
and so ulti-
mately reach
the bottom,
wherea vessel
is placed to

Stapf. ], atree reece i ib
widely dis- . : len suffi-
puged ae Fig. 14. Lacos Sirx MRusser. cientmilkhas
West Africa [Funtunia elastica (Kickxia africana. ] accumulated
: Sierr: ; : : : ; it is then
from Sierra (1.) Flowering branch (two-thirds natural size). (2.) Bud. (38.) Segment of calyx, with glands 1 va ‘lee a4
Leone to the at the base. (4.) Corolla, eut open, with style and stigma removed. (5.) Anther, front : se i Eee
delta of the view. (6.) Pistil with disk (d). (7.) A pair of follicles (fruit)—two-thirds natural made into
Niger, the size. (8.)Seed. (9.) Transverse section of seed (¢. testa, a. albuinen, ¢. cavity). rubber.

island of
Fernando
Po, and the Gaboon.
The previous information was very scanty. It is believed
that rubber was first obtained from it on the Gold Coast in
1883. In 1888 seeds of it were introduced to Europe as a
substitute for Strophanthus seed, and stated to be worth 72s.
per lb. They were called “ India-rubber” seeds, but nothing
further could be obtained respecting them. The following
extracts are taken from the Aew Bulletin, 1890 (pp.
242-247) : --
‘In September, 1894, Kew received from Captain (now

Nos. 2 to 6, and 8 and 9, all enlarged.—_[From the Kew Bulletin. ]

The me-
thods adopt-
ed for coagulating the milk are then described. These are
at present of two kinds, viz.: “the cold process” and the
“heat process.” The cold process is chiefly practised by the
Fanti men introduced from the Gold Coast. A cavity is
excavated in the trunk of a fallen tree so as to form a
cistern of the capacity necessary for holding the milk collected
during several days. Into this the rubber gatherers pour the
milk, after straining it, from day to day until it is quite full.
It is then covered with palm leaves and left for twelve to
fourteen days and sometimes much longer, depending on the

186 THE

AGRICULTURAL

NEWS. SEPTEMBER 27, 1902_

season, until most of the watery portions have either evapo-
rated or sunk into the wood. After being kneaded and
pressed together the rubber thus. obtained has a dark brown-
ish colour, with the inner portions of a shghtly lighter
colour, Such rubber is known locally as “silk rubber.” The
local price is from 10d. to 1s, 2d. per pound. The heat process
is the one generally adopted by the natives of Lagos,
This is much simpler in working, as it disposes of all the
milk collected at the close of each day. After being
strained the milk is placed in a vessel and boiled. ‘The
rubber begins to coagulate almost directly the heat is
applied, and after the boiling is over is removed in a
somewhat sticky condition, owing to being burnt, and of a
blackish colour. The local price of this rubber is from 9d.
to Is. per pound. It is pointed out that the heat process,
though simpler, impairs the quality of the rubber and is
calculated to injure the industry. It is probable that if the
heat process were somewhat modified the results would not
be so injurious. An experiment was tried at the Botanic
Station to coagulate the milk by heat, but not applied
directly to it. The result was much more satisfactory. The
rubber came off a milky-white colour, and after being
pressed it was clean and firm without being sticky.

The history of this new rubber industry in Lagos is full
of interest, and illustrates the wonderfully rich resources of
the vast forests of West Africa. It shows also very clearly
how largely these resources can be developed by judicious
and intelligent action on the part of the Government.

Should the new rubber Kickxia continue of commercial
value, there is no doubt that it will eventually be possible to
establish regular plantations, and thus make the industry a
permanent one. It has always been seen that owing to the
climbing habit of the species of the Landolphia, which have
hitherto yielded African rubber, it was not practicable to
cultivate them in regular plantations as they required the
support of other plants, and when once tapped many years
would have to elapse before they would be fit to yield
another crop. With the Kickxia these practical diftictlties
disappear.

According to M. Chalot Avekxia africana has been
found lately in Gaboon. Specimens have been measured
1 metre in circumference and 12 to 15 metres high. Each
tree is estimated to yield annually, without any injury, at
least 15 lb. of rubber.’

It is hoped to supplement the information here
given by a summary of the results of the cultivation
of the Lagos rubber tree in various parts of the
West Indies.

The God-Ochro (Cereus triangularis ).

The scaly flowering buds of this epiphytal cactus are
known among the peasantry of Jamaica as God-ochro and
used as an ingredient in soups, as formerly they were in the
celebrated ‘pepper pots’ of the West Indies.

As aculinary vegetable this God-ochro is equal if not
superior to the Ochro (//‘biscus esculentus), and it is a
matter of surprise it is not more generally met with in the
markets.

The flower of the God-ochro is one of those known as the
Night-Howering Cereus, remarkable for their large white and
partially straw-coloured flowers, about 8 inches in diameter,
The fruit, known as ‘strawberry pear,’ contains a pleasant
sweet pulp enclosing numerous black seeds. The plant. itself,
which is a long triangular creeper is often used for withes
(lianes) or tying material for fences.

POULTRY.

The following is the fifth in Mr. John Barclay’s-
series of articles written especially for the Agricul—
tural News. The importance of the subject has.
rendered if necessary to occupy two numbers in the
discussion of ‘Feeding’ :—

FEEDING,

The best single food-stutf for fowls would be oats or
wheat, with the products of wheat called variously, middlings,
shirds and sharps. These are almost typically complete foods
for Jamaica, but they have to be imported and my deter-
mination has been to find food produced in the West Indies
for our hens, foods that people may be able to grow
themselves, or be able to buy from small settlers. Besides,
the imported foods are only to be purchased in the large
cities like Kingston, Jamaica; Bridgetown, Barbados ; Port-
of-Spain, Trinidad ; or Georgetown, British Guiana, and near
these cities there is no particular difficulty in fanciers keep-
ing any breeds they please and making them successful : but
at very considerable outlay for foodstuffs. It never pays
to run poultry so far as striet £ s. d. is concerned, when
all the food used has to be purchased, but people often
like to keep their own fowls, even if they hive to buy
food for them, so that they may be assured the eggs they
use are fresh, and that they may have nice, clean-fed fowls
for table, always at hand. I am here dealing with the
question strictly from a utility point of view, for country
parts where planters and settlers keep fowls and wish to
make them pay in every direction. To feed cheaply, combining
sufficient nutrition and a well balanced diet, is what
puzzles most people. The commonest foods and the handiest
and cheapest, are nearly all very starchy foeds which alone
do not give best results as foods for poultry.

LOCAL FOODS.

We grow and use in the West Indies, rice and its.
by-product rice-bran, corn (maize), guinea corn, peas of various
kinds, roots like tannias (called Cocos in Jamaica), sweet
potatos, yams, cocoa-nuts and bananas. All, except the cocoa-
nut are starchy foods, only the peas and cocoa-nut being rich
in flesh-formers, while oil or fat is largely present in corn
and cocoa-nuts. We also find the flesh-formers in animal food
and thus meat scraps from the table are very good food
for fowls. However, as most people have dogs to feed,
there is little meat stuff available for fowls, and as our
aim is to make the fowls as easily fed and as_ profita-
ble as possible, there is no use in buying even the
cheapest forms of meat scraps for them except they
are closely confined, when animal food must be given in
some form. owls in nature pick up at least half their food
in the form of insects, grubs and worms; thus a purely
grain diet would not give best results.

CORN,

The most common food used in the West Indies is of
corn (maize), because it is perhaps the easiest
available, the fowls being exceedingly fond of it and taking
it before any other form of vegetable food. As a single:

course

Wor, 1G) Wwos RE

THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS.

187

ration or used as a large part of the food of fowls, whole
-corn is responsible for much of the mortality in our poultry.
Plainly I say, that, a great many of the diseases and troubles
that etfect fowls, are directly due to feeding them on whole
-eorn, and little or nothing else but corn.

CONTENTS OF A MODEL FOOD,

A model pound of food for a fowl as calculated for
northern climates, should contain 21% ounces of protein
(albumen, or flesh-formers); 1,'; ounce of fat and 12,5
ounces of starch. For the West Indies, less fat and less
food altogether (their being less animal heat to be sustained)
will make a more suitable ration, so we may knock off 5
in the fat altogether.

ILL EFFECTS OF FEEDING CORN ONLY.

Every pound of corn is deficient in flesh-formers, to the
extent of 1 ounce 1 drachm, and im starch 1 ounce
11 drachms, while there is an excess of fat, the very thing
that should be avoided in our always warm climate, of
4 drachms, or of one fourth of an ounce. If fowls fed on
-corn alone were to eat enough to get sufficient flesh-formers,
they would have to eat an excess of starch, which is fattening,
to the extent of 3 ounces 9 drachms, almost a quarter of
a pound, and of fat an excess of 1 ounce. As an egg consists
on an average of a little over a quarter of an ounce of
albumen (flesh-formers) which is the white, and a little less
than a quarter of an ounce of fat, which is the yolk, the
remainder being chiefly water, it will be seen that there must
be this flesh-forming element called albumen to a sufficient
extent in the food of the hens, and if to get this there is
a large surplus of the starch and fat elements, the hen cannot
use these up in energy or in making eggs, but lay up the
surplus in fat. When a hen becomes very fat, the egg-making
organs are clogged and she lays first, irregularly, stopping for
several days, then laying a double yolk egg or some monstro-
sity ; then she stops laying altogether ; then not having any
outlet for the fat-zmaking food she is still eating, and as a fat
hen is disinclined for exercise and does not go scratching
after food, she lays up fat more rapidly, until, if not killed
for table, one day she staggers, turns round as if giddy and
falls dead, or in the morning is found dead beneath the
roost. The immediate cause of death is apoplexy, the
attributing cause fat, and the primary cause too much corn,
If dissected the liver will be found enlarged, flabby, and
diseased all through.

(To be continued.)

DEPARTMENT NEWS.

Dr. D. Morris, C.M.G., the Commissioner of
Agriculture for the West Indies, left Barbados in the
SS. Tennyson on Tuesday September 16, for New
York. The principal object of his visit to the States
is to attend the International Conference on Plant-
Breeding and Hybridization to be held at New York
on September 30 and October I to 2. Dr. Morris will
also visit some of the leading agricultural institutions of
the United States, and interview important merchants
and others with reference to a possible market for
West Indian produce in that country.

Pamphlet No. 17 of the Department Series,
entitled: The General treatment of Fungoid Pests
has been issued and may be obtaimed from any of the
Jocal agents of the Department, price 4d., post free, 5d.

The pamphlet contains a simply written account of the
life-history of a typical fungus, and deals in succession
with the more important root, stem, leaf, fruit and
seed diseases of the West Indies. Practical remedies
are given for each, Chapters are added on the prepara-
tion, application and cost of fungicides; the introduction
of new pests, and directions for collecting and forward-
ing specimens. Five illustrations accompany the text.

During the past fortnight Pamphlet No. 18,
Recipes for cooking West Indian Yams has also been
published, (Price two-pence). It contains a_ brief,
popular account of the yam written, not for dwellers in
the tropics, but for those to whom the yam plant is not
familiar. This introductory portion is followed by
recipes for cooking yams and presenting them at table
in an attractive manner. The pamphlet will be widely
distributed in the United Kingdom and America and
other countries with which it is proposed to endeavour
to foster a trade in West Indian yams.

EDUCATIONAL.

Agricultural Scholarships at Antigua.

As announced on p. 107 of the Agricultural News the
Department has been enabled to offer assistance in the
teaching of elementary science and agriculture at the
Antigua Grammar School. One practical step has been the
founding of scholarships to be awarded to boys of Antigua
and Montserrat, preferably the sons of planters.

An examination has recently been held by Mr. Francis
Watts the Government Chemist, and the Rev. 8. E.
Branch, Headmaster of the School. As the result Henry
Howes of Montserrat has been recommended for a ‘Boarding
scholarship’, of the value of £20 per annum, and Victor
Brookes, Donald Christian, Sydney Christian, Randolph
Buckley, Stewart MacSevney, and Osear Kelstick, all of
Antigua, for ‘Day scholarships’ of the annual value of
£10 each.

The day scholarships cover practically the whole of the
recipient’s school expenses, whilst the boarding scholarship
meets about half the total charges. Thirteen boys competed
tor the seven scholarships awarded.

Cambridge Local Examinations.

When drawing attention on p. 27 of this journal, to
the syllabus of the new section of Agricultural Science of
the Cambridge Local Examinations, we appended some
suggestions, made by the Department, to render the
syllabus more suited to West Indian conditions.
Concerning these suggestions the Secretary of the
Examination Board in England writes:

The modifications in our schedule for Agricultural
Science (Seniors) suggested for centres in the West Indies,
have now been adopted by the Syndicate ; and I have to
thank the Imperial Department of Agriculture for the
assistance which they have given us in the matter.

In the papers for December next, alternative questions
will be set in accordance with the modified schedule.

THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS.

SEPTEMBER 27, 1902..

NEWS FROM THE ISLANDS.

The Hon’ble Francis Watts, B.Sc., has been appointed a
member of the recently constituted Board of Health for the
Country districts of Antigua.

There are some vacancies for pupils at the Agricultural
School, St. Lucia. Applications should be made to the
Curator, Botanic Station, St. Lucia, from whom full partic-
ulars can be obtained, on or before the 30th. instant.

The Highbury rest-house has been opened for the use of
visitors and travellers in Dominica, 74 miles from Roseau, at
1,800 feet elevation and near the Imperial road. It is
specially intended for persons who wish to prospect Crown
lands. Application for permission to use it should be made
at the Colonial Engineer's Office.

The 8S. 8. 7rent carried a large consignment of fruit
from Jamaica to London, 1,000 packages of oranges alone,
the Jamaica Daily Telegraph reports to have been put on
board.

Mr. John BR. Bovell, F.L.S., has been appointed a
member of the Central Poor Law Board of Barbados.

Vanilla cultivation is becoming well established in
various parts of Dominica. Large quantities of plants are
now available, and the climate appears well adapted to the
cultivation.

The recent voleanie disturbances appear to have caused
considerable changes in the sea bed, and extraordinary
difficulties have been encountered in attempting to repair
the interrupted telegraphic cables.

The Hon’ble Wm. Fawcett, B.Se., has been invited to
deliver a lecture at the New York Botanie Gardens during
his visit to the Plant-Breeding and Hybridization Conference.
He purposes to take as his subject ‘Jamaica, a Paradise for
the Botanist.’

The weather in Barbados is extremely dry for the
season of the year, and the crops are suffering for lack of
water. The condition of the canes on the higher lands
threatens soon to become serious if the drought continues.

A Planters’ Guild has been formed in Barbados to
initiate and promote ‘measures ealeulated to advance the
interests of the sugar industry and improve the condition of
the island in general.’

°

Fresh Teneriffe onion seed (both red and white varieties)
can now be purchased at the Dominica Botanic Station at
2d. per packet.

An effort is being made to promote a ‘Jamaica
Preserves and Honey Company Limited.’ The capital is to be
raised by 10,000 shares of £1 each. Mr. A.E. Wigan is to be
the managing Director in Jamaica.

The weather in St. Lucia during July and August has.
been favourable to the crops. The rainfall has averaged
about 10 inches per month.

The cacao crop of St. Lucia is stated to be much
improved in prospects, although the May flowers held very
poorly. With suitable weather the crop will probably be in
excess of that of last year.

Mr. W. N. Sands, Curator of the Botanie Station,
Antigua, read an interesting paper before the local Agricul-
tural Society on the ‘Improvement of local varieties of
Indian corn’. We hope to give a full summary in a later
issue,

Seeds of the ‘ Barbados Squash’, an excellent vegetable
which appears to be little used elsewhere in the West
Indies, have recently been distributed by the Department to-
all the Botanic Stations. The plant will be carefully
cultivated to test its suitability to local conditions.

The Dominica Botanic Garden contains an excellent
collection of the best kinds of East Indian bananas, obtained
originally through the Royal Gardens, Kew. Twenty-three
varieties were sent last month to the Royal Botanic
Gardens, Trinidad.

The rotting of pineapples which unfortunately occurs
sometimes during transit 1s apparently due to two fungi,
one of which enters by bruises and the other by the cut ends
of the stalks. ‘To prevent their ravages, it is necessary to
take great care in packing the fruit, and to guard against
bruising and crushing during transit.

Chives are reported to do well on the highlands of
Grenada and are said to yield a good profit with careful
cultivation.

Of nine varieties of beans and peas tried as green
dressings in Antigua this year, the Louisiana cow pea (or
white bonavist) and the Montpellier bean gave the most
satisfactory results. They were both fairly resistant to inseet
attacks.

Antigua exported during last season 27,300Ib of
onions to the intercolonial and New York markets. In
addition Jarge quantities were consumed locally. The crop
was less than the previous year owing to the abnormally
Wet season.

Trinidad has received a supply of the Spineless Lime
frcm the Potanic Station at Dominica.

Owing to the Smooth Cayenne pine at
Antigua the Imperial Department of Agriculture is endeavour
ing to encourage its cultivation by importing suckers for
distribution to planters, at less than cost price. 500 suckers
have already been introduced from Jamaica, and 1,500 more
are expected shortly.

suecess of

Wor IL) Nowi!2: THE

AGRICULTURAL NEWS.

189

LORE

others.

EST INFLUENCES. By
Bulletin No. 7, Forestry Division, U.S. Department
of Agriculture.

B. E. Fernow and

The question of the preservation of existing forests in
the West Indian Islands and of replanting portions of some
of these Colonies with trees has often been raised. The
islands have been visited by forest experts and, in the case
of Trinidad, a new forestry department has been instituted.
The general idea has been that the removal of forest affects
climate and rainfall unfavourably. Whether the many
writers on this question could furnish reliable and accurate
scientific data for their opinions is open to question,
Climatic conditions avise from so many complex causes
that extreme caution is called for in drawing general
conclusions that changes in climate which may have taken
place at the same time as deforestation have actually been
caused by forest removal.

The necessity of studying the question on the basis of
accurate measurements and observations before arriving at
premature conclusions is admirably laid down in the bulletin
before us, as wellas the real questions to which answers should
be sought as a result of such investigations. It is not so much
the effects of forests on the general climate which are impor-
tant as the local modifications in climatic conditions which
a forest area may produce. Agricultural production depends
not so much on the amount of rainfall as on its auton
throughout the year.

The main portion of the bulletin is taken up with a
systematic consideration of the meteorological observations
accumulated in Germany and elsewhere at forest stations, and
of the relation of forests to water supplies. The author sums
up the inquiry as follows :—

‘We may summarise that the position of the forest as a
climatic factor is still uncertain, at least as to its practical
and quantitative importance, but that its relation to water
and soil conditions is well established. As a climatic factor
it would appear that the forest of the plain is of more
importance than that of the mountains, where the more
potent influence of elevation obscures and reduces in signifi-
cance the influence of their cover; as a regulator of water
conditions the forest of the mountain is the important
factor ; and since this influence makes itself felt far distant
from the location of the forest, the claim for attention of
Government activity and for statesmanlike policy with
reference to this factor of national welfare may be considered
as well founded. very evvilized government must in time
own or control the forest cover of the mountains in order to
secure desirable water conditions.’

To all in the West Indies who take an interest in the
subject of forest influences we recommend this pamphlet as
a guide to the kind of data which are required, locally, for
the ultimate solution of the forest question.

CARRAPICHO, OR ARAMINA FIBRE.

Inquiry was recently made of the Department as to the
source of a fibre which passed in Brazil under the name of
Carrapicho or Aramina fibre. As no specimens of the plant
were forwarded, and no reference was found in the
literature available to these names, inquiry was made at the
Royal Gardens, Kew, whence we were informed that the
fibre was yielded by Urena lobata, a plant of the Hibiscus
order (Malvaceae), and a common weed throughout the tropics.

Description of the Plant. Uvrena lobata is an ereet,
much branched shrub, 2ft. to 4ft. high. The stems and
leaves have a white, thick, somewhat rough, hairy covering.
The flowers are pink. The plant is extremely variable in
size and shape of its leaves.

Distribution. The plant is commonly found in waste
ground, often near the sea, and in dry hill pastures. As
already stated, it has a very wide geograhical distribution
being found throughout tropical America, Africa, Asia and
Australia. In the West Indies it is recorded from St. Kitt’s,
Antigua, Dominica, St. Vincent, Grenada, Trinidad and also
Guiana.

Local Names. As might be expected from its extreme-
ly wide distribution, the plant has a large number of local
names. Some of the more important of these are as follows:
“Carrapicho’, “Avamina’, ‘Guaxima’ (Brazil), ‘Ban Ochra’, or
‘Bun Ochro’ (India), ‘Ake-ire’ (Yoruba land, West Africa),
‘Tojw (West Africa), ‘Otdto grande’ (St. Thomé, West
Africa), ‘Cousine Mahoe’ (Trinidad, Grenada), ‘ Grand-
cousuy and ‘Cousin-rouge’? (Guadeloupe), ‘ Grand-mahot-
cousin’ (Martinique).

Uses of the libre. The fibre yielded by Uvrena lobata
belongs to the jute type, but the staple is short.

The Yorubas and Haussas of West Africa employ it
fora variety of purposes, chiefly in house building (Kew
Bulletin, 1891, p. 219). In the German island of St. Thomé
it is used for paper and cordage (Der Tropenpflanzen, Vol.
1V. p. 562). In India it affords sacking, twine, and is used
as a substitute for flax (Dictionary of Economie Products
of India).

The Corse Report on the trade of Rio de Janeiro for
1899 says, p. 23 :—

‘In the vegetable class are comprised many fibre produe-
ing plants which could probably be utilized in connexion with
manufactures. One of these is guaxima, the fibre of which
should be useful for cordage, and may possibly compete with
jute as amaterial for the manufacture of sack-cloth. The
threads are long and very strong and will resist the action
of water, the fibre being used by fishermen on the coast for
their nets, which last for years, particularly if soaked in a
tincture of aroeira bark. A quantity of the fibre has been
sent to Great Britain for experiments to be made as to its
qualities and pe ee aty to industrial purposes.

‘Tt must be borne in mind that the plant occurs only in
a wild state and in scattered quantities, so that, even should
it be proved to possess the necessary qualities, for industrial
manipulation, there will be still the question whether it can
be systematically cultivated to yield regular marketable
supplies for manufacturing purposes at a cost which will
allow it to compete with jute.’

Value of the Fibre. The Kew Bulletin for 1890, p. 198
contains the following note on samples from West Africa :—
‘The fibres are probably worth £18 to £20 per ton, and the
price is likely to be maintained at such a figure as would
render a jute industry remunerative. It might be possible
to get the natives to clean these fibres by hand and sell the
produce in small lots locally.’

190 THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. SrepreMBer 27, 1902.

COMMERCIAL.

With the view of assisting in finding a market for the
disposal of local produce, arrangements have been made with
the following Agents in these Colonies who will be prepared
to receive consignments and obtain the best prices for them.

Tt is particularly urged that no shipments be made until
an assurance has been received from the Agents themselves
that they are prepared to accept such shipments.

Agents in the West Indies.

BRITISH GUIANA—B.S. Bayley, Water Street, Georgetown.
TRINIDAD—J. Russell Murray, Port-of-Spain.
BARBADOS—T. 8. Garraway & Co., Bridgetown.

ST. LUCIA—Captain H. Henville, Contractor & Agent, Castries.

MARKET REPORTS.

London,—Sept. 2, 1902.—Messrs. J. Hates Cairp &
Co., Messrs. GriLEesrIe Bros. & Co. and ‘THE
Pusiic Lepeérr,’ August 30, 1902.

Ators—Curagoa 10/- to 40/-; Barbados 13/- to 35/- per ewt.
Arrowrkoot—St. Vincent, 2} to 4d per Ib,
Bavata—Venezuelan, 2/0} to 2/1 per Ib.
Bees-wax—Jamaica, fair; West Indian 2/15 to 2/5
£7 15s. to £7 17s 6d per ewt.
Cacao—T'dad, 63/- to 71/- ¥ ewt.
Dominica 55/- to 57/- per ewt.
Grenada, good 56/- to 63/- per ewt.
Jamaica, 57/- to 60/- per ewt.
Carpamoms—Mysore, 1/- to 3/- per lb.
Cassta Fisruta—5,6 to 35/- per ewt.
Castor Om—45d to 43d per lb.
Corree—Jamaica, 31/- to 53/6; Peaberry 90/- to 100/6
per cwt.
Costa Rica, 46/- to 83/- per ewt.
Trinidad, 26/6 per ewt.
Corron—- Carriacou 44}d. per 1b.
CowaGe—1d to 2d per Ib.
Fusric—little offering.
Gincer—Jamaica, good bold 52/- ; ordinary to good ordi-
nary 38/- to 40/- per ewt.
Honey—fair amber 16/- to 17/- per ewt.
Isrncnass—West Indian, good pale 1/2 to 1/37 per lb.
JaLar—4d to Gd per Ib
Kuus-Kuvus Roor—12/- per cwt.
Kora Nurs—li to 47 per Ib.
Lime Jurce—Raw, 1/- to 1/1 per gallon; concentrated,
£12 12s. 6d per pipe.
Logwoop—No quotations.
Mace—-10d to 2/6 per Th.
Nirrave or Sopa-- Agricultural £8 17s. 6d. per ton.
Nurmecs—80s @ 1/2, 60s @ 2/4, per th. ; in shell. 4d to 52
per Ib.
Ow, or Lives—Distilled 1/8 ; Hand pressed 4/- per Ib.
Pimenro—2id. per |b.
SansararmLa—Jamaica fair 1/3 to 1/4 per lb.
Sucar-—Barbados Muscovado 10/9 to 116 duty paid ;
Trinidad and Demerara crystallized 12/6 to 14,9 per ewt.
Sunpnare or Ammonta—Grey, 24 per cent., London
£12 2s 6d per ton.
Tonquin Brans—9d to 26d per lb.
Frumr—Covent Garpen Marker (‘GarprENERs’
Curonicir,’ August 30, 1902.)
Bananas—7/- to 12/- per bunch.
Lemons—8/6 to 25/- per case.
ORANGES—20/- per case.
Pines—3/- to 5/- each.
Halifax N. S.—‘ Tue Maritime Mercnanr’, July 31, 1902.
Lemons—$4.00 per case
Mo .ass Porto Rico 30c. to 3le., Barbados 24c. to 25c.
per gallon.
Prye-ArrLes—$2.00 per dozen.

Trinidad,

New York,—Aug. 22, 1902.—Messrs. GmLLespreE Bros

& Co,

Bananas—Jamaicas, 85c. for firsts, 8 hand bunches 65c.
to TO0c.

Cacao—African, 13hce. ; Caracac, 13}. to 144c. ; Jamaica,.
10fe. to 12e.
Groans 13c. to 1%4c. ; Trinidad 13c. to 14e. per Ib.

Cocoa-Nuts ; Small Trinidads $12.00 to $13.00 ; Jamaicas.
$22.00 to $24.00 per M.

Corree—Rio, good ordinary 52c.; Jamaica 5jc. to 6fe-
per lb.; Manchester grades 8c. to Ile. per Ib.

Grxcer—8c. to 8he per lb.

Pimenro—She per |b.

Russe r—Nicaragua Scrap 50c. pet lb ; sheet 46c. to 47c.
per lb. ; Guayaquil Strip 485c. per tb.

Sucar—Muscovado, 89°, 22c. to are! ; Centrifugals, 96°, 3¢
per lb.

INTER-COLONIAL MARKETS.

Antigua,—September 10, 1902.—Messrs. G. W. BENNETT,

Bryson & Co., Ltd.
Mo asses—10c. per imperial gallon, package included.
Sucar—Mauscoyado $1.25 per LOOLb.

Barbados,—Sept. 13, 1902.—Messrs. T, S. Garraway

& Co.. and Messrs. J. A. Lyncu & Co.

Arrowroor—good quality, $3.50 per 100 Ib.

Cacao—$13.50 per 100 Ib.

CorreeE—Jamaica and ordinary Rio $8.50, and $9.00
per 100 lb. respectively.

Hay—New Brunswick $1.00 per 100 Ib.

Manvures—Nitrate of Soda $60.00 per ton ; Ohlendorff’s
Dissolved Guano ; $60.00. Sulphate of Ammonia $50.00;
Sulphate of Potash $70 per ton.

Motasses—No quotations.

Onrtons—Madeira $2.50 to $2.75 per 100 Ib.

Poraros—$3.40 per 160 Ib.

Rrce—Ballam $4.60 per bag ; Patna $3.75 per bag ; Ran-
goon $3.00 per bag.

SHators—Ie. per Ib.

Sucar—No quotations.

British Guiana,—Sept. 11, 1902.—Messrs. Wertinc &

LICHTER.

Arrowroor—$s.00 per barrel.

Cacao—-native lle. to 12c. nominal.

Cassava Starcu—$7.00 per barrel.

Cocoa-Nuts—$8.00 to SL0.00 per M.

Correr—Rio and Jamaica lle. per Ib. (retail.) Creole,
11c. to 2c. per Ib.

Eppors—S$1.44 per bag.

Onrons—3c. to 33c

Pea Nurs—Cur: American 5c. (retail.)

PLANTAINS —2 4c. to 36ce. per bunch.

Poraros Encusu—$4} to $5.00 per barrel.

2ice—-Ballam $4.80 to $4.90 ex store; Patna $5.90 to

$6.00 per bag—Creote Rice 20c. per gallon, (retail.)

Sweer Poraros—-Barbados, none.

Deane. $1.63 per bag.

Yams—$3.00 per bag.

Motasses Vacuum Pan yellow I4$c. tc 15c. per gallon,
casks included.

Sucar—Dark Crystals $1.62) ; yellow $2.10 per ewt.

Timper—Greenheart 32c. to 55c. per cubie foot.

WALLABA SHINGLES—$3.00 to $5.00 per M.

September 11, 1902.—Messrs. Gorpon GRanv
& Co, and September 12, 1902.—-Messrs. EpGar
Tree & Co.

Cacao—Ordinary to good red $12.75 to $13.00; estates

$13.25 to $13.75 per Fanega.

3anaTa—Venezuelan. None.

Corree—Venezvelan. $13.40 to $13.60 per Fanega.

Ontons—8$2.50 to $3.00 per 1001b.

Poraros EnGruisH—$1.30 to $1.75 eee LO0Ib.

Rice—Yellow $4.70; White Table $5.75 per bag.

Sucar—For Grocery use, $1.60 to $3. 00 per 1001b.

Mo tasses—No quotation.

iors Tey No wl: THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 191

DEPARTMENT PUBLICATIONS ON SALE.

The ‘WEST INDIAN BULLETIN.’ A Quarterly Scientific Journal.

Volume I. Reports of the Agricultural Conference of 1899 and L900 and other papers ; complete, in the original paper
covers as issued, post free, 5s. The parts can no longer be sold separately.

Volume II. ea report of the Conference of 1901, and other papers. Price, in original paper covers as issued, post
free 2s. 9d.

Votume IIT. No.1. Agricultural Conference of 1902: President’s Address and Sugar Industry. No. 2. Conference
of 1902 (continued). Educational and General Papers. Price 6d. Post free 8d each. No. 3. Sugar Industry,
Scale Insects, School Gardens, Object Lessons, Voleanic Phenomena, Ground nuts ete., (in the press.)

PAMPHLET SERIES.
(3.) Seedling and other Canes at Barbados 1900. Price 2d. Post free 23d. (5.) General Treatment of Insect Pests,
2nd Edition Revised. Price 4d. Post free 44d. (6.) Recipes for cooking Sweet Potatos. Price 2d. Post free 23d.
(7.) Scale Insects of the Lesser Antilles. Price 4d. Post free 5d. (8.) Cultivation of Vegetables in Barbados. Price 2d.
Post free 24d. (9.) Bee-keeping in the West Indies. Price 4d. Post free 5d. (10.) Manures and Leguminous Plants at
Barbados, 1898- icon Price 47. Post free 5d. (11.) Hints for School Gardens. Price 2d. Post free ald, (12.) Seedling
and other Canes in the Leeward Islands, 1900-1901. Price 2d. Post free 2}d. (13.) Seedlings and other Canes at Barba-
dos, in 1901. Price 4d. Post free 5d. (14.) Serew Worm in Cattle at St. Lucia. Price 2d. Post free 23d. (15.) Plain
Talk to Small Owners. Price 2d. Post free 2}. (16) Hints on Onion Cultivation, Price 2d. Post free 2}¢. (17) General
Treatment of Fung pid Pests, Price 4d. Post eee dd. (18) Recipes for Cooking West Indian Yams, Price 2. Post free, 2}d-

‘NATURE TEACHING.’ A text book based upon the general principles of Agr coo ue for the use of schools.
Prepared by the Honourable Francis Watts and others. (Pages 12 and 199). Price, limp cloth 2s. , In superior binding 2s. 6d.
Postage, Bhd extra.

The ‘AGRICULTURAL NEWS’ A Fortnightly Review, Subscription 3s. 3d. per annum, post free.

Agents for the sale of the publications of the Department :—

London: Messrs. Dutau & Co., 37, Soho Square, W. Barbados: Messrs. Bowen & Sons, Bridgetown. Jamaica:
Tue Epucarionan Suppty Company, 16, King St., Kingston. British Guiana: The ‘ Daily Chronicle Office, Georgetown.
Trinidad: Messrs. Munro, & Co., Frederick St, Port-of- Spain. Tobago: Mr. C. L. PLAGEMANN, Scarborough. Grenada - Messrs.

F. Marrast & Co., ‘ The Stores,’ St. George. St. Vincent: Mr. W. C. D. Prouproor, Kingstown. St. Lucia: Rags
McHvuveu, Gas rriest Dominica: Messrs. C. F. Duverney & Co., Market St. Roseau. Montserrat : Mr. W. ease “WaLr,
Plymouth: Antigua: Mr. F. Forrest St. John’s. St. Kitts: Messrs. S. L. Horsrorp & Co., Basseterre.

: TO THE

rawnne wort, Seeds & Plants of Commercial Products.

HEVEA BRASILIENSIS. Coming crop of seeds August-September shipment. As orders must reach us at
least at the end of July to avoid disappointment, ordering by wire necessary on the appearance of this advertisement. There is
only one crop in the year. A leading Sumatra planter who purchased 150.000 seeds on two previous occasions writes under date
May 10, 1902: ‘I shall like to have your lowest terms for delivery of 100,000 Hevea seeds in the same way as before from the
coming crop.’ 757% guaranteed to germinate. Shipments to West Indies can be made to London only: re-shipment must be
arranged by purchasers.

For special offer of seeds and plants see the following descriptive Price Lists, post free on application.

1. Tropical Seeds and Plants of Commercial Products, enlarged edition for 1902.

2. Seeds and Plants of Shade, Timber, Wind-belts, Fuel, and Ornamental Trees, Trees for Road-sides, Parks, Open
Spaces, Pasture Lands, Avenues, Hedges, and for planting among crops (Tea, Coffee, Cacao, Cardamons, ete.)

3. Seeds and Plants of Tropical Fruit Trees including Mango grafts. 4. Bulbs, Tubers and Yams.

5. Orchids—Ceylon and Indian. 6. Seeds and Plants of Palms, Calamus, Pandanus, Cycads, Tree and other Ferns,
Crotons, Roses, Dracaenas, Shrubs and Creepers.

SPECIAL ARRANGEMENTS made with foreign Governments, Botanical and Agricultural Departments,
Planters, and others for supplying seeds and plants of Commercial Products in large quantities.

AGAVE LURIDA. This highly recommended fibre yielding plant yields a fibre equal to that of StsaZ in lustre
and tensile strength valued at from £28 to £34 per ton in London. Bulbils (seedlings) £1 per 100, £8 per 1,000 post free :
special quotations for large orders.

COFFEE. Arabica-Liberian Hybrid and Maragogipe Hybrid—New crop March-April, 1903: early booking
necessary.

A Foreign Agricultural Department writes dating 9th September, 1901 :—‘‘Please accept our order for 175 tb. of Tea
seed and for 2,000 Coffee beans. In regard to Coffee seed I would say that this will be the first importation made by this
Department, and we will leave the selection of the varieties to be sent to your judgement.”

“SOUTH AFRICA.”—The great authority on South African affairs of 25th March, 1899, says :—An interesting
Catalogue reaches us from the East. It is issued by William Brothers, Tropical Seed Merchants of Henaratgoda, Ceylon,
and schedules all the useful and beautiful plants which will thrive in tropical and semi-tropical regions. We fancy Messrs. Williams
should do good business, for now that the great powers have grabbed all the waste places of the earth, they must turn to and
prove that they were worth the grabbing. We recommend the great Powers and Concessionaries under them to go to William

Brothers.”
Agents in London: Messrs. P. W. Woolley & Co., 90, Lower Thames Street.
Telegraphic Address: Wiurt1am Henararcopa, Ceylon, J.P. WILLIAM & BROTHERS,
Lieber’s, A.J. & A.B.C., Codes used. Tropical Seed Merchants, Henaratgoda, Ceylon.

192 THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. SEPTEMBER 27, 1902.

THE BEST MANURES FOR COLONIAL USE

ACE ES 2

Ohlendorfi’s Dissolved Peruvian Guano—For Sugar-cane and general use
Ohlendorff’s Special Sugar-cane Manure
Ohlendorff’s Special Cocoa Manure

Sulphate of Ammonia, Nitrate of Soda, Superphosphates, high grades,

Potash Salts, Basic Slag and all other high-class Fertilizers.

APPLY TO LOCAL AGENTS OR DIRECT TO
THE ANGLO-CONTINENTAL (LATE OHLENDORFF'S) GUANO WORKS,

London Agency, 15, Leadenhall Street, London E.C.,
Barbados Agents: Messrs. James A. Lynch & Co., Bridgetown.

THE BARBADOS MUTUAL LIFE ASSURANCE SOCIETY.
ES 7 AB US JRE 1840.
CHIEF OFFICE, Beckwith Place, Bridgetown, Barbados.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS :

MICHAEL J. BOVELL, Esq., CHarrMan,
E. T. RACKER, Esq., Vice-CHarrMan.

J. R. BANCROFT, Esgq., JAS. H. INNISS, Esq.,
5. ERNEST BYNOE, Esq., Hon. J. THOMAS JONES, M.L.C.,
JOS. W. CRONEY, Esq., | H. LAWRANCE JOHNSON, Esq.,

J. O. WRIGHT, Esq., M.C.P.
Transactions to December 31, 1901.
Total Assurances Issued “

ae He: $11,752,403
Total Bonuses Declared (31 December 1900)... San 2. a aa a 3,610,921
Sums Assured and Bonuses Existing oe: a san Ne ian ae 5.154.157
Total Claims by Death and Matured Endowments + Se wo si ea 5,375,545
Life Assurance Fund... Bete a a" nue = =. — 2,118,650
Annual Income te a — Set ant ‘a nee 245,345

Net Surplus December (31 1900) ese ie 4S <4 ake aa
The Premiums are Lower than those charged by other Life Offices doing business in the West Indies.
The Bonuses declared have not been equalled by any other Assurance Society in the world.
Its Policy Contracts are Liberal, Fair and Equitable.
The Policy is Absolutely Non-Forfeitable so long as any surrender value remains.
Loans granted on Security of Policy.
Liberal Surrender Values.
Claims promptly paid.
Every facility given for the revival of Lapsed Policies.
It grants Interim Bonuses.
It gives Compound Bonuses.
All the profits belong to the Policy-Holders.
H. J. INNISS,

May 22, 1902. Secretary.

Printed at Oltice of Agricultural Reporter, 4, High Street, Bridgetown, Barbados.

A

BORDTNIGHTLY REVIEW

OF THE

Vor. I No: 13:

CONTENTS.

PaGE PAGE.

*© Agricultural News, ” Insect Notes (continued).

comments on .. .. 205) Insects attacking sweet
Botanic Gardens, value potatos Bor cso All)
Olea ees eee tees --- 201 |) Maribuntagat. Grenada 200
British Guiana, Agricul- Mealy-bug in Trinidad 200
tural Shows in 205 | ‘Scavenger’ Fly . 203
Cacao in St. Lucia... 196 | Jack-in-the-box tree 194
Canada and the West Market Reports .-- 206
Indies, Trade between... 201 | News from the Islands ... 204
Cotton Growing in An- | Notes and Comments ... 198
tigua ... ... ... ... 195 | Onion seedlings ~ 197
Cotton Seed and its By- | Our Book Shelf :—
products wee eee eee 195 | Check list of the Forest
Department News ... ... 203 | trees of U.S.A. E203,
Department Publications 207 Natural History of
Department Reports :— Plants oe eee 200
Antigua, Economic Ex- | Packing for Export . 193
periments ... .-- 205 | Poultry sso oon ZY
Grape culture at Jamaica 196 | St. Lucia, cacao in... ... 196
Grenada, Limes in... ... 195 | St. Vincent volcanic dis-
Insect Notes :— | turbances Bee) peo ZAUI
Clothes moths, new | Sugar Industry :—
remedy for --. 200 | Experiments at Barba-
Game birds, usefulness | dos . 194
\

of Bean seat cee) eee) 200) ||| Vanula stcultivation) = .-2--197,

Packing for Export.

DASA

(Ss HROUGHOUT the West Indies, an increas-
co

ing number of people, year by year, take

RP
some part in raising and packing perishable
produce for distant markets. All alike, whether
interested in oranges, bananas, pine-apples, onions or
sweet potatos, have the same object, the placing of

Price ld.

their produce on the market in a sound condition. Gy
is no easy task to accomplish this off hand. We must
know the exact stage at which each kind of fruit or
vegetable must be gathered in order to keep sound
during its long journey, and arrive in England or
America in the best state. We also have to learn how
to treat the produce between picking and packing; the
conditions necessary to allow ‘ripening’ to proceed
during voyage, and to prevent chilling and rotting.
On all these points knowledge has in the past been
gained by experience, and the general precautions
necessary for the successful export of fruit and vege-
tables are now fairly well known although, unfortunately,
not always acted upon.

One point the experience of the past has clearly
brought out, and that is, the absolute necessity of
eareful packing. A man may raise the finest oranges
or pine-apples in the West Indies, he may gather
them at the right moment, and handle them carefully,
but, unless they are well packed, his trouble is to a
great extent thrown away, for they are practically
certain to arrive on the market in poor condition,

At the last Agricultural Conference the question
of regulating the quality of exported fruit was brought
forward by the Hon’ble Sydney Olivier, C.M.G., Colonial
Secretary of Jamaica. He pointed out that bad
packing was responsible for the disrepute into which
some West Indian fruit was falling in the English
market. ‘All the buyers have been trightened off
Jamaica oranges and will not touch them on any

account’ (West Indian Bulletin, Vol. IIL, p. 131).

194 THE

AGRICULTURAL NEWS.

OctosER 11, 1902.

Similarly with regard to pine-apples, his Honour H.
Hesketh Bell writes: ‘ Pines in barrels are a by-word in
Covent Garden market’ (Agricultural News p. 164).

That the fault lies with the packer and not with
the fruit the recent very successful
oranges, bananas and pine-apples from Dominica and
Barbados, sufficiently prove.

The situation is exactly the same with regard to
sweet potatosin the United States. As we
elsewhere in this number, one set of producers save
some 50 cents per barrel in labour etc., in their pack-
ing, and, as a result, obtain about $1.00 per barrel less
than those who pack carefully.

show

The question of packing is one demanding the
careful attention of every exporter of fruit or vege-
tables
packing are persevered in, their produce will fail to
gain the confidence of the market and their industry
fall to the ground.

SUGAR INDUSTRY.

Sugar-cane Experiments at Barbados.

In our last issue a summary was given of the more

important results obtained from the sugar-cane
experiments carried out in Barbados during the past
season (see pp. 178-9). After stating the conclusions
to be drawn from the manurial experiments and
presenting a resumé of the tests with seedling and
other canes, Mr. JJo R. Bovell proceeded to discuss the
much debated question of the comparative value of the
Bourbon and the varieties of canes at present cultivated.
BOURBON VERSUS OTHER VARIETIES.

Mr. Bovell poimted out, (lustrating his remarks
by means of a specially prepared coloured diagram)
that for the thirty-five years, 1860 to 1894 inclusive,
with an average rainfall of 60 inches, and an average

annual application of chemical manure to the value of

£56,000, the average yield of the Bourbon cane for the
whole of Barbados was 1366 tons sugar per acre,
During 1895 and 1896 the losses from the fungoid
diseases were very severe, so that the yields for the
two years must be discarded. From 1897 the Bourbon
has practically been supplanted by other varieties
of canes, and for the period 1897 to 1901 we find
that with an average rainfall of 69 inches and the yearly
application of chemical manure to the value of £70,000,
the average yield of sugar for the whole island has
been 1°350 tons per acre, or practically the same as that

shipments of

from the West Indies, for if bad methods of

given by the Bourbon. These figures are summarized
in the accompanying table :-—

bon.

: | Average Average
: Average | Fe aia |e
= Canes annualappli- yield per
Period. om annual | : s |Ie
cultivated. | cation of acre of
rainfall.
manure. | sugar.
2 | Mainly Bour- : . |

1860-94 y 62inches) £56,000 |1-366tons

| | |

Mainly other |

varieties than/69 — ,, £70,000 (1-350 ,,
Bourbon.

1896-1902

The question may be look at from another point
of view. Supposing there had been no other varieties
available to replace the Bourbon, what would be the
average yield at the present day ? For the past five years
the Bourbon cane has been cultivated on the experiment
plots, side by side with the other varieties and has
given an estimated yield of 3,891 tb. of saccharose per
acre, as compared with 6,936 tb. per acre, yielded by
the White Transparent. On this basis the average
yield of sugar from the Bourbon for the last five years
would have been at the rate of 0°485 tons per acre.

The total sugar crop of the island at present, 1s
about 47,000 tons, exclusive of about 5,000 tons,
consumed locally. The Bourbon at the above estimate
would give a total crop of about 17,000 tons.

BARBADOS RESULTS COMPARED WITH OTHER PARTS
OF THE WEST INDIES.

After the conclusion of Mr. Bovell’s address,
Dr. Morris, the Commissioner of Agriculture for the
West Indies, reviewed the general trend of the sugar-
cane experiments, which are being carried on by the
Department, not only in Barbados but also in Antigua,
St Kitt’s and British Guiana. He pointed out the
close similarity between the results obtained in

3arbados and in the Leeward Islands (see Agricultural

News, pp. 85 and 36). In both Antigua and St. Kitt’s,
as in Barbados, B. 208 stood first in this year’s experi-
ments. White Transparent had done exceedingly well
in Barbados, but in Antigua it was twentieth in order
of yield. Evidently in B. 208 we had a very promising
seedling cane worthy of careful trial. As Mr. Watts
had said in his report, ‘B.208 presents several good
qualities ; the juice is exceptionally rich; the cane is
one which we can recommend with some degree of
confidence, always remembering that caution is neces-
sary in the introduction of any new variety of cane.’

Jack-in-the-Box Tree.

On page 119 of the Agricultural News we noted
that the Rev. H. Hutson has drawn attention to the
occurrence of this plant in Turner's Hall Wood,
Barbados. Mr. C. T. Murphy the master of Turner’s
Hall school, a keen agriculturist, writes -—

3efore the hurricane of 1898 a large ‘Jack-in-the
box’ tree was to be found in Turer’s Hall wood, but was
blown down, and at present only a few young trees occur
near where it stood. Should they flower I will try to obtain
and forward specimens of the flowers, ete. for the indentifi-
cation of the species,

Von, Ty Nos 3:

THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS.

195

COTTON GROWING IN ANTIGUA.
VALUATION OF SAMPLES IN ENGLAND.

As an outcome of the experiments made with
cotton in the Leeward Islands (see Agricultural News,
pp. 153 and 169) four samples grown at the Economic
Experiment Station, Antigua, were forwarded to
England for valuation,

The varieties sent were ‘Sea Island, ‘King’s
Improved, *‘ Peterkin,’ and ‘Russell’s Big Ball. All
had been grown from seed imported from America and
ginned ina Macarthy hand power gin, obtained from
Messrs. Platt Bros., of Oldham.

The Secretary of the Manchester Chamber of
Commerce, who was good enough to obtain expert
opinion on the samples, reports as follows :—

‘IT have submitted the samples of Antigua cotton
referred to in your letter of June 18, and its enclosure, to the
judgement of a competent expert who, after careful examina-
tion of them reports to me in the following terms :—

“The four samples of cotton grown in the island of
Antigua are valued as follows :—

Sea Island 8d. nominal
King’s Improved ... 43-$7. nominal.
Peterkin aes 4h-od. A
Russell’s Big Ball . 43-3. 4

The sample of Sea Island i is well hogan of, but has not
been prepared to the best advantage. A roller gin would be
more suitable for such long stapled cotton, In the most
favourable circumstances this cotton might be worth about
id. per pound below the best Georgias grown from similar
seed in America, but would only rank as a substitute, and
there is very little demand for substitutes unless the American
Sea Island crop proves a small one. The-best market would
be found in Savannah.

The other three varieties are very ordinary cotton.”

IT shall at all times take pleasure in assisting you to the
best of my ability in your endeavours to extend the growth
of cotton.’

The prices quoted are slightly in advance of those
given on page 103 of the Agricultural News for
samples of cotton from Montserrat.

COTTON SEED AND ITS BY-PRODUCTS.

from Mr. W. Henry’s
The Cotton Plant by

The following extracts taken
work, Leeds and Feeding, and from
Charles W. Dabney, Ph. D., Assistant Secretary, Depart-
ment of Agriculture, United States of America, afford
useful and reliable information with regard to the value of
cotton seed and its products, cotton seed meal and cotton
seed hulls, both as a stock food and as a fertilizer.

It is estimated in the United SLEHES that for each pound
of cotton lint, there are produced 2 th. of cotton seed, or in
the ratio of 1 to 2. This agrees with the results recorded in
the West Indies. On the assumption that 900 tb. of raw
cotton can be produced per acre in these islands, there would
remain, after removing the lint, about 600 Ib. cotton seed.
According to Mr. Henry, the value of cotton seed as a stock
food and also as a fertilizer is as follows :—-

COTTON SEED AS A STOCK FOOD.

100 tb. of cotton seed meal contain in digestible nutri-
ments :—

Protein 37:2 b.
Carbohydrates 16:9 ,,
Ether extract 12-2 mat

Protein 223°2 tb. | a
-equal to Carbohydrates 101+4,, |- re
Ether extract 73:2,, | nee

While 100 tb. cotton seed hulls contain in digestible

nutriments :—
Protein 0°3 Ib. Protein 18 b.)
Carbohydrates 33-1 ,, -equal to Carbohydrates 198°6 ,, | pase
Ether extract 1:7 ,, | Ether extract 10°2,, | Bere
COTTON SEED AS A FERTILIZER.
Cotton seed meal contains per 1,000 tb :—
Nitrogen 67°9 Ib. Nitrogen 136 Ib.
Phosphoric PR cy Phosphoric be
acid 28°8',, equal to acid 58 ,, | ton.
Potash Sains | Potash WSs is,
Cotton seed hulls contain per 1,000 tb ;:—
Nitrogen 6-9 = | Nitrogen 14 "lee
Phosphoric approximately Phosphoric ve
acid 2:55,, [ equal to acid 5 zB on.
Potash 10°2\,, | Potash 21 ZI
It is also stated that 100 tb. of cotton seed yield :—
Cotton seed meal 37°5 tb. or about 225 tb. per acre.
” ” oil 12°5 ” ” ” 75 ” ” yy
Poise: 43:9) eee Ti, Ot oh eee one
Short lint 1-1) eee » Cm

The ‘short lint’ is the small portions of lint left on seed
after ginning.

MANURING COTTON.

With regard to the kind of fertilizer best suited for the
cotton plant, opinions vary in different parts of the United
States where cotton is extensively grown. As cotton lint,
however, on analysis, is found to possess only a_ trace of
nitrogen and mineral matter, whilst the seed is especially rich
in these constituents, it may fairly be assumed that where
cotton seed is not restored to the land in the form of manure,
the application of a fertilizer containing these ingredients is
necessary to maintain the fertility of the soil. So far, the
best results appear to have been obtained with chemical
manures applied per acre in the following proportions, taking
the crop at 300 tb. of cleaned lint per acre :—Nitrogen,
20 Ib. ; phosphoric acid, 50 th. ; potash, 15 Ib. On the other
hand, when cotton seed, or portions of it, are returned to the
soil, the most satisfactory yields per acre are said to have
been obtained from applications of the following compost :—

Green cotton seed 100 bushels.
Stable manure 100 5
era phosphate 2,000 Ib

applied at the rate of 400 to 800 Ib. per acre.

LIMES IN GRENADA.

The Grenada Federalist reports that at the recent
meeting of the managing Committee of the Agricul-
tural Society, the question of planting the ‘Spout
land in limes took place.

‘It was urged that the lime industry was likely to prove
a valuable assistant to cacao and spices, and that an object
lesson was necessary to enable peasant proprietors to have
some idea of the method of cultivation and a knowledge of
the value of the product. Lime fruit had been recently
selling locally for export, at very good prices which were
more remunerative than anything that cacao could bring,
and it was urged that the systematic cultivation of this plant,
would, therefore, be of very great benefit to the community.
A vote was agreed to for cultivating one acre of the Spout
lands in limes.’

196 THE

AGRICULTURAL

NEWS. Ocrosper 11, 1902.

WEST

GRAPE CULTIVATION AT JAMAICA.
LECTURE TO TEACHERS.
In a previous number of the Agricultural News

(p. 156) was published an outline of the course of

practical instruction in agriculture to teachers Ri the
Mico Training College, Kingston, Jamaica, To-day
we reproduce from the Gleanae of August 9, last, the
summary of a lecture delivered by the Rev. W.
Griffiths on Grape Culture :—

Mr. MacFarlane introduced the lecturer as the man
who was admittedly the best authority in Jamaica on the
subject with which he was to deal. He had been described
by Dr. Morris, the head of the Imperial Agricultural
Department as ‘the grand old past master of the science and
art of grape culture.’

Mr. Griffiths said that the grape, though not a tropical
plant, adapted itself to the tropics when not grown too
far from above the sea level, and repaid in ample harvest
the skill and care bestowed upon its cultivation. Of late
years a great deal of attention had been given to grape cul-
ture in Jamaica, but not more than enough grapes
grown to meet local needs in limited areas. It
possible to grow grapes of such a quality as would com-
mand a market in America at something like the prices
realized there for English hot-house grapes, but such grapes
as were offered for sale in Kingston would certainly not
find that market. He had never yet seen a properly ripened
cluster of black grapes offered for sale here. White grapes
had made a better showing, and in recent years there
had been a marked advance in the quality of both kinds.
The fall of the year and the early spring were probably
the only periods when it would pay to ship grapes to the
States, and those were just the times when we had_ practi-
cally none; but careful cultivation might result in’ the
discovery of an early grape which could be accelerated,
or a late grape which could be retarded to meet the market
conditions on the other side. There was always more or less
of a local demand for good grapes, but not a large one, and
the market for grapes at ruling pric es Was soon overstocked.

Mr. ¢ Griffiths spoke i in high praise of the ‘ White Muscat
of Alexandria’ which is far and away the most popular grape
in Jamaica, and said that it was deservedly a universal
favourite. Our black grapes were not popular because they
were never allowed to ripen properly. They should be left
on the vines six or eight weeks after the berries were fully
coloured, but as a rule they were cut and offered for sale as
soon as the colour showed. The fault of the unpopularity

were
might be

INDIAN” FRUIGe

rested on the grower, not on the grape. As to localities

suitable for grape culture, it was generally agreed, though,
not perhaps an absolutely established fact, that grapes

cannot be properly grown far from the sea level and that for
some reason they prefer to be near the sea. He had seen
good crops of black grapes at Ewarton however, and he
would be willing to risk planting healthy varieties anywhere
where there was a good south or south- easterly y aspect, where
the soil wasa fair garden loam with good natural drainage,
and the roots could be kept near the surface so as to get alk
possible benefit from light, air, and sun.

The lecturer gave detailed advice as to the planting and

culture of the vine and strongly advised amateur vine-
growers not to be afraid to thin out their fruit. ‘White

Muscat Alexandria’? sometimes needed very little thinning,
but some varieties, such as Royal Ascot, could well spare 75
per cent. of their berries. ‘Very few except experienced
hands’, said Mr. Griffiths, ‘have the moral courage to thin to
this extent.’

After the lecture a number of questions were ably and
interestingly answered, and the proceedings concluded with a
well-deserved vote of thanks to the lecturer.

CACAO IN ST. LUCIA.

Mr. Geo. S. Hudson, the
contributes the following
cultivation in St.

Agricultural Instructor,
interesting notes on cacao
Lucia :—

The cacao crop promises fairly well. The first
crop pickings have already commenced, but the crop is a
peculiar one. We havea small quantity of large ripening
pods, and then an almost complete break in the crop, of a
month or six weeks (corresponding with the very wet season
experienced from May 24 to July 6), and then a large
quantity of small pods, from July and August flowers, which
will ripen mainly in December and January next. On the
whole the crop promises somewhat better than it did this
time last year.

main

MANURING CACAO,

At the September monthly meeting of the Soufriére
Agricultural Society a useful paper was read by Mr, Wm. M.
Smith, manager of Union Vale estate, on this subject, which
it was decided to publish together with some notes by the
writer on ‘ Artificial Manures for Cacao.” The concrete points
argued in these papers are:

(1) That stable or pen manure is best preserved (for
about three months) in a covered pit 4 feet deep, with a
good layer of straw at the bottom to absorb moisture, and

Von, = Now LS:

alternate layers of manure, straw and dry earth, watered
daily with urine and stable washings collected in a receptacle
from stables floored with concrete.

(2) That such manure should be applied broadcast
over the whole surface of adult plantations and lightly
forked in.

(3) That artificial manures have in many cases proved
more etticacious and cheaper than natural manure.

(4) That basic slag at the rate of 5 to 10 ewt. per acre,
applied in December or January, followed by 1 cwt. of
sulphate of ammonia the following August or September has
given the best results in St. Lucia and also Grenada, on the
experiment plots worked by the Imperial Department of
Agriculture. The cost of such applications would be from
£2 10s. to £5 per acre. The results in increased crops have
justified the expenditure several times over.

(5) Nitrate of soda, 1 ewt. per acre, is clearly indicated
in the attacks of Diplodia and other diseases where the
foliage is first atfected.

(6) Bone meal, about $ tb. to each hole, is the most

satisfactory application when young plants are being put out.

SEECDLING ONIONS.

The following hints were contributed by Mr. A. J.
Jordan, Agricultural Instructor at Montserrat, to the
Montserrat Herald. They atford useful information to
those who may have found difticulties with the small
seedlings. Fuller particulars are to be found in Pamphlet
No. 16, Hints on Onion Cultivation, to be obtained
from all local Agents of the Department, price 2d. :—

The weather in Montserrat has been too dry for
sowing in situations where no water can be obtained ; but it
is possible still to raise plants which will give onions at a
time when the market is ‘most favourable to the producer.

A spot of land might be selected close to the house or
near water, where attention can be given morning and
evening. A bed might then be made, using well rotted
manure and breaking up the soil very fine, and the seeds
sown in drills (rows) 6 inches apart. The seed could, in these
drills, be sown thickly so that six or eight plants could be
obtained to the running inch. A little trash spread over the
beds after they are sown will do much to keep them cool and
moist ; but the trash must not be put on heavily.

When the young plants are about half the size of a lead
pencil they may be taken up with as much root as possible,
and transplanted into permanent positions. This operation
sould, of course, be performed when the rains set in, on
a wet day for preference.

It will be seen that a comparatively small bed thus
sown will give plants sufficient to plant a relatively large
area, for in the bed the plants will be, say, seven to the inch
in rows 6 inches apart, while transplanted into a plot with
rows a foot apart they will be put 4 inches from
each other, and if planted in a catch crop in a cane field you
will put nine plants to a running foot of the cane-bank ; the
banks will of course, be 4 feet apart.

VANILLA CULTIVATION.

The main portion of Mr. J. 8. Galbraith’s excellent
account of Vanilla Cultivation in the Seychelles has
already appeared in this Journal (see pp. 67, ef seq.)
We did not however reproduce the last chapter of the
original Bulletin, headed ‘Miscellaneous information
and notes. From this we take the following extracts
of interest to cultivators in the West Indies :—

THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS.

197

A fair crop should average about 100 cured pods to
the pound.

Pods per pound.

Fresh gathered gery
(abou t) Dry (about).
| 9-inch DOUSMErCrmEs:. loss 20 65
SeinchipPOdSHaeeimmele Tee 25 80
emmchiypodseemramens.: a 33 110
GanchspodSmeeewey-... %ar 50 160

VARIABILITY OF YIELD.

The following crops, produced on one estate will serve
to show how uncertain are the returns from vanilla growing
heres

Pounds.
1893 (long dry spell for flowering time in 1892)... ...1,800
1894 (rain came too soon and spoiled good promise) ... 120

1895 (next to no dry spell for flowering in 1894)... 40
1896 (excellent promise mostly spoiled by too early
ENV) Wane oe ae boc. aan BOM
1897 (similar to the year before)... 600, toa (e010)
PALMS AS SUPPORTS.

Straight-stemmed palms, if stout, may be used for
supporting the vanilla vines. By driving hard-wood pegs
into them obliquely at suitable heights the vines can be
hung about them as in tree forks.

FLOWERING OF CUTTINGS.

When long vanilla cuttings are planted near blossoming
time, some of them often give flowers soon afterwards. It
is best to cut these off, as cropping a vine when newly
planted lessens the growing power, and it may hang for
many months, but in a regular plantation vines flowering too
heavily may b> relieved by cutting off one or more of the
flowering branches. These may be planted for the one
small crop they will give—3 or 4, or up to 10 or 12 pods,
according to length and vigour. Vor this they may be planted
close together on low bars and posts, and need well-
rotted manure for immediate and abundant nourishment.
The best time to plant for this isa few days before the first
flowers open ; if cut earlier many of the flowers will die back.

Cropping branches may be allowed to flower for two
years if they have not missed a season, but never more than
that, as the pods they then give are invariably very inferior ;
the best are on young wood a year or so old at flowering.

PRUNINGS.

Prunings, when not too old, may be set out to rear new
plants from. When extending the plantations it is better to
plant the shoots from the prunings rather than the prunings
themselves, if they are over two years old. If flung into
jungle, especially among rough ground, rocks, ete., where
there is shade and decayed leaves, they grow in a wonderful
way without any attention and yield the best of cuttings.
When shoots are checked for cropping branches, some of
their tendrils occasionally elongate into wrial roots, and
should then be cut off, or they will keep the branch full of
sap and hinder its flowering.

GRASS AND WEEDS.

Short varieties of grass scem rather beneficial in a
plantation ; cumbersome weeds should be hand pulled,
never hoed. |

(To be continued.)

THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS.

Ocrower 11, 1902.

EDITORIAL NOTICES.

Letters and matter for publication, as well as all
specimens for naming should be addressed to the Commis-
sioner, Imperial Department of Agriculture,
Barbados.

It is particularly requested that no letters be addressed
to any member of the statf by name. Such a course may
entail delay.

Communications should always be written on one side
of the paper only. It should be understood that no contri-
butions or specimens will, in any case, be returned.

All application for copies of the ‘Agricultural
News’ should be addressed to the Agents, and
not to the Department. A complete list of the London
and Local agents will be found on page 208 of this
number.

Correspondents sending newspapers should be careful to
mark the paragraphs they wish to bring under notice.

Agricultural stews

SATURDAY,

Vox. I. OCTOBER 11, 1902. No. 13.

NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Bourbon versus Other Varieties of Cane.

It is not infrequent to hear the newer varieties of
sugar-cane contrasted unfavourably with the Bourbon.
In this connexion the data recently put before the
Barbados Agricultural Society by Mr. J. R. Bovell are
of great interest (see p. 194) It would appear that the
average yield of suyar of the newer varicties is
very little different from that of the Bourbon before it
was overcome by disease. The figures referred to
apply of course solely to Barbados, and it would be
interesting if a similar, exact comparison were made in
Antigua and St. Kitt’s, the other islands in which the
replacement of the Bourbon by other varieties has
been most complete,

+

Seedling Canes D.74 and D.95.

The two Demerara seedling canes, known as D, 74
and D, 95, have done extremely well in some parts of
the West Indies. Their suecess has not been confined
to these Colonies, for the Louwisiana Planter of
September, 6 says: ‘These canes show high sucrose,
large tonnage, are drought proof, extraordinary stoolers,
vigorous growers and fine stubblers.’

ru.

Cotton Growing in the West Indies.

Samples of four varieties of cotton grown in
Antigua during the past season, part of the experi-
ment work of the Department, were, as recorded on page
169, sent to England for report. The detailed valuation

is given in this number (p. 195) As in the case of

the Montserrat samples, the Sea Island cotton has
proved by far the most valuable.

Through the kindness of a correspondent we
have received an original account sale of some
cotton sent from Barbados in 1864 and the difference
in the market value of cotton now, and less than
forty years ago is interesting. ‘Three bales contain-
ing 8 cwt. 1 qr. 7 lb. of cotton, fetched in the public
market £128 Os. 3d., the sale price being no less
than 2s. 9d. per tb. After payment of all charges
for freight, ete., the grower received £117 16s. 3d.
To-day he would receive perhaps £25, and yet even
at this comparatively low rate, the cultivation of cotton
in the West Indies would yield a profit of £1 to £2 per
acre in all probability. It must be borne in mind that
cotton seed is no longer the ‘waste product’ it was
formerly regarded.

In addition to the experiments of the Department
in Antigua, Montserrat, and St. Lucia, two planters
in Barbados have already obtained seed, and intend
to give cotton a trial.

rt —__$_
Precautions against Surra Disease.

At a meeting of the Agricultural Society of
Trinidad on September 9, the warning issued by the
Imperial Department of Agriculture with reference to
the possible importation of Surra disease was discussed.
The Government Veterinary Surgeon pointed out the
serious nature of the disease and recommended that
steps should be taken to prevent the introduction of
American animals into the colony. From the remarks
of Mr. Meaden, Manager of the Government Farm, it
would appear that in Trinidad there is no legislation
affording protection against any animal disease except
glanders. A committee was finally appointed to bring
the matter before the local Government.

The Colonial Secretary of the Leeward Islands
ha sinformed the Department that ‘necessary action
has been taken to guard against the introduction into
this colony of the disease.’

——— =o ++ ___-
Manuring Cacao.

'’he conclusions stated on page 196 with reference
to the manuring of cacao are worthy of the attention
of planters of this crop. They embody results arrived
at, in part on estates in St. Lucia, and in part on
experiment plots of the Department in that island,
and also in Grenada.

+ aa

The Value of Good Packing.

In our last number we quoted a Furmer’s Bulletin
of the United States Department of Agriculture, with
regard to the necessity of carefully packing produce for
export. Two principal varieties of potatos are put
upon the American market : ‘Southern Sweets’ and
‘ Jersey Sweets. These names are not now indicative
of the localities where the potatos are grown. As was
explained on page 182, the ‘Jersey Sweets’ originally
came into high repute on account of the care taken in
putting them on the market. ‘Those who ship
Southern Sweets from whatever section give little or

Vons Io Now ls

THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS.

199

no attention to grading, and their stock reaches market

abraded and bruised from jolting in_ loosely filled
barrels. The packers economize in various ways, to
the extent of 50 cents, and as a_ result lose. $1.00

on each barrel.

To quote further from the Bulletin: The
essential point is that the Southern man can produce
as good potatos as the Jersey man, and at as small
cost. When nature has done her part for both,
one goes to work ina systematic way, separates his
marketable potatos into two sizes, packs them carefully
in full-sized barrels, puts in a wooden head under
pressure, stencils his initials on the barrel, sends it to
market and puts money in bank. The other is care-
less in his packing. e saves something on barrel,
cover, labour, and potatos, but on the whole operation,
when he strikes a full market, he loses time, labour and
money. But the market is not always low, so he does
not always lose money on a year’s operations.’
+>
Crated versus Uncrated Bananas.

In his Annual Report for 1901-02 of the Dominica
Botanic Garden, Mr. } Jones the Curator records the
following interesting experiment. In August [1901]
a trial shipment of fifty bunches of bananas was made,
under the direction of his Honour the Administrator,
to London, per Royal Mail Steamer via Barbados, with
the view of discovering whether bananas cut at the
right stage would reach the market in good condition.
Twenty-five of the bunches were crated and the
remainder wrapped in banana trash to protect them
while being handled and during transhipment. The
erated bananas arrived in good order and realized from
6s. to 6s. Gd. per bunch at a time when the market was
glutted with fruit of all kinds. The unecrated bunches
showed considerable wastage. The highest price
obtained for the best of these - was 4s. per inate ay

The experiment with the crated bananas was very
successful. The fruit was spoken of as being of good
quality, and it shows that bananas cut at the right
stage and carefully packed can be placed in good order
on ‘the London market even during the hottest months
of the year.

oS OO

The Work of Travelling Instructors.

Amongst our ‘News from the Islands’ in this
number, ao instances are given of the work which is
being done by the Travelling Instructors of the

Departme nt. The duties of these instructors are to
travel in the country districts, and demonstrate, practi-
eally, sound methods of cultivation and to assist the
people generally in their ettorts to obtain a living from
the soil. The value of such Instructors has long been
recognized, and they are now to be found in almost
every island in the West Indies. Trinidad has rece ntly
decided to adopt their services and two Travelling
Instructors have been appointed for that Colony w shee
the last few months.
EE

West Indian Trade with Canada.
The Maritime Merchant for August 14, last,
prints an interesting interview with Mr, Charles

Pickford of the Pickford and Black Steamship Company,

who has paid several visits to the West Indies to study
trade conditions. Whilst frankly seeking, in the
first place, to improve Canada’s trade, he points out
that ‘the only thing standing in the way of our
[Canada] securing as much of the trade as we want is
the question of sugar imports. . . . It is uphill work to
do business in the West Indian market unless you are
prepared not only to sell but to buy,’

The same view is expressed in the resolution
passed at the Canadian Manufacturers’ Association,
reprinted on page 201. We trust the practical result
may be an extended market for West Indian sugar.

——--ED> ae
Feeding Poultry.

The attention of all interested in poultry keeping

is directed to the mae in this and our last issue, on

‘Feeding Poultry, by Mr. John Barclay of the Agri-
cultural Soc iety, Jamaica. The haphazard methads
often adopted and the use of wrong foods are the cause
of much waste of money, and of a considerable share
of the comparative failure many people experience
with poultry.

Mr. Barclay points out that Indian corn alone
is not a good food but contains too much fat and starch
10 proportion to flesh-forming materials. Its use in
excess 1s often the cause of death from ‘apoplexy.’ His
advice with regard to planting waste ground in pigeon
peas, ete., seems a good one, and, as he says, should
result in enrichment of the land in additoin to keep-
ing the fowls in a healthy condition.

SS ee

Black Blight in Grenada.

Black Bhght appears to be attacking trees in
Grenada on a more serious seale than usual, and the
pest 1s spreading along the Leeward Coast. More
accurately, the scale insects of Grenada are becoming
more abundant and are showing themselves by an
evident increase. in the black blight that so constantly
follows the attack of certain species. Such an attack
can be met only in one of two ways: either the owners
of attected trees must treat them, using a spraying
machine to kill the scale insects, or the trouble can be
fought on a large scale with a properly equipped
spraying outfit. “In any case, the work necessary is
probably more arduous and costly than is warranted by
the value of the trees.

This attack emphasizes very strongly the need of
regulations to prevent scale insects bemg introduced.
The scale insects attacking mango and ioredaent in
Grenada are introduced species brought trom outside
the West Indies on plants. They are now established
in. the island and it will not be easy to check them,
nor will regulations now made be of value as regards
these species, but regulations will serve to keep
out others. here are very many scale insects not
yet introduced which are likely to be far worse than
those already introduced, and the present state of
the trees in Grenada may serve to bring this home
to the minds of all who see them. It is to be hoped
that the attack will lessen, as the enemies and diseases
of these scale insects increase sufficiently to check them,

AGRICULTURAL

NEWS. Ocroper 11, 1902.

Soe

INSECT NOTES.

The Grenada Maribunta.

The word ‘ Maribunta’ or some corruption of it,
is commonly used in the West Indies to denote an
insect which would in England be known as a wasp.
The Maribuntas are social wasps, building paper nests
on trees, and having a venomous sting wherewith they
defend themselves from meddlers. Several different
species are included under the one name. The Grenada
species, Polybia occidentalis, is a small black and
yellow insect, building large enclosed nests hanging
trom the branches of trees and shrubs. Some. five
nests have been received from Mr. W. E. Broadway
who says :— This small wasp is unusually prevalent at
the Botanic Station and elsewhere in Grenada at the
present time. I have never seen so many nests hang-
ing about trees and shrubs. We destroy them where
the public have access, otherwise they deserve protec-
tion, according to Archdeacon Gentle, for the large
number of caterpillars they kill?

Though this is probably the first observation of
the usefulness of this species, the other members of
this group have long been known to play a useful part
in feeding on caterpillars and other insects. ‘The
ditferent species deserve to be protected whenever
possible, as a number of nests scattered about a garden
or field will do much to keep pests in check, and will
certainly amply repay the unpleasantness of having
them as near neighbours.

The Maribuntas generally are well worth careful
observation. The social habits, the habits of the queen
and drone, the form of the nest and the size and length
of life of a colony are all points on which information is
lacking. ‘Two species of the allied genus Polistes are
known in Barbados under the name of ‘ Wild Bee’ and
‘Cow Bee, and a third is very abundant in the Botanic
Station at Dominica. These species build smaller
nests, open below, and the colonies do not become so
extensive as do those of the Grenada Maribunta.

Insects Attacking Sweet Potatos.

Specimens of sweet potato plants attacked by red
spider have been received from Mr. H. E. Thorne of
Sandy Lane, Barbados. This is the first case of this
pest recorded this year, During 1901 the sweet
potato fields suffered heavily from red spider and many
cases were seen in different parts of the island. The
characteristic features of the attack are, first the plants
turning yellow and then the falling off of the leaves
and the death of the plants. If the crop is young
there is loss owing to the small amount of tubers
produced. If the attack does not become serious until
after the potatos have been formed, as in this case at
Sandy Lane, there may be little or no loss. Remedial

measures depend wholly on meeting the attack in time,
and if adopted promptly will prove effective and not
costly. The remedies tested, and recommended in the
6th .Lecture to Planters (Barbados) Octoler 1901, were,
spraying with kerosene emulsion and dusting with a
mixture of lime 4 parts, flowers of sulphur, 1 part.
Either of these will prove successful, and if adopted
immediately the attack commences, will be found so
simple and inexpensive as to be well worth employing.

A New Remedy for Clothes Moths.

One of the most destructive insect pests in the
West Indies is the clothes moth which is extremely
difficult to keep in check. Moth balls, camphor, ete.,
are of some service in deterring the female moths from
laying their eggs, but they possess no killing power
whatever. Ifthe eggs have already been deposited,
the young grubs (larvae) feed after hatching as though
there were no moth balls or camphor present.

Carbon bisulphide will not only keep the adults
away, but it will destroy all stages of the pest infesting
the goods. A good plan is to place all woollen articles
of clothing in a trunk with a shallow vessel such as
a saucer or a plate holding two or three ounces of the
liquid on the top, and then to tightly close it. In
a short time the fumes of carbon bisulphide penetrate
the contents of the trunk killmg any moth, grub or
eggs that may be in the clothing.

After remaining a day in the trunk the articles
may be taken out, placed in the sun for a few hours
and then returned to the wardrobe. The operation
should be repeated every two months when no damage
from moths need be feared. The most delicate articles
are uninjured by carbon bisulphide. On account of its
inflammable nature, no light should be brought near
this substance or the trunk containing its vapour. If
the treatment is commenced in the carly morning the
fumes will have largely disappeared before night. As
continued breathing of the vapour of carbon bisulphide
is liable to produce headache and dizziness, the opera-
tion of placing the liquid inside the trunk should be
performed quickly, and it would be further advisable to
place the trunk in a spare room on the leeward side of
the house. [Farmer's Bulletin, No. 145, U.S. Depart-
ment of Agriculture].

Mealy-bug in Trinidad. Specimens of a mealy-
bug on cacao pods in Trinidad have been received from
Mr. J. H. Hart, F.L.S. They have been determined as
Dactylopius citri, a species also found on cacao pods in
Grenada. Mr. Hart remarks that ants cover the mealy-bugs over
to protect them, and this is frequently observed in Grenada.
A somewhat similar case was noticed by Dr. Longfield Smith
in Barbados where ants had raised a covering over the entire
base of some plants as a protection to mealy-bugs of the
same species.

Usefulness of Game Birds. The great abundance
of game birds in England is one of the causes of the small
numbers of insect pests there. Ground doves, wood doves,
the Barbados blackbird and other ground-feeding birds
should be encouraged in the West Indies to do the useful
work of the partridge and other birds in England.

SViOE lee NOsel3: THE

AGRICULTURAL NEWS.

201

VOLCANIC DISTURBANCES IN
ST. VINCENT.

REPORT ON DAMAGE TO CROPS, ETC,

At the request of his Honour the Administrator, Mr. H.
Powell the Curator, and Mr. Thos. Osment, the Agricultural
Instructor, of theBotanic Station, St. Vincent, visited the
_allotments on the Linley estates on September 6, for the
purpose of ascertaining the extent of the damage to
provision crops there by the eruption of the Soufriére on the
night of September 3. Leaving Kingstown by boat early on
the morning of the 6th. the effects of the eruption were
first visible a little south of Cumberland, vegetation
presenting a greyish appearance due to a coating of volcanic
ash which was found of increasing depth as they proceeded
from Cumberland to Troumaca. The party landed at
Rosebank where the layer of ejecta was found to be about
three inches thick and composed of dark ashes or sand
and coarser material approaching the nature of gravel,
with pieces of pumice measuring five inches in diameter and
less, and pieces of stone froma quarter-inch to one inch in
diameter, occasionally larger. Both at Rosebank and the
surrounding villages it was observed that the crops had
suffered more or less severely. The Curator and Instructor
advised the settlers as to the best course to pursue with
crops that were not past recovery. In the case of bana-
nas nearing maturity, they recommended that the leaves
should be carefully pruned and the ejecta removed by means
of a pointed stick and a bucket of water. This course had
proved satisfactory elsewhere, whereas ashes when allowed to
remain in the axils of the leaves and branches caused prema-
ture decay. Tannias particularly had suffered, owing to the
breadth and tender nature of their leaves. The depth of the
ejecta was found to have been much exaggerated by the
people, as also their story that the available provisions had
been destroyed. As a result of their inspection, Messrs.
Powell and Osment arrived at the following conclusions,
which are embodied in their report to the Administrator :—

*(1) Scarcely any damage has been done to the present
supply of provisions in consequence of there being but little
fit to reap.

‘(2) From the sea shore at Rosebank and Troumaca to a
line running north and south at about Belmont old sugar
works, the damage done to growing provisions in general is
very severe and will probably retard the reaping season by
six to eight weeks, and even then, the yield will doubtless be
much less than it would otherwise have been.

*(3) From Belmont sugar works to a point above
Rosehall Village, the damage gradually lessens, and as
compared to the lower parts might be classed as slight.

“(4) The depth of the ejecta was greatly exaggerated by
the allotters.

‘(5) The tracks through the allotments on parts of
tosebank, Troumaca and Rosehall are in a bad state making
even walking difficult, and if relief should at any time be
decided on we recommend that it take the form of road-
making at the places named.

‘Tn conclusion we beg to record our regret that such a
misfortune should have overtaken these promising allotments,
and we also wish to express our confidence that if no further
calamity should occur, much of the damage done will in a
-short time disappear.’

TRADE BETWEEN CANADA AND
THE WEST INDIES.

The Maritime Merchant tor August 14, last,
records that at the thirty-first Annual Convention of
Canadian Manufacturers’ Association, held in Halifax
on August 13-14, the following resolution was passed :—

Whereas, the Manufacturers of Canada desire to
increase their export trade with the British West
Indies, and

Whereas, the report of the President and Assist-
ant Secretary of this Association submits the assurance
that the agricultural and manufactured products of
Canada are suitable to the requirements of the British
West Indies, and

Whereas, the United States at present supply
those articles largely because it buys considerable
quantities of British West India sugar, and

Whereas, the diverting of this export trade from
New York to Canadian ports might be accomplished
by increasing our direct importation of British West
India sugar,

Therefore Resolved, that this Association lend its
effort by such measures as may seem desirable to the
Executive to promote and increase our direct imports
of sugar and other products of the British West Indies,

VALUE OF BOTANIC GARDENS.

The following appreciation of the usefulness of
Botanic Gardens, and in particular of the Royal Gardens
at Kew, is taken from Botanizing, that excellent
practical book for field botanists, written by Prof. W.W.
Bailey of Brown University U.S.A.

As an instance of the beneficent infiuence of botanical
science the records of the Royal Gardens at Kew may be
cited. Under the directorship of Sir Wilham Hooker, and
later of his son, Sir J. D. Hooker, and at present under that
of Sir W. T. Thistleton-Dyer, it has accomplished wonders
for the education and delight of countless throngs of visitors.
3ut its work does not cease with this objective teaching ;
it constantly enriches the many Colonies of Great Britain.
One of the annual reports of this truly Royal Garden contains
a complete reply to any carping eriticism of Botany.

Here is, no doubt, the largest herbarium in the world ;
here botanists, gardeners, and explorers are trained ; here
are conducted experiments of most varied and useful charac-
ter. By means of Kew coffee, cinchona, cotton and many
other important products have been extended to different
countries. All the Colonial as well as many foreign gardens
are in touch with Kew. Every new plant is here examined,
every supposed drug or fabric tested as to its value. Improve-
ments as to cultivation are suggested, means of protection
instituted. Kew is now conceded to be one of the most
practical, best paying, of all Britain’s national institutions :
it is honoured alike at home and abroad.

Who can fitly estimate the amount annually saved to
the farmer by the researches of botanists and entomologists +
The student of fungi alone becomes a benefactor, for mould,
blight, and mildew, as well as many of our own diseases,
arise from the prevalence of active spores. We should then
in all ways, encourage those who, with microscope and
chemicals, wage upon these pests an unrelenting war.

THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS.

OcroBer 11, 1902.

POULTRY.

Mr. J. Barclay completes in this number his notes
on ‘Feeding poultry, commenced on p. 186. The
next contribution will deal with ‘ Housing poultry’ :—

MIXED DIET ESSENTIAL.

We have seen in the preceding article that corn is
not a suitable food to be used alone, or even largely,
in warm climates, owing to the large amount of fat it
contains, over and above being rich in starch (also fat-
tening) and in proportion, being poor in the flesh-forming
element which goes to build up the body and be utilized in
making the eggs. Cocoanut is also fatty but has no
starch, and it must be used sparingly for laying fowls.
Cocoa-nut is largely used in parts of Jamaica for feeding
poultry, just as corn is, and both are suitable, fed sparingly,
where fowls can pick up a variety of other food. When
active fowls are kept on a free range, as they should
be to be profitable, all the native foods, though fatten-
ing, like tannias, bananas, rice, breadfruit, corn, cocoa-nut,
or whatever is handy, may be fed safely, because active
fowls use up in energy, a very great amount of what with
sluggish fowls would make fat. They find in what they pick
up, a worm or grub here, a beetle there, and a grasshopper
yonder, the nitrogenous food to make a good balance. Hens
so kept have always clear, bright, sharp eyes, a busy, always-
looking-out-for-something air, and if of laying strains at all,
will lay regularly and freely. The table birds, if so kept,
will keep healthy and the hens will lay well. If wanted to
be fattened, they should be confined and fed well on the
said foods, especially on cocoa-nuts and bananas, when the
want of exercise will quickly cause them to turn their food
into fiesh and fat, and their fesh will have an excellent
flavour.

NITROGENOUS FOOD.

The want of nitrogenous vegetable food for live stock is
often badly felt in the West Indies. In temperate climates
wheat bran, and middlings, and manufactured foods like
gluten meal, cotton-seed meal, blood meal, and so on are at
hand. We have the cocoa-nut and cocoa-nut meal, but these
are not generally available; in many places not at all, and not
at any rate, cheap enough. Nitrogenous food is most easily
available for us in the legumes like peas. But
generally twice or three times as dear as corn, if grown or
bought in the markets. Cheapness, however, may often be
found in making a double or triple purpose be served. If there
is a waste piece of ground, a rocky hill, an exceedingly poor
piece of land, a field to be rested and enriched, then a crop
of peas should be grown. The most useful of all for our
triple purpose, the most prolific and easily grown, is the
Pigeon or Congo pea, which grows into a bush, bearing the
pods pretty much out of the reach of the fowls ; and it shades
the land. They are soil improvers and keep down weeds
when planted thickly ; the peas are excellent food for man
and beast and bird ; they grow on the poorest soils, and
stand very dry weather. If the bush is kept down until
the young plants are 4 feet high, they will then cover the
ground and keep weeds under. Encourage the fowls to go to

these are

the pigeon pea cultivation, which may be done by feeding
them there in the morning; they will spend busy and
satisfactory, hours getting at the lower pods, and nothing that
falls will be wasted. ‘he topmost pods will be saved and
used in the house or stored for poultry feed, or both. When
the crop is taken off, the pigeon pea bears a second time,
sometimes a third time without replanting, but by the
second year the soil is much improved by the pea-roots and
the droppings of the fowls, and is ready to be planted in some
other crop. Peas cost more than corn if bought in the
markets, but when we consider that peas contain exactly
a fourth less fat than corn,—fat which we do not want and
which is therefore wasted to us,—and that one-fourth of
their whole weight is flesh-forming food, which we value
most highly, while corn contains only one-fourth as much,
we find that one half-pint of peas will give as much
flesh-forming food as a quart of corn. Furthermore, as we
have seen that nearly all our other foods are starchy, it is
possible by feeding a small proportion of peas every day
with any other common foods, with what the fowls pick up,
to get a well balanced and economical diet for our poultry.
AN ECONOMICAL METHOD.

What we advise to do is as follows. There is to
be found in most kitchens an old kerosene tin where
yam-peelings and scraps generally are thrown, intended for
the pigs. This is well, but in addition, a tin, or box should
be fixed upon the wall, out of reach of dogs and fowls, should
they happen to be allowed to hang around the kitchen (a bad
custom), where the best scraps, such as bits of boiled yam,
potato, breadfruit, crusts of bread, or in fact anything left
over from the cooking or from the table, should be thrown.
In the morning these scraps should be put into a dish (the
earthenware ‘yabba’ of Jamaica makes an excellent and
easily-cleaned vessel,) a handful of rice, bran, cornmeal,
finely ground peas, or cocoanut meal put in, and just enough
boiling water poured on as to make a thick, crumbly mess,
not sloppy nor sticky. This should be fed to the fowls
early in the mornings in dishes or on boards, not thrown on
the ground, and should not be fed at the kitchen door or in
the yard, but well away and on different spots each day.
The value of this will appear later on under ‘Sickness’.
With a free run of pasture, cot22 walk, banana walk, or
such like, half a handful or, say an ounce or a little more of
the soft food is enough for each fowl, (depending upon
their run) and they will need nothing more until evening.
If fed too heartily in the morning the fowls will not go in
search of more food but will hang around the yard or in the
shade. In the evening one pint of pigeon peas cracked or
broken as you would grind corm roughly in a mill, to a
quart of corn, Guinea corn, or rice, is sutticient food for from
twert, to twenty-five active laying hens, that is, abont an
ounce or a little more each.

FOOD SHOULD BE SCATTERED,

This hard food should be scattered far and wide, two
hours before they go to roost so that they will be kept busy
picking it up. Itis a mistake simply to throw down the
food ina heap for the fowls to gobble it up quickly. In
nature fowls never get a heap of food at ence; they scrape
here and there picking up little by little. Hence it is best
that they should have-to take time to find their grain food.
The rule generally laid down for feeding poultry, to produce
the best results, is to feed soft food in the morning and
hard food in the evening. The hens are hungry after a long
night’s fast, and the aim is to give food easily assimilated
so that they ean get the good of it quickly, and go to the
nest to lay, feeling comfortable. At the same time the food
given must not satisfy them long enough to keep them from

Votes I= Nom rs:

THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS.

203

seeking more for themselves. Hard grain would take several
hours to digest sufticiently for the hens to get any good
from it ; that is why it is to be fed in the evenings to last
them as long as possible during the night.

It is very easy to know whether the hens have had a
sufficiency of food to go to roost with, by feeling their
crops as they roost. If their crops are half empty, feed a
little more, if too full and distended, feed less.

The feeding of chickens will be dealt with in a special
article, ‘ Chicken Rearing.’

THE FOREST TREES

CHECK LIST OF Or
THE UNITED STATES, THEIR NAMES AND
RANGES. By George B. Seedworth. Bulletin No. 17,
Division of Korestry, U.S. Department of Agriculture.

On account of the confusion in nomenclature regarding
the forest trees of the United States, especially those of
economic importance as sources of timber, the Division of
Forestry has issued this bulletin so as to pave the way to a
more definite system of naming commercial timber trees in
that country.

The bulletin consists of a list of North American timber
trees, arranged in families, giving the scientific name and the
common name as well as the distribution of each in the
various states.

There are several West Indian trees mentioned that are
found in Southern Florida. Although not of high scien-
tifie value, the list will be useful for reference to those who
are interested in the timber trees of the American continent.
The list of the common names is possibly the most complete
yet published.

THE NATURAL HISTORY OF PIANTS. By
Professor Kerner Von Marilaun, English translation by
Professor F. W. Oliver. Yew and Cheap edition Messrs.
Blackie & Son, 5O Old Bailey, London, B.C. 16 parts at
1s. Gd. each.

As has already been noticed in the Agricultural News
(p. 123) a new edition of Professor Oliver's English translation
of Kerner’s Natural History of Plants is being issued by
Messrs. Blackie & Son. We regret very much that since the
issue of the first English edition in 1897, the venerable
author, Professor Kerner von Marilaun has died.

The new edition is published in monthly parts at 1s. 6d.
each and will be completed in sixteen numbers. The chief
difference between this and the first edition (published
in 16 parts at 2s. 6d. each) is that the coloured plates are
omitted. The printing both as regards text and figures is
admirable.

Volume I. gives an account of the form and life of
plants. We have first a discussion on the nature of

protoplasm, the actual living matter both of animals and:

plants. A description follows of the different ways in which
plants take in their food—first the normal plants taking in
salts dissolved in water from the soil and gases from the air,
then those plants which obtain their food from dead and
decaying animal and vegetable matter, and finally parasites,
plants which obtain their food by growing on and robbing
other living plants.

The volume ends with a description of the different
forms of root, stem and leaf met with in the higher plants,
showing how beautifully these various forms are adapted to
the conditions under which plants live.

Volume II. is chiefly oceupied with an account of the
reproduction of plants. The author describes the means by
which fertilization is effected in the lower as well as in the
higher plants, and how the reproductive bodies—spores or
seeds—are distributed to ‘fresh fields and pastures new.’
The chapter on the contrivances to which plants have been
driven to secure the dispersal of their fruits and seeds is one
of the most interesting in the book.

It is quite impossible to do justice to the merits of
this fascinating book in a short notice ; we recognize through-
out the deep sympathetic interest the author took in plant
life. It is true that the explanations given by the author as
to the meaning of certain modifications of plants sometimes
appear far-fetched and hardly warranted by facts, but even
here he is always interesting, and the clearness with which
he states the facts always gives a clear appreciation of the
subject in question. The book may be confidently recom-
mended to all interested, in any way, in plant life.

Messrs. Blackie & Son, to whom we are indebted for
copies of the first two parts request us to state that they will
be pleased to forward prospectuses of this or of any other of
their works noticed in these columns to any one applying for
them.

DEPARTMENT NEWS.

Mr. G. Whitfield Smith, the Travelling Superin-
tendent of the Department, left Barbados on the S. S.
Maranhense on the 2nd. instant for New York.
Mr. Smith will return by the first available boat to the
Virgin Islands and Montserrat, and later will visit the
Botanic Stations in some of the other islands. He will
also give a course of Leetures to Teachers at Montser-
rat.

My. L. Lewton-Brain, B.A., arrived from England
by the mail of September 29, and assumed his duties
as Mycologist and Agricultural Lecturer of the
Imperial Department of Agriculture. Mr. Brain was
formerly demonstrator in Botany at Cambridge
University.

eee

A ‘Scavenger’ Fly. Mr. Hart of the Botanic
Garden, Trinidad, has sent some flies, found by a Trinidad
planter on diseased bananas. The chrysalis case (puparium)
of the flies showed clearly that the grub was what is known as
a ‘rat-tailed maggot,’ that is, a maggot with a long telescopic
tail which enables it to live buried in liquid or semiliquid
matter, the long tail being stretched to the surface to get air.
Probably the grubs of the fly lived in the decaying matter of
the bananas: it is improbable that they are im any way
hurtful. They are more likely useful members of the great
tribe of ‘scavengers’ to which we owe so much.

THE

AGRICULTURAL NEWS.

Octosrr 11, 1902.

NEWS FROM THE ISLANDS.

The plants at the Tobago Botanie Station are reported
to have made excellent growth during the year 1901-02, and
the Station is assuming an attractive appearance. Prepara
tions have been made for further planting and_ several
experiment plots have been defined and laid out.

A gate has been placed on the southern boundary of the
Botanic Station, Tobago. The new road affording direct
access to the Station from the landing stage and wharf has
proved a great convenience to visitors,

Mr. G. M. De Freitas at Woodlands, Grenada, has grown
a specimen of a Black Antigua pine, 9 ib. in weight. Equally
good results have been obtained at Dominica.

The attack of scale insects on lime trees is reported
from Grenada. The scale in this instanze was found to be
the West Indian red scale, a common pest on citrus plants.

Carbon bisulphide is being used to preserve Indian
corn from weevils in Barbados. The stored in
hogsheads, into each of which one to one and a half ounces
of carbon bisulphide is placed, when the whole is tightly
sealed. The cost per hogshead is about three to five cents,
but if the chemical were more largely used, the cost should
not exceed two cents.

corn is

Weather favourable to growing crops is reported from
st. Lucia for the past month. The rainfall has
abundant, 12 inches being recorded for August and about 14
inches for September. There have been no very heavy and
destructive showers nor high winds.

been

A suggestion has been made to hold a District Agricul-
tural Show in St. Patrick’s parish, Grenada, early next year.

Sweet potato meal has recently been prepared in
Anguilla, by machines imported by the Imperial Department
of Agriculture. Samples were forwarded by last mail to the
West India Committee and to the Imperial Institute, London.
Some more was placed on exhibit at the Planters’ Hall,
Bridgetown, Barbaclos.

Nature Teaching, the Agricultural text-book prepared
by the Department for the use of West Indian schools, is
being largely adopted in Trinidad. One hundred additional
copies were ordered by last mail.

Active steps have been taken during the last few
months to encourage the cultivation of English vegetables
amongst the peasantry in the country districts of Dominica.

The Agricultural Instructor of Dominica reports that
during his recent tours he has successfully budded sour-
orange stock in some of the outlying districts with the
Washington Navel. It is only by such travelling instructors
that methods of cultivation can be improved in many of
the country districts of some parts of the West Indies.

The Laboratory and class rooms at the Agricultural
School, St. Vincent, are approaching completion, and it is.
hoped that they will be in working order at an early date.

The St. Vincent Agricultural School was inspected by
the Medical Officer on August 29. He reported : ‘ Inspected.
school and out-buildings and found everything clean-and in
a sanitary condition; the general health of the pupils.
continues to be very satisfactory.’

The locul Instructor at Montserrat has been giving
practical demonstrations as to the best methods of sowing
onion seed, and generaily helping on those taking up this.
cultivation.

The outlook for the onion crop of Antigua next year
is promising, no less than double the previous quantity of
seed having been ordered

The Smooth Cayenne pine appears well suited to the
conditions prevailing at Antigua. he fruits from an experi-
ment plot last year averaged 8{fb each. If anything, they
were too large for the London market, where, however, they
fetched remunerative prices.

A fair quantity of teak seed is available annually from
the St. Vincent Botanic Station. A seedling planted out in
the Garden six years ago is now 41 feet. high, with a cireum-
ference of 3 feet 6 inches at one foot from the ground, and
2 feet 6 inches at a height of 6 feet.

A fine specimen of the Pampas grass is now an object
of interest at the St. Vincent Botanic Station. It carries as
many as thirty plumes.

Some specimens of scale insects attacking plants have
been received from St. Lucia through Mr. E. Buekmire, the
Foreman of the Botanic Station. These include ten species,
one new to St. Lucia (the Barnacle Wax scale).

Settlers from Grenada are arriving at Tobago and
purchasing lands from estates for the cultivation of cacao.
They prefer estate lands to Crown lands, owing to the
former being more accessible.

A series of lectures to the school teachers of Barbados
on the manner and method of teaching the principles of
Agriculture by means of object lessons was organised some
time back by Dr. Morris. The first of these lectures was

delivered on Saturday Oct. 4, at Harrison College by
Dr. Longfield Smith. The lecture was well attended,

44 teachers being present.

The subject dealt with by the lecturer was ‘The air we
breathe’ and the lecture was well illustrated by experi-
ments, nearly all of which could be easily performed by any
teacher with a few glass tumblers, some saucers, a pail, and
other simple articles. At the close of the lecture cyclostyle
notes containing a summary of the lecture and a list of
experiments were given to each teacher.

Wor. 1a” No» 13:

THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS.

205

MENTAL REPORTS )

ee

ANTIGUA: REPORT ON ECONOMIC EXPERI-
MENTS. Conducted in Connexion with the Botanic Station,
By the Hon'ble Francis Watts, B.Sc., and Mr. W. N. Sands.

The experiments described in this report have as their
objects the improvement of local food products, the introdue-
tion of new crops, and the placing on record of facts of
interest with regard to insect and fungoid attacks, and
climatic conditions.

In the experiments with green dressings the Velvet
bean was found so subject to insect attacks as to be of little
value to the island. The most promising plants for this
purpose, so far, appear to be the White Bonavist, (called the
Louisiana Cow-pea in Antigua,) and the Montpellier bean.

An interesting series of experiments are in hand with
the object of raising varieties of Indian corn, combining the
disease-resisting powers of the native corn with the larger
grain and heavier yield of the imported varieties.

Cotton, oil plants, sweet potatos, yams, ete., have all
received attention.

The second portion of the Report is devoted to ‘minor
industries.’ The experiments with onions have been contin-
ued successfully, and the cultivation of pine-apples, other than
the Black Antigua variety, tried with satisfactory results.
The experiments with tobacco indicate that a tobacco,
admirably suited to the requirements of the peasant class,
can be produced locally.

Agricultural Shows in British Guiana.

The recently formed Board of Agriculture in British
Guiana, according to the Demerara Chronicle las lately
dealt with the question of the manner in which the govern-
ment grant for Agricultural Shows should be expended. For
some years past horticultural exhibitions have been held in
Georgetown under the auspices of the Royal Agricultural
and Commercial Society. For various reasons however, this
body has found it impossible to deal adequately with the
vast number of exhibits sent in and it has been decided to
hand over the direction of Agricultural Shows to the Board
of Agriculture which is now the recognized authority for the
disbursement of Government grants in aid of Agriculture.

In order to render the Agricultural Shows of the Colony
of real use in agricultural development, the Board has decided
that future exhibitions must be agricultural rather than
horticultural in character, and only exhibits of field and
garden produce of economic importance and live stock
will in future be accepted. The value of this decision
cannot be too greatly emphasised. To offer prizes for every
kind of experimental produce, before it has been proved to be
of commercial importance, is to place new and imperfectly
tested products on a level with those which long and
careful trial has proved of value to the Colony. Such a
procedure would only encourage hasty experimentation
and premature conclusions which would undoubtedly do
much harm to new industries. It is in every way desirable
that Agricultural Shows should limit their awards to produce
-of economic importance.

THE ‘AGRICULTURAL NEWS,

The following are a few of the comments received
in connexion with the Agricultural News :—

Mr. C. P. Lucas, Under Secretary of State for the Colonies

Mr. Chamberlain regards with interest and satisfaction
the efforts that are being made, through the agency of this
publication, to disseminate agricultural information suited to
the circumstances of the West Indies, and he desires me to
convey to you his congratulat‘ons upon the publication of the
first number.

Nature.

Its contents are of a most varied character, appealing
to all classes of cultivators in the islands, dealing not only
with the staple industry, sugar, but also with bats, beetles,
tarpon fishing, grape cultivation, market reports, notices of
books, ete.

Journal of the Royal Colonial Institute.

Dr. Morris, who has already done so much in this
direction, is to be congratulated on the general appearance
and selection of subjects in the first issue of the Agricultural
News.

Chronicle.

The Agricultural News, the newly-established Review
of the Imperial Department of Agriculture for the West
Indies, always good, improves as it goes on. It supplies to
the planter just the kind of information he requires, and
emphasises the need of brain-culture as a preliminary to
practical work.

Gard ners’

The Jamaica Educational Bulletin.

A valuable instrument in the uplifting of the West
Indies —uplifting the several Colonies into the view of one
another and into the vfew of the Mother Country and her
markets and capitalists.

The Times of St. Vincent.
We have much pleasure in recommending this new
publication to our peasant proprietors and other persons
interested in agriculture.

Barbados Agricultural Reporter.

We have no hesitation in declaring that a really first-
rate publication has been launched. That the journal is
calculated to prove of abundant service in the cause of
agricultural education is beyond doubt.

The Dominican Guardian.

One of its interesting features is the information
touching the condition of the markets, both in London,
New York, Barbados and other Colonies . . . We wish it
a long and useful career.

The Montserrat Herald.

The Agricultural News contains several bits of useful
and instructive readings for all classes of agriculturists.
That it may have a wide circulation in the island we heartily
commend it to our readers.

Colonial Sceretary of Antigua.

The publication is likely to be a most useful one and
shows the earnest desire of the Officers of the Imperial
Department of Agriculture to promote the agricultural
interests of the Colony.

THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS.

OctosEr 11, 1902.

COMMERCIAL.

With the view of assisting in finding a market fort the

disposal of local produce, arrangements have been made+with
the following Agents in these Colonies who will be prepared
to receive consignments and obtain the best prices for them.

It is particularly urged that no shipments be made until

an assurance has been received from the Agents themselves
that they are prepared to accept such shipments.

Agents in the West Indies.

BRITISH GUIANA—B.S. Bayley, Water Street, Georgetown.
TRINIDAD—J. Russell Murray, Port-of-Spain.

BARBADOS—T. 8. Garraway & Co.,

ST.

London,—Sept. 16,

Halifax N. S.—‘ Tue Maririme Mercuanr’,

New York,—‘ept. 19,

Bridgetown. :
LUCIA—Captain H. Henville, Contractor & Agent, Castries.

MARKET REPORTS.

1902.—Messrs. Gintesrie Bros. &
Co. and ‘THE Pustic LEpGER,’ Sept. 13, 1902.
Ators—Curacoa, 10/- to 32/-; Barbados 13,/- to 35/- per ewt.
Arrowroot—St. Vincent, 3/ to 5d per lb.
Bartata—Venezuelan, 1/10 to 2/55 per 1b.
Bees-wax—Jamaica, £7 5s. to £7 12s, 6. per ewt.
Cacao—T'dad, 60/- to 85/- P ewt.
Dominica 56/- to 57,- per ewt.
Grenada, good 56/6 to 63/- per ewt.
Jamaica, 55/- to 63/6- per ewt.
Carpamoms—Mysore, 1/- to 3/- per lb.
Cassta Fistuta—5,6 to 35/- per ewt.
Castor Om—3$d to 43d per lb.
CorrEE—Jamaica, 37/- to 125/- ;
per cwt.
Costa Rica, 42/- to 99/- per ewt.
Trinidad, 26,6 per cwt.
Corron— 4} to 5j/. per Ib.
CowacE—1d to 2d per lb.
Fustic—3/10 to 45.
Gincer—Jamaica, 36/- to 55/- per ewt.
Wonrty—fair amber 14/- to 21/- per ewt.
Istnctass—West Indian, 1/- to 3/- per lb.
JaLar—4i to 6d per Ib.
Kuus-Kuus Roor—12)- per ewt.
Kota Nurs—li to 4¢ per Ib.
Lime Jurce—Raw, 1/- to 1/1 per
£12 10s. per pipe.
Locwoon—Jamaica, £4 2s Gd. to £4 7s. 6d.
Mace-—-1/3 to 2,10 per Tb.
Nirrate oF Sopa-- Agricultural £8 15s. per ton.
Nurmecs—80s @ 1/5, 60s @ 2/7, per th. ; in shell 4d to 5d.
per Ib.
Om or Limes—Distilled 1/8 ; Hand pressed 4/-
Pimento—fair to good 27d to 3d. per lb.
SarsaPartm~tta—Jamaica, 8d. to 1/3 per lb.
Sucar-—Barbados Muscovado, 12/- to 13/- duty paid ;
Trinidad and Demerara crystallized 12/- to 14/9 per cwt.
SutpHate or AmMonta—Grey, 24 per cent., London
£12 5s. per ton.

Peaberry 75/- to 115,-

gallon : concentrated,

per lb.

Tamarinps—Barbados 12- to 15/6; other West India
5/- to 12/-. per cwt.

Tonquin Brans—9d. to 26d. per lb.

Fruir—Covent Garden Marker (‘Garpeners’
CHRONICLE,’ September 11, 1902.)
Bananas—5/- to 8/- per bunch.

LemMons—12/6 to 25/- per case.

ORANGES—no quotation.

Pines—3/- to 5/6 each.

Aug. 14, 1902.

Motasses—Porto Rico 30c. to 38c., Barbados 24c. to 25c.
per gallon.

1902.—Messrs. GiLLEespie Bros.

& Co,

British Guiana,—‘ept.

Bananas—Jamaicas,
7T0c. to T5e.
Cacao—~<African, 15jc. to 138; Caracas, 13 fc.

Jamaica, lle. to 12}e.
Grenada, 13c. to 14$c. ; Trinidad 13c. to 14$c. per lb.
Cocoa-nuts ; Small Trinidads $12.00 to $13.00 ; Jamaicas.
$23.00 to $25.00 per M.
CorrEE—Rio, gcod crdinary 52c.; Jamaica 6c. to Tee
per lb.; Manchester grades 8c. to Ile. per lb.
Grxcer— 8}c. per Ib.
Pimento—4} to 5c. per Ib.

Rupser—Nicaragua Serap 52c. to 53 per Ib; sheet 48c.
to 50c. per Ib. ; ; Guayaquil Strip 50c. to 52c. per th.
Sucar—Muscovado, 89°, 3c.; Centrifugals, 96°, 3c.

per lb. molasses, 89°, » 22 2

INTER-COLONIAL MARKETS.

90c. to 95c. for firsts, 8 hand bunches.

to 14}c. 5.

Antigua,—September 24, 1902.—Messrs. G. W. BENNETT,

Bryson & Co., Ltd.
Mo.asses—10ce. per imperial gallon, package included.
Sucar—Muscovado $1.25 per 1O0lb.

Barbados,—*ep. 27, 1902.—Messrs. T.S. Garraway & Co.

Arrowroot—good quality, $3.50 per 100 Ib.

Cacao—$13.50 per 100 Ib. Dominica $14.00.

Corree—Jamaica and ordinary Rio $8.00 to $9.00:
per 100 lb. respectively.

Hay—New Brunswick 9c. to $L.00 per 100 Ib.

Manvures—Nitrate of Soda $65.00 per ton ; Ohlendorff’s.
Dissolved Guano ; $60.00; Sulphate of Ammonia $75.00
Sulphate of Potash $70 per ton.

Mo rasses—No quotations.

Ontons—Madeira $1.80 to $2.11 per 100 Ib.

Poratos—$3.40 per 160 Ib.

Rice—Ballam $4.60 per bag ;
Rangoon $3.C0 per bag.

SHALLots—No quotations.

Sucar—No quotations.

Patna 3.50 to $3.75 per bag ;

25, 1902.—Messrs. WeitTine &

RIcurer.

Arrowroot—$10.00 to $12.00 per barrel.

Cacao—native lle. to 13c. nominal per th.

Cassava Starcu—$8.00 per barrel.

Cocoa-NutTs—$8.00 to $10.00 per M.

CorreeE—Rio and Jamaica Ile. per Ib.
lle. to 12c. per lb.

Eppors—$1.44 per bag.

Ontons—3e. to 3$e. per lb.

Pea Nurs—Curacoa 3fc.; American 5c.

Pranrarns —20ce. to 32c. per bunch.

Poraros Encutsn— $4.25 per barrel, declining.

Rice—Ballam $4.75 to $4.80; Patna $5.90, Seeta $5.90"
per bag.—CreoLe Rice We. per gallon, (retail. )

Sweer Poraros—-Barbados, none, Creole $1.44

Tannras—$1.80 per bag.

Yams—€2.88 per bag.

Morasses— Vacuum Pan, first yellow, no stock, no sales ;
nominal value I4c. te 15c. per gallon, casks included.

Sucar—Dark Crystals $1.67$ to $1.70) ; yellow $2.10 to-
$2.20 per 100 th.

TIMBER —Greenheart 3

WALLABA SHINGLES

(retail.) Creole,

(retail) per th.

:. to 5dc. per cubic foot.
.00 to $5.00 per M.

Trinidad,—September 24, 1902.—Messrs. Gorpon Grant
& Co, and September 26, 1902.—-Messrs. EpGar
Tree & Co.

Cacao—Ordinary to good red $12.75 to $13.00 ; estates,
Sin 50 per F: anega. Venezuelan $13.00 to $13.70 per
ag.

Batara—Venezuelan d2fc. to 43}¢e. per th.

CorreE—Venezuelan. Te. per Ne

Ontons—$2.25 to $3.00 per 100 lb.

Poraros Encuisu—S$1.12 to $1.35 per 1001b.

Rice—Yellow $4.55 to $4.75 ; White Table $5.2:
per bag.

Sucar—For Grocery use, $1.60 to $3.00 per 1001b.

Mo.tassts—No que station.

NiGia ING! didk THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 207

DEPARTMENT PUBLICATIONS ON SALE.

The ‘WEST INDIAN BULLETIN.’ A Quarterly Scientific Journal.

Volume I. Reports of the Agricultural Conference of 1899 and 1900 and other papers ; complete, in the original paper
covers as issued, post free, 5s. The parts can no longer be sold separately.

Volume II. Full report of the Conference of 1901, and other papers. Price, in original paper covers as issued, post
free 2s. 9d.

Vouume IIT. ’ No. 1. Agricultural Conference of 1902: President’s Address and Sugar Industry. No. 2. Conference
of 1902 (continued). Educational and General Papers. Price 6d. Post free 8d each. No. 3. Sugar Industry,
Seale Insects, School Gardens, Object Lessons, Voleanic Phenomena, Ground nuts ete., (in the press.)

PAMPHLET SERIES.
(3.) Seedling and other Canes at Barbados 1900. Price 2d. Post free 2}. (5.) General Treatment of Insect Pests,
2nd Edition Revised. Price 4d. Post free 44d. (6.) Recipes for cooking Sweet Potatos. Price 2d. Post free 23d.
(7.) Scale Insects of the Lesser Antilles. Price 4d. Post free 5d. (8.) Cultivation of Vegetables in Barbados. Price 2d.
Post free 23d. (9.) Bee-keeping in the West Indies. Price 4d. Post free 5d. (10.) Manures and Leguminous Plants at
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Talk to Small Owners. Price 2d. Post free 24d. (16) Hints on Onion Cultivation, Price 2d. Post free 24d. (17) General
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‘NATURE TEACHING.’ 4 text book based upon the general principles of Agriculture for the use of schools.
Prepared by the Honourable Francis Watts and others. (Pages 12 and 199). Price, limp cloth 2s., in superior binding 2s. 6d.
Postage, 33d extra.

The ‘AGRICULTURAL NEWS’ A Fortnightly Review, Subscription 3s. 3/7. per annum, post free.

Agents for the sale of the publications of the Department :—

London: Messrs. Dutau & Co., 37, Soho Square, W. Barbados: Messrs. Bowrn & Sons, Bridgetown. Jam«aica:
THe EpucationaL Suppty Company, 16, King St., Kingston. British Guiana: The ‘ Daily Chronicle Office, Georgetown.
Trinidad: Messrs. Munro, & Co., Frederick St, Port-of-Spain. Tobago: Mr. C. L. Pracemann, Scarborough. Grenada: Messrs.
F. Marrast & Co., ‘ The Stores,’ St. George. St. Vincent: Mr. W. C. D. Prouproor, Kingstown. St. Lucia: Mr. R. G.
McHvuen, Castries, Dominica: Messrs. C. F. Duverney & Co., Market St. Roseau. Montserrat: Mr. W. LiuEweLttyN WALL,
Plymouth: Autigua: Mr. F. Forresr St. John’s. St, Kitts: Messrs. S. L. Horsrorp & Co., Basseterre.

TO THE

rani wor, Seeds & Plants of Commercial Products.

HEVEA BRASILIENSIS. Coming crop of seeds August-September shipment. As orders must reach us at
least at the end of July to avoid disappointment, ordering by wire necessary on the appearance of this advertisement. There is
only one crop in the year. A leading Sumatra planter who purchased 150.000 seeds on two previous occasions writes under date
May 10, 1902: ‘I shall like to have your lowest terms for delivery of 100,000 Hevea seeds in the same way as before from the
coming crop.’ 75% guaranteed to germinate. Shipments to West Indies can be made to London only : re-shipment must be
arranged by purchasers.

For special offer of seeds and plants see the following descriptive Price Lists, post free on application.

1. Tropical Seeds and Plants of Commercial Products, enlarged edition for 1902.

2. Seeds and Plants of Shade, Timber, Wind-belts, Fuel, and Ornamental Trees, Trees for Road-sides, Parks, Open
Spaces, Pasture Lands, Avenues, Hedges, and for planting among crops (Tea, Coffee, Cacao, Cardamons, etc.)

3. Seeds and Plants of Tropical Fruit Trees including Mango grafts. 4. Bulbs, Tubers and Yams.

5. Orchids—Ceylon and Indian. 6. Seeds and Plants of Palms, Calamus, Pandanus, Cycads, Tree and other Ferns,
rotons, Roses, Dracaenas, Shrubs and Creepers.

SPECIAL ARRANGEMENTS made with foreign Governments, Botanical and Agricultural Departments,
Planters, and others for supplying seeds and plants of Commercial Products in large quantities.

AGAVE LURIDA. This highly recommended fibre yielding plant yields a fibre equal to that of S¢sa/ in lustre
and tensile strength valued at from £28 to £34 per ton in London. Bulbils (seedlings) £1 per 100, £8 per 1,000 post free :
special quotations for large orders.

COFFEE. Arabica-Liberian Hybrid and Maragogipe Hybrid—New crop March-April, 1903: early booking
mecessary.

A Foreign Agricultural Department writes dating 9th September, 1901 :—‘‘Please accept our order for 175 1b. of Tea
‘seed and for 2,000 Coffee beans. In regard to Coffee seed I would say that this will be the first importation made by this
Department, and we will leave the selection of the varieties to be sent to your judgement.”

“SOUTH AFRICA.”—The great authority on South African affairs of 25th March, 1899, says :—An_ interesting
Catalogue reaches us from the East. It is issued by William Brothers, Tropical Seed Merchants of Henaratgoda, Ceylon,
and schedules all the useful and beautiful plants which will thrive in tropical and semi-tropical regions. We fancy Messrs. Williams
sshould do good business, for now that the great powers have grabbed all the waste places of the earth, they must turn to and
prove that they were worth the grabbing. We recommend the great Powers and Concessionaries under them to go to William

Brothers.”
Agents in London: Messrs. P. W. Woolley & Co., 90, Lower Thames Street.
“Telegraphic Address: =Witi1am Henaratcopa, Ceylon. J. P. WILLIAM & BROTHERS,
Lieber’s, A.T. & A.b.C., Codes used. Tropical Seed Merchants, Henaratgoda, Ceylon.

208 THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. Ocroser 11, 1902.

THE BEST MANURES FOR COLONIAL USE

ee ASR cay ae

Ohlendorff’s Dissoived Peruvian Guano—For Sugar-cane and general use
Ohiendorff’s Special Sugar-cane Manure
Ohlendorff’s Special Cocoa Manure

Sulphate of Ammonia, Nitrate of Soda, Superphosphates, high. grades,

Potash Salts, Basic Slag and all other high-class Fertilizers.

APPLY TO LOCAL AGENTS OR DIRECT TO
THE ANGLO-CONTINENTAL (LATE OHLENDORFF’S) GUANO WORKS,

London Agency, 15, Leadenhall Street, London E.C.,
Barbados Agents: Messrs. James A. Lynch & Co., Bridgetown.

THE BARBADOS MUTUAL LIFE ASSURANCE SOCIETY.
ESTABLISHED 1840.
CHIEF OFFICE, Beckwith Place, Bridgetown, Barbados.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS :

MICHAEL J. BOVELL, Esq., CHarrman,
E. T. RACKER, Esq., Vice-CHarrmMan.

J. KR. BANCROFT, Esq., JAS. H. INNISS, Esgq.,
B. ERNEST BYNOE, Esq., M.C.P., Hon. J. THOMAS JONES, M.L.C.,
JOS. W. CRONEY, Eszq., H. LAWRANCE JOHNSON, Eszq.,

J. O. WRIGHT, Esq., M.C-P.
Transactions to December 31, 1901.
Total Assurances Issued Sas na See ae Yen =. .. $11,752;405
Total Bonuses Declared (31 December 1900)... 3,610,921

Sums Assured and Bonuses Existing aes des aan es fs are 5,154,157
Total Claims by Death and Matured Endowments aa foe si se “ec 5,375,545
Life Assurance Fund... 3: xe wae a ox Bee 560 2,118,650
Annual Income = = eee os a ae ai 245,345

Net Surplus December (31 1900) aes st Me ae cree wee
The Premiums are Lower than those charged by other Life Offices doing business in the West Indies.
The Bonuses declared have not been equalled by any other Assurance Society in the world.

Its Policy Contracts are Liberal, Fair and Equitable.

The Policy is Absolutely Non-Forfeitable so long as any surrender value remains.
Loans granted on Security of Policy.

Liberal Surrender Values.

Claims promptly paid.

Every facility given for the revival of Lapsed Policies.

It grants Interim Bonuses.

It gives Compound Bonuses.

All the profits belong to the Policy-Holders.

297, 128

H. J. INNISS,
May 22, 1902. Secretary.

Printed at Office of Agricultural Reporter, 4, High Street, Bridgetown, Barbados.

= Wir ——

\S

A RORINIGHTLY REVIEW

OF

THE

IMPERIAL DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE FOR THE WEST INDIES.

= ‘No: I

CONTENTS.
Pace PAGE.
Agricultural Societies :-— | Market Reports 229
Antigur : é 216 |
Dominica... .... ... 216 | Notes and Comments 214
|

PAEUOL DAY sa ince) vere) FeselO

Barbados :—
Lectures to Teachers ,.. 213
SOLS LOlNe sepa acee eve. seed
SnalkesiOfae cea aes 2-9) 210

Cotton, Demand for... 209 !

Department News ... ... 221
Department Publications 223
Department Reports :-—
Antigua Botanic Station 221
Dominica Botanic Sta-
(HONG Soa cea con 2a

Onions, Experiments at
Dominica... ... :
Our Book Shelf :—
Progressive Lessons in
Science...

Pine-apples, Disease of ... 213
Poultry] Weer eee 2S

Sour Grass and Ticks PEL

Sugar Industry :

; 3eet-Sugarinthe U.S.A. 210
Gleanings... ... . 220
Goat Keeping... 221 ayo pee.
ping Vanilla cultivation 212
Hay Grass ab Antigui... 216 | Volcanie dust, at Barbados 217
insect Notes :—
Insects at Sea . 211 | West Indies, Commercial

Spraying young Corn ... 216 inquiries in coo ZA)

The Demand for Cotton.

| 8 O the ‘Year-book’ of the United States
fan) . :
Ry Department of Agriculture for 1901, Mr.

Zou Cd. L. Watkins, the Cotton Expert of the

Department, contributes a paper entitled ‘The Future
Demand for American Cotten. This paper is of
particular interest to the West Indies at the present

BARBADOS, OCTOBER 25, 1902.

Price ld.

time, containing, as it does, an account of the extra-
ordinarily rapid growth of the world’s demand for
cotton during the last hundred years, together with
some forecasts as to the future.

The three most important textile fibres of the
world are flax, wool and cotton. At the end of the
eighteenth century (1793) wool occupied the first
place in Great Britain, flax being second, and cotton
third. ‘In fact the value of cotton fabrics and yarns
amounted to only 5 per cent of the whole.’ Ten years
later cotton had advanced to second place, and in
another ten years had attained the lead. This posi-
tion it still occupies, with its two competitors left far
behind. The following figures from Elison’s Cotton
Trade of Great Britain well illustrate this point. The
consumption of cotton, wool and flax in Great Britain
is given in millions of pounds.

Years Cotton Wool Flax
1799-1801 41°8 100°6 108°6
1898-1900 1594-0 496°6 2147

These figures show that during the last century,
whilst the increase of consumption of flax increased
about twice, that five
and that of cotton by no less than thirty-nine times.

of wool increased by times

The enormous increase in the amount of cotton
used has been In the first
place, new markets have. been found for cotton goods,

due to various causes.
and many races who formerly went unclothed now wear

cotton fabrics. In other countries cotton has entered
into conapetition with linen, wool and silk. An inter-

esting example of the competition between cotton and

THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS.

OcroBER 25, 1902.

210
linen is given in the ‘Decline and Fall of
the Linen Shirt’ a recent editorial in the Jvrish

Textile Journal. ‘ According to this authority the
Rothschilds used to order, on oceasions, a supply at a
price up to thirty shillings a shirt whereas those now
required for the Duke of York and other Royalties
are turned out at Belfast with only fronts and cuffs of
linen, the bodies of cotton,

Similarly cotton has

become a formidable competitor of wool, and even of

silk and ‘ mercerised cottons’ now displace silk to a
certain extent in various classes of goods.
The world’s total consumption of cotton has

increased threefold during the last fifty years. In 1860
about 4,500,000 of bales of cotton (of 500th. each)

entered the markets, whilst in 1901 the ‘ commercial

crop’ was 12,500,000 bales. Of this total no
less than 85 per cent. is supplied by the United
States.

With regard to the future demand for cotton
Mr. Watkins states: ‘It is estimated that of the world’s
population of 1,500,000,000 about 500,000,000 regularly
750,000,000 are partially clothed,
and 250,000,000 habitually go almost naked, and that
to clothe the entire population of the world would
require 42,009,000 bales of 500th. each. It therefore
seems more than likely that the cotton industry will
go on expanding until the whole of the inhabitants
of the world are clothed with the products of its looms.
This is

wear clothes, about

not an unreasonable

when we
consider the fact that cotton is the cheapest material

conclusion
for clothing known to man. In the meantime it may
come to pass that the world’s area suitable for cotton
culture may have to be seriously reckoned with.

It is improbable therefore that the supply of
cotton in the world is likely soon to exceed the
demand, and although the West Indies can never

hope to regain their old position and contribute
71 per cent. of the cotton used in Great Britain,

as they did in 1793, there seems no reason why they
should not once again produce cotton to a sufficient
extent to be a very considerable source of wealth to
these Colonies.
————___
The Snakes of Barbados.

Nie, (On Murphy of Turner’s Hall Wood school,
Barbados, writes :—‘ With regard to the snakes of Barbados,
the only place where the larger Species may still possibly
exist, 1s along the windward coast of St. Andrew. _ I last
saw one about five years ago, about a yard in length, and of
a grey colour. Before the introduction of the mungoose they
were frequently found under cow-pens, but now they seem
entirely extinct in the interior. The Guana lizard also
seems to have been driven to this part of the parish as a last
resort by the mungoose. It is rarely now that one is seen,

Beet Sugar in United States.
COST OF PRODUCTION,

The most important general survey of the condi-
tion of the sugar industry as at present carried on in
various parts of the world is undoubtedly that of
Dr. H. W. Wiley of the United States Department of
Agriculture, delivered before the Ways and Means

Committee of the House of Representatives at
Washington. From the account published in the
Louisiana Planter we extract the following summary
of the cost of beet sugar production in the United
States. By allowing for the charges for duty and freight
West Indian planters may calculate the price at which
they must produce cane sugar in order to compete on
even terms with beet sugar in the United States’
markets. Dr. Wiley said :—

‘With all the reliable data which are available, I
would say :

(1) The average yield per acre of beets in the
States does not reach ten tons.

(2) Our farmers, for the most part, are growing
beets without any fertilization and it is not likely that
the average will be increased until fertilizers are
abundantly supplied and more scientific forms of agricul-
ture practised.

(3) It is almost impossible to determine just
what the farmer's expense in growing a crop of beets
1s, as it is hard to estimate his labour and that of his
own people and farm animals.

The actual cost of the production of beets in this
country, where fertilizers are not used, may be confi-
dently stated as not less than $30-00 per acre.

“The cost of manufacturing the beets is better
known, because the data are more easily accessible. In
the manufacture, in the census bulletin, there were used
the following quantities of materials :—

Limestone, 64,805 tons.
Coke, 7,519 tons.
Sulphur, 149 tons.
Barrels, 90,985.

Sacks, 1,342,649.

Coal, 109,235 tons.
Oil, 7,017,079 gallons.
Wood, 3,459 cords.

‘In the manufacture of these beets the following
expenses were incurred :

S

Paid, for thectssemeeerercess cesses 3,485,520
Or £WUClecicc ones eee eens ce sis cots: 453,036
Milling suppliesicce.......-c0--<s 18,933
Breights.. sc: sapaieteeeies scent cece: 309,070
All other materials................. 477,437
Salaries and wages.... 1,448,882
Miscellaneous EXPENSES, 10.050. 451,351

Tlotalesecnven Oereaciioscoe's $6,704,029

Wor. I. No: 14.

THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS

211

‘The above represents the actual expenses ot manu-
facturing 794,658 tons of beets, yielding products
which are valued at $7,323,857. T hiss shows an apparent
profit. on manufacture of $619,828 on an invested
capital of $20,958,519 which represents almost exactly
3 per cent. of money invested. No account has
been taken, however, of the deterioration of the plants,
known as wear and tear repairs. This on a capital
of $20,000,000 would be at least 10 per cent., or
$2,000. 000. If this be taken into consideration, the
apparent profit of 3 per cent. on the manufacture
vanishes.

‘Now, while it is doubtless true that a few of the
factories during the census year made profits, it is

erfectly Baden from a critical study of the only
reliable data which we have on the subject that for the
whole sum invested, after allowing for wear and _ tear,
there was a deficit instead of a profit. We readily grant
that the census year, viz, the year ended May 31, “1900
was not a most favourable one, from an agrie saree
point of view. In fact, if this assumption is not made
it is evident that the beet sugar industry of the
United States is not on a paying basis. But granting
this point, it isclearly seen that, taken as a wiole. the
profits made by the farmer in growing the beets are
not greater than the character of his labour and the
expenses connected therewith would warrant.

‘The above data show that the total number of
ounds of beet sugar made was 161,474,100 which
would make the actual cost of sugar 415 cents per
pound. It may be safely stated, therefore, that the
minimum cost of the production ofbeet sugar in the
United States, up to the present time, has not been
less than 4 cents per pound.

‘The cost of making beet sugar is slightly greater
than that of cane sugar, ead this. is easily explained
when it is considered. that the process of manutacture
of beet sugar is more complicated by far and more
expensive than that required for cane sugar,

‘The actual price paid for foreign sugars delivered
in New York is easily obtained by dedueting from the
market price the amount of duty which is collected. To
the amount of duty must be added the countervailing
duties on sugars imported from Germany, Austria,
Russia and France, and other countries paying bounties
on exported sugars.’

GOAT KEEPING.

In parts of the West Indies goats are carefully
attended to and reared by the peasantry chiefly with
the object of selling their young for ‘mutton,’
Strangely enough, goat keeping with a view to milk
production does not appear to be largely taken up.
The goat is to the poor man what the cow is to his
richer neighbour, and there are doubtless many families
without the accommodation for a cow or lacking the
means of keeping one, who could keep a couple of
goats deriving similar advantages as from a cow,
though to a iesces degree.

The question of goat keeping versus cow keeping

is interestingly discussed in The Country for July,
1902, and some practical points are brought out
which should be of interest to the peasantry 1n many
of the West Indian islands :—

The goat, like the pig, is an animal which, if properly
managed, “should get its living in great part from vegetables
and house-scraps which would otherwise be wasted. For
instance, the peelings cf potatos, yams, ete., the trimmings
of fruit trees and shrubs, the mowings of a lawn and the
leaves of trees, which are consigned to the manure heap
would go a long way to feed one or more goats. The goat
is most scrupulous as regards the cleanliness of its food, and
therefore potato prunings and such things should be washed
free from dirt, and lawn mowings should not be trampled
upon before being served. The great point in feeding these
animals consists in giving small quantities only at a time,
and often. Salt should be given occasionally. Another rule
to be observed in feeding is never to place fresh corn or
fodder in the feeding box or trough without clearing out any
remains of the previous meal.

A good milch goat should have a nice, soft, thin-
skinned udder and pliable teats, of sutticient length and

substance to be easily and comfortably grasped by the hand.
The work of milking is greatly facilitated by letting the goat
jump on toa bench about two feet high. As a rule goats
should be milked twice a day. Perfectly clean utensils
should be used, and they should be scalded out with boiling
water, and then rinsed in cold water before being left to dry.

Goat’s milk is superior to cow’s milk, in that it is not
only more digestible and nourishing and therefore specially

adapted to feeding infants and invalids, but it is far richer

when used on the table. Another important point in
connexion with it is, that the goat is considered to be

practically immune from tuberculosis and therefore the milk
may be freely used by infants without any fear of bacillt
being introduced into the blood.

INSECTS AT SBA.
During a sea voyage insects are perhaps the last thing
one would expect to find, save perhaps those cockroaches,
ants, ete., that are so often a plague on board ship.

Interesting records are occasionally made by travellers,
of insects met with far out to sea, that could not have come
with or on the ships, and these records are always of value as
indicating how insects spread from place to place.

During a recent voyage of the S.S. Zalisman, from
New York to Guadeloupe, a large green and black pond-tly
was seen to fly up to the ship from the port quarter, and it
remained hawking around the stern for some time before it
flew off.

The ship was, according to Captain Hansen, 200 miles
west of Bermuda, and the insect would appear to have
come either from Bermuda or from the more distant coast of
the United States. It might possibly have subsisted during
that time on the well-known sea insect, //alobatez, which
lives on the surface of tropical seas and has been found in
West Indian waters. It is also possible that it had remained
unseen on or near the ship during the five days’ journey
from New York, but the latter supposition appeared
unlikely.

to
—
to

THE

AGRICULTURAL

NEWS. OcroBeR 25, 1902.

WEST

VANILLA CULTIVATION.

The following are the remainder of Mr. Galbraith’s
miscellaneous notes on Vanilla cultivation in the
Seychelles, and are in continuation of those given
on yage 1974-—=

SUN CURING.

During early crop gathering, before ripe pods are
numerous enough to make it worth while using the hot room
they are cured under blankets in the sun, but have to be
taken in at the hottest part of the day if sunshine is contin-
uous. This used to be the sole method of curing here and
when used now gives excellent results in favourable weather ;
but dependence upon the sun is risky, and upon the whole
the process is cumbersome and costly. Hand trays that can
be piled up on top of each other and carried between two
nen, are used to spread the blankets on, a fold being below
as well as above the pods, and these are supported on low
double rails to keep them clear of the ground. In unsettled
weather showers have to be watched for, and the trays carried
under shelter till the weather again becomes fair.

If there is a pinch for space in the curing house, pods
in the hot room may be spread two or three or more deep on
the shelves and tumbled up daily, that is, such of them
as are not taken off and re-sorted.

MULCHING AND SHADE.

In mulching vanilla roots, and especially at crop time,
the plants are much more benefited if the mulch be of two
sorts, well-rotted leaf mould being put on first for immediate
action, and above it a layer of withered fern or the like,
which deeays more slowly. When heavy top dressings of
quick-decaying manure, grass, ete., have rotted down, they
vet beaten away by rain, the net-work of roots becomes
exposed, and may with advantage be lightly covered with a
thin sprinkling of good soil. Obviously it is better to apply
this The vanilla
roots delight in twisting among stones, large and small, and
flattening against their lower surface when not embedded in
the soil. When these are of a convenient size and handy in
a plantation, the root circuit allowed to each vine may be
ringed with them. Vanilla may be grown on trees of
thick foliage if there are of a sort that will stand
being well pruned annually. Wild cinnamon, which gives
dense shade, is sometimes used for this purpose, the branches
being nearly all cut off each year about pod-ripening time,
which also lets the sun get at the vines for flowering. The
contrast between the former somewhat dense shade, which has

be‘o-e the roots become bare or visible.

INDIAN FRUIT.

grown since last branch trimming, and the strong light let
in by the pruning seems to help toward blossoming.

Under large, high trees, wide apart, where to plant
vines on other small-growing wood between them would
make the shade too close, vanilla may be fixed on tripods of
durable wood, the three stakes being tied with wire crosswise
some little way from their top ends, so as to furnish forks
over which the vine creepers may climb. High up in the
hills here the plants may be grown in this way without any
shade at all, but the plan is only suitable for level grounds
or moderate slopes.

SUMMARY.

The foregoing account of vanilla cultivation, being the
outcome of experience gained in the Seychelles alone, ‘and
there chiefly in the hills, may need many modifications
to adapt it to different circumstances pretaining to other

lands, and, indeed, possibly may be of little use for
such. For instance, in a dier climate irrigation might

be needful, and it would not be necessary with a reliable,
sufficient annual dry period to prepare vines for flowering
by checking their sap flow in certain branches, as it is
in this colony. This is not found necessary in certain
districts where the rainfall is not such as to keep
plants growing continuously, for they stop growing of
themselves and come into flower without coaxing.

Again, under less favourable growing conditions the
vines would need more nutriment and attention to stimulate
growth.

These and similar considerations which will suggest
themselves to the reader may serve to save a brief summary
from appearing too dogmatic.

The following conditions of climate, method of growing,

ete., appear to the writer to be most favourable to
the successful cultivation and handling of the vanilla
cro}.

Climate.—With shade temperature ranging about

80° F., never much above or below it, and a humid, still
atmosphere ; a rainfall of 80 to 100 inches or more, evenly
distributed through ten months in the year, the remaining
two months being dry, with occasional short and very light
showers—the ten wet months for continuous luxuriant
growth, the two dry ones to check it and bring vines into
flower.

Soil.—A skin of rich vegetable mould resting on a
porous substratum. Failing that, with the above climate,
vanilla should do well on any soil if the roots are kept
covered with decaying vegetation.

Situation.—Moderate slopes.

Vor. I. No. 14.

Shades.—Sumnallleafed trees to let checkered sunlight

through.
Plants. Cuttings 10 to 12 feet long of growing shoots,

which should not cease growing if pli lanted after the dry
season, but go strait on and flower fully in two years.

Planting. Vither in line on posts and bars, or on
shrubs of suitable size and leafage, at the risk of wholesale
destruction from disease; or plants well kept apart, each on
its own support, so that any vine showing signs of sickness
may be removed before infecting its neighbours.

Cu/ture.— Plantations to be gone threugh bi-monthly ;
shoots on the ground looped up; climbing branches brought
down ; decayed leaves, ete., laid on roots for manure, when
needed. Preparations for flowering according to climate.

Cropring.—Flowers to be pollinated in forenoon, prefer-
ably such as will hang clear and grow straight pods, quantity
regulated according to mass and vigour of each vine, but
not such as to hinder the start of new growth for more than
two or three months. Pods should be gathered every other day.

Curing.—The slower, the better, beginning in a heated
room at about 113° F. for some days, then in a cooler one,
90° to 100° F., finishing at ordinary temperature ; humidity
of air kept down if need be by charzoal braizers.

Marketing. Qualities and lengths kept distinct, made
up in packets of 50 pods, and neatly packed in tins holding
about 12 pounds each.

Labour.—Cheapness and intelligence are of the greatest
importance in yanilla production. The cultivator must himself
have his eyes everywhere; the best of labour known here
deteriorates quickly if left by ifself.

A DISEASE OF PINE-APPLES.

Specimens of young pine- apple plants attacked by
a ‘wilt’ disease or ‘blight,’ have been received by the
Department. The younger stages of the disease were
marked by the tips of the leaves turning yellow and
drying up: in the older stages the discolor: ation of the
leaves had proce ceeded fama Wee and they were more with-
ered. These symptoms pointed to an insufticient sup-
ply of water and hence probably to a root disease.

On washing the roots they were at once seen to be
unhealthy, aaa in many cases were black and quite
rotten. On examining asection of such a root microsco-
pically it was seen to possess a covering of root-hairs,
This is very extraordinary in old roots, as root-hairs are
usually restricted to a short re gion of the root immedi-
ately behind the growing point. These root-hairs were
in many cases filled with the attacking fungus, which
was also found in the tissues of the root. Seetiong were
also made of young, apparently healthy, roots; here
also the root-hairs showed the presence of the fine,
colourless threads of the fungus. It would seem
probable that the extraordinary development of root-
hairs mentioned above is a special effort on the part of
the plant to try to replace those destroyed by the
fungus.

The remedies suggested were :—

(1) To dig up sal bura all diseased plants and
those in their immediate neighbourhood.

(2) To lime thoroughly fhe soil from which these
plants were taken so as to kill any of the fungus or
spores that might be present.

In the case of valuable pine-apple plants, it might
be found possible to save those affected by taking them

THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 213

up, cutting off the lower part of the stem until no
more black or dark root ends are visible; then
stripping off the leaves as for setting and resetting
in another field. The soil from which the diseased
plants are taken should not be used for some time.

EXPERIMENTS IN ONION GROWING AT
DOMINICA.

We learn from the Report on the Experiment
Plots at the Agricultural School, Dominica, for the
year 1901-02, just issued, that two experiments were
made with onions, in one case grown from seed, and in
the other from sets.

EXPERIMENT WITH SEED.

The seed arrived on September 13, and sowing
was begun at once and carried on at intervals of
au HGS for a period of six weeks. The first sowings
came up well, but it was observed with later sowings
that the longer the seeds were kept the worse they
germinated, ne in some instances scarcely any grew.
The seedlings were planted out on October 28 in ede
in rows 6 to 8 inches apart and 5 inches between the
plants in the rows. They grew well and were fit to
reap in January.

EXPERIMENT WITH SETS.

The sets arrived in good condition on October 22
and were planted out at once, in beds, in rows 6 inches
apart and 3 to 4 inches between the sets in the rows.
One plot was planted on fairly heavy loam, the other on
light, sandy soil. The sets on the heavy soils sprouted
Reiter grew more evenly, and were fit to reap almost
three weeks earlier than those on the light soil. ‘The yield
from the heavy soil was double that fon the light soil.

Both crops were ready to reap at the end of Jenuae Ve
They were reaped as soon as the tops began to w ither,
and spread out in the drying house ial they had
dried up entirely. The tops were then cut off 2 inches
from the bulb, the roots pulled off, and the onions
packed into erates (made of old packing cases by the
boys) similar to those used at Bermuda, and shipped to
New York. Messrs. Wessels & Co., reported they
arrived in good order, were of the proper size, properly
yacked, and as good as any from Bermuda or Cuba.
‘They realized $2.50 per crate for the first shipment,
and $2.25 for the second.

The seedlings gave a larger and more even crop
than the sets, but the latter were found easier to grow
and are not expensive when they sprout well. This is
believed to be the first plot of onions grown in
Dominica from Teneriffe seed.

Lecture to Teachers at Barbados.

The first of the lectures to the elementary school
teachers of Barbados at the St. Peter’s centre, on the manner
and method of teaching the principles of agriculture by
means of object lessons, was delivered by Dr. Longfield
Smith, on Saturday, October 18. By the kindness of the
tev. G. E. Elliot, the lecture was held in the Speightstown
parish room, Sixteen teachers attended besides several
planters and some ladies and gentlemen of the parish inter-
ated’ in the subject.

to

14 THE

AGRICULTURAL NEWS.

OcToBER 25, 1902.

EDITORIAL NOTICES.

Letters and matter for publication, as well as all
specimens for naming should be addressed to the Commis-
sioner, Imperial Department of Agriculture,
Barbados.

It is particularly requested that no letters be addressed
to any member of the statf by name. Such a course may
entail delay.

Communications should always be written on one side
of the paper only. It should be understood that no contri-
butions or specimens will, in any case, be returned.

All application for copies of the ‘Agricultural
News’ should be addressed to the Agents, and
not to the Department. A complete list of the London
and Local agents will be found on page 223 of this
number.

Correspondents sending newspapers should be careful to
mark the paragraphs they wish to bring under notice.

Agricultural dlews

Vou. I.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 25, 1902. No. 14.

NOTES AND «COMMENTS:

Improvement of Cacao by Selection.

“A striking feature of cacao cultivation, in deal-
ing with fields containing different varieties is that
certain kinds of cacao usually bear well, while other
trees exist which year after year bear little or nothing.
This shows the importance of selecting pods for seed,
only from prolific strains. This has been done largely
in Dominica for the past nine years. All the plants
and pods are carefully selected, and in quality and
bearing powers Dominica cacao should show a great
improvement in the future.’

These remarks, by Mr. J. Jones, Curator of the
Botanic Station, Dominica, are the outcome of several
years attention to this question, and are worth the
careful notice of cacao planters in the West Indies.

oo -———

Molasses as Stock Food.

We have from time to time, pointed out in these
columns the value of molasses for feeding stock (see
pp. 66, 108, 124). Some West Indian planters and
others have substituted molasses for corn or oats with
entirely satisfactory results. In America the planters
would appear to be slow to take advantage of the good,
cheap food to hand, but persist, as the majority do in
the West Indies, in exporting their molasses at a low
rate and buying in exchange dear corn and oats. In
discussing the question the Lowisiana Planter says:—

‘The sugar world, at least the United States part of

it, is slow to appreciate the great value of molasses for
stock feeding. While it has been definitely and

frequently stated in Louisiana that a pound of molass-
es has about as much value for stock feeding as a
pound of oats or of corn, still our sugar planters will
persist in selling their molasses and buying oats and
corn trom the western states,’

rrr re —

Manuring Oranges amongst Bananas.

Recent experiments at the Dominica Botanie
Station, touching the application of manures to orange
trees, indicate that where bananas are growing inter-
mixed with orange plants, the application of special
manures to the latter is useless. ‘The banana being a
fast, gross feeder deprives a slow-growing plant lke
the orange of much of the plant food intended for it.

+
Housing Poultry.

The plan suggested by Mr. Barclay on page 218
of this number for keeping poultry in a comparatively
small enclosed space and yet securing them a succession
of fresh runs is worth consideration, especially by
poultry keepers in towns. For further notes on the
same subject see page 42.

ED a

Nature Study.

Reference was made in a previous number of this
journal (p. 55) to the Nature Study Exhibition propos-
ed to be held in Royal Botanie Gardens in London.
The Times declares that this was a visible and practi-
cal answer to complaints that much of the education
in rural schools in England (as we have found it in
the West Indies) is unsuited to the circumstances
and surroundings of the children by reason of its
bookish and impractical character, and that it fails to
stimulate intelligent interest in the facts of nature and
the conditions of agricultural life. Some of these
complaints, it 1s stated, are founded, or have in the
past. been founded, on fact and observation, others on
prejudice. In any ease there has been, it is claimed,
sufficient grounds for the imputation against the educa-
tion usually given im country schools to justify a new
departure by which the training of children in rural
districts may be brought into closer relation with rural
life and occupations. ‘The education of the country
child’, it is claimed, ‘ should be as the philosophers say,
in harmony with his environment, and one obvious
means to this end is the encouragment of intelligent
interest in the facts of nature around him, in the
formation and character of the soil, the methods of
agriculture and horticulture, the lite of plants, animals
and all living things with which he comes in contact ;
last but not least, the formation of habits of observa-
tion.” This, Zhe Times understands, is the object of
the ‘ Nature Study’ movement in education ; to revive
and if possible systematize the cultivation of interest
in nature and natural objects, which there is reason to
think has been somewhat crowded out or neglected by
the presence of a too literary curriculum,

Von. I. No. 14.

THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS.

215

Onion growing at Dominica.

The interesting experiments on this subject.
described on page 213 of this numbe T, afford additional
proof of the possibility of growing onions of thoroughly
good quality in many of the W est Indian islands.

+. —_— _ —_—_—

Volcanic Dust at Barbados.

Barbados, and St. Lucia have experienced a fur-
ther fall of voleanic dust due to the last eruption of
the Soufriere on the 15th. and 16th. instant. Full
details are not yet to hand from St. Vincent and
St. Lucia. We give on page 217 of this issne some data
obtained at Barbados. The total fall would appear
to be, approximately, one fourth of that of May 7 to
8, varying in places from about one-twentieth of an
inch to half this amount or even less. The
this shower is possibly of higher fertilizing value than
the May dust, but on noe point it is impossible to
make any definite statement until the chemical
analysis, now in hand, has been completed.

—————

Insects and Volcanic Dust.

Advantage was taken of the fall of voleanic dust at
Barbados on October 16, to determine what effect was
produced on the insect pests and other insects in the
field. Generally speaking the dust had little killing
effect on the insects, most of which hid anon nes
during the actual fall of dust, but were yet exposed to it
on the following day when the wind blew it about.
From observations made on the following day, the
greater number of insects escaped unharmed. Two-
winged flies suffered severely, there being a notable
absence of them after the dust and this applies also
to the ‘ cow-bees,’ ‘ wild-bees’ and other Hymenop-
tera. It is believed also that pond-flies suffered
but this is uncertain. Other groups escaped practi-
cally unharmed and there is no doubt that the dust

has had little, if any, effect on the insect pests of

Barbados.

The destruction of two-winged flies and of the
cow-bees ete., cannot be regarded as beneficial, as
many of these serve to keep caterpillars and other
pests in check. Whether the great abundance of insect
pests during the past months can be attributed to the
‘May dust’ is uncertain, but there is this evidence of the
destruction of their enemies and the balance of nature
may have been disturbed in this way by the fall of
May dust.

Tt is an old behef that dust, such as ashes, plaster,
ete., is a valuable insecticide, simply because the fine
powder is believed to choke the insects. These observa-
tions would seem to show that dust, in itself, does little
beyond killing a portion of the insect life, including the
most useful part. The only crop that is likely to
benefit at the present time is the corn, as the ‘dust
lodges in the hearts of the young plants and prevents
ae worms eating into the young leaves. In all other
respects the dust may be regarded as having no
beneficial effect but possibly a harmful one.

dust of

Fruiting of the Mangosteen in the West Indies.

A plant of the Mangosteen (Garcinia Mangos-
tuna), a native of the Molueea Islands, introduced to
the Botanic Station at Dominica, fruited, for the first
time last year, and has again borne a few fruits this
season. The mangosteen was also introduced at St.
Vincent in 1890, but although planted im a favourable
situation its growth has bean slow and the tree has
not yet fruited.

We might add that the mangosteen has also been
successfully fruited by Dr. Nicholls at Dominica.

rE

Flies as Propagators of Disease.

‘An interesting address was given by Sir James
Crichton Browne, the president of the ae In-
spectors’ Association, assembled last week at Middles-

brough. Sir James referred to the role played by
flies in the propag ition of disease. Leaving aside
the researches concerning the part played “by the

Anopheles i in malarial Sern he confined his at-
tention to the common house-fly. ‘“ This most fearless
and audacious of all creatures” is probably the carrier
of many varieties of bacterial infection. It appears
that cultures of m: any pathogenic organisms have been
obtained recently from the excreta of the common
house-fly, Musca domestica. The role played by these
insects in the dissemination of enteric fever in South
Africa was referred to, and Sir James remarked that
one of the collateral advantages of our campaign in
South Africa might prove to “ihe the opening of our
eyes to the part. played by flies as disease-mongers.
The enormous fertility of the ordinary fly forms eat
the chief obstacles to its extermination; it has been
calculated that one female fly may have 25,000,000
descendants during one season., (Nature, August 21,
1902).

a

Lagos Silk Rubber in Trinidad.

Mr. Hart writes that he has been testing the value
of the rubber fluids, latex, or milk of young trees of
Funtumia elastica, Stapt. at the Experiment Station
at St. Clair, and has found excellent rubber material
produced by trees a little more than three years plant-
ed, The latex of Funtumia africand, Stapf. has also
been tested, and although found to produce a certain
amount of rubber material, yet it 1s sticky, soft, and
decidedly inferior to the produce of Funtumia elastica,
It is possible, however, that its quality may improve
with the increased age of the trees, as is the case with
the Central American rubber tree (Castilloa elastica. )
Specime ns of the rubber made have been sent to an ex-
pert in England for ex umination and report. The rubber
produced Dy Funtumia elastica is solid and elastic,
resembling ‘Para’ rubber in appearance and probably
equalling it in quality.

The presence of trees of the inferior Funtumia
africana, at the Experiment Station is of importance
as a warning guide as to what should or should not be
planted. The two species were recently determined at
Kew from specimens grown at the Trinidad Station.

216 THE

AGRICULTURAL

NEWS. Ocroprr 25, 1902.

SPRAYING YOUNG CORN.

Some experiments have been carried out with
the object of destroying the ‘fly’ and ‘worm’ that
attack young Indian and Guinea corn plants. The
results Gbuamned so far, indicate that a simple and ettec-
tive means has been found of protecting and ‘ esti ablish-
ing’ the corn at very small cost. Planters in Barbados
find that a crop of corn cannot easily be raised during
the latter months of the year owing to the attacks of
these insects, but it is believ ‘ed that the damage
may now be prevented and the crop easily established
without any supplying.

The method consists in spraying the young plants
with an emulsion of erude, native petroleum, using a
small hand sprayer, made locally. The important
points in the treatment are (1) the emulsion, made
with crude petroleum, which is strong, can be used very
dilute, and costs little: and (2) the hand-spraying
machine which is very small and simple, is worked by
one man, is made locally, costs little and does a
large acreage in one day. The method is also indepen-
dent of ments) as the oil kills at once, and a
shower soon after the application will make little
«difference.

It is believed that this remedy is a thoroughly
practical one: it has been tried on three estates, with
good results, and can be confidently recommended to
planters who are now sowing corn. The method is
adapted only for young planis. The machines used are
of small capacity and only give a spray big enough
to do thoroughly a hole of corn at one stroke.

The best formula for the emulsion is still under
consideration. It can be made by dissolving one ounce
of powdered, crude napthalene in 2 quarts of crude
petroleum and adding this to five pounds of boiling
whale oil

soap whneh should be boiled in a
‘skillet’ and taken off the fire just before the oil is
added. The oil and soap then combine to form

a semi-solid compound of which a gill should be
dissolved in 4 gallons of water or the whole in 50 gallons
of water. This formula is provisional and it is hoped
that if may be possible to diminish the earns of
soap. The ‘erude petroleum’ is mined in Barbados
by the West India Petroleum Company atl is sold at
5 to 6 cents per gallon. Whale oil soap 1s obtainable
in Bridgetown at 8 and 10 cents per pound and
napthalene can be bought at the druggists at a little
over one cent an ounce. The
application costs under one
chief expenditure being in soap.

emulsion
cent per

ready for
gallon, the

The spraying machines used are sold by Messrs.
C. F. Harrison & Co., Bridgetown, and this firm will
make them to fill any demand that may arise. It is
hoped that planters now growing corn will test this
remedy after communicating with this Department, as
it is desirable to carry on W ork on a number of estates
to arrive at an estimate of the cost per acre, which is
apparently very small. Fuller particulars will be pub-
lished later when the experiments have been concluded.

AGRICULTURAL SOCIETIES.

Dominica.
Mr. A. K. Agar, the Hon. Secretary, has con-
tributed an accoust of a general mecting of the

Dominica Agricultural Society held on September 27,
A committee of management, considerably larger
more representative than that for the last show,
for the Agricultural Show of 1903.
The Vice-President, Mr.

and
was elected

Lockhart, read an interesting

paper on cacao. The paper was mainly historical of the
origm and growth of cacao cultivation in Dominica: a

comparison was made of the out-put of Dominica with that
of Grenada and other places. A lively discussion followed,
touching on all the poimts brought forward in the paper, and
also on the effect produced on cacao by the fall of voleanie
ash. The wish was generally expressed that the paper
should be printed by the Society as soon as possible.

Votes of thanks to Mr. Lockhart for his valuable
lecture, and also to the Chairman, terminated the meeting.

Antigua.

The excessively dry August and September have retarded
all planting operations in Antigua to such an extent
that the Agricultural and Commercial Society have been
compelled to abandon the idea of holding an Agricultural
Show in December. Many planters have only just sown their
corn, cotton, onions and vegetables and it would be practi-
cally impossible to obtain a good exhibition of produce by
December. It is proposed to hold the Show in February.

"HAY GRASS, AT ANTIGUAe

In a previous issue of the Agricultural News (p.
104) we expressed the desire to obtain notes of inter-
esting foreign plants, that are establishing themselves
in the West Indies. Referring thereto, Mr. W.
Sands, Curator of the Botanic Station Antigua, writes:—

Andropogon caricosus known in Antigua as ‘Hay grass’
is one of these and like Andropogon pertusus the Barbades
* Sour- it constitutes a valuable fodder. It is an East
Indian species which no one has been able to determine how
or when it was introduced, nor do we believe it is found
elsewhere in the West Indies in such quantity. It appears to
have been first noticel in the north east part of the island
and from there it has spread practically all over the island,
in some cases it has almost taken complete possession of
pastures. Stock eat it readily even after it has flowered, so
that it is more valuable than Spérobolus indicus the common
Bed-grass which is only eaten in a young state.

Mr. C. A. Barber when Superintendent of Agriculture
for the Leeward Islands mentioned this grass ina paper on
Antigua grasses published in the Leeward Islands Gazette,
September 4, 1894, pp. 166-7. At that time it was appar-
ently only found in the neighbourhood of Clare Hall, but
since then, as mentioned above, it has spread to all parts of
the island. It grows in all sorts of situations, which fact adds
greatly to its value in a fairly dry island like Antigua.

The Hon'ble Francis Watts in his paper ‘Care of
Pastures in Antigua’ (West Indian Bulletin, Vol. I,
p- 413) refers to the Hay grass as having made its
appearance in Antigua in some unexplained manner,
and spreading steadily to the exclusion of other kinds.
It does not appear to be known in other West Indian
islands.

Vass

Vou. I. No. 14. THE

AGRICULTURAL

to
iS
x

NEWS.

VOLCANIC DUST.
FURTHER FALL AT BARBADOS.

During the night of the 15th. to the 16th. instant
the Soufriére at St. Vincent was in violent eruption,
and according to the brief telegraphic re port to hand,
a heavy fall Be stones, ashes, ete, was experienced at
Georgetown and other parts of the Sil News has
also been received of a dust shower at Castries,
St. Lucia. Doubtless fuller accounts of the course of
events in these islands will be available after the
receipt of to-day’s mails.

At Barbados the weather during the 14th. and 15th.
had been sufficiently abnormal ton cause at any rate
one observer to take careful note of the clouds, wind,
temperature and barometric readings. The morning
of Thursday the 16th. was note svorthy for the deep,
slaty- blue cloud which, with asharply de fined lower edge,
advanced towards the island from the south-west. ‘'l'o
the north, the sky was blue, with a few normal cumu-
lus clouds. These as they passed in front of the
advancing dust-cloud, lost their whiteness and became
of an ashy-grey colour.

The sun was distinctly
hours in the early morning. Gradually the cloud
passed in front. For some time the sun’s disc was
seen shining through with a curious greenish tint, but
by about 10 a.m. it had practically “disappe rared. At
intervals its position could be surmised, owing appar-
ently to the dust-cloud being less dense in certain
places.

In the south of the island dust began falling
about 9am. It was at first distinctly moist, and each
‘drop’ of dust consisted of a large number of fine
particles which scattered as they lle

We are indebted to Mr. R. Radelyfie Hall,
Acting-Professor of Chemistry at Bardados, for
following particulars relative to the fall:—

collected at the

visible for only a few

B.A.,
the

‘Samples were Government

Laboratory in Bridgetown fron: 9 am. to 11 a.m.,
from 11am. to L p.m. and from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. : the
blowing about of the dust by the breeze in the earlier

hours of the morning of the 17th. prevented the last

sample, collected between 3 p.m. on the 16th. and
8 am., onthe 17th. being of any statistical value : the
rate of fall was as follows :—

October 16.

From 9 am. to 11 am.at the rate of ‘48 tons
per acre.

From 11 a.m. tol pm. atthe rate of 210 tons
per acre.

From 1 pm to3 pm. at the rate of 134 tons
per acre.

Total from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the rate of 5°92 tons
per acre.

I also collected two samples at ‘ Rosebank,’
Hastings, about two miles south-east of Bridgetown

where the fall was :—

From 8.45 am. to 4p.m. on 16th. at the
4:59 tons per acre

From 4 p.m. ¢ on 16th. to 7 a.m. on 17th. at the rate
of *20 tons per acre.

rate of

Of this -20 T estimate about °13 tons per acre had
fallen by 5.80 p.m. on the 16th.

‘These figures suggest that the fall at Hastings
was heavier than that in the neighbourhood of the
Government Laboratory. I had previously formed
the idea that the cloud was heavier towards its
south-westerly side and it seemed to me that it was
darker at Hastings than further inland and towards
the city, in faet we appear to have obtained in this
case rather the “tail end” of the dust storm: the
coarser particles may have travelled in a more southerly
direction than the previous one of May 7 and then
have fallen in the sea to the south east of Barbados.

If this were so, it would account for the fall begin-
ning so long, nearly 6 hours, after the eruption, and we
should Allee expect to find that the fall was heavier
on the south easterly side of the island’

Mr. Hall adds :-—

“The noise caused by the eruption was sufficiently
marked to wake me at about 2.80 on the morning of
the 16th. and while trying to locate the cause of my
awakening I noticed a distinet jarring pulsation of my
pillows : Te got up and went toa western window and
then I Hesedl: continuous dull ramble or series of
rapidly fileaing explosions, in a direction abort
W.N.W. of Hastings Rocks; I listened to this till
3 o'clock before going to sleep again. In the morning
I first noticed a heavy dark blue-black cloud all over
the horizon from about W.S.W. to N.W. and reaching
up about 30°, while all the sky seemed shrouded in a
light brownish veil; by 7 am. the sun was shining
through this brown veil with a pale greenish hight and
by 9 am. the dust had began to fall. At first I “thought
the particles were very large and heavy but found the ub
on touch they crumbled to a fine impalpable powder,
so apparently they fell through a little rain or mist.

‘It would appear at present that we may expect
this present fall to have a slightly higher fertilizing
power than the last, since its v: plnable constituents
can become more rapidly available owing to the finer
texture of the particles. The dust has apee “nn submit-
ted to a preliminary microscopic examination by
Dr. Longfield Smith who reports :—

at Rane examined the voleanic dust which fell here
on October 16, 1902, and find it to be of much finer
texture than that which fell between May 7 and 8, all
the grains being less than 1 millimeter diameter, while

7737 per cent. of the a from the former eruption
of the Soufriére was coarser than 1 millimeter.

‘T eollecteddust at “ Nonpareil’, Hastings, every
hour from 9.15 till 2.15 and then from 2.15 till 3.45,
and found very little difference in texture or compo-
sition between the successive samples.

‘The particles consist. chiefly of minute fragments
of fe Ispar with a little voleanic glass, some ferro-
IMagnesian minerals and a very iieele: magnetite,

‘The dust differs therefore consider: ably in compo-
sition from that which fell on May 7 and 8, which
consisted largely of ferro- mmagnesian minerals and
contained a considerable amount of magnetite.

‘On this account the dust is likely to prove of
greater fertilizing value than that of May 7 and 8,’

218 THE

AGRICULTURAL NEWS.

October 25, 1902.

POULTRY.

As announced in our last issue Mr. Barclay now
proceeds to the important question of ‘ Housing
Poultry’ :-—

Tn our West Indian climates fowls need no shelter from
cold but they are the better for shelter from rain where it is
frequent. It is natural for fowls to roost upon trees, and
they prefer to do so but the disadvantages are many. In
the first place you cannot go in the evening, and run your
eyes along the roost to see if they are all there, as you can
when they are housed ; secondly you lose the droppings, a
valuable item on small properties ; thirdly you cannot catch
a fowl for any purpose, such as treating it for sicknesss,
without much chasing and fuss, both to be deprecated ; and
fourthly, you cannot command that cleanliness which is most
desirable, the fowls soon soil the branches, they roost all
about through the trees, and droppings fall from those
roosting high, on to those below, and this tends to disease
breaking out.

A SIMPLE HOUSE THE BEST.

The simplest housing is the best;—a few hardwood
posts, rafters and metal sheets, boards, shingles or thatch
put over; the ends on which the winds blow may be wattled
thickly, and wire netting or a more open wattling put on
the other sides, and the building need not be high, seven or
eight feet is enough; a gate is necessary and a padlock is
advisable. One corner should be closed in by itself, and
boxes fitted in for nests, soft grass put in, and an earthen-
ware nest-egg also put in each, for if hens’ eggs are used in
the nest they become rotten, may sometimes be taken out
in mistake for good egys, or they may get broken and
pollute the neighbourhood for awhile. Straight rounded
roosts should be fitted in at different heights, as some fowls
may not be able to fly very high, and others prefer to roost
as highas they can get. No roosts should be placed higher
than your head so that the fowls may always be within
reach. It is best to keep roosts low, two to four feet from
the ground so that heavy fowls may not hurt themselves
flying down. If there is any dithculty in getting the fowls
to take to the house a little run should be enclosed in
front, and they should be fed there in the evening and
when they are shut in they have no option but to roost
in the house. Itis best always to have such a little
closed run.

HOUSES SHOULD BE KEPT CLEAN.

lresh earth should be flung under the roosts every day
to catch the droppings, and these should be cleaned out
every day where a good number of fowls are kept and at
frequent intervals, say, every second day, no matter how few
fowls are kept ; this job is the work of a few minutes only.
You may either put the cleanings into an old barrel until it
is full and then use the manure, or apply it at once to some
crops. Plenty of earth must be used to mix with the
droppings as they make a very strong, burning, manure if
used alone.

Chickens showd always be reared, if possible, apart
from your hens, they thrive much better then. Many

mysterious deaths among young chickens, healthy an hour or
two before, are due to knocks on the head from old hens.
ALTERNATE USE OF TWO PENS.

When hens must be confined, two pens should be
provided, so that they may be used alternately, say every
month. This prevents that fouling of the ground which is
the most common cause of disease here, and the soil in each
pen should be turned over, so as to freshen it, and bring up
a fresh supply of grit or little stones for the fowls to pick
up: and the rest allows the grass to grow. Pigeon peas
should be planted for shade in each pen. Fowls always.
confined in pens must have a big heap of refuse, leaves,
grass, dust or stable manure provided for them to scrape
among, and their food should be flung in the heap to
keep them busy.

MODEL HOUSE WITH FOUR RUNS.

Another plan is valuable for people who live in the
suburbs of towns, and wish to keep both a garden and fowls.
By planning the fowl house with spare or alternate runs all
round it, even several varieties of fowls may be kept, or
chickens reared without touching the garden; and the
ground may still be kept quite fresh.

E

E

Fig. 15. Dracram or Fown Housr anp Runs.

Al. Bl. Cl. Dt. Square or oblong house divided into four,
by cross partitions. A?. B*. C*. D*. Runs. E. Gates
into runs. F. Small wire gates into houses. G. Holes with
slide to pass the fowls into fresh house and run.

The gates into the pens are made at the corners so that
one hinge post serves ; a small wire netting door serves for
the entrance to the pens.

Great care must be taken to clean the house daily
and sprinkle sand or dry earth on the floor. When the
grass in pen A is bare and the ground begins to get foul, the
hens are put in pen B.—The soil in pen A is then turned
over and pigeon peas planted round the sides, while tomatos,
lettuce, cabbages, lima beans, or other vegetables are plant-
ed. No manure is needed, the soil having been made rich
by the fowls. When pen B bare, the fowls are
shifted to pen C and the soil in the former is turned over
and planted like pen A. Allowing a month’s occupation to
each pen, any kind of vegetables may be grown before the
round is made to pen A, where the tomatos ete., planted
three months before have all ripened and been used, while
the pigeon peas have grown wp out of reach of the fowls and
a good food crop. This
plan may be simplified or elaborated.

becomes

serve for shade, besides bearing

Wor J. “Nos. THE

AGRICULTURAL NEWS.

219

ELF. Pigg
SS ge PPrts

PROGRESSIVE LESSONS IN SCIENCE. By
A. Abbot, M.A., (Oxon.) and Arthur Key, M.A., (Oxon.)
Messrs. Blackie & Sons, Limited, London, 1899. Price 3s. 6d.

The subject matter of this book is not so wide as_ the
title would lead us to expect, it is confined to the chemistry
of those substances which are found in animal and vegetable
tissues.

Part I. gives an elementary account of the chemistry of
the non-metallic elements found in plants and animals and
of afew of their more important mixtures and compounds.
Thus we get chapters on water, air, oxygen, sulphuric,
nitric and hydrochloric acids, chlorine, ammonia, carbon
dioxide, ete. Besides, these we have some account of the
theory of chemistry in chapters on ‘ Acids, Bases and Salts,’
“Laws of Chemical Combination,’ ‘The Atomic Theory,’
“Chemical Nomenclature,’ ‘The Equivalent,’ and ‘The
Combining Volumes of Gases.’

The great merit of this part of the book is the way in
which every fact is taught as the result of an experiment,
which is actually performed by the student. This is
undoubtedly the only method of truly teaching science.
Some of the experiments however, for proving the laws
of chemical combination (Chap. xvii.), and for determining
the equivalent (Chap. xix.), appear to require a much higher
degree of technical skill than can be expected from a young
student, and these would have to be given as demonstrations
by the teacher.

A fault, that is frequently met with, and which would
tend to render the book unsuitable for a beginner hes in_ the
way in which scientific terms are used before they have been
properly explained. Thus we are told that ‘air is a mixture
of two gases (p. 23), and the terms ‘element’ and ‘compound’
are frequently used before any definition or explanation has
been given of what is meant by ‘element,’ ‘compound’
‘mixture.’

Part IL consists mainly of experiments for determining
qualitatively, the presence of the elements found in blood,
various animal and vegetable food-stufts and in soil. The
tests are easy to perform and the subject matter is novel and
should prove very interesting. The subject is an important
one and is thoroughly worked out here; thus in the chapter
on phosphorus we are first given the ammonium molybdate
test for phosphates and then we test for phosphate in the
ash from blood, bone, brain, milk, seeds, filberts, fruits, yolk
of egg, fish, and in garden soil, granite and phosphatic
manures. The chapters on the other elements are similarly
complete. The last three chapters give a complete, qualitative
analyses of different food-stuffs, milk, eggs, ete.

ARBOR DAY.

A correspondent of the Demerara Argosy writes
thus in reference to the observation of an Arbor Day
in the West Indies :—

I notice Dr. Morris continues to advocate in the current
number of the Agricultural News, the observation of Arbor

Day in the West Indies. A number of islands have already
taken steps to give practical effect to the suggestion. It is very
important that each Colony should make a point of substi-
tuting young growths for the trees which are annually cut
down in the way of trade or otherwise. Some of the
self-governing Colonies have observed Arbor Day for years,
and on the Continent of Europe it is considered a public
holiday. In Italy, according to a recent writer, the Jesta
delgi Alberi, or the ‘Feast of Trees’ has become a popular

institution. Its object is the gradual re afforestation of the
country. At the first celebration of the festival no fewer

than 1,300 young pine trees were planted, and each year it is
intended to plant 1,300 more, so that in course of time a
forest of health-giving trees will spread over the Campagna.
The Queen of Italy is patroness of the movement, and at
the first gathering, in the presence of 30,000 people, she
fired, by means of an electric wire, the guns which gave the
signal for the commencement of the planting.

Already Sweden has benefited by the wisdom which
guided her people of a past generation to adopt such a
course ; for the town of Orsa, in the course of a generation
has sold £1,150,000 worth of trees, and by means of
judicious replanting has provided for a similar income every
thirty or forty years. In consequence of the development of
this commercial wealth there are no taxes. Just imagine
that ! Railways and telephones are free, and so are the school
houses, teaching, and many other things. When will our
forest growths be productive of so happy a consummation.

COMMERCIAL INQUIRIES IN THE
WEST INDIES.

In a previous number of the Agricultural News (p. 78)
was published a list of officers designated in the West Indies
to undertake the duties of receiving and answering commer-
cial inquiries which may be addressed to them either by the
Commercial Intelligence Branch of the Board of Trade, or by
merchants and British traders who may seek advice.
The Board of Trade Journal, records that the following
additional appointments have been made:

St. Kitts-Nevis The Assistant Treasurer.

Dominica The Treasurer.

Montserrat The First Treasury Officer.

The Virgin Islands The Commissioner.

SOUR-GRASS AND TICKS.

On page 105 of the Agricultural News reference
was made to the value of sour-grass in warding off the
attacks of ticks and other parasites found infesting
cattle in some parts of the West Indies, and it was
suggested that stock keepers might by observations
ascertain whether or not animals fed wpon sour-grass
were equally hable to infection by ticks. Adveiting to
the subject Mr. C. 'T. Murphy of ‘Turner’s Hall school,
Barbados, writes :—

‘With reference to sour grass I have observed
that cattle always eat if best when withered; and that
those cattle which eat it best rarely have a tick, whilst
their hides are loose and glossy. I think that if the
grass 1s cut just as it is about to flower, and cured
similar to hay, little or no difficulty would be experi-
enced in getting animals to eat it. I have also found
‘Simpsons’ spice’ valuable in ridding cows of ticks,
besides improving their condition,’

220 THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS.

October 25, 1902.

GLEANINGS.

Vanilla is said to occur wild throughout British Guiana.
It is to be regretted that such a valuable economic plant is
not systematically cultivated by the peasantry of that colony.

Several new plantations are being established in the
Northern districts of Tobago. Want of transport has
hitherto been a drawback to agricultural development, but
now that a steamer plies along the coast, better facilities
exist, enabling cultivators to dispose of their produce.

Far more rice is consumed in British Guiana than is
produced in the colony. Last year the quantity imported
amounted to 20,000,000Ib It is encouraging to note as we
have already pointed out (p. 152) that the imports are
steadily decreasing owing to the increased quantity grown
locally.

Tt would appear from specimens recently determined by
Dr. Urban that the ‘swizzle stick’ tree of Grenada is .I/yro-
dia turbinata, a tree of the silk cotton order. It grows to a
height of 30 to 50 feet.

The ‘Coolie Tamarind’ or ‘Carambola’ tree (Averrhoa
Carambola), is somewhat attractive when fruiting. The
tree is of small dimensions, the flowers are pinkish in colour,
and the yellow fruits large and angular. When slightly
over ripe the fruits are by no means unpleasant to the taste,
partaking of the flavour of gooseberries. They are, however,
too acid in the raw state, but form an excellent preserve.

Several new experiment plots have been started at the
Tobago Botanic Station. The plots previously planted have
made good progress, especially those of the Central American
and Lagos silk rubbers.

Antigua exported last year 3,011 barrels and 58 crates
of pine-apples. Each barrel held, on an average, four dozen
fruit.

St. Vincent Botanic Station contains a healthy speci-
men of the Sonari or Butter nut tree, raised from seed
imported from British Guiana. The tree which is six years
old, is now 12 feet in height and its spread of branches
7 feet. The Curator would be glad of information as to the
aze at which this tres begins to bear fruit.

Vanilla is one of the economic plants under experimental
cultivation at the Tobago Botanic Station. Steps have been
taken to propagate it and this year enough plants will
probably be available to fill a small experiment plot.

The canes in Barbados are, on the whole, backward for
the season of the year, and there is at present every prospect
of a short crop.

Twenty-five colonies of bees at the Antigua Botanic
Station have been ‘Italianized’ by queens raised from one
imported pure-bred Italian queen.

Dholl and pulse (dried split pigeon peas) might be
grown in British Guiana to an extent sufficient to supply
partially, at least, the requirements of the Colony in this
direction. The imports in these articles amounted last
year to 5,180,000 tb., worth $97,625.

Peasant proprietors in Tobago have been experiencing
some trouble from the rats from the neighbouring forests.
which destroy the young cacao pods and are a great draw-
back to cultivators. Measures have however been taken for
annihilating the rats by poison.

A trial was made at Antigua of the Porto Rico
variety of pineapple. They grew well and produced
excellent fruits averaging 10 tb. apiece.

Experiments in pickling and otherwise preserving pork
are being carried out in Barbados, under the direction of
a committee appointed by the local Agricultural Society.
The results, so far, are distinctly encouraging.

Large deposits of phosphates and guano ocew in
Porto Rico and the neighbouring islands, particularly at
Caja de Muertos, about 8 miles from Ponce Harbour.

Seeds of Chrysanthemum coceinenm and Chrysanthemum
cinerarifolium were received at the Tobago Botanic Station.
They germinated freely, but the plants gradually died.
These plants, it may be mentioned, furnish the chief ingre-
dients of insect powder.

One of the heaviest rainfalls at the Botanic Station,
St. Vincent, during the last twelve months is reported to have
oecurred on October 8, when 2°64 inches were registered, of
which 2:00 inches fell in one hour.

Prizes of $50 and $10 respectively, have been offered by
the Governor of British Guiana for the best samples of
vanilla and Brazil nuts cultivated in the colony, the quantity
in each case to be not less than 10%b,

Several varieties of cassava grown at the Botanic Station,
Tobago, have given fair results. The yellow variety intro-
duced from Trinidad is reported as one of the best for table
use, but if planted in damp soil or left too long in the
ground, it soon decays.

Improvements recently effected in the drainage of the
Demerara Botanic Gardens will enable land which has been
abandoned as swamp for many years to be taken up, and it is
proposed to requisition the Board of Agriculture for a sum of
$200 to enable experiments to be made in growing various
kinds of rice from India and Ceylon.

The coal deposits of Trinidad have recently attracted a
considerable share of attention. The existence of several
seams had been known for many years and last year other
discoveries were made. Borings are being made and the
coal has been analysed.

Mr. F. J. Seard, F.1.C., has been appointed a member
of the Board of Agriculture for British Guiana.

Wier. 150 No: Lt. THE

AGR ICULTURAL NEWS. 22

lo
ee

THE
W. N. Sands,

The report briefly records the progress made during

BOTANIC
Curator.

ANTIGUA :
SLATION. 1901-02.

REPORT
dy Mr.

ON

the season in the ordinary work of the Station. Amongst
the items of more particular interest we notice the continua-
tion of the experiments with a ‘Peasant’s Garden.’ In
1900-01 one-tenth of an acre was cultivated in exactly the
manner a peasant could adopt and the produce was sold in
the open market. After the payment of all expenses a
profit of £1 remained. During 1901-02 the experiment was
continued ; the area was inereased to one-seventh of an acre,
and £1 was spent in manure and still a profit of over £1
obtained. Some dozen trees have been tested in a re-foresta-
tion experiment, and the results indicate that mahogany
and ‘ White cedar’ (Tecoma leucorylon, the ‘White wood of
of Barbados) are well adapted to this purpose. The year was
exceptionally wet, the rainfall being 69°3 inches, about
27 inches in excess of the previous year. The results of the
economic experiments carried on in connexion with the
garden have been published in a separate report. (Reviewed

in Agricultural News yp. 205).

DOMINICA: REPORT ON, THE BOTANIC
STATION ; AGRICULTURAL SCHOOL PLOTS ; AND
CACAO eae MENT PLOTS, 1901-02. By Messrs.
J. Jones, D. Tannock, and G. Whitheld Smith.

Botanic Station. A model hot air eacao-drying house
has been erected and has proved very successful. Over

60,000 plants were distributed besides large quantities of

5
seed. Information is given as to different varieties of pine-
apples which have been trial

cultivated and the results of
shipments to England.

Attention is drawn to the s pineless lime and the result
of an analysis of the juice of this and of the ordinary lime is

given. Trial shipments of onions to New York have been
successful, one shipment realized $2.50 per erate of 50 Ib.

Trial shipments of bananas to London
value of proper packing in crates.

again proved the

The report indicates clearly the very useful work which
has been in the past, and still is being carried on at this

Station. Work which cannot fail to have a marked effect on
the agricultural prosperity of the island.
Agricultural School Plots. Experiments in onion

growing have been made, one with seed from Teneriffe, the
other with sets. Several varieties of yams, sweet potatos,
tannias, plantains and pigeon peas have been cultivated.
Experiments with English vegetables have been made and
there is a good demand for them locally and by passing
steamers.

Cacao Experiment Plots. The results obtained from
‘these plots are given and suggestions for rendering them of
greater value.

DEPARTMENT NEWS.

Dr. R. Hamlyn-Harris, D.Se, F.E.S., F.Z.S
F.RM.S., arrived from England on the 10th. ee
and has been temporarily attached to the Imperial
Department of Agriculture as Honorary Assistant
Entomologist. ‘Dr Hamlyn-Harris is a son of the late
Captain Hamilyn-Harris, ‘oft the Eighteenth Hussars,
and a nephew of Captain C. R. Harris R.N. of ‘ Mount
Wilton’ and ‘ Farmers’ estates, Barbados.

The Annual Reports on the Botanic Station, Agri-
cultural School plots, and Cacao experiment plots at
Dominica and on the Botanie Station, Antigua have
been published.

THE SOILS OF BARBADOS.

In reply to a letter addressed to the Commissioner
of Agriculture for the West Indies respecting the
sources Whence the present soils of Barbados have been
derived, the following information has been furnished
briefly discussing the subject :—

With reference to the inquiry whether Barbados is not
indebted to successive eruptions of the St. Vincent Soufriere
for her soil, IT may mention that the derivation of the soils
and surface deposits of that island are very clearly and fully
described at pp. 50-56 of the Geology of Barbados by
Messrs. Harrison and Jukes-Brown ‘published by authority
of the Barbados Legislature’ in 1890.

There ean be little doubt that the soils of four-fifths of
the total area of Barbados, viz:—the red clays and loams, as
also, the black earths have, for the most part, been derived
during the process of ages from the underlying coral rock.
The competent authors of the work, above referred to, state :
‘The basis of every soil is the subsoil or rock formation
which underlies it, that is to say, the slow disintegration (or
breaking up) of the underlying rock material by the various
surface agencies to which it is exposed gives rise to the
loose earth which we call soil’.

The traces of old yolcanie ash and sand appear to be
confined to a very small portion of the island and are
interstratified with oceanic deposits showing the existence of
active voleanoes somewhere in the Caribbean region during
the period of the accumulation of these deposits. The
amount of volcanic ash that in recent times has fallen on the
island and been added to form the present soil is scarcely
worthy of consideration either from its bull or its Boe of

enriching the land. The amount of ash that fell in 1812
averaged only about three-eighths of an inch in aon and
the ash that fell this year was of about the same depth.
The aggregate weight of ash that has fallen all over the
island during recent times would appear considerable if
stated in tons, but it would not form, probably, more than
one per cent. of the total weight of the present soil of
Barbados.

It is rather singular that in view of the very reliable
account given by. Messrs. Harrison and Jukes-Brown of the
origin of the soils of Barbados, the idea should have been
adopted that the island, as it now exists, ‘is indebted to
successive eruptions of the Soufricre in St. Vincent for her
soil.” As it has been endeavoured to show above, there is
apparently little or no grounds for such an idea. To ‘those
who are particularly interested in the subject, I recommend
that the work already referred toabove may be carefully studied.

to
i)
lo

THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. Ocroser 25, 1902.

COMMERCIAL.

With the view of assisting in finding a market for the
disposal of local produce, arrangements haye been made with
the following Agents in these Colonies who will be prepared
to receive consignments and obtain the best prices for them.

It is particularly urged that no shipments be made until
an assurance has been received from the Agents themselves
that they are prepared to accept such shipments.

Agents in the West Indies.

BRITISH GUIANA—B.S. Bayley, Water Street, Georgetown.
TRINIDAD—J. Russell Murray, Port-of-Spain.
BARBADOS—T. 8. Garraway & Co., Bridgetown,

ST. LUCIA—Captain H. Henville, Contractor & Agent, Castries.

MARKET REPORTS.

London,—Sept. 30, 1902.—Messrs. J. Hates Carrp &
Co., Messrs. GrutesprE Bros. & Co. and ‘ THE
Pusiic LepcEr,’ Sept. 20, 1902.

Ators—Curagoa, 10/- to 40/-; Barbados 13/- to 35/- per ewt.

Arrowkoot—St. Vincent, 3/ to 5d per 1b.

Baratra—Venezuelan, 2 - to 2/5} per lb.

Berrs-wax—Jamaica, fair reddish to pale £7 5 - to £7 17/6
per ewt.

Cacao—T'dad, 56/- to 85/- per ewt. Dominica 56/- to 57/-
per ewt. Grenada, ordinary to tine 52 - to 65 - per ewt.
Jamaica, 54/- to 63.6 per ewt.

Carpamoms—Mysore, 1/- to 3/- per lb.

Cassia Fisruta—5 6 to 35/- per ewt.

CorreE—Jamaica, 22,6 to 125/- per ewt. Costa Rica, 37/-

to 99/- per cwt. Peaberry 75,- to 115 - per ewt.

Corron-— West Indian 42 to 52. per Ib.

Fustic—£3. 10/- to £4. 10- per ton.

Gincer—Jamaica, common to fine 35/6 to 50/- per ewt.

Hontey—Jamaica 14 - to 21/- per ewt.

JaLarp—4d to 6d per Ib

Kuvs-Kuvus Roor—12- per ewt.

Kora Nuts—li to 4 per lb.

Live Jurce—Raw, 1/- to 1/2 per gallon: concentrated,
£11 10s. to £12 per pipe.

Locwoop—Jamaica, £4 2s Gd. to £4 Ts. Gd. per ton.

Mace-—-1/2 to 2/10 per 1b.

Nirrate or Sona-- Agricultural £8 15s. per ton.

Nurmecs—90's to 60's @ 11d to 2 ie 132’s to 95’s @ Jd to
Is per Ib.

Pimento—25. to 3d. per Ib.

Sarsaparmia—Jamaica fair 8d. to 1s. 4/. per Ib.

Sucar-—Muscovado, 11,6 to 13,6 duty paid ; crystallized

12/9 to15/- per ewt.

Sunreware or AwmMmonta—Grey, 24 per cent., London
£12 5d per ton.

Tamarinps—Barbados 12'- to 15/6 per ewt.

Tonquin Beans—ls. to 2 6d. per lb.

Froir—Covent Garpen Marker (‘Garpensrs’
CHRONICLE,’ September 25, 1902.)

Bananas—8/- to 12- per bunch.
Orances—Naples 15/- to 26/- per case.
Prves—2/6 to 4/- each.

Halifax N.S.—‘ Tue Maririre Mercwanr’, Sept. 25, 1902.
SANANAS—S1.75 to $2.25 per bunch.
Morasses— Barbados 24c. to 25c. per gallon.
ORANGES.— Jamaica, $5.00 per case.
Sucars—Demand very active, market firmer.

New York,— October 3, 1902.—Messrs. Gittespre Bros.

& Go.

Cacao—Afriean, 13}c. to 132; Caracas, 13fce. to 14}c. ;
Jamaica, no stock : fair ordinary, L1je., good fermented
12c. to 124c. ; Grenada, 13j¢. to 13sec. ; Trinidad 13c.
to 14ke. per lb.

Cocoa-Nuts ; Small Trinidads no demand $12.00; Jamaicas-
$25.00 to $25.00 per M.

CorreE—Rio, good ordinary 5,3,c. to 5$c. ; Jamaica good
ordinary 6c. to Te. per lb.; Manchester grades 8c.
to 1le. per lb.

Grave Freuit—$7.00 to $12.00 per barrel.

ORANGES—$3.75 to $4.25 per barrel.

Pimento—4$ to 4c. per lb.

Ruseser—Nicaragua Scrap 52c. to 53c. per Ib ; sheet 42c.
to 44c. per lb. ; Guayaquil Strip 48c. to 5lc. per Tb.

Sccar—Muscovado, 89°, 3c. per lb.; Centrifugals, 96°, 3$c. 5
molasses, 89°, 2? per lb.

INTER-COLONIAL MARKETS.

Antigua,—October 8, 1902.—Messrs. G. W. BeNNert,

Bryson & Co., Ltd.
Motasses—10c. per imperial gallon, package included.
Sucarn—Muscovado $1.30 per LOOLb.

Barbados,—October 11, 1902.—Messrs. T. S. GarRAWAY

& Co., and Messrs. James A. Lyncn & Co.

Arrowroor—good quality, $4.00 per 100 lb.

Cacao—$14.00 per 100 Ib. Wanted.

Corres—Jamaica and ordinary Rio $8.00 to $9.00
per 100 lb. respectively.

Hay—New Brunswick 90c. per 100 Ib.

Manvures—Nitrate of Soda $60.00 to $65.00 ; Ohlendorft’s
Dissolved Guano ; $60.00; Sulphate of Ammonia $75.00
to $80.00; Sulphate of Potash $70.00 per ton.

Morasses—No quotations.

Ontoxns—Madeira $1.80 to $2.17 per 100 Ib.

Poratos—$2.35 to $2.50 per 160 lb.

Rice—Ballam $4.60 per bag (190 th.) ; Patna $3.75 per
bag (190 th.) ; Rangoon $3.00 per bag (190 th.)

SuGar—$2.40 per LOO th.

British Guiana,—October 9, 1902.—Messrs. Wertine &

RIcHTer.

Arrowroot—S810.00 per barrel.

Cacao—native lle. to 13c. sales.

Cassava Srarcu—§$8.00 per barrel.

Cocoa-Nuts—S$8.00 to SL0.00 per M.

Corree—Rio and Jamaica Ile. to 115c. per lb. (retail.)
Creole, Ile. to I2e. per lb.

Eppors—S1.80 per barrel.

Oxtoxs— Retail 3c. to 3$c. Garlic 8c. per Ib.

Pea Nuts—Curagoa 3fe.; American dc. (retail.)

PLANTAINS —20c. to 36c. per bunch.

Poraros Encusu—$3.00 per barrel.

Rice—Ballam $4.75 to $4.80, ex store; Patna $5.80, to
$5.99 per bag. Seeta $5.80 to $5.90

-CREOLE Rice 20c. per gallon, (retail.)

Sweer Poraros— Barbados $1.68, Creole $1.20 per barrel.

Tannrtas—S1.80 per bag.

Yams—$2.64 per bag.

Motasses—Vacuum Pan, yellow, I4}c. te 1ldc. per gallon,
casks included.

Sucar—White $3.50; Dark Crystals $1.71 to $1.78;
yellow $2.10 to $2.25. ; Molasses—$1.50 to $1.60
(nominal) per ewe.

Timper—Greenheart 32c. to 55c. per cubie foot.

WALLABA SuHrscLes—S$3.00 to $5.00 per M.

Trinidad,—October 9, 1902.—Messrs. Gorpon Grant

& Co, and Messrs. Epcar Trree & Co. October
OS 1902.
Cacao—Ordinary to good red $12.75 to $13.00 ; estates,
$15.25 to $13.50) per Fanega.
Barata—Venezuelan 42}c. to 43c. per th.
CorreE—Venezuelan Te. per th.
Ontons—8$2.25 per 100 1b.
Poraros ExciisH—S$1.20 to $1.50 per 1001b.
Rice—Yellow $4.55 to $4.75 ; White Table $5.25 to $3.75
per bag.
Sucar—For Gr scery use, $1.60 to $3.00 per 1001b.

Vor. 2 No: 14. THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 223

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Agents for the sale of the publications of the Department :—

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HEVEA BRASILIENSIS. Coming crop of seeds August-September shipment. As orders must reach us at
least at the end of July to avoid disappointment, ordering by wire necessary on the appearance of this advertisement. There is
only one crop in the year. A leading Sumatra planter who purchased 150,000 seeds on two previous occasions writes under date
May 10, 1902: ‘I shall like to have your lowest terms for delivery of 100,000 Hevea seeds in the same way as before from the
coming crop.’ 75% guaranteed to germinate. Shipments to West Indies can be made to London only : re-shipment must be
arranged by purchasers.

Vor special offer of seeds and plants see the following descriptive Price Lists, post free on application.

1. Tropical Seeds and Plants of Commercial Products, enlarged edition for 1902.

2. Seeds and Plants of Shade, Timber, Wind-belts, Fuel, and Ornamental Trees, Trees for Road-sides, Parks, Open
Spaces, Pasture Lands, Avenues, Hedges, and for planting among crops (Tea, Coffee, Cacao, Cardamons, ete.)

3. Seeds and Plants of Tropical Fruit Trees including Mango grafts. 4. Bulbs, Tubers and Yams.

5. Orchids—Ceylon and Indian. 6. Seeds and Plants of Palms, Calamus, Pandanus, Cyeads, Tree and other Ferns,
€rotons, Roses, Dracaenas, Shrubs and Creepers.

SPECIAL ARRANGEMENTS made with foreign Governments, Botanical and Agricultural Departments,
Planters, and others for supplying seeds and plants of Commercial Products in large quantities.

AGAVE LURIDA. This highly recommended fibre yielding plant yields a fibre equal to that of Scsa/ in lustre
and tensile strength valued at from £28 to £34 per ton in London. Bulbils (seedlings) £1 per 100, £8 per 1,000 post free :
special quotations for large orders.

COFFEE. Arabica-Liberian Hybrid and Maragogipe Hybrid—New crop March-April, 1903: early booking
necessary.

A Foreign Agricultural Department writes dating 9th September, 1901:—‘‘Please accept our order for 175 tb. of Tea
seed and for 2,000 Coffee beans. In regard to Coffee seed I would say that this will be the first importation made by this
Department, and we will leave the selection of the varieties to be sent to your judgement.”

‘SOUTH AFRICA.”—The great authority on South African affairs of 25th March, 1899, says :—An_ interesting
Catalogue reaches us from the East. It is issued by William Brothers, Tropical Seed Merchants _ of Henaratgoda, Ceylon,
and schedules all the useful and beautiful plants which will thrive in tropical and semi-tropical regions. We fancy Messrs. Williams
should do good business, for now that the great powers have grabbed all the waste places of the earth, they must turn to and
prove that they were worth the grabbing. We recommend the great Powers and Concessionaries under them to go to William

Brothers.”
Agents in London: Messrs. P. W. Woolley & Co., 90, Lower Thames Street.
Telegraphic Address: Witr1am Henaratcopa, Ceylon. J. P. WILLIAM & BROTHERS,
[14] Lieber’s, A.I. & A.b.C., Codes used. Tropical Seed Merchants, Henaratgoda, Ceylon.

224 THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. Octoger 25, 1902.

THE BEST MANURES FOR COLONIAL USE

SAR es

Ohlendorff’s Dissolved Peruvian Guano—For Sugar-cane and general use
Ohlendorff’s Special Sugar-cane Manure
Ohlendorff’s Special Cocoa Manure

Sulphate of Ammonia, Nitrate of Soda, Superphosphates, high grades,
Potash Salts, Basic Slag and all other high-class Fertilizers.

APPLY TO LOCAL AGENTS OR DIRECT TO
THE ANGLO-CONTINENTAL (LATE OHLENDORFF’S) GUANO WORKS,

London Agency, 15, Leadenhall Street, London E.C.,
[33. J Barbados Agents: Messrs. James A. Lynch & Co., Bridgetown.

THE BARBADOS MUTUAL LIFE ASSURANCE SOCIER WY
ECS AT Bil lo eee 1840.
CHIEF OFFICE, Beckwith Place, Bridgetown, Barbados.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS :
MICHAEL J. BOVELL, Esq., CHarrman,
KE. T. RACKER, Esq., Vice-CHarrMan.
J. NR. BANCROFT, Esq., JAS. H. INNISS, Esq.,
B. ERNEST BYNOE, Ksq., M:C-P., | Hon. J. THOMAS JONES, M.L.C.,
JOS. W. CRONEY, Eszq., | H. LAWRANCE JOHNSON, Esq.,
JAMES E. INCE, Esq.
Transactions to December 31, 1901.

Total Assurances Issued nal oe te San ant a4 woo SEIS tracts
Total Bonuses Declared (31 December 1900)... oa ss nae sus ar 3,610,921
Sums Assured and Bonuses Existing ae nae a ae ae 5,060,468
Total Claims by Death and M: itured Bndowme nts a= aae aah be ee 5,451,158
Life Assurance Fund... ads $s sup see a Ate oe 2,143,840
Annual Income : ny ce oe ~~ af ie 257,983.
Net Surplus December. (31 1900) Jas so 297, 12s

The Premiums are Lower than those “ne ged by Gtlter Life Off tices doing riyasiness in the West Indies.
The Bonuses declared have not been equalled by any other Assurance Society in the world.
Its Policy Contracts are Liberal, Fair and Equitable.
The Policy is Absolutely Non- Forfeitable so long as any surrender value remains.
Loans granted on Security of Policy.
Liberal Surrender Values.
Claims promptly paid.
Every facility given for the revival of Lapsed Policies.
It grants Interim Bonuses.
It gives Compound Bonuses.
All the profits belong to the Policy-Holders.
H. J. INNISS,
May 22; 1902: Secretary.
[16.]

Printed at Office of Agricultural Reporter, 4, High Street, Bridgetown, Barbados.

Ne eye, A
=

ASBORTNIGHTLY REVIEW

OF THE

IMPERIAL

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE FOR THE WEST INDIES.

Wier e Nos 5:

BARBADOS, NOVEMBER 8,

Price ld.

1902.

CONTENTS.

Anthrax, at St. Vincent 232 | Market Reports 2
Bananas, Cultivation of ... 228 Notes and Comments ... 230

299 | Our Book Shelf :—

Carib Implements... ... | S t s
I - Nature Study ..._ ... 235
Corn, Improving _ local | Appts on Oe :

any OF 999 Pictorial Practical Gar-
: ar aie oye" ning, etc 235
Cotton cultivation in | P dening, ee (GF oe te
sritish Guiana ropagating J1itrus ae
Fruits ao0 235

Department News... ...
Department Publications

Sumatra Tobacco under

])< » O25

Departmental Reports :—, : ee at
Canary Islands... ... 237 | Pasture Trees... ... ... 234

Fisheries : |) Poultrywaeeeieee ss ee oe
Tarpon in Trinidad ... 233 Fyre and Mosqui- ee

: ae CXS cag. dbo. gCMMiboEm 8)

Aol eanin Osea cea ese 200) 1) Riga production i

Honey, Sale of in Ameri- British Guiana... 252

can market 229 | Sugar Industry :—

Insect Notes :— 3ritish Guiana Notes 226
Spraying Sweet Potatos 252 | Utilization of |Home
West Indian insect Products ... Esco.

injurious in Florida 226 | Voleanie Eruption — at

Lecture to Teachers at St. Wincent ... ... 237

. 234 | West Indian Products ... 226

Barbados, |

Utilization of Home Products.

MONGST the causes responsible for the
the
West Indies, particularly in the sugar-

present agricultural depression in

producing islands, must be placed the high profits
the
days before the beet became an important factor in

formerly obtained from sugar cultivation. In

the sugar trade of the world the sugar-cane yielded
relatively enormous returns and planters made every
effort to extend the area under sugar-cane cultivation,
To this end valuable fruit and other trees were cut
down, poor lands prepared at great cost, and, in fact,
searcely any sacrifice was thought too heavy so long
as it led to an increase of the output of the staple crop.

With sugar selling at £20 to £30 per ton, or even
more, there is no doubt that the planters of those days
followed the most remunerative course. It would have
been unprofitable for them to devote to the production
of Indian corn, yams, ete., land which would yield sugar
to the value of say £50 per acre. Canes were accordingly
grown on every available acre and the sugar exported,
whilst importations were depended on for the neces-
saries of life.

In the sugar islands of the West Indies, this
course is still followed, to a large extent, in spite of
A ton of
sugar formerly sold for £20 or £30, now it 1s worth
$20 to $30.

energies are devoted to producing sugar, often to be

the great changes in the sugar industry.
Yet in too many cases the planters’ best

sold at a loss, whilst relatively enormous amounts of
foodstuffs and other articles are imported. a great part
of which could and should be produced locally.

As a first step towards the desired end more use
needs to be made of products which are now exported.
Experiments made in Europe, America, and in the
West Indies, in Experiment Stations, with army horses,
and by private individuals, have conclusively proved
the high value of molasses as a feeding stuff for

THE AGRICULTURAL

NEWS. Novemper 8, 1902.

animals. It is stated on good authority that
molasses has the same feeding value as an equal weight

of corn,’

cane

On pages 108-124 of the Agricultural News we
gave an account of the experiments carried out in
Porto Rico, where army horses kept in excellent
condition and did their full work on grass and molasses

only, each horse taking 14 Ib. of molasses daily. The
old custom, however, is still maintained in’ these
colonies and molasses is sold at very low rates and

exported, whilst thousands of bushels of high-priced
and oats the
United States.

corn are imported annually from

A second means of remedying the present non-
economical state of affairs hes in the home production
of many articles now imported. The proposed re-intro-
duction of cotton may prove a step in the
direction,

right
if care is taken to utilize the cotton seed
and its products to their best advantage.
trifle but should be
employed to reduce the very heavy importations of oil
meal, oil eake and cotton seed oil, of which the imports
£24,000 in 1900,
about £5,000 in the

They must

not be exported for a mere

value of

Islands

into Barbados were of the

and into the Leeward

same year,

Numerous other opportunities for reducing expen-
diture could be cited, but the essential point is this.
In the sugar-producing islands the staple crop does
not now give the profits of former years. Planters
need to adapt themselves to the changed circumstances
and the importation of food stuffs. At
present dear American products are being obtained in

reduce

exchange for cheap sugar to the impoverishment of the
West Indies.

West Indian Insect Injurious in Florida.
A bulletin entitled Some Insects Injurious to Vegetable

6 rops ™ has recently been received, conti waning a short
account of an insect occurring in the West Indies, found to
be destructive to bean and pea plants in Florida. This

insect is the ‘Swallow-tailed skipper (2udamus proteus. L.)
a robust velvety-brown butterfly with white spots on the
forewings. In appearance it is similar to the
arrowroot skipper’ but differs in the swallow-tail prolongation
of the hind wings. The insect may now be found in
Barbados, Dominica and Antigua, (and probably throughout
the Lesser Antilles). Mr. Chittenden enumerates Cuba,
Jamaica, Trinidad and several South American localities. No
reports have been received of this insect proving destructive
to bean or pea plants in the West Indies, and it is believed
to feed here on wild plants ; but it isnot unlikely to make
its appearance in peardens where its food plants are grown.

+P. Vee Chitte nae ny Bulletin 33, N. S., ‘Division of Entomology,
U.S. Department of Agriculture.

‘Canna or

SUGAR INDUSTRY.

British Guiana Notes.

The Demerara Argosy for October 22, says:—
A few light showers fell during the fortnight, the
rainfall registered varying from half an inch to three
inches in different localities. |The weather during the
current month has been quite seasonable and favour-
able to ripening canes. The younger portion of the
cultivation would, however, have derived benefit from
heavier showers than fhese experienced,

SUGAR MAKING,

Sugar making is progressing rapidly. The cane
juice is of good quality, and is working up freely, the
extraction on indicated sugar in juice averaging 88
per cent. to 90 per cent. of 96° sugar. The yield of sugar
per acre is better than was antic ipated owing to the low
gallons of juice required per ton sugar. The total
output of ram this year should not exceed 65 per
cent. of that made last year.

MARKETS.

There is a firmer tendency in the sugar market,
and last sales of 96° erystals were made at $1.80 per
100 1b. The rum market is still overstocked and only a
lessened production will put this market right. he
net value of 40 over proof coloured rum is about 20
cents a gallon,

WEST INDIAN PRODUCTS.

Drugs and Spices in the London Market.
The following interesting
sales of West Indian drugs and spices has been
contributed by Mr. John R. Jackson, A.L.S., formerly
Curator of the Museums at the Royal Gardens, Kew:—

In these days, when the value of object
acknowledged on all sides, the samples of raw

article on the recent

lessons is
products to be

seen in the Mincing Lane Show Rooms on the eve of the
fortnightly drug sales, together with those in the Billiter

Square warehouse and the several docks in the east of
London, have proved to be of immense value to numbers of
students, who have of late sought to improve their practical
knowledge by visits to these great centres of Commerce.
The importance of combining the commercial side with the
scientific is now fully acknowledged by the ready assistance
that is rendered, by business men, to members of pharmaceu-
tical and other classes, by giving permission of occasional
access to these stores of knowledge, an opportunity of which
teachers and_ their only too glad to avail
themselves, for here is to be seen not only the raw products
themselves as originally produced—so useful an item in the
knowledge of a pharmaceutical student,—but also the mode
of preparation and packing in the several countries of
production. All these are important points in the education
of one whose future life is to be spent as a planter, or in some

classes are

Worms ln NOsilo: THE

AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 227,

way connected with developing the produce of the soil in one
of the numerous Colonies of the British Empire. To the
uninitiated a perusal of the Public Ledger or of the Reports
of the London Produce Market is, to say the least,
uninteresting reading ; but with the light gained from a few
visits to the centre of Great Britain’s colonial and foreign
trade, such reports become intelligible and even interesting.
By watching these reports week by week a great amount of
information is gathered as to the supply and demand, the
fluctuations in prices, and the conditions in which the various
products arrive. There are also occasional notes of new or
rarely seen products.

It has been thought that a monthly review of
the London clearing market, with special reference to
such products as commend themselves to West Indian

readers would be an acceptable item in the Agricultural
News. At the first sale in September, 114 boxes of
Curacoa aloes were partly disposed of at 19s. to 19s. 6d. per
ewt., ‘dull black’ not realizing more than 14s., but four boxes
of ‘fair livery’ Curacoa sold, without reserve, at 21s. per cwt.,
while for seyen small tins of ‘fine livery’ from Barbados
29s. was paid. A limited quantity of ‘good bright,’ but ‘soft,’
Socotrine fetched 72s. 6/. per cwt. Arrowroot, as might be
expected, was a fluctuating article in consequence of the
disturbed state of St. Vincent at the beginning of the month :
wae quality for ordinary manufacturing was bought in at
24d. per tb, and Trinidad at 2/. for soft quality, while
ak later, owing to the renewed volcanic eruption, the price
for St. Vincent rose and business was done at 3d. to 4d.
per lb. for ‘fair to fine’ quality.

Of kola nuts at the first sale 6 barrels fresh Grenada
sold at I$d. per tb. ‘Fair, washed’ West Indian realizing
33d., and at the second sale 21 barrels of West Indian were
disposed of at 34d. to 34d. for good quality, and Idd. for
“wormy.’

24 bales of Jamaica sarsa-
3d. per Ib. for ‘sound’ and

At the sale on September 4,
parilla were disposed of at Is

Is. to ls. 2¢. for inferior quality ; and at the second sale, a
fortnight later, 15 bales were sold at 1s. 2d., and 13 other
bales at Is. 3d. for ‘sound,’ and Is. 1d. for ‘country’ damaged,

while one bale of ‘red Jamaica’ fetched 9d. per Ib.

At the same sale,

tamarinds fetched the following prices
respectively

Three barrels of West Indian of inferior

quality 10s. per ewt.; of 27 barrels of Antigua offered, 10
barrels sold at 13s. per ewt, while later in the month 10

barrels of good West Indian were bought in at 14s. per
and 9 other barrels were sold at 13s. 6d.

cwt.

With regard to spices, the following items may be
of interest. On September 4, pimento was quoted at 24:/.
per lb. for ‘ereyish,’ and 22d. for ‘fair.’ On the 11th. 473
packages weve offered, 120 of which were sold at the follow-
ing rates :— ‘middling to fair’ 22d. to 23d. On the 25th.
438 packages were bought in at 2¢/. to 24d. Of mace on
September 11, 8 pac kages West edie were offered for sale
of ‘fair pale’ and ‘reddish,’ realizing 1s 4d. and Is 5d. per Ib.
respectively, while on the 25th. there were 77
offered, which realized for ‘good pale’ 1s. 7d., ‘fair pale’ Is. 4d.
to Is. 5d., and ‘fair red’ Is. 3d. On September 18, Jamaica
ginger Boldlan 38s. to 40s. 6d. per ewt. for ‘ordinary middling
dull’ and on the 25th. the quotations were 37s. 6c. to 38s.
for ‘small dull,’ but ‘middling dull washed’ was bought in
at 44s. 6/. to 46s. In comparison with this, at the same sale
Cochin ginger sold at the following prices :—82s. to 82s. 6d.
for ‘bold cut,’ 65s. for ‘ medium,’ “small,’ 375. for
“ends’ and 35s. for ‘cuttings.’

packages

35s. for

COTTON CULTIVATION IN
GUIANA.

The Demerara Daily Chronicle reproduced in
a recent issue some extracts from a paper by the late
Dr. Shier, a former Government Chemist of that
colony, on the subject of cotton cultivation in British
Guiana. Dr. Shier’s notes, although written more than
half a century ago, should be of interest to proprietors
in the West Indies who are now turning their attention
to cotton growing. We append the following : —

BRITISH

THE COLONY’S SUITABILITY

sritish Guiana affords numerous advantages
almost any other country in the cultivation of cotton.

The marine atmosphere and saline nature of the coast
and estuary appear to fulfil exactly the conditions
required by the most valuable variety, namely, the sea-island
or black-seed cotton. The stray bushes that are left,
although degenerated and perennial, are obviously referable
to this variety. The land adapted to the sea-island variety
in the Southern States of America is fast wearing out, and
the richer lands of the interior and west are suited only to
the short staple variety, hence, at no distant period, the more
valuable sea-island variety will have dwindled down to an
inconsiderable amount, and unless supplied plentifully from
some other quarter, must bring an enhanced price.

The low lands of the coast side of British Guiana appear
to me much richer and more enduring for cotton cultivation
than any I have elsewhere seen. The exhaustion I have
mentioned as taking place on the sea-board of the Southern

ror COTTON GROWING.

over

soils

States of America arises from the constant stirring and
tillage of the thin layer of organic matter which was

originally found on the surface over the siliceous sand. The
coast lands of British Guiana, however, contain a large
amount of organic matter intimately mixed and blended
with the clay and that to almost any depth, so that with
anything approaching to judicious tillage, exhaustion is not
at all to be apprehended. And if it were even to appear that
smaller returns occurred from this cause, a speedy and
effectual renovation is at all times possible by the method of
warping which would be attended with no expense worth
mentioning.
A SUPERIOR CLIMATE,
In point of climate I consider the coast side soils of
British Guiana decidedly superior to the American sea-board.

In the latter there is a decided and well-marked winter,
which renders frequent sowing necessary in spring, and
which at times operates unfavourably in autumn. The

plants have thus but a single period of blossoming, and
should the weather prove unfavourable there is no chance
of retrieving the loss during the season. The cotton plant
is thus rendered an annual by the severity of the winter.
In British Guiana, on the other hand, there is abundant
opportunity of planting without fear of failure by a reduced
temperature, and in consequence of the fineness and
uniformity of the seasons the plant becomes, or rather is
allowed to remain, a perennial.
CULTIVATION MORE EXPENSIVE THAN IN THE STATES.

It will be objected by others that the stiffness of the
soils in British Guiana is such that the labour of cultivating
cotton will be greater and more expensive than in the loose
soils of the sea-board of the Southern States of America.
This must be admitted, but on the other hand, the superiority
of the soil and climate, suited also to the finest varieties of
cotton, cannot fail to give a return so much greater as more
than counterbalances the greater expense of labour,

THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS.

NoveMBeEr 8, 1902.

3)

WEST

CULTIVATION OF BANANAS.

The following notes on the cultivation of bananas
are reproduced from the paper by the Hon'ble
W. Faweett, B.Sc, F.LS., read before the Agricultural
Conference in January last and published in fall in the
West Indian Bulletin, Vol. IL, pp. 153 to 171:—

CLEARING,

In ground covered with forest or woodland some are
content to ent down and burn, leav'ng the stumps to decay ;
but it is better, if it can be done, so to cut the trees that
they will tear up their roots in their fall. The trees should
be carefully selected, marked and cut up for their special
uses —timber, posts, piles, tramway sleepers, firewood, ete.
The underwood and brush can be used to burn up the roots
and the trunks of useless trees such as Guango, Bastard
Cedar, ete.

The ground should finally be carefully stumped. Even
if the land is virgin soil and does not require ploughing, it is
better to stump at first. The plants can then be put in at
regular distances at once---an imvortant matter in many
ways ; and if ploughing is necessary at a later period, there
is no delay caused by digging out stumps.
facilitates cutting and carrying the fruit.

If the land is not the virgin soil of a forest, and
especially if it be old cane land or pasture, it should be first
thoroughly ploughed at least 9 inches deep, and harrowed.
If the situation is on hillsides where the plough cannot be
worked, the pickaxe for stony ground, and the fork for soft
ground should be used.

Stumping also

DISTANCE.

The usual distance is 15 by 15 feet, or 14 by 14 feet,
but these distances are modified according to circumstances,
and planters are continually trying experiments with other
distances. One planter finds that a hill-side of 15 acres on
the north side planted 8 by 8 yields 8,000 straight, or more
than 500 to the acre. Another, in a hot, flat district on the
south side, finds it advantageous to plant 8 by 8 in order to
It is stated by the
advocates of close planting that the crop comes in sooner,
that it can be regulated with greater success so as to come in
during the five months of high prices, and that less weeding
and less water are required. On the other hand, it will be
found necessary to remove every alternate row for first

shade the ground as soon as possible.

INDIAN FRUTSe

ratoons, and probably for third ratoons to reduce the field to
stems at distances of 16 by 16 feet Where there is tee
much shade, the bulbs are apt gradually to grow higher out
of the ground with less hold against the wind, and the
plants run up with a weak stem and irregular bunch.
Another system is to inerease the distance between the plants
in the row, making the wider intervals run north and south.
A planter who reaps 330 payable bunches per acre, planting
14 by 14, gets a yield of 400 per acre where he has planted
10 by 20 feet.

A planter who is planting cacao and utilizes the banana
for shade says that he has generally planted 14 feet square
with cacao in the same line. If cacao is planted in the centre
of the square, field implements, of course, cannot be worked
either way, hut by planting in the same line as the banana,
they can be used for two or more years without apparent
injury to either plant. However, he states that, after some
experience, he thinks 16 feet square would be preferable both
for banana and eacao cultivation, but there are considerations
of locality, soil, fertility and so on which prevent a hard and
fast line being laid down

‘In wide planting there is less risk of a falling tree
carrying another with it. The roots of the banana appear te
require a radius of at least 8 feet, and wide planting has
always commended itself, im my experience, as the best
agriculture ; that is to say, sufficiently wide planting to give
the plant or tree space admitting of its full and best
development. Among other advantages cultivation is easier 5
and beyond question the higher the cultivation the better is
the fruit obtained.’

DIGGING HOLES.

Some planters are content with shallow holes about one
foot deep. But better results are obtained when holes 2 feet
6 inches every way are dug; the roots get a better start,
and a better hold on the ground, so that the plants are more
forward, and not liable to be blown down.

A planter who prepares holes 3 to 4 feet wide and from
2 to 25 feet deep, writes :—‘It is not always possible to get
the labour to make these holes, but I am convinced of the
advantage and ultimate economy of making them large and
deep, for, among other reasons, the plant gets a start at
a good root is formed in the loosened earth which
practically “anchors” the tree, and enables it to resist high
winds, and when planted in this way the tendency of the
root to come to the surface is greatly obviated.’

once 5

Morse “Nowls:

THE AGRIC LTURAL NEWS. 229

THE IMPROVEMENT OF LOCAL
VARIETIES OF INDIAN CORN.

A paper on this subject was read before the Antigua
Agricultural and Commercial Society on September 5, by
Mr. W. N. Sands, the Curator of the Botanie Station at
Antigua, of which the following is a summary :—

During the last few years considerable attention has
been given to the growth of Indian corn. This has been

brought about by the low price of sugar and the high price
of imported corn.

It seems to be the general opinion
varieties of corm have become less productive.
to be the case also in other West Indian islands.

Experiments have been made at the
Experiment Station on the following lines :—

(1) The selection of seed of the native varieties.

(2) Trials of good American and other varieties.

(3) The crossing of native corn with imported varieties.

that the local
This seems

Scott’s Hull

(1) Cobs of the finest corn were selected and the seed
from them sown in plots. No definite results have yet been
obtained, owing to the short time during which the experi-
ments have been carried on. Several planters of the island
have carried on selection for a number of years, but the limit
of productiveness appears to have been reached.

(2) Numerous varieties of corn were imported from the
United States and were grown separately in j)5 acre plots.
The growth in all cases was feeble, and it was evident that
these varieties were not suitable for this climate. On
re-sowing, the same result was obtained.

(3) In September 1900, a plot of native yellow corn
was planted at the same time as plots of the imported
varieties. The ‘arrows’ or spikes of male flowers of the
native corn were cut out; when the arrows of one of the
imported varieties (Golden Beauty) were mature, a few
were taken and dusted on the tassels of the young cobs of
the native corn : this was continued for four or five days.

The best cobs with the crossed seeds were selected and
the grain sown by themselves the following May. The corn
grew well and was harvested in September. It then showed
distinct signs of the crossing, the grains being of a differ-
ent shape and lighter in colour than those of the ordinary
native corn. The best cobs were again selected for sowing.

Three plots of this corn were sown on alternate rows,
the other rows being sown with a fresh supply of seed
of three American varieties, one variety to each plot. The
arrows of the crossed corn were taken out as they appeared ;
artificial pollination was not necessary as the plants were
mixed.

The corn was reaped in January of this year and the
best cobs of the twice-crossed corn were selected for seed.

The selected seed was sown in May on three different
plots. The growth was vigorous and there was little insect
attack. When reaped on August 8, the following results
were obtained :—

CORN IN
(1) 314 lb. or
(QD) iia. &
(3) 301 “ce “cc

COB.
3,140 lb. per acre
3,080 ©
3,010 “ce “ce 6c
Of these
(1) 40 Ib.
corn, equal to 2,531 Ib.,
acre.
(2) al Ib. gave 325 Ib. of shelled corn,
2,502 Ib, or over 44 bushels per acre,
(3) 40 Ib. gave 3141b. of shelled corn,
2,370 lb., or over 42 bushels per acre.

of corn in cob gave 3241b. of shelled
or over “45 bushels per

equal to

equal to

The average yield of native corn is from 25 to 30
bushels per acre, while these varieties give over 40 bushels
per acre.

One or two planters have already grown some of these
crossed corns with good results. The seed is available at
the Botanic Station and will be distributed at the rate of
ld. per Ib.

SALE OF HONEY IN THE AMERICAN
MARKET.

Mr. Geo. S. Hudson, Agricultural Instructor at
St. Lucia, forwards the following information which
should be useful to West Indian Honey Shippers :—

Messrs. Gillespie Bros. & Co., New York, of whom
Mr. Hudson had made inquiries with reference to
honey, wrote on September 30 :—

At the moment there is
extracted honey :

a very good demand for
we think it will be worth while sending
forward some for sale in this market. We do not know
exactly what St. Lucia honey would fetch, but for Jamaica
honey we can get, and have sold at, 41c. to 43. per gallon
duty paid. These prices you will find to work out more
advantageously than the current London and European
quotations. Jamaica ships to this market principally in
barrels or casks containing about 30 American gallons, that
is, about 26 Imperial gallons. For honey in cases, two tins
each, perhaps a trifle more money would be paid. Oil tins
must be rigidly excluded, and only new containers used.
We send you a pro forma account sale for your guidance.
Recently some honey in comb was received from Cuba. It
earried very well in packages of 24 and 48 sections of 1lb. each.
Our broker reports its sale at 55 cents per Ib. delivered,
and thinks with such good values ruling you might try our
market with a shipment in this form giving special care to
the packing to ensure safe transit.

Mr. Hudson commenting on the above, says, —I fail to
see that it is advantageous to ship to New York in place
of London. Forty-two cents per gallon is only equivalent
to about 16s. per ewt., which price is obtainable in London
for medium quality honey. The net proceeds of Messrs.
Gillespie’s pro forma account sale work out at 35 cents per
gallon, or about 13s. 3d. per ewt., including freight, duty,
commission, ete. I cannot help thinking that there
must have been something quite exceptional about the
Cuban consignment of comb honey that sold at 55e. per lb.,
as on the same date, according to the market reports
published in Gleanings, the maximum price realized for
Fancy White Comb in all the principal markets of the
United States was 16 cents per lb. Still, I am of opinion
that it is decidedly worth while making some experimental
shipments of comb honey to New York.

Carib Implements. Nature for Ang. 28 says :—
‘There is in The Reliquary and Tilustrated Archaeologist
(Vol. viit., No. 3) a well illustrated article, by Mr. R. Quick,
on the C ‘arib stone implements in the Horniman Museum.
These implements show the technical skill of the aborigines
of the West Indies in working hard rock. Some of the
implements are really remarkable examples of stone-work. One
example which is figured has a most irregular contour ; from
its high finish it was evidently greatly prized, and was
probably a symbolic religious object, of which the significance
is at present unknown.’

THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS.

NovemBErR 8, 1902.

EDITORIAL NOTICES.

Letters and matter for publication, as well as all
specimens for naming should be addressed to the Commis-
sioner, Imperial Department of Agriculture,
Barbados.

It is particularly requested that no letters be addressed
to any member of the staff by name. Such a course may
entail delay.

Communications should always be written on one side
of the paper only. It should be understood that no contri-
butions or specimens will, in any case, be returned.

All application for copies of the ‘Agricultural
News’ should be addressed to the Agents, and
not to the Department. A complete list of the London
and Local agents will be found on page 239 of this
number.

Correspondents sending newspapers should be careful to
mark the paragraphs they wish to bring under notice.

Agricultural dlews

NOVEMBER 8, 1902.

Vor. I. SATURDAY, No. 15.

NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Packing for Export.

The Jamaica Daily Telegraph for October 18
says:— The article in the Agricultural News on
“Packing for Export” is timely and welcome. We
sincerely hope that the lessons therein will be taken
deeply to heart by our own shippers, especially expor-
ters of citrus fruits.’

+ _—_—_—-————

Jamaica Fruit in British Markets.

The Agricultural Society of Jamaica has issued a
report with the above title, dealing principally with
the supply of oranges and pine-apples to the British
markets. The pamphlet 1s essentially — practical
throughout, and shows clearly that it is only by
scrupulous care and attention devoted to the selection,
grading, wrapping and packing of their fruit that the
orange growers of the South of Europe put their
produce on the market mm such excellent condition.
‘Nothing but the best’ Mr. W. B. Gill, the author,
suggests as the orange shippers’ motto, and he adds,
“not only does this apply to the fruit itself, for many
a batch of magnificent fruit has been practically thrown
away through worthless packing—but also to the
quality of the paper used; the care in wrapping: the
neatness in packing ; and the damage-resisting qualities
of the box.’

Although written principally for Jamaica, this
pamphlet is well worth the careful study of all fruit
shippers throughout the West Indies.

Instruction in Onion Cultivation.

We drew attention on page 199 to the work being
done by Travelling Instructors in the various islands.
The following advertisement from the Montserrat
Herald supplies an instance of such work in actual
practice —

‘Recently imported onion seed may be obtained
at Grove Station at 3s. 6d. per th.

‘A trained man will be sent out upon application
to give advice and to sow the seed free of cost to the
applicants if their land is near either of the Experiment
Stations, or upon the payment of the cost of horse-hire
if the land is at a distance.’

ae

West indian Products in England.

On page 226 of this number appears an article by
Mr. John R. Jackson, A.L.S., on the recent sales of
West Indian drugs and spices in the London market.
Mr. Jackson was until recently the Curator of the
Museums at the Royal Gardens, Kew. In this position
he acquired an intimate acquaintance with many of
the vegetable productions of the world. A portion of
this knowledge he has placed on permanent record in
his Commercial Botany of the Nineteenth Century,
published in 1890. It is hoped that the present
article will be the first of a series, giving a summary of
the markets with especial reference to the products of
more particular interest in the West Indies.

EE

Selection of Fruit for Export.

Amongst the points we have brought from time to
time to the notice of shippers of fruit, are the necessity
for good packing, and for careful selection.

In the case of grape-fruit, for instance, it is
not sufficient to export any and every grape-fruit, as
the following extract from the Circular of Messrs.
Gillespie Brothers, tor October 17, shows :— Upwards of
1,500 barrels of grape-fruit have came forward during
the last two weeks, some of which have been sold at
auction. For genuine fruit of good appearance and large
size, favourable prices have been realized, but under
this description fell only an inconsiderable portion of
the receipts. The bulk consisted of very small fruit,
not larger than medium-sized oranges, and offers no
attraction to the usual buyers of grape-fruit. Small
grape-fruit is perhaps not worth as much money as

oranges.

——nD> + ae

Banana Cultivation in the Canaries.

Amongst the ‘Departmental Reports’ in this issue
will be found a summary of the condition of the banana
trade in the Canary islands. he large profits of the
past have, it is said, induced some planters to enter
the trade with the recklessness of a gambler, paying
as much as £250 per acre for land.

Vor. I. No. 15.

THE AGRICULTURAL

NEWS. 231

Sweet Potatos in England.

With regard to the shipments of West Indian
Sweet potatos to England, the Gardeners’ Chronicle
says. ‘It is an extremely chifticult matter to persuade
people to divest themselves of prejudice in cases of this
kind, and of course, the dealers do not care to be
burdened with what will not take the fancy of the
public. We are therefore the more gratified to find
that the first shipments from Barbados have proved
satisfactory. Cheap wholesome food is a great desider-
atum in our European cities, and it seems as if the
West Indian islands can do much to furnish a supply
at rates profitable to the growers and advantageous to
the consumer. Everyone will wish it may be so’.

Rp

Stock for Jamaica.

According to The Times ‘Messrs. Elder Dempster
& Co. announce that they are prepared to take ont to
Jamaica, free of freight, by their Imperial Direct Wesé
Indian Line from Bristol, English stallions, bulls and
rams for breeding purposes, the importation of which it
is believed may prove a great factor in the progress of
the island.’

E> er

Improving Poultry.

The adyice given by Mr. Barclay on page 234.
suggests a way to any one to improve their breed of
poultry, without any great expense, and without
running the risk of introducing varieties of fowls
unsuited to their locality. The article is worth the
careful attention of all poultry keepers.

——_—_——-

The Eruptions in St. Vincent.

In our last issue an account was given of the
phenomena experienced at Barbados in connexion with
the eruption of the Soufriére of October 15. Beyond
the bare telegraphic report no news was then to hand
from St. Vincent.

On page 237 of this number we quote some
extracts from a Report made to the Administrator of
St. Vincent by the local officers of the Department,
which indicate clearly the great damage done to the
crops and the consequent distress of the unfortunate
inhabitants of the devastated area.

The probable temporary abandonment of the
arrowroot industry on some of the estates is a serious
blow to the welfare of the island.

oO

Improving Indian Corn.

Efforts have been made from time to time to
introduce into the West Indies some of the American
varieties of corn, bearing heavier crops than those
usually cultivated here. These attempts have, in the
main, not been successful as the introduced varieties
proved to be less hardy than the native corn and more
subject to insect attacks. During the past two seasons

experiments have been made at Antigua to produce,
by cross fertilization, a variety combining the hardy
character of the native corn with the heavier yielding
gualities of the American varieties. A summary of
the experiments will be found on page 229.

Spraying in American Towns.

In New York and other large cities of America,
the shade trees planted in the avenues sutter from the
attacks of leaf-eating caterpillars and beetles. The
leaves are eaten off and the trees, stripped of their
foliage, are neither ornamental nor useful. Asa remedy
spraying with arsenical poisons is resorted to on a
large scale. The work is done with a spraying outfit
mounted on a cart drawn by a horse. The pump is
worked by a gasoline motor, and pumps the liquid into
a number of lines of hose which are carried up ladders
to reach to the tops of the trees. At the present time,
arsenate of lead is used in preference to Paris green, as
it resists the rain and remains longer on the leaves.
Very good work is done by these machines in the
streets of New York and other large cities, and with
their help the trees remain green and shady all the
summer through.

DD Oo

Insect Specimens.

A small box of insects has been received from
Mr. J. W. Campbell of Sion Hill, St. Vincent, through
the Curator of the Botanic Station. These included
four species new to the collection of this Department,
and one species not as yet recorded from St. Vincent.
Such specimens are always of interest and value. The
different insects of any locality, though not always
directly attecting agriculture, have all a bearing on
each other, and the mere occurrence of any one species
in one locality may throw lght on the entomological
problems of that locality and may help to explain how
and why any particular pest becomes destructive or
the reverse.

It is hoped that others will follow Mr. Campbell's
example. Specimens are always welcome, and if sent
to this Department, they will be incorporated in the
collection and will be of great assistance in entomologi-
eal work in the West Indies.

SS —t—

Anthrax at St. Vincent.

The Government Circular with regard to the
regretable outburst of anthrax at St. Vincent is given
on page 232. It is essential that all should pay the
greatest attention to its directions, and particularly
avoid cutting open the skin, or allowing the blood of
the diseased animals to escape. Anthrax is due to
bacteria which form spores or ‘seeds’ only when allowed
free access to the air. Hence the necessity also for
burying the carcases deeply.

THE

AGRICULTURAL NEWS.

November 8, 1902.

INSECT NOTES.

Spraying Sweet Potatos.

The varieties of sweet potato, grown as part of an
experiment by the Department at Waterford estate,
Barbados, were found to be suffering from the atte
of a caterpillar which webs up the leaf and then eats
it. The vines were considerably damaged and the
condition of the plants was unsatisfactory. The field
was sprayed with a mixture of

Paris green aod ee 1 tb.
Lime Wied se 5 Ib.
Molasses ... Ban - 10 th.

\Vater) oa. ist ... 200 gallons.

This is the usual Paris green mixture with the
addition of molasses to enable the poison to adhere to
the plants and resist the action of rain. ‘Two machines
were used, the ‘ Knapsack’ and the ‘ Fruitall, and the
work was completed in a little overa half-day, including
all preiminanies. The spraying was done on Septem-
ber 19. Live caterpillars were not to be found the
week after, and the field has remained healthy for
a month after the treatment. The result has thus
been very successful.

Spraying such as this should be carried out on
every field of sweet potatos in which insect pests
appear. ‘The cost, under fifty cents per acre, is so small
compared with the value of the crop that, in the
majority of cases, the increased yield is far more than
enough to pay for the treatment even when the
attack is only mild. In bad cases of red spider, potato
worm, or other pests, there is often the risk of entire
loss of the crop.

ANTHRAX AT ST. VINCENT.
The following ‘Important Notice’ has been issued
by the Government of St. Vincent :—
A disease among cattle has appeared in St. Vincent
during the rainy season for some years past, more particularly

in the neighbourhood of Mesopotamia Valley, Calder,
Brighton, ete. from which many head of stock have
perished.

This year the disease has been rather wider spread
than usual, and has been extended to the Island of Mustique,
in consequence of cattle from St. Vincent having
removed there.

The disease in question is known as Anthrax or Splenic
Fever, and in addition to its being very fatal to cattle it
is also highly dangerous to human beings who can contract
it by handling the dead animals. Several cases of Anthrax
have already been treated at the Colonial Hospital.

Animals which are suspected to have died of this
disease should on no account be skinned or cut open in any
way, but the body, in its skin, should, whenever possible,
be carted at once to the sea, or if that is not possible, buried

been

deep in the least frequented part
from any water or
thrown on the body.

The flesh of such animals should never
be eaten.

All dung or droppings from suspected sick animals, or
animals which have died, should be carefully ga athered up
and destroyed by fire at some place where other animals do
not have access.

Where an animal is seen to be sick with the symptoms
of Anthrax, it should beat once separated from the rest
of the herd and allowed to die. It should not be eut or
bled in any way. The other animals should be moved away
at once to another pasture and kept separate, and carefully
watched for ten days, when, if they show no signs of sickness,
they may be considered healthy.

All sheds, stables and buildings where a diseased animal
has died or has been kept, should be cleansed and disinfected
as follows :—

of the pasture

and away
dwelling house, and lime

should be

on any account

Fresh lime should be thoroughly sprinkled about the
place, which should then be swept, and all dung,
Bron and anything else the animal has been in
contact with, should be effectually removed.

The place should ‘then be limewashed, a pint of carbolic

held being used to each gallon of limewash.

Owners of stock are urgently requested to give attention
to these precautions.

In consequence of the outbreak of this dangerous
disease, telegrams were sent from St. Vincent to the
Governors of Barbados, Trinidad, and the Leeward
Islands, and to the Administrator of St. Lucia, notifyi ing
the occurrence of the disease and advising the prohibi-
tion of all importation of stock from St. Vincent for the
present.

RICE PRODUCTION IN BRITISH GUIANA.

In the Agricultural News (p. 220) attention was
called to the steadily decreasing quantity of rice import-
ed into British Guiana consequent on the increased
quantity grown locally. The Comptroller of Customs, in
his report recently published, referring to rice writes:—

The falling off last year amounted to 5,186,380 Ib.
Tn the last twenty years the decrease in the quantity of rice
imported has amounted to 65 per cent. Many persons are
greatly exercised about the large loss to the revenue from
import duty which this decrease represents, but surely there
is no need for anxiety on this score. It is not that the

inhabitants have ceased to use rice, but that they are
supplying their wants from locally grown rice. They
are obtaining the article more economically, and they
are thereby enabled to supply other needs more readily
than hitherto, which fact will, in time, tell in the

right direction on the volume of imports. The chances of
producing more rice than is necessary by our local needs, and
the consequent establishing of an export trade go up year by
year. This consummation is to be devoutly wished for and
stoutly aimed at.

This is distinctly encouraging, and it is hoped
that the people of the neighbouring ‘West Indi: an islands
will endeavour to emulate the people of Demerara in
the effort to supply their wants from products grown
locally. We have before pointed out that there are
many articles of food imported in large quantities by
some of these islands which should be grown locally.

Wor, I. THE

Nos ld:

AGRICULTURAL NEWS.

233

— ee ze

WEST INDIAN FISHERIES,

TARPON IN TRINIDAD.

We are indebted to Mr. Sylvester Devenish, late
Surveyor-General of Trinidad, for the following very
interesting notes on the Tarpon or Grande Heuille as
it is known in that Colony :—

Many years ago I was often asked by several of our
Governors, to act as their Aide-de-camp, pro tem, and
organize for some of their friends, either officers of the
Garrison, or sporting tourists, or both, a tarpon fishing
excursion in the Gulf.

Many a jolly party I have thus had in my American
built boat the Swan, well stocked for those occasions with all
necessary supplies, including a useful ‘ Norwegian stove,’
which, in the bows, quickly and most efficiently did its duty,
in cooking or keeping warm our meals for the day.

The tarpon is very common in Trinidad, particularly in
a small estuary called ‘the blue river,’ or (by the Spaniards)
“el cano Salado,’ situated a little over two miles south of the
Caroni river. It is about two miles long, witha width varying
from 30 to 5 feet, and has at low watera depth of about 3 feet
at its entrance and between 2 and 5 fathoms higher up.
Here is a favourite resort of the tarpon, which feed on the
plentiful supply of small fish brought in by the tide, and on
oysters which they easily crack open with their strong, hard,
bony jaws. They generally weigh there from 10 to 20Ib.
but are sometimes of a much greater size. My old friend
Mr. E. F. O'C.... our renowned greatest fisherman of days
long gone by, once caught a tarpon weighing 105Ib. This
was the largest I have ever heard of in our waters. As
Mr. O’C., was constantly fishing there, day and night, he has
been nicknamed ‘The Admiral of the blue river’ and is
certainly the best authority on fish we have in Trinidad.

The habits of the tarpon have been well described by
previous correspondents, particularly its facility to rid itself
of the hook when the line slackens, owing to the hard bones
in the roof of its mouth. We do not use the ‘rod’ here
but 18 thread trawling lines, with hooks Nos. 1 and 2
and 7 fathoms wire Nos. 18 or 19. We found it a great
improvement to have a smaller hook and a larger one fastened
back to back, as with this addition the fish is less able to
free himself.

The best bait is young mullets or large sardines and
anchovies, but the tarpon is so voracious that it blindly
snaps at anything spinning in the water, such as a piece of
white cloth or the pith of the Agave, bifurcated at the end
in imitation of a fish’s tail and commonly used when no
better bait is at hand.

One of the most marked peculiarities of this fish is its
knack, when hauled almost abreast of the boat, suddenly to

leap clean out of the water toa height of 12 to 15 feet, when
it often throws off the hook and falls in the water effecting
an easy escape to the great disappointment of its would-
be catchers. Having lost several in this way, it struck
me that we might perhaps find a way of securing the
fish, and I suggested that as soon as the tarpon was nearing
the boat and preparing to take its flight, we should all of us
(generally 4 or 5 exclusive of the boatmen) have ready
to our shoulders the short breech-loading carbines, then used
in the Artillery, and as soon as the (then flying) fish was at
a sutticient height in the air to send it a general volley which
would at once bring it down, when with either a boat hook
or a harpoon, always kept ready for the purpose, it could be
asily secured before it sank, and brought aboard. Owing to
the toughness and slipperiness of their scales they should
always be shot from the tail upwards. This proved eminently
successtul and it was really good fun, thus adding shooting
to fishing sport. I do not know whether it has ever been
tried elsewhere, but if not I would certainly recommend
its being tried.

The tarpon when dead emits in the dark a vivid,
brilliant, effulgent light visible at several hundred yards.
I recollect once, at ‘ Chacachare,’ noticing from my boat
at a little distance from the land, on a starry night, an
object shining on the shore like a highly polished piece of
silver, and on getting near found it to be a dead
tarpon about 2 feet long hanging to a fisherman’s net-pole.
It is a pity the flesh of the tarpon is not more savoury
and ‘recherché,’ as it would greatly add to the pleasure of
the fishing.

The scales of the tarpon when it is alive or recently
dead are beautiful. They are flat, transparent, of a pure
white, fringed all round, with a silvery segment at the root,
and delicate pretty designs along their perimeter, not
unlike lace, and very pleasant to look at when placed between
the eye and the light.

It once occurred to me that they might perhaps be
converted into very original and curious visiting cards. I
tried some and found that they could easily be written or
printed on, but to my great disappointment found that in
time they lost their transparency and pure white and silver
and warped, although I kept them heavily pressed for
several days.

This, of course, greatly discouraged me, but I stilk
believe that if properly treated by a professional card maker,
they might be turned into useful things. JI am not aware
that any attempt has been made to use then in any way,
but I believe it is worth trying.

234 THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS.

November &, 1902.

POULTRY.

In the issues of the Agricultural News of
August 16 and 30, and September 13, Mr. Barclay
dealt at length with the various Breeds of Fowls. In
the present number he offers practical suggestions for
improving common fowls :—

HOW TO IMPROVE COMMON FOWLS.

It is better for beginners, —in which category [ include
those who have hitherto been content to let their fowls run
and breed as they pleased, flinging them a handful of corn
once a day, and taking what eggs and chickens they chanced
to get,—not to be too ambitious all of a sudden and begin
by importing pens of pure-bred fowls, without experience and
without aptitude for handling fowls. This would probably
end in dire failure. It is often risky, and surely expensive,
to do so at first.

Where there are experienced breeders, as there are in
some of the islands, (at least there are several in Jamaica)
who have been accustomed to import, acclimatize and breed
American or British fowls, it is always best to buy eggs for
hatching or the young pure-bred birds from them, with which
there is no risk.

CROSSING.

But the best, least expensive, anda very sure plan is
simply to take the best layers of your common fowls, never
minding about the size, for size is more easily got than
laying qualities, then purehase a pure-bred cock of the
laying breeds suitable to your district, as I have explained.
Or, if you intend keeping a large number of fowls, you
could also buy a cock of the large breeds and run two
roosters, so that some of your chickens would be from a
laying, non-sitting breed, and some from a large table breed.
But I do not recommend this: it is too haphazard.
It is in all cases better to put four or six or up to
ten of your best hens, according to the number you keep,
in a pen by themselves with the male bird you intend to use.
You thus make as sure as possible that the eggs you are
setting are fresh eggs and from the selected hens you wish
to breed from.

CROSSING FOR LAYERS.

Say you want to rear good laying hens first. You
get a brown, butt, black, or white Leghorn cock (the
darker varieties to be preferred) and run him with your
selected hens: in a fortnight you may set the eges laid ;
the chickens when their feathers appear will mostly be the
colour of the cock. If well tended the pullets will lay in
five or six months, and, being half-bred Leghorns will
want to lay thirty to forty eggs before they get broody, for
they will likely want to set having half-setting blood in them.
Most common hens are rabid setters and do not generally lay
more than a dozen eggs before they can go to set. Your
young half-bred Leghorn cockerels, you will likely be able
to sell among the people around for breeding stock at more
than table value, for while it is an axiom only to use pure-
bred males, still half-breds are an improvement on the
common, scraggy rooster.

AVOID INBREEDING.

Next season, if you are pleased with the results,
exchange your rooster for another Leghorn, or sell the old
one and purchase a fresh one, as inbreeding is one of the
things you must avoid if you wish to haye healthy and
hardy fowls. It may be that your district is hot and dry
and then you may prefer a black Minorca cock. The chickens
will all then come black or nearly so.

CROSSING FOR SIZE.

But, perhaps, after the first year you think your fowls
too small for your purposes and you would like to have more
body on them? You would then get a Plymouth Rock,
Orpington, Wyandotte or Indian Game cock, according to
your district. Or, if you are troubled by hawks or other
birds or beasts of prey, or, if your fowls are not so active as
you would like, use an Old English Game cock for one
season. Your chickens from these would be of good size,
very good layers and have lost any resemblance to the
common fowls of all sizes and colours and shapes you started
with. In colour and shape they would be nearly uniform,
much like the last roosters used. The third year you would
go back to one of the laying breeds and your chickens would
come of good size and be good layers, probably on the same
food as your common hens had, but with some more care
exercised in breeding. You would then have fowls one to
two pounds on an average heavier and laying double the
number of eggs, than when you let the common fowls run
and breed as they liked. Or, if you were thoroughly well
pleased with any particular breed you would stick to it. The
first generation of chickens from the pure-bred cock would be
half-breds ; the pullets of these, run with a purchased male
of the same breed would produce three-quarter-breds, most
of them difticult to tell from the pure-bred. Using a pure-
bred male again, the next generation would be nine-tenths
pure and uniform in every way as the pure-breds—in fact,
practically pure-breds.

PASTURE TREES.

In his Annual Report on the Royal Botanic
Gardens, Trinidad, 1901-02, Mr. Hart writes :—

For over 40 years the trees have been under the care of
the Department, but a definite appointment has now been
made. Considerable labour was expended on the trees during
the past year, in pruning and cleaning and removing dead
wood. As the lands are for the most part, grazing grounds for
cattle, planting can only be done under good protection, and
this is an expensive item in the upkeep. As soon however
as one set of trees have grown out of reach of damage by
animals, the protectors are at once used for a new set, and
during the coming year several blank places will be filled wp
by young trees. Some of the trees planted during the
Superintendent's term of office, have now stems over a foot
in diameter. Over fifty trees have been established during
recent years, While not more than three or four have had to
be removed.

Lectures to Teachers at Barbados.

The first of the series of Lectures to the Teachers of the
Elementary Schools of Parbados at the St. Philip's Centre, on
the Manner and Method of Teaching the Principles of
Agriculture by means of Object Lessons, was delivered at the
St. Philip’s Church Schoolroom on Saturday, November Ist,
by Dr. Longtield Smith. Sixteen teachers attended. The
lecture like those delivered at the other Centres of the island
was illustrated by numerous simple experiments which could
be easily performed by any teacher. At the close of the
lecture cyclostyle notes were distributed.

Wor. J. Nom5: THE

AGRICULTURAL NEWS.

235

GROWING

SUMATRA TOBACCO UNDER
By Milton Whitney, U.S. Department of Agri-
Bureau of Soils. Bulletin No, 20, 1902.

This bulletin gives an account of the experiments that
have been carried on in the Connecticut Valley with a view
to improving the quality of the Connecticut tobaeco leaf.
This leaf is used for cigar wrappers but is much inferior for
that purpose to the imported Sumatra leaf. The experiments
have been carried on in a number of different soils, the total
area under shade being 41 acres, A fine quality of leaf has
been obtained at a cost of 47°6 cents. per pound, excluding
any charge for land, buildings or insurance, or interest on the

SHADE.

culture,

money invested. Owing to the large outlay of time and
money, which is necessary, it is not recommended that

costly experiments should be attempted in areas where ‘the
soil survey has not indicated at least a reasonable chance of

sue cess.”

NATURE STUDY AND LIFE. By Clifton F.
Hodge, Ph. D. _Iessrs. Ginn & Company, Boston, U.S A.,
and London. 190.2,

This book is intended for the use of teachers who are
taking up nature study in their schools. The methods put
forward have been tried for years in the public school
gardens at Worcester, Mass.

The authors purpose throughout is to develop in the
children a love for, and an intelligent imterest in, the living
beings, animals and plants, with which they are continually
coming into contact.

The study of plant life, as here put forward, may be
divided into three parts. The first deals with the study of
wild flowers. The children are taught to hunt for and to
recognize the commoner or more interesting wild flowers.
The second and largest part treats of the plants of the
garden and their cultivation. The actual plants used must
needs vary with the locality, but the methods will be the
same and the author’s hints should prove of great value to
teachers. The account of budding, layering, grafting, ete.,
is very The chapters on elementary forestry are
full of information and show the great importance of the
subject.

The third part deals with flowerless plants. This part
is necessarily very incomplete. There is a fairly full account
of edible and poisonous mushrooms, and short descriptions of
some of the most important fungoid diseases and their
treatment. In writing of bacteria the author shows how the
necessity for serupulous cleanliness may be impressed on
children by one or two experiments, and gives simple and
clear reasons for the precautions that have to be taken to
avoid the spread of infectious diseases.

The study of animal life occupies a large part of the
book. Insects, destructive, beneficial and beautiful, form the
subject of these chapters, and the parts dealing with aphides,
seale insects, and the honey bee are especially applicable to
these Colonies. A chapter on the common toad is full of

gC Te rd.

interest and should be read in every school in the West Indies,
whilst the remainder dealing with frogs, birds and miscel-
Janeous animals, though not closely applicable to West Indian
fauna, could be read and applied by an intelligent teacher.

The purpose of the book throughout is excellent, and
the interest in nature it is likely to produce, would be most

valuable, if even only in part aroused in the minds of the
teachers of all grades of schools.

This book can be commended to libraries throughout
these Colonies, and to everyone who has a desire for nature
knowledge and a glimpse of the ways of the beasts, birds and
flowers that are to be found.

PICTORIAL PRACTICAL GARDENING,

PICTORIAL PRACTICAL FRUIT’ GROWING.
PICTORIAL GREENHOUSE MANAGEMENT.
By Walter P. Wright. Jessrs. Cassell & Co., London.

Price ls. each.

These small books are intended primarily for the use of
English horticulturists, consequently a large part of the
information given is not specially adapted to the West
Indies. The general directions however, should prove of
value to gardeners and fruit growers everwhere, such as the
directions for striking cuttings, grafting, budding, pruning,
gathering and storing fruit, ete.: the accounts of soils
and manures, the preparation and application of insecticides,
and fungicides, etc. The directions are short, clear and very
practical. The illustrations are very numerous and useful.

also

METHODS OF PROPAGATING THE ORANGE
AND OTHER CITRUS FRUITS. By Herbert J. Webber.
U.S. Department of Agriculture.

This pamphlet is a reprint from the Year-book of the
Department of Agriculture. It gives descriptions of the
principal methods of propagation employed by citrus
nurserymen and growers in Florida, including the raising of
seedlings, the seed bed, the use of cuttings, the nursery
stocks, “budding, eri .fting and inarching. A nunber of plates
are given The pamphlet

illustrating the chief points.
should be useful to growers of oranges, ete., in the West
Indies.

Pyrethrum and Mosquitoes. Most people, espe-
cially new comers to the tropics, object to being bitten
by mosquitoes and find that a mosquito net is not always a
fully satisfactory protection. To these we would recommend.
the pyrethrum powder which forms the chief ingredient of
many insect powders. If a few spoonfuls of this powder are
placed ona tin lid and a lighted match is applied, the powder

will slowly smoulder, giving off a light smoke which is
peculiarly obnoxious to mosquitoes. The odour is not

anple want and is entirely harmless to human beings, whilst a
room thus fumigated in the evening will probably be found
to be free from mosquitoes. During the rainy season mosqui-
toes sometimes gather im hundreds in a room, apparently
for social amusement and dancing. These assemblies are
easily dispersed with a little pyrethrum powder, and suscep-
tible may thus rid themselves of the mosquito
nuisance. As ordinary insect powder frequently contains a
variety of substances, it is advisable to procure ‘ Pyrethrum,’
sold in one pound tins by Messrs. C. F. Harrison and Co.,
and Messrs. G. W. Hutchinson and Co., Barbados, at 60 cents
per pound,

persons

236 THE AGRICULTURAL. NEWS. NovemBer 8, 1902.
The monthly summary issued by the U.S. Weather

GLEANINGS.

Another experiment with onion growing from seed is
about to be carried out at the Botanie Station, Tobago. — It
is hoped that this will be as successful as the previous one.

Seeds of the well known bee plant, the Christmas
Wreath (/pomea sidaefolia), were received at the Tobago
Botanic Station in February. The plants grown therefrom
are now in flower and the native bees are actively gathering
honey.

During the early part of October hot and dry weather
prevailed in Demerara. A few heavy showers would be
beneficial to the growing canes.

The Monthly Weather Review reports that the eruption
of Mont Pelée appears to have been heard at Maracaibo,
Venezuela, no less than 830 miles from Martinique.

The Royal Agricultural and Commercial Society of
British Guiana have decided to ask the Government to import
20,000 or 30,000 banana suckers for distribution among the
farmers of the Colony, either free or at a nominal cost.

Dr Evans, the Curator of the British Guiana Museum is
proceeding to the Pomeroon to investigate a plague of beetles
prevalent in the district.

Grape vines, trained over an arbour, are used to shelter
the bee hives at the Antigua Botanic Station.

During the last season. the Antigua Station distributed
over 5,000 seedling limes.

From British Guiana, we learn that the canes due for
reaping up to the New Year are arrowing freely. The
December continue to grow rapidly but they are
beginning to ripen up, and growth will soon be at a stand
still, May and June canes have grown well and have
a vigorous, healthy appearance.

canes

The Curator reports that the rainfall recorded at the
Botanic Station, Tobago, for the month of September was
above the average, being 13°11 inches.

Several imported cattle and fowls have been introduced
in Tobago with the object of improving the present. stock.

A report by the Hon’ble Francis Watts on the Soils of
Dominica is in the press and will shortly be issued.

The a? valorem Import duties at Barbacos have been
raised from 10 to 12 per cent.

Bureau at Barbados gives the total rainfall for September as.
2-01 inches.

It is proposed to hold the next Agricultural Exhibition
at Dominica in February.

The Annual Barbados Industrial Exhibition will be held
in December.

The cotton industry is being taken up in Montserrat
and several people are planting seed.

Spraying on lime estates is being adopted in St. Lucia
and the Agricultural Instructor is importing some dozen
machines for planters. Arrangements have also been made
with Mr. Hull, of Castries, to keep a stock of insecticides for
sale.

Four acres of cotton are under cultivation at

St. Lucia Experiment Station.

now

The Choiseul and Soufriere Agricultural Societies at
St. Lucia are doing useful work, including the importation of
pure-bred stock and the formation of village libraries of
Agricultural literature.

2}

Rum is now almost unsaleable in British Guiana. A
large reduction in output would seem to be the only remedy
for the overstocked condition of the rum market.

Sales of 99° erystals have been made at $1.77 per
100]b. in Demerara ; the market appears fairly firm.

All estates in British Guiana are now busy making
sugar. The juice is of good quality, polarizing from 1-40
to 1°60 Ib. cane sugar per gallon, with a high quotient of
purity. Yield varies from 1} to 25 tons per acre. The yield
on the West Coast of Demerara and in Essequibo is regarded
as disappointing

Vanilla vines have flowered and borne pods of good
length in some private gardens in St John’s, Antigua.

The Loquat fruited at Antigua for the first time in
March of this year. The fruits although small were of
flavour.

LOC yal

t=}

The Sicily lemon has borne good-shaped, juicy fruit at
the Antigua Botanic Gardens and appears worthy of more
extended cultivation in the island.

There isa great demand for cacao plants at Tobago,
owing to the cultivation of this plant rapidly extending in
various parts of the island.

In the drier districts of Barbados the ratoons are
suffering very much from the recent drought. Some fields
look as if they would not yield half a hogshead of sugar to
the acre.

Oranges grow in Jamaica from the sea level up to about
4,000 feet.

Worl. Nor To: THE

AGRICULTURAL NEWS.

230

CANARY ESEANDS: TRADE T9IOL.

Or

Diplomatic and Consular Reports. Foreign Office, July, 1901.

FOR

The export trade was larger than in 1900, but it is
noted that it remains to be seen whether this improvement
will be maintained, or whether it will fall away under such
intiuence as competition from the West Indies.

The imports of sugar have fallen to 28 tons (1899, 184
tons, 1900, 112 tons), this is owing to the inereased local
production especially in Grand Canary, of sugarcane and to
the new tarift.

The number of bunches of bananas exported was
266,700 (204,917 in 1900) and the value (the price obtained
by the farmers) £33,337 (£20,490 in 1900). The fruit is said
to have been not at all first-class. It is noted that the value
‘of the banana has actually increased in spite of the Jamaica
imports into the United Kingdom, but it is not expected that
the price paid can be maintained much longer. Land has
acquired great value, partly owing to the belief among
farmers and shippers that Jamaica bananas have turned out
a failure; and that they are inferior in quality to the Canary
bananas. A crisis is foreseen in the event of the prices of
the fruit becoming lower, because many people have borrowed
largely for the purpose of acquiring land at very high prices,
as much as £250 per acre.

The potato crop was small owing to the prevalence of
disease. The onion crop was, on the whole, an absolute
failure ; much less land was planted with onions in Teneriffe
and the erop in Lanzarote failed owing to lack of rain.

VOLCANIC ERUFTION AT ST. VINCENT.

DAMAGE DONE TO CROPS.

Mr. H. Powell, Curator of the Botanic Station at
St. Vincent, and Mr. Thomas Osment the Agricultural
Tnstructor have made a report to the Administrator of
the island on the damage done by the eruption of the
15th ultimo. ‘The damage done to the crops in
general over a large area of the windward coast is
severe, and in consequence, the agricultural outlook at
the present time is gloomy in the extreme.’ The report
is too long to be reproduced in full in these pages, but
the following extracts will serve to convey some idea
of the condition of the crops, ete., of the unfortunate
dwellers in the devastated part of the island :-—

“At Kingstown the depth of sand was from { to ] of
anineh. This gradually increased in thickness right on to
‘Georgetown, andat Mount Bentic, the new deposit averaged
© inches in depth.

“At Hopewell and the upper part of the Mesopotamia
valley the “ wail” of the people, as at other places, was that
their provisions were being burnt up. This was ina sense
indeed true, more particularly so where the sand was a couple
-of inches deep. The day was very hot, and as no rain had
fallen (of any consequence) during or since the eruption, the

sand had been so acted on by the sun as to be almost roast-
ing hot. . . The prostrate canes ean be made into syrup, and
the people were advised’ to attend to this without delay.
In several localities the allottees had planted large plots of
various provisions after the damage done to the permanent
crops in May. These provision have now been
destroyed and their loss has made the people very despondent.
The fine cacao cultivation at Mount William has received
further damage. The branches of numerous trees were bent
downward, and hardly a flower was noticed. The cacao
season has commenced, but not a single pod was seen on any
of the trees so serious was the damage of May 7.

‘On some of the arrowroot estates the difficulty which
has arisen in regard to the water supply will probably result
in the abandonment of the manufacture, for a year or so.

crops

DEPARTMENT NEWS.

Dr. D. Morris, the Commissioner of Agriculture
for the West Indies was due to leave Halifax on the
3rd. instant and is expected to reach St. Kitt’s on the
11th.

The third part of Vol. ILL of the West Indian
Bulletin has been published, and may be obtained
from the usual agents of the Department (Price 6d.
post free 8.) Amongst its contents is a paper
suggesting the manufacture of sugar in the West
Indies for brewery purposes. Articles on Object
lessons and School Gardens, illustrated by figures,
indicate exactly what is being done in some English
Schools. Suggestions are also made to render the
courses of practical value under West Indian conditions.
In addition to three short articles on entomological
subjects, a complete descriptive list 1s given of the
known West Indian scale insects. ‘he number
concludes with a resumé of the recent volcanic phenom-
ena in the West Indies.

Pamphlet No. 19 of the Department Series has
been issued entitled Seedling and Other Canes, Barba-
dos, 1902. It contains a summary of the results of the
sugar-cane experiments which have been carried on in
Barbados during the past season under the direction of
the Department. The more detailed results will appear,
as usual, in the large Annual Report, now passing:
through the press. The pamphlet can be obtained from
the local agents of the Department. Price 4</. Post
free 5d.

A summary of the sugar-cane experiments in the
Leeward Islands conducted by the Department during
the past season forms Pamphlet No. 20, (Seedling and
Other Canes in the Leeward Islands, 1901-02) of the
same series. (Price 2d. Post free 2d.) Its contents
are similar in character to those of the Barbados
pamphlet, the object in each case being to put an
accurate summary of the experiments in the hands of
the planters at an earlier date than it is possible to
publish the larger Reports, which take a considerable
time after completion, in merely passing through the
press.

to
Ww

THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. NoveMBeEr 8, 1902.

COMMERCIAL.

With the view of assisting in finding a market for the
disposal of local produce, arrangements have been made with
the following Agents in these Colonies who will be prepared
to receive consignments and obtain the best prices for them.

It is particularly urged that no shipments be made until
an assturance has been received from the Agents themselves
that they are prepared to accept such shipments.

Agents in the West Indies.

BRITISH GUIANA—B.S. Bayley, Water Street, Georgetown.
TRINIDAD—J. Russell Murray, Port-of-Spain.
BARBADOS—T. 8. Garraway & Co., Bridgetown.

ST. LUCIA—Captain H. Henyille, Contractor & Agent, Castries.

MARKET REPORTS.

London,—Oct. 14, 1902.—Messrs. J. Hates Cairo «&
Co., Messrs. GriLesrig Bros. & Co. and ‘THE
Pustic LepcEr,’ Oct. 4, 1902.

ALoes—Curagoa, 10/- to 40/-; Barbados 13/- to 35/- per ewt.

Arrowroor—St. Vincent, 3/. to 33d. per 1b.

Barara—Venezuelan, 2/- to 2/55 per 1b.

Bees-wax—Jamaica, fair reddish to pale £7 5s. to £7 15s.
per cwt.

Cacao—T'dad, 60/- to 85/- per ewt. Dominica 56/- to 57/-
per ewt. Grenada, ordinary to fine 56/- to 63,- per ewt.
Jamaica, 54,- to 63.6 per ewt.

Carpamoms—Mysore, 1,- to 3/- per Ib.

Cassta Fistuta—5 6 to 35/- per ewt.

CorreE—Jamaica, 30 - to 125/- per ewt. Costa Rica, 42/-
to 99/- per ewt. Peaberry 75/- to 115,- per ewt.

Corron— West Indian 413 to 52d. per Ib.

Fusric—£3 10s. to £4 5s. per ton.

Grycer—Jamaica, common to tine 39/6 to 50/- per ewt.

Honry—Janaica 14, - to 22.6 per ewt.

Javar—sd. to 5}d. per Ib

Kuvs-Kuvus Roor—12,- per ewt.

Kora Nurs—li/. to 4. per Ib.

lime Jurce—Raw, 1,- to 1,2 per gallon: concentrated,
£11 10s. per pipe.

Locwoon—Jaimaica, £4 2s. Gd. to £4 7s. Gd. per ton.

Mace—-1/3 to 2/10 per 1b.

Nirrate or Sopa-- Agricultural £8 15s

Nourmecs—$0's to 60’s @ 1/1 to 2/7, 132
1s. per Ib.

Pinento—2hd. to 3d. per Ib.

SarsaranitLaA—Jamaica fair 8/. to 1s. 4c. per lb.

Sucar-—Muscovado, 116 to 13,6 duty paid ; crystallized

12/6 to15/- per ewt.

SurrHare or AmMoNtA—£12 per ton.

Tamarinps—Barbaces 12- to 15/6 per ewt.

Toxquix Brans—})- to 2.6 per lb.

Frurr—Covent Garpen Marker (‘GarDENERS’
CHRONICLE,’ October 9, 1902.)

Bananas—6/- to 10/- per bunch.
ORANGES—15,6 to 25 - per case.
Prnes—3/- to 5/- each.

Halifax N.S.—‘ Tue Maritime Mercuanr’, Oct. 9, 1902.

Motassts— Barbados 24c. to 25e. Porto Rico 80c. to 33c.

per ton.
*s to 95's @ Td. to

ps —Jamaica, $3.50 to $4.00 per box.
Sucars—Bright yellow, $3.70; No. 1 yellow, $3 40.

New York, — October 17, 1902.—Messrs. Griuusrie Bros.

& Co;

Cacao—<African, 13}c. to 13%c.; Caracas, 13fc. to 14}c. ;
Jamaica, no stock : fair ordinary, 114e., good fermented
12e. to i2se. ; Grenada, no stock ; Lidge. ; Trinidad I3e.
to 14}c. per Ib.

Cocoa-Nuts - Small Trinidads no demand; $11.00 to $12.00;
Jamaicas $22.00 to $24.00 per M.

Correr—Rio, good ordinary dc. to 58c. ; Jamaica good
ordinary Gc. to Te. per lb. ; Manchester grades 8c.
to lle. per Ib.

Grave Frorr—$5.00 to $10.00 per barrel.

ORANGES— $3.50 to $4.25 per barrel.

Pimento—45 to 4fe. per lb.

Russer—Nicaragua scrap 55hc. to 54c. per Ib ; sheet 46c.
to 47c. per lb. ; Guayaquil strip 51e. to 5L4e. per th.

Sucar—Muscovado, 89°, 3c. per lb.; Centrifugals, 96°, 35c. >
molasses, 89’, 2#c. per lb.

INTER-COLONIAL MARKETS.

Antigua,—October 22, 1902.—Messrs. G. W. Benner

Bryson & Co., Ltd.
Mouasses—10c. per imperial gallon, package included.
Sucar—Muscovado $1.325 per LOOLb.

Barbados, —October 25, 1902.—Messrs. T. S. Garraway

& Co., and Messrs. James A. Lyncu & Co.

Arrowroot—good quality, $4.00 per 100 Ib.

Cacao—$14.00 per 100 Ib. Wanted.

Corree—Jamaica and ordinary Rio $8.00 to $9.00
per 100 lb. respectively.

Hay—New Brunswick $1.00 per 100 Ib.

Manvures— Nitrate of Soda $60.00 to $65.00 ; Ohlendorff’s
Dissolved Guano ; $60.00; Sulphate of Ammonia $75.00.

to $80.00; Sulphate of Potash $70.00 per ton.

Morasses—No quotations.

Oxtons— Madeira $1.80 to $2.11 per 100 Ib.

Poratos—S$1.60 to $1.80 per 160 Tb.

Rice—Ballam $4.60 per bag (190 th.) ; Patna $3.75 per
bag (190 th.) ; Rangoon $3.00 per bag (190 Th.)

Sucar—$2.40 per 100 th.

British Guiana,—October 23, 1902.—Messrs. WeITING &

UIcHTER.

Arrowroor—S9.00 to $9.59 per barrel.

Cacao—-native lle. to 13c. sales.

Cassava SrarcH—$8.00 sales.

Cocoa-NuTS—S$8.00 to SLO.00 per M.

Correr—Rio and Jamaica Ile. to 11}ce. per lb. (retail.)

Creole, Ile. to 12c. per lb.

Eppors—S1.92 per barrel.

Oxtons— Retail 3e. to 3c. Garlic 8c. per Ib.

Pea Nets—Curacgoa 3ic.; American de. (retail.)

Prayrains—Ib6e. to 36¢e. per bunch.

Poratros EncuisH—-$2.75 per barrel.

§rce—-Ballam S£.75 to $4.8), ex store; Patna $35.80, to
$5.90 per bag. Seeta $5.80 to $5.90

Creore Rice 20c. per gallon, (retail.)

Sweer Poraros— Barbados $1.44, Creole $1.20 per barrel.

TANNIAS—S1.92 per bag.

Yams—§2.40 per bag.

Mo.nasses—Vacuum Pan, yellow, 15c. per gallon, casks
included. ;

Sucar—White $3.50 to $4.00; Dark Crystals $1.702 to
$1.80! ; yellow $2.10 to $2.25.; Molasses—$1.40 to
$1.60 (nominal) per ewt.

Timper—Greenheart 32e. to 55e. per cubic foot.

WaALLABA SHINGLES—S$3.00 to 55.00 per M.

Trinidad,-—October 25, 1902.—Messrs. Gorpox, GRANT

«& Co, and Messrs. Epcar Tree & Co. October
24, 1902:

Cacao—Ordinary to good red $12.75 to $13.00 ; estates,
$13.25 to $13.50 per Fanega.

Batara—Venezuelan 42}c. to 48c. per th,

Correr— Venezuelan 6he. per Tb.

Ontons—$2.25 per 100 1b.

Poratos ENciisu—0c. to $1.56 per LOOLb.

trce— Yellow $4.55 to $4.75 ; White Table $5.25 to $5.75-
per bag.

Sucar—For Grocery use, $1.60 to $3.00 per 1001b,

Wor ls No. 15? THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 239

Publications on sale of the Imperial Department of Agriculture

FOR THE WEST INDIES.

Volume 1. Reports of the Agricultural Conference of 1899 and 1900 and other papers ; complete, in the original
paper covers as issued, post free, 5s. The parts can no longer be sold separately.

Volume IT. Full report of the Conference of 1901, and other papers. Price, in original paper covers as issued,
post free 2s. Od.

Volume IIT. No. I. Agricultural Conference of 1902: President’s Address and Sugar Industry. No 2. Confer-
ence of 1902 (continued), Educational and General Papers. No. 3. Sugar Industry, Seale insects, School
Gardens, Object Lessons, Voleanic Phenomena, ete. Price 6¢. Post free Sd. each.

PAMPHLET SERIES.

The Pamphlets are written in a simple and popular manner and the information contained in them is especially
adapted to West Indian conditions. They contain amongst other subjects, summaries of the results of the experiment work
on sugar-cane and manures, the full official reports of which have only a limited cireulation. The following list gives particulars
of all the pamphlets which are still available. The missing numbers are out of print and can no longer be supplied :—

(3) Seedling and other Canes, at Barbados 1900, Price 2d. Post free, 24d.
(5) General Treatment of Insect Pests, 2nd Edition Revised. Price 4d. Post free, 44d.
(6) Recipes for cooking Sweet Potatos. Price 2d. Post free, 23d.

(7) Seale Insects of the Lesser Antilles. Price 4d¢. Post free, 5d.

(8) Cultivation of Vegetables in Barbados. Price 2d. Post free, 25d.

(9) Bee-keeping in the West Indies. Price 4/¢. Post free, 5d.

(10) Manures and Leguminous Plants at Barbados, 1898-1901. Price 4d. Post free, 5d.
(11) Hints for School Gardens. Price 24. Post free, 2507.

(12) Seedling and other Canes in the Leeward Islands, 1909-1901. Price 2d. Post free, 2d.
(13) Seedling and other Canes at Barbados, in 1901. Price 4d. Post free, 5d.

(14) Serew worm in Cattle at St. Lucia. Price 2d. Post free, 24d.

(15) Plain Talk to Small Owners Price 2. Post free, 24d.

(16) Hints on Onion Cultivation. Price 2. Post free, 23d.

(17) General Treatment of Fungoid Pests. Price 47. Post free, 5d.

(18) Recipes for Cookinz West Indian Yams. Price 2d. Post free, 23:7.

(19) Seedling and other Canes at Barbados, in 1902. Price 4d. Post free, 5:0.

(20) Seedling and other Canes in the Leeward Islands. Price 2d. Post free, 24d.

‘NATURE TEACHING.’
A text-book based upon the general principles of Agriculture for the use of schools, prepared by the Honourable
Francis Watts and others. (Pages XIT and 199) The Plant, the Soil, Plant food and Manures, Weeds, and Insects are succes-
sively treated, and the information given is illustrated throughout by simple experiments which can readily be carried out
in an ordinary school. The Book is mainly intended for the use of Teachers. Price, limp cloth 2s., or in a superior style
of binding 2s. 6d. Postage in either binding, 34d. extra.

The ‘AGRICULTURAL NEWS’ A Fortnightly Review.

The ‘Agricultural News’ contains extracts from official correspondence and from progress and.
other reports ; notes on interesting points connected with the work carried on at the Government Laboratories, Botanic
Stations, Experiment Stations, Agricultural Schools, Experiment Plots, School Plots, Agricultural Shows, Lectures to teachers,
ete., the occurrence of disease, the arrival of new plants and animals, the flowering and fruiting of plants of special note, the
appointment, promotion and removal of officers, the weather, and, in fact, any information indicating what is going on in each
Colony and the progress made in Agricultural matters throughout the West Indies.

The ‘ Agricultural News’ is printed in time to be distributed, regularly, by each mail, and is on sale by the
local agents of the Department at one penny per number, post free, 1}¢. The subscription price, including postage, is
iss Td. per half-year, or 3s, 3//. per annum. Ad/ applications for copies are to be wldressed to the Agents, not to the Department.

Agents.
The following have been appointed agents for the sale of the publications of the Department + —

London: Messrs. Dutau & Co., 37, Soho Square, W. Barbados : Messrs. BowEN & Sons, Bridgetown. Jamaica :

Tue EpucationaL Suppry Company, 16 King St., Kingston. British Guiane: ‘ Daily Chronicle’ Office, Georgetown.

Trinidad: Messrs. Munro & Co., Frederick St., Port-of-Spain. Zobago: Mr. C. L. PLAGEMANN, Scarborough.

Grenada: Messrs. F. Marrast & Co., ‘The Stores,’ St. George. St. Vincent: Mr W. C. D. Prouproor, Kingstown. St. Lucia +

Mr. R. G. McHveu, Castries. Dominica: Messrs. C. F, Duverney & Co., Market St., Roseau. Jfontserrat: Mr. W.

LLEWELLYN Watt, Plymouth. Antigua: Mr, F. Fornest, St. John’s. St. Wités: Messrs. 5. L. Horsrorp & Co., Basseterre.

240 THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. NoveMBEr 8, 1902.

THE BEST MANURES FOR COLONIAL USE

SPACES ss

Ohlendorff’s Dissolved Peruvian Guano—For Sugar-cane and general use
Ohlendorff’s Special Sugar-cane Manure
Ohlendorff’s Special Cocoa Manure

Sulphate of Ammonia, Nitrate of Soda, Superphosphates, high grades,

Potash Salts, Basic Slag and all other high-class Fertilizers.

APPLY TO LOCAL AGENTS OR DIRECT TO
THE ANGLO-CONTINENTAL (LATE OHLENDORFF’'S) GUANO WORKS,

London Agency, 15, Leadenhall Street, London E.C.,
[33. ] Barbados Agents: Messrs. James A. Lynch & Co., Bridgetown.

THE BARBADOS MUTUAL LIFE ASSURANCE SOCIETY.
ESTABLISHED 1840.
CHIEF OFFICE, Beckwith Place, Bridgetown, Barbados.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS :

MICHAEL J. BOVELL, Esq., CHarrwan,
K. T. RACKER, Esq., Vicr-CHarrman.

J. Tt. BANCROFT, Esq., JAS. H. INNISS, Esq.,
B. ERNEST BYNOE, Esq., M.C.P., Hon. J. THOMAS JONES, M.L.C.,
JOS. W. CRONEY, Esq., | H. LAWRANCE JOHNSON, Ksq.,

JAMES E. INCE, Esq.
Transactions to December 31, 1901.

Total Assurances Issued aoe Res ace ake oa ak coe SLE OI soem
Total Bonuses Declared (31 December 1900)... sas tits si was re 3,610,921
Sums Assured and Bonuses Existing ade ~ = ee oe nee 5,060,468
Total Claims by Death and Matured Endowments Met mat 8 nae at 5,451,158
Life Assurance Fund... ase ats e. wae ae ee aoe 2.143,840
Annual Income sy ad 4 Se 5a — Se ee 257,983
Net Surplus December (31 1900) 297,124

The Premiums are Lower than those charged by other Life Offices doing business in the West Indies.
The Bonuses declared have not been equalled by any other Assurance Society in the world.
Its Policy Contracts are Liberal, Fair and Equitable.
The Policy is Absolutely Non-Forfeitable so long as any surrender value remains.
Loans granted on Security of Policy.
Liberal Surrender Values.
Claims promptly paid.
Every facility given for tle revival of Lapsed Policies.
It grants Interim Bonuses.
It gives Compound Bonuses.
All the profits belong to the Policy-Holders.
H. J. INNISS,
May 22, 1902. Secretary.
{16.]

Printed at Office of Agricultural Reporter, 4, High Street, Bridgetown, Barbados.

ne

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—

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Saat Sa SY,

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MEE: Sab

A

FORTNIGHTLY REVIEW

OF THE

IMPERIAL DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE FOR THE WEST INDIES.

Vor I. No. 16.

BARBADOS, NOVEMBER 22, 1902.

Price ld.

CONTENTS.
PAGE. PAGE
Bananas, Caltivation of ... 244 | Market Reports 254
Coffee and Cacao... ... 243 | Notes and Comments ... 246
seed Oi stry 245
Cotton Seed Oil Industry 245 Oranges, Packing of ... 244
Department News ... . rhs Our Book Shelf —
Department Publications 255 peagetiasate ye ane
3 Bee-keeping in Jamaica 251
Department Report :— Martini fete & Vi
Trade of Pars for 1901 250 pee Oa ae
: a cent, Eruptions in... 251
heat tener Plain facts as to Trusts
5 ah : Leas 25
School Gardens at St. anid Hacult a
WEL: DAs
Ticia... 57 ca Poultrygmme--taee-ieeein -- 200)
Fungoid Specimens, Col- Reptiles of Barbados ... 248
lecting and Forward-
ing of 243 > Sugar Industry :—
enineNotese The Sugar-cane crops
. Tas 2 Ww 242
The Eucharis Lily 248 of the world mae
Glsaiinns 952 The growth of a new
_ SHS OR ee ie Industnygees- --- --- 240
© 3 . 94° a = =
Grenada, Crops in ... 245 | myinidad crops 245
Insect Notes :—
Spraying for Insect West Indian Exports
Pests in England ... 248 1900-01 Rese fees 200.

‘The Growth of a New Industry.

N the article on the ‘ Utilization of Home

Products’ in the last number of this

=<ts-oy) Journal, we pointed out that one of the
methods of remedying the present non-economical state
of affairs in the West Indies was by the local production
of articles now imported. A review of the progress

made by one industry, which has been steadily advancing
during the last few years, will serve to show that the
advice given is not merely theoretical but is capable
of practical application.

Some twelve years ago there were probably no
onions, to speak of, grown in the West Indies. Large
supplies were consumed, and for these the colonies
were dependent on importations. The profits arising
the cultivation of these onions went, not to
West Indian agriculturists but to the onion growers of
the Canary Islands, Bermuda, ete.

from

In about 1890 an old Bermuda grower, resi-
dent in Antigua, put his practical knowledge to
account and made an experiment in onion cultivation.
The attempt was successful, and by 1896 he had
ten acres under onion cultivation in the island. (See
West Indian Bulletin, Vol. IL, p. 163). The question
had been vigorously taken up by the
Botanic Station, and in 1895 to 796, onion cultivation
may be said to have attained the rank of a minor
industry in Antigua. It has thriven year by year, and
its present position may be gauged by the fact that last

meanwhile

year, in addition to the large quantities consumed
locally, Antigua was able to export over 27,000 tb. of
onions to the intercolonial and New York markets.

The industry has also been attempted in other
islands, where with the advantage of the valuable
experience gained at Antigua, progress has naturally
been more rapid. In Dominica experiments in growing
onions from sets, imported by the Botanic Station, were
made in 1899, The results proved that the conditions

243

THE

were suitable, and the experiments were repeated in
1900. One or two crates were exported, and gained a
good report at New York. Last year both seeds and sets
were imported, and the onions exported from the Agricul-
tural School and the Botanic Station to New York were
reported as being equal to any from Bermuda and
Cuba. Montserrat not been behindhand in
endeavouring to found a new industry. ‘The first efforts
were made at the Experiment Stations, in 1900-01, and
the cultivation has progressed so rapidly that last year
Montserrat exported no less than 3,410 th. of onions to
various parts of the West Indies, and 450 Ib. to New
York.

has

In the growth of this comparatively small industry
we have an excellent example of progress in the right
direction. The imports of onions into the various
colonies are large, and are still mainly obtained from
outside sources. In 1900 Barbados imported omions
to the value of £1,187, Grenada £737,
£2,833, St. Vincent £145.

British Guiana

It has been conclusively shown that onions of
excellent quality can be grown at Antigua, Montserrat
and Dominica. Experiments are about to be made in
other islands, and we trust that within a few years the
West Indies will not only grow onions in sufficient
quantity for local consumption, but also to maintain
a valuable export trade with the United States and
elsewhere,

SUGAR INDUSTRY.

THE SUGAR-CANE CROPS OF THE
WORLD.
The following table, taken from the Year-bookof
the United States Department of Agriculture shows
the comparative yield of sugar in the cane-growing

countries of the world for 1901-02.

The figures given
are in tons of 2,240 th.:—

UNITED STATES :—

Louisiana 275,000
Porto Rico : see 100,000
Hawaiian Islands ee 310,000
Cuba, (crop) ... 800,000
British West Inpries :—
Trinidad, (exports) 50,000
Barbados, (exports) 60,000
Jamaica aH 30,000
Antigua and St. Kitt’ s 25,000

AGRICULTURAL NEWS.

Novemper 22, 1902.

FRENCH WeEsT INDIES :—
Martinique, (exports) Aor 32,000

v2,

Guadeloupe 35,000
St. Croix : wae 13,000
Haiti and San Domingo ... 45,000
Lesser Antilles (not named above) 8,000
Mexico 100,000
CENTRAL AMERICA :—
Guatemala 9,000
San Salvador ... 5,000
Nicaragua 3,500
Costa Nica 1,500
SourH AMERICA :—
British Guiana (Demerara), (exports) 95,000
Dutch Guiana (Surinam) ... . 6,900
Venezuela 3,000
Peru, (exports) 105,000
Argentine Republic 115,000
Brazil 215,000
Total in America 2,441,000
Asta :—
British India, (exports) 15,000
Siam 7,000
Java, (crop) ar 767,130
Philippine Islands, (exports) 70,060
Total in Asia 859,130
AUSTRALIA AND POLYNESIA :—
Queensland... =e 113,500
New South Wales ae 18,000
Fiji Islands, (exports) de 30,000
Total Australia and Polynesia 161,500
AFRICA :-—
Egypt 95,000
Mauritius 150,000
Reunion 35,000
Total in Africa 280,000
EuRoPE :—
Spain 33,000
Total cane sugar production (Willet
and Gray)

3,774,630

The total beet sugar produced in the world for the same
year was 6,988,126 tons.

COFFEE AND CACAO.

DISEASES

This valuable pamphlet contains the experiences of

Mons. A. J. Thierry in Martinique in grafting Arabian coffee

on Liberian—a process which has been most useful in

preventing the nematode worm disease of the roots of Arabian
coffee. * M. Thierry also succeeded in grafting cacao.

DISEASES OF ARABIAN COFFEE.
Root disease: Caused by nematode worms which destroy

AND GRAFTING,

* Notes sur le greffage du Caféiu r du Cacaoyer et du Muscadier
et lu Maladie Vermiculaire div Caféier. par. A. J. Thierry.
Extrait du Bulletin agricole dela Martinique. 1899,

Won Ia) No; 16:

THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS.

245,

the young portions of the coffee roots. The disease attacks
plants of all ages, even those in the nursery being affected.

The best curative treatinent is carbon bisulphide. The
disease, however, may be prevented by grafting Arabian

coffee on Liberian, which latter is not attacked by nematodes.
This procedure is recommended in establishing new planta-
tions and when replacing diseased trees.

Leaf disease or rust; It appears to be caused by the
leaf-mining larvae of a small moth (Cemdostoma coffeella.)

Apart from the use of lights the author considers the
remedies suggested for this pest more ingenious than practi-
cal. He found that in the case of Arabian coffee grafted on
Liberian only the older leaves were attacked.

ollar rot: A disease in which the bark ve collar
Coll t: Ad hich the bark of t] Il
decays. Its precise nature does not seem to be understood.

LIBERIAN COFFEE IN MARTINIQUE.

In discussing the possibility of the hybridization of
Arabian and Liberian coffee, so as to produce a superior
variety combining the vigour and disease resistance of
Liberian with the fineness and perfume of the Arabian berry,
the author points out that the planter has neither the time
nor the means to carry out this work to its logical conclusion,
but that such investigations should be carried on at
Experiment gardens sup ported either by the planters or the
State. Since Arabian can be grafted on Liberian coffee: it is
a mistake to plant the latter for fruit purposes.

In Java, thanks to the labours of van Riemsdyck, a
hybrid between Liberian and Arabian has been produced
which is grafted on Liberian stocks. On one estate there
are as many as 53,000 of these grafted hybrid trees. This
hybrid is said to be resistant to //emdleta, the coffee leaf
disease.

THE GRAFTING OP COFFEE.

Grafting by approach; The Liberian seeds are sown four
to six weeks before the Arabian as the former take longer to
germinate. On the development of the first two permanent
leaves, the seedlings are raised and grafted by approach as
follows :--A portion of the tender stem of each along with a
cotyledon is cut off, the two plants bound together, planted
in a bamboo pot and put ina shady place. In three weeks
the graft takes, and in five weeks, if growth is satisfactory,
the Liberian shoot is cut off as close as possible and the
ligature removed. The Arabian graft has now two root
systems and grows rapidly. Six months after sowing the
seeds, the plants are ready to set out in the open when the
Arabian stem can be cut off. The advantages of grafting in
the seedling stage in the manner above are that, at this
period, the tissues unite readily, and the Liberian root being
grafted below the cotyledons cannot send out gormandisers.

Grafting by slips: This method is used in grafting
hybrids which cannot be grown from seeds, and where
grafting by approach cannot be used.

As carried out in the plantation of Klein-Gitas in Java
when a hybrid is grafted on Liberian, the following process
is used. The Liberian plants are about a year old and the
scion is taken from the extremity of a branch of the hybrid
and bears three whorls of leaves. After grafting, the lower
leaves of the graft are renewed and the plants transplanted
into ditches filled with river sand, well watered and covered

with a glass roof for three days. For the next three weeks
the glass roof is partly opened. At this point the grafts
which are not languishing are replanted in a nursery, or, if
the season is favourabl e, in the open.

BUDDING.

Young plants in bamboo pots having only one pair of
permanent leaves were budded by inserting the bud under
the bark in the axils of the cotyledons.

GRAFTING CACAO,

As the cacao tree does not reproduce itself exactly from
seed and varies in bearing power, the utility of grafting any
special tree is therefore apparent. Only where any special
variety comes true from seeds can seedlings be grafted in
the manner adopted in the case of Liberian and Arabian
coffee. The scions are selected from the extremities of
branches where the wood has not yet hardened, and are
grafted on seedling stocks in bamboo pots in which the
first permanent leaves have appeared. When the grafts
have taken and growth has commenced, the plants are

gradually hardened off for planting in the open air.

COLLECTING AND FORWARDING
FUNGOID SPECIMENS.

Specimens of plants attacked by fungoid diseases
may be forwarded for examination through the Curator
of the Botanic Station or any officer of the Department
of Agriculture. In order that the specimens may
reach: Barbados in the best possible condition, some
care is necessary in their collection and packing.
Unless this is taken, much time and labour are often
wasted in the examination of unsuitable-material.

When specimens of moist vegetable matter are
packed in boxes or sent in envelopes they speedily
become covered with saprophytic growths which
frequently obscure all traces of the original cause of
disease and render the specimens w orthless. This is
especially the case when the material has been
collected some days before the closing of the mails for
Barbados.

Fresh specimens of diseased plants should either
oe suitably dried and sent in a well-ventilated package

r, prefer rably, placed in meythlated spirits, high wines
or rum immediately after collection and forwarded in a
bottle or corked tube. When leaves, buds or twigs are
attacked, the specimens should show as many stages of
the disease as possible. When fruits, stems or roots
are attacked, diseased pieces showing all stages should
be cut out and placed in spirit as betore.

Specimens of bark, wood and large fungus fructifi-
cations which are dry should be wrapped in soft paper
and sent in a well-ventilated package. If they are not
dry they should be placed in the sun and sent as above.
When it is considered desirable to send very large
specimens such as portions of branches, stems, roots of
trees or whole caeao pods, these should be collected as
late as possible before the mail steamer leaves, and sent
in a well-ventilated case.

Full notes should be sent giving details of the
time of appearance of the disease, the locality, the
damage done, the part attacked and also the date
when the specimens were collected.

244

THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS.

NovEMBER 22, 1902.

WEST

PACKING ORANGES.

On page 230 of this Journal we drew attention to
the pamphlet by Mr. W. B. Gill on Jamaica Fruit
in British Markets. The following extracts on the
method of packing
value to all orange shippers in the West Indies.
Throughout will be seen the cardinal importance of
paying careful attention to all details however trivial
and unimportant they may seem :—

These are invariably shipped in three standard sizes—
420’s, 714’s and 1,064’s. The boxes in which these quantities
are packed, are each of about the same dimensions, but
much larger than the American style of box used in Jamaica.
The Valencia box instead of one partition has two, thus
giving three compartments. It is longer and broader and
deeper than the American box, and is made out of whitish
wood. Its slit: are thin and run the whole length of the
box, but have wide openings between each slat, in each of
the four sides of the box. In addition to the usual nailing,
each box is strapped once lengthways and twice at each
end, often three times crossways, with a strong flat rope,
half an inch wide and evidently made out of some kind of
grass grown in Spain. It is doubtful if this rope can be
supplied cheaper than the usual willow straps such as are
used by the American shippers, but at all events it goes to
prove that no labour or expense is considered too great to
ensure the boxes arriving at their destination in a perfectly
sound condition.

Too much attention cannot be paid to these sorts of
things. It is the little things that count. I have seen
fruit put on board steamers at Kingston in condensed milk
boxes ; yes, and even in cases in which tins of kerosene
had previously been shipped. I have also seen flimsy crates

used at times because the parties thought they were
economizing on the expenditure of a few pence extra
for thoroughly strong, sound, and suitable packages.

I may here mention a case where I recently received
twenty crates of mangos, more than half of which were
broken in transit, owing to their being too frail for such a
journey : and yet, these same crates are used largely m the
United States for packing and shipping tomatos. Putting
valuable good fruit into a frail, flimsy crate, is the same as
putting new wine into old bottles; and right here it is

Valencia oranges should be of

INDIAN FRUIT.

always well to put the question to one’s self before shipping
fruit away: ‘ Will those packages stand a bit of knocking
about ?’ Always be on the safe side. Never mind about
extra freights, extra expense. There must be no cheese-
paring for the successful fruit-shipper, otherwise he had
better stay out of the business. If your fruit is of any value,
first of all satisfy yourself it will reach the other side in A. 1
order or else it would be much better to keep your money in
your pocket.

Tt appears hardly credible that 1,064 oranges can be
placed in one box and yet withstand transportation, and
arrive in perfect condition after ten days. Yet this is what
is done by growers in Spain, and this number is one of their
standard sizes. The Valencia orange grower and shipper
has unquestionably got the business down to a very fine
point. He has made a scientific study of it, and it has paid
him for his study. It remains to be seen if the Jamaica
shipper will follow on the same lines. Experimental and
haphazard shipments will never pay. They must be made
steadily, regularly, and carefully manipulated in order to
win.

CULTIVATION OF BANANAS.
PLANTING,

The following notes on planting bananas are
taken from the Hon’ble Wm. Faweett’s paper in the
West Indian Bulletin, Vol. IIL, pp. 153-171, im
continuation of those given on page 228 of our last
issue :—

TIME TO PLANT.

If the aim is to get the main crop in for the American
market from March to June, planting is generally done from
January to April. Otherwise planting may go on at any
time when rain or irrigation water can be relied on to help
on the young plants. There is no doubt, however, that
March and April is the best time for planting when all
vegetation is springing naturally. In April there are always
showers which help to start the eyes of the bulb in putting
out leaves and roots, and when the May rains come, the
young suckers rush along faster than at any other time of
the year.

245

Wor. le Noweli6: THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS.
SEED SUCKERS. another trial. At Reform and La Fortuné, Mr. Fernandez
Size. Suckers are selected for planting six to eight and Mr. Hannays are to exchange posts. As is usual at this

months old: they would then be about 10 feet high, with
large swollen bulbs 8 to 10 inches across, They should always
be suckers which have not been pruned, and these are indi-
cated by the first leaves being narrow in proportion to their
length, hence called ‘sword’ suckers,

Preparation. They are cut down to within 6 inches of
the bulb, and the old roots cleared off. Some planters put
them in the ground at once, others leave them to dry three
or four days, and then plant. Others again find that they get
better results by piling them in heaps eight to ten deep, then
trash is thrown over them to keep off the sun, and they are
left a month. The best way to pile them is to erect fences
3 feet 6 inches high to enclose a convenient spot 6 feet
wide and of any length necessary.

Position. They are placed in the ground with the eyes
3 inches below the surface. On _ hillsides they are put
in slanting, and an eye at the side develops into the plant.
On the flat they are set upright ; if the centre sucker happens
to shoot it is left, if not, the best of those growing all round
is selected. Some planters, even on level ground, plant their
suckers slanting, as few eyes develop into suckers, and the
strength is thrown into the formation of the bunch which is
consequently finer ; but the plant has not such a good hold
of the ground, the bulb decays and leaves a hole, and the
plant is liable to be blown over. The soil should be well
drawn up oyer the bulb when planted.

TRINIDAD CROPS.

The Trinidad Mirror for November 7, makes the
following comments on the crops of the previous
fortnight :—

CACAO,

There is plenty of cacao coming forward just now and
the weather though rather dry is not unfavourable. Local
prices are: Ordinary $12.75 to $12.80, estates $13.25, but
some lots have been sold at $13.40, and it is reported that
one lot of 120 bags realized as much as $13.60. There is
very little Venezuelan coming forward at present. The last
lot in the market found a purchaser at $13.80

SUGAR.

The weather is the chief topic. During the first half
of the fortnight there was rain but the last week has been
dry, which is unsuitable for planting because the earth
becomes hard. Among the larger plantations considerable
areas are being planted and a big crop is expected from
them. In many fields the canes are arrowing and look very
picturesque in consequence, but the canes are not so fine as
they should be. . This is more particularly the case with the
canes of the farmers, many of whom are now turning their
attention to ground provisions and fruit, the result of their
disastrous experience with the last year’s cane crop.
The Savana Grande Produce Company is now in full work
and is disposing of the provisions thus grown. In the sugar
factories, notably the Usine St. Madeleine which is ever
up-to-date, new machinery is being erected. Every year
sees improvements in this gigantic sugar-making establish-
ment which does the grinding and manufacture for the
majority of the estates in the Naparimas and Savana Grande.
The struggle against the beet is being still as gallantly
fought as it ever has been. Some changes are being made
in the personnel of the various factories, and it is said that
Palmiste is going to give the Louisianian sugar boilers

time of the year the ‘pays’ are small and trade in the
vicinity of the estates is therefore rather depressed.

CROPS IN GRENADA.

The cacao crop has, says the Grenada Chronicle,
commenced in real earnest and extensive pickings have
already been made in all parts of the island. A record crop
is expected if nothing intervenes to prevent it. The weather
is all that the planters desire for their present operations, —
alternate sunshine and showers ; just enough of the former to
dry their produce, and of the latter to bring the young pods
on to maturity.

The crop of Indian corn has not been a_ very
profitable one this year, the continuous heavy rains of
the past month haying, it is supposed, retarded the proper
development of the cobs. Ground provisions are, however,

fairly abundant, and the appearance of the fields of pigeon-

peas promises a satisfactory yield when the reaping season
comes round.

COTTON SEED OIL INDUSTRY.

The following interesting extract in reference to
the cotton seed oil industry of the United States of
America, is taken from the Sugar Planters’ Journal
for August, 1902 :—

In connexion with the fertilizer industry it will be well
for us to consider the cotton seed oil industry. An approxi-
mate estimate of the last cotton crop is 11,000,000 bales.
Assuming that it requires 1,400 Ib. of seed per bale, the total
value of the crude seed, based on the value of $8.00 for
900 Ib., is $88,000,000. This amount was paid to the
farmer for a by-product that formerly had little or no value.
There are now more than 400 cotton seed oil mills engaged
in extracting and refining the oil of the seed. The value of
the product (oil, meal, hulls and lint) turned out by these
mills, based on the above crop estimate, is $142,560,000.
The products with their values, from one ton of cotton seed,
or 2,000 tb. are as follows :—

ints 20) ibs rat: Scape lOeeessceeeccteee eee $ .60
Hulls, 891 tb. at 50c. per 100iIb...... ......... $ 4.45
Meats, 1,089 tb. which on being pressed
yield (crude oil) 289 %, or about 35 gallons

at. o0es per galloneeeeensssreemeacereccser =: $10.50
Oil cake, 800 Ib. at $1.00 per 100 th.......... $ 8.50
MTotallencceccsosseetenee $23°55

The above quantities and prices are only approximate, but
represent a fair average. Cotton seed meal at this writing
is worth $25.00 per ton. The 35 gallons oil on being
chemically treated in its refinement increases about $5.25 in
value. It is necessary to add this to get the total value of
the seed oil products in the estimate given above. This is a
splendid illustration of the importance and value of the
application of chemistry in the utilization of by-products.
It is well to mention here, that out of the cotton seed oil
industry have grown up the cottolene industry, the oleo-
margarine industry, the compound lard industry, a branch of
the soap industry, and all the out-growth of applied
chemistry.

246 THE

EDITORIAL NOTICES.

Letters and matter for publication, as well as all
specimens for naming should be addressed to the Commis-
sioner, Imperial Department of Agriculture,
Barbados.

It is particularly requested that no letters be addressed
to any member of the statf by name. Such a course may
entail delay.

Communications should always be written on one side
of the paper only. It should be understood that no contri-
butions or specimens will, in any case, be returned.

All application for copies of the ‘Agricultural
News’ should be addressed to the Agents, and
not to the Department. A complete list of the London
and Local agents will be found on page 255 of this
number.

Correspondents sending newspapers should be careful to
mark the paragraphs they wish to bring under notice.

Agricultural stews
Vo. I.

NOTES AND COMMENTS.

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 1902. No. 16.

Blackbirds and Toads as Planters’ Friends.
Patches of Guinea grass in Barbados were, some
time ago, attacked by a caterpillar, the chrysalis of
which was to be found in neat little pockets formed by
folding the leaf-blades of the grass. The common
Barbados blackbird was seen busily eating these
destructive caterpillars, affording another example of
the great agricultural value of this useful bird which
all classes of the community should do their best to
protect. The common toad or crapeau was another
determined enemy of this pest. One toad dissected
had as many as forty caterpillars, besides miscellaneous
beetles, ete. in his stomach.
+

Packing Material for Cotton Bales.

The Board of Trade Journal reports that owing
to the accidental wetting of a cargo of cotton by sea
water, information of considerable value has been
gained as to the relative value of two packing materials.
“A cargo, chiefly consisting of bales of cotton, was
recently landed at Dakar considerably damaged by sea
water. When the bales came to be opened for
examination by the Board of Survey, it was found
that two different materials had been employed by
shippers for the inside packing of the bales, which gave
very different results.

‘In one case the packing used was oiled canvas, in
the other tarred canvas. With the first the contents
of the bales were in every case badly damaged, whereas
in the latter they were practically undamaged, although
in several cases the outward appearance of the bales
led one to expect that the contents would be irretriey-

ably spoilt.’

AGRICULTURAL NEWS.

Novemprr 22, 1902.

Packing Fruit for Export.

The extract on page 244 of this number, from the
pamphlet on Jamaica Fruit in British Markets
shows, once again, the absolute necessity of careful
selection and packing, in any efforts to establish and
maintain a successful fruit trade. As Mr. Gill
significantly remarks: ‘It is the little things that
count.’

School Garden at St. Lucia.

_ The Forestiere East Indian Mission School at
St. Lucia is to be congratulated on the good progress
made with a school garden during the past year. The
account given on page 253 indicates that the work has
been well carried out, through the energetic co-opera-
tion of manager, teacher and children. School gardens
form an invaluable means of giving children a practical
interest in plants, and it is to be hoped that other
schools in the island will follow the excellent example
set them at Forestiére.

mya

Diseases of Fowls.

The most impertant point in Mr. Barclay’s notes
on poultry diseases on page 250 of this issue is the
necessity for cleanliness in fowl houses and runs.
Some of the ailments from which fowls suffer are
highly infectious and apparently incurable. It is to
the advantage of every poultry keeper to maintain his
birds in a healthy state, and this is best done by giving
them clean and wholesome surroundings.

+ _—_— ——-

Utilization of Home Products.

The Barbados Agricultural Reporter in a recent
article on ‘ Agricultural Economics’ described the very
special conditions prevailing in Barbados owing to the
dense population of the island. It was pointed out that,
‘The sugar industry 1s to-day, no less than it was sixty
years ago, that which will atford the greatest amount
of labour to the population. So far we may say the
planters’ devotion to cane cultivation may be defended.’
‘Then having stated that there is at present no industry
which could adequately take the place of sugar, the
article continued: ‘ But, while this is true, it is also
equally true that there is room for improvement im
agricultural methods with a view both to increasing
the export of certain goods and reducing the import
of certain others. This subject has been briefly but
lucidly discussed in an article entitled “ Utilization of
Home products” that appeared in the Agricultural
News of November 8, which we have reproduced
below and commend to the careful study of our
readers. If every planter in the country would read,
mark, learn and inwardly digest its contents, substan-
tial benefit would be bound to result.’

Wor re Now 16: THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 947
Minor Industries in Louisiana. to each tree. What would be the result? In five

As an indication of the work being carried out in
other parts of the world, with the object of improving
and establishing industries supplementary to the sugar
industry, it will be interesting to mention that at the
Agricultural Experiment Stations of Louisiana experi-
ments in orange, cotton, tea, and other cultivations are
favourably reported on by Dr. W. C. Stubbs in_ his
Annual Report for 1901.

The orange trees, crosses between the hardy
‘trifoliata’ and various sweet oranges, are said to be
doing well and are expected to fruit during the present
year. If any edible fruit is borne by a single tree it
will be reserved and used for purposes of propagation.
In the experiments in cotton cultivation the cross
pollination of desirable varieties resulted in the
production of a very fine strain, the seed of which
has been extensively distributed over the State.

OO +o

Purchase of Feeding Stuffs.

A useful summary of facts relating to feeding
stuffs, and in particular to oil cakes, is to be found in the
April number of the Journal of the Board of Agricul-
ture (England), Vol. Ix., pp. 10-24. Concerning
decorticated cotton cake, or the cake made from cotton
seed after the woody shells or hulls have been removed,
it is said: ‘This cake, when well made and in good
mechanical condition, may be considered one of the
cheapest and most valuable foods at the farmer’s
disposal. Weight for weight, it contains a larger
ageregate amount of valuable material than any other
food.’

In purchasing this cake it is necessary first to see
that it 1s in good condition and free from mould, and
secondly, to ascertain that it has been made from
properly decorticated seed. In some cases the hulls can
be detected withthe naked eye. But when the hulls
have been finely ground the microscope is often neces-
sary. The advantage to the buyer of obtaining a pure
cake will be obvious when we point out that the
addition of hulls often reduces the quantity of oil
present from 10, to 5 or 6 percent., and at the same
time raises the fibre from say 5, to 18 or even 20 per
cent.

a

Some Possibilities of Plant Breeding.

In experiments designed to improve plants by
breeding, progress often seems so slow that the onlooker
is apt to regard the efforts as wasted. In a paper
contributed to the recent Plant Breeding Conference,
Mr. Luther Burbank of California pointed out, in a
striking way, the economic value of apparently insignifi-
cant results. According to the American Gardening
he said:—

‘It would not be difficult for one man to breed a
new rye, wheat, barley, oats or rice, which would
produce one grain more to each head, or a corn which
would produce an extra kernel to each ear, another
potato to each plant, or an apple, plum, orange or nut

staples only in the United States alone the inexhausti-
ble forces of nature would produce annually without
ettort and without cost :—

5,200,000 extra bushels of corn,

15,000,000 i vi of wheat,

20,000,000 F of oats,
1,500,000 . of barley,

21,000,000 ts m of potatos.

‘But these vast possibilities are not alone for one
year, or for our own time or race, but are beneficent
legacies for every man, woman or child who shall ever
inhabit the earth’

Mahogany Trade of British Honduras.

The Colonial Secretary at Belize points out,
according to the Board of Trade Journal, that the
exports of mahogany and logwood from British
Honduras are decreasing on account of the unremunera-
tive nature of the trade within recent years; but in
the case of mahogany a trade is being done with the
United States in round logs, the American market
demanding logs with the bark on them. It is
understood that the bark is used for staining purposes,
and the very considerable loss of material which oceurs:
in preparing wood for the English market is avoided.
It is probable that if this trade develops, as it shows a.
tendency to do, the mahogany exports to England will
diminish very considerably, as dealers will avoid the
expense of squaring the logs and also escape the loss.
on measurement in the London and Liverpool markets.

+>

The World’s Demand for Rubber.

The September number of the Agricultural
Bulletin of the Straits and Federated Malay States is.
almost entirely devoted to rubber cultivation and
contains much information of general interest. In
particular it deals with the Assam rubber tree (Ficus
elastica) and the Para rubber (Hevea braziliensis ).

In an article quoted from the Madras Mail the
following passage occurs: ‘There is no doubt that the
world’s demand for India rubber is rapidly equalling
its available supply. Hence higher prices for the raw
material are progressively demanded, greater profit is
therefore assured to the grower, and greater incentives
are thus given to develop existing supplies and to
create new ones, and further to ensure the most
careful collection and most thorough curing. Some
eight years ago the price of Para rubber was about
2s, Gd. per pound: this has steadily advanced until the
price to-day reaches 4s. 3d. per pound, whereas the
cost of collection remains practically the same.’

$$$

Steam Spraying Outfit.

The article on page 248 of this number is of
interest as indicating the methods adopted in some
parts of England to combat, on a large scale, the
attacks of insect pests.

THE

AGRICULTURAL NEWS.

NoveMBER 22, 1902

REPTILES OF BARBADOS.

In former pages of the Agricultural News
ence has been made to the snakes and
Barbados. We now propose to say a few words about
the few remaining reptiles that occur here. The little
Tree-frog (Hylodes martinicensis) though naw so
common was probably introduced to Barbados within
the last thirty years. It is spread over the entire
island and, as described by Colonel Feilden, ‘until the
ear gets accustomed or de adened to it, the monotonous
incessant chirping of this frog throughout the night,
during rainy weather, is enough to drive a person
distracted. It is fand all over the West Indies, and
about twelve years ago it was introduced along with
plants to the Royal Gardens at Kew. ‘here its inces-
sant chirping is heard from the recesses of the hot-
houses even in the depth of winter.

There is little doubt that the Agua toad (Bufo
agua) is another comparatively recent introduction to
Barbados. It is a native of South America, but is
found in nearly all the Lesser Antilles, and in Jamaica.
It is stated that it was originally introduced to
exterminate mice and keep off rats. The mungoose, in
the absence of other food, has evidently been driv en to
prey upon the toad, for near the holes of the former
piles of the remains of the toad are often found. The
toad is still common near houses where 1t 1s compara-
tively safe from the mungoose, It is most useful in
destroying caterpillars on sweet potatos and other
crops, and should be encouraged. It is well known that
an alligator was transported alive on the trunk of
a tree from the oatinent of South America and
landed at Barbados in 1886. It is not unlikely that
other reptiles occasionally arrive here in firewood and
similar cargo, but owing to the thickly populated
character of the island they are killed before they
become established.

GARDEN NOTES.

The Eucharis Lily.
The scientific, which as it happens is also the popular
name of this favourite garden plant is derived from the

refer-

Greek meaning ‘very graceful’. For the suecessful culti-
vation of Eucharis lilies it appears to be important
that their roots should not be often disturbed. The

Cyclopedia of American Horticulture says, ‘When grown
in pots they require a coarse, fibrous soil, composed chiefly
of rotted sod, and enriched with about one fourth of
dry cow manure and a sprinkling of bone dust. The pots
should be well drained, for much water is needed during the
growing seasons, but frequent potting should be avoided as
the roots are impatient of disturbance. Shading from full
sunshine is required.’ These lilies suffer considerably from
the ravages of a caterpillar, which eats the leaves and in a
very short time defoliates the plants. These can best be
combated either by keeping a watch for the little round eggs
laid in clusters under the leaves which should be crushed, or
by. syringing the plants with Paris green or other arsenical
poison, An ounce of Paris green in a gallon of water, with
a handful of lime, makes a safe mixture to syringe on the
plants, and a plant so treated is safe from the ravages of the
caterpillars so long as the poison remains on the leaves,

lizards of

SPRAYING FOR INSEHCO
ENGLAND.

It has long been recognized that to ensure a full yield of
hops in the South of England some measures must be taken
to deal with the insect pests and diseases that attack the hop
plant. A considerable amount of attention is paid to this
point in the hop-growing districts, and though in England
as in the West Indies, far too little seems to be thought of
attacking insect pests on a large scale, the hop growers have
faced the problem and, with the aid of entomologists and
mechanical engineers, they have devised means of destroying
the insect enemies of the hop plant on a large scale.
Apparently the methods used in the hop gardens represent
the highest developments of insect destruction in England
and so are of special interest.

T PESTS IN

The hop is attacked by an ‘Aphis,’ similar to that found
on cacao, corn and other West Indian crops, and this ean
best be destroyed by spraying, in the same manner as thrips
on cacao, or scale insects on orange, lime, ete., are destroyed.
Roughly speaking this spraying is done in one of four ways :
(1) Knapsack machines, (2) Hand pumps, which work in a
barrel or small tank on wheels, (3) Horse machines, (4) Steam
pumps. The knapsack machines employed in E ngland do not
(liffer essentially from those used in the West Indies which
are familiar to many people. The English machines are
however, apparently, inferior to the American outfits used in
the West Indies, and it is to be regretted that a really
reliable and satisfactory Knapsack machine seems to be

unknown in England.
The hand machines, working from a barrel or small

tank, are similar to the Fruitall and other American machines
now used at the Botanie Stations. They appear to be reliable
but are usually fitted with Vermorel or other nozzles which
do not give the best allround work.

Horse machines are a distinct advance on the previous
machines and undoubtedly do good work. For the special
purpose for which they are used they are very good and would
do excellent work on ground crops such as sweet potatos,
green dressings, arrowroot, ete. The machines consist of
an iron tank of 30 gallons or more capacity, with a
pump driven from the axle of the wheels. The liquid
is pumped from the tank automatically as the machine
moves forward and passes through a series of nozzles fixed
at the back of the machine. These nozzles can be
arranged to spray down, or in any direction, and the work
they do on hops is first-rate. For applying Paris green or
kerosene emulsion on sweet potato these horse machines
would do admirably, covering a far larger area than can be
done with a smaller machine.

Finally there are the steam sprays in which steam is
the motive power of the pump. This would seem to be the
highest development of the spraying machine as applied to
agriculture in England, and there is no evident reason why
the same should not be applied in the West Indies. Through
the courtesy of Messrs. Merryweather & Sons, Mr, H. M.
Lefroy, Entomologist of the Department, was enabled to see
a special trial of the steam hop-washing apparatus supplied to

L. Hubble Esq., Hunton, Maidstone. The apparatus

Vor. I.. “No. 16: THE

AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 249

‘consisted of a small portable pamping engine, similar to
those used in fire engines, which pumped water froma stream,
mixed it with a definite proportion of concentrated insecti-
cide and pumped the liquor into the main pipe running to
the hop garden a quarter of a mile distant. In the hop
garden smaller pipes branched off at intervals and led to the
rubber hoses which terminated in nozzles. The engine is
ssmall and can be readily moved about on a light two-wheeled
truck (such as is used for the Fruitall machine), or can be
carried on poles. It burns wood or coal and raises steam
very rapidly. The main pipe to which it delivers is of galva-
nized steel in 15-foot lengths, and the lengths can be rapidly

be at the source of the water supply over a mile away,
and in the excellent work it does. Also the machine
can be used where a horse machine or even a hand machine
on wheels could not go. It speaks well for the English
farmer that such thorough and up-to-date methods are in
use. The apparatus is necessarily costly at the outset, though
it would appear to be cheap in use, but it is impossible te
cover a large area of crop with small machines, nor are they
economical in working. Generally speaking a good deal
remains to be done in dealing with English pests: this is
largely a question for the individual farmer to settle for
himself. As far as spraying machines are concerned—and

Fig. 16 Merrywearuer’s Porrasre Steam Srrayine Pranr at work oN Fruir Trees in Kenr.

On the right is the engine which pumps the wash into the main pipe shown in the middle of the figure, from which it passes

into the rubber hose used for spraying.

(From a block kindly lent by Messrs. Merryweather & Sons, Greenwich Road, London.)

joined by flexible couplings. The first branch pipes are of
rubber and these lead each t» two branches of smaller hose
ending in adjustable nozzles. The pressure at the nozzles
jis sutticient to give a good spray, and any number of
nozzles up to the pumping capacity of the engine may be
used at once. The system appears to be a good one, and
the whole plant is quite portable. The main pipe is soon
uncoupled and the complete outfit carried to a fresh spot :
it obviates the difficulty of the water supply as the engine
may be a long distance from the fields to be sprayed.

The special points in this apparatus consist in the
portability of the whole outfit, the fact that the engine can

these form a large part of the problem—the smaller
machines seem to be distinctly behind those used in America,
and it is only in the large outfits that we find the excellence
that might be expected. The horse machine is certainly
worth adopting in the West Indies for ground crops. For
permanent cultivations such as cacao, coffee, oranges, limes,
ete., the planter would do well to consider whether it were
not cheaper in the end to keep down his pests thoroughly
with a steam apparatus. Asan example of what should be
done in this way the work done by the Kentish farmer
is admirable and deserves the attention of every West
Indian planter.

THE

AGRICULTURAL NEWS.

NoveMBer 22, 1902.

POULTRY.

The following is Mr. J. Barclay’s eighth contribu-
tion to the series of articles written specially for the
Agricultural News, It contains practical suggestions
for the prevention and treatment of some of the
diseases of common occurrence among poultry. His
notes on the cause and treatment of Roup will appear
in the next issue :—

Some forms of sickness will oceasionally occur in the best
regulated poultry-yards: in those that are not well regulated,
illness will occur only too commonly.

PROMPT TREATMENT NECESSARY.

While it is well to know how to treat derangements of
your fowls, it is not wise to trust to that knowledge, or to
certain specifies that may be recommended as ‘cures,’ and
allow yourself to be careless in management so that sickness
is certain to follow. Best not to keep fowls at all if you do
not intend to take a watchful interest in them, as other-
wise loss is certain. Fowls may be successfully put right
again when they first show symptoms of being out of sorts if
the treatment is prompt. If the cases are evidently bad, it is
not worth the time to try to cure. The best remedy, the
safest in infectious diseases, is the axe ; and the body should
be burned or buried deep at the root of some tree with lime
over it. Prevention is better than cure, and with cleanliness
all round, fresh food, and plenty of green stuff, clean water,
cool shade, comfortable housing, and clean soil, there can be
few troubles.

DISEASES OF FOWLS.

The chief diseases are cholera, roup, (including canker,
diphtheria, and bronchitis), yaws and gapes. The disorder
called cholera hap pens mostly in the dry weather ; roup and
gapes occur more in wet weather, and yaws anytime,
and chiefly among chickens. Lice are often troublesome and
are found mostly in setting hens. Perhaps the trouble that
causes the most deaths among poultry in the West Indies—
at least it, is so in Jamaica, is cholera (in Jamaica called
“fowl sick’). Any mysterious malady in Jamaica is termed
‘fowl sick,’ but the particular disorder, the most deadly
and contagious sickness, is what is most commonly termed in
the North, chicken cholera, and is really, I think, enteric
fever.

ENTERIC FEVER INCURABLE.

This disease, when taken badly, is quite incurable and
is very infectious, and therefore causes a serious loss to those
poultry keepers whose fowls are attacked by it. When it
breaks out in a district, numbers of poultry-yards suffer
unless measures are promptly taken to stamp it out. The
birds which are attacked usually die from twenty-four to
forty-eight hours artter the germs develop. The excrements

are very peculiar in colour, greenish, thin and watery,
with » good deal of froth, and before death the birds

gener ally go dark about their combs and faces. When
opened the. whole of the intestines are found to be highly
inflamed, and the lungs and liver dark and flabby.

HOW TO CHECK THE SPREAD OF DISEASE.

It is not possible to cure birds when once they are
affected with this disease, but when it breaks out in a yard,
serious loss may be ayoided by promptly killing those birds
which show symptoms of the disease, and burying them in
plenty of lime. The other birds should then be removed to-
entirely fresh ground, over which plenty of lime has been
thrown. Should any bird ail, it is advisable to kill it at
once, also to remove the excrements from the run each
morning, as the germs are contained in these, and unless
this is done, a serious outbreak cannot be prevented. The
birds which have been in contact with those which are
diseased should have a dose of Epsom salts given to them,
and two days afterwards a teaspoonful of castor oil. They
require nourishing food, and plenty of fresh water, in which a
good-sized piece of camphor has been placed. It is always
advisable to disinfect the birds which have been with those
suffering from any disease by sprinkling their feathers with a
strong solution of disinfectant, and their drinking vessels
should be sealded out with strong soda water. There is no
treatment for enteric fever, but if preventive measures are
adopted, a good number of birds may be saved.

CAUSE OF DISEASE.

This disease, as I have said, occurs during, or imme-
diately after, long dry spells during which the ground where
the fowls congregate together infected with the
excretions, for no matter how long their runs are, they flock
together at feeding time and where they roost. When our
heavy rains fall the air is purified and the soil and roosting
places of fowls on trees washed clean. Fowls allowed to
frequent very filthy dung heaps or pig pens are likely to be
attacked by this disease.

PREVENTIVE MEASURES.

It is preventable by taking care to shift about to widely
apart spots when giving the morning and evening feed ; or
where the fowls are confined, by turning over the soil every
other day, bit by bit, systematically, after the first two or three
shallow diggings going deep as a fork or spade will go. The
roosting places are often the deadly spots. If anyone
troubles to examine trees where fowls have been roosting
after two or three months dry spell, the cause of disease
needs no further tracing. Where fowls are housed the
houses should, in hot, dry weather, be as open and as airy as
possible, and be cleaned out every day where there is a large
flock ; and every other day where there are only a dozen or
so fowls kept. Corn must be fed very sparingly, if at all, in
hot weather. Peas are better, and dry rice when it can be
had cheap is a good change, and most beneficial where
cholera is prevalent.

DEPARTMENT REPORT.

OF PARA FOR
Reports. Foreign Office,

become

TRADE 1901. Diplomatic and
Consular July 1902.

The total exports of rubber from the States of Para and
Amazonas and the Republies of Bolivia and Peru during
1901 amounted to 30,336 tons, of which 14,791 tons were
destined for Europe and 15,548 tons for the United States.
The total for 1900 was 25,807 tons. The export of rubber
from Para was 12,040 tons and the total value £2,659,160 ;
the total value of the export from Paré was £2,843,980.
The total value of the exports for 1900 was £5,430,658, this
year then showing a decrease of £2,586,678. The diminished
trade is attributed to the crisis of the preceding year, the
high rate of exchange and the rivalry of Manaos.

Vot. I. No. 16. THE

AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 251

BEE-KEEPING

IN.
The A. I. Root Co., Medina, Ohia, USA.
Post free.

JAMAICA. By FF. A. Hooper

Price lis. ld.

This pamphlet on Bee-keeping is attractively got up and
has several illustrations of bee-appliances and of the apiary
of the Hooper Brothers in Jamaica. The three kinds of bees
which constitute a hive are described, some three pages
being devoted to the queen.

The ten frame Root hive with Hoffman self-spacing
frames is recommended, and the superiority of Italian over
black bees is insisted upon. The author gives some very
clear and interesting hints on the importance of having all
colonies strong before the ‘ Honey Season.’ He says :

‘Before the season opens, all needful appliances should
be obtained and put together ready for use. It is bad
policy to wait until the bees are storing honey, and swarm-
ing, before beginning to make preparations for the season.
As soon as honey begins to come in, in January, all colonies
must be looked over and the necessary attention paid to those
needing it. Combs in the brood nest that are overstocked
with honey should be extracted and replaced, to give the
queen room to lay. Colonies that are strong in bees need
not be extracted, except from the supers if any honey has
been stored in them during the fall. Make sure that all
colonies possess a laying queen.’

Queen and queen rearing is dealt with and a clear
description given of the ‘ Doolittle Cell cup Method’ The
pamphlet contains a list of the honey-producing flowers of
Jamaica.

MARTINIQUE AND ST. VINCENT; PRELIM
INARY REPORT UPON THE ERUPTIONS OF 1902.
3y Edmund Otis Hovey. Lvtracted from
the American Bureau of Natural Listory, Vol. XVI: New
York, 1902.

The author was sent to the islands as the representative
of the American Museum of Natural History. This
pamphlet is a preliminary report founded on his own
observations during the seven weeks (May 21, to July 6,
1902) spent on the islands, and on the testimony of eye-
witnesses.

The first ascent of the Soufriére, St. Vincent, was made
by Mr. Hovey and some friends en May 31. hey start-
ed from the site of Wallibou village on the leeward side and
reached the rim of the old crater at 2,790 feet above the sea.
On June 4, an attempt was made to ascend from the wind-
ward side: an altitude of 3,200 feet was reached, but the
party was then obliged to turn back without getting to the
crater, on account of dense storm clouds. On June 9, a third
ascent was made and the rim of the erater was reached on
the south-eastern side. The area of devastation in
‘St. Vincent is reckoned at 46 square miles, practically one
third of the area of the island. The deaths (estimated at
1,350) seem to have been due to the following causes :—

Bulletin of

(1) Asphyxiation by hot dust-laden steam and air, (2)
burns due to hot stones and dust, (3) blows by falling stones,
(4) nervous shock, (5) burning by steam alone, and (6)
strokes of lightning.

The area of devastation caused by the eruption of
Mount Pelée is estimated at 52 square miles. Four ascents
were made, in the course of which the greater part of the
rim of the crater was traversed. Very careful and thorough
Investigations appear to have been made on the history and
the results of the eruptions. Numerous plates reproduced
from photographs are given, showing the voleanoes and some
of the results of the eruptions. Maps of St. Vincent and of
the north-western part of Martinique show the areas
devastated.

The Plain Facts as to the Trusts and the Tariff isa
very outspeken criticism, by Mr. G. L. Bolen, of two
industrial problems as they affect America. Roughly,
Mr. Bolen holds that the Trusts as they exist are largely bad,
owing to the enormous profits going to promoters, but that
they are capable of reform, and if reformed, that the princi-
ple of corporate control will be of service to society. On the
question of Protection, he is strongly opposed to the
prevailing American view, and argues incisively for a reform
of the tariff. Incidentally, the book throws much light on the
ethics of public life and business in the United States. The
book is published by the Macmillan Company.

DEPARTMENT NEWS.

Dr. D. Morris, C.M.G., Imperial Commissioner of
Agriculture for the West Indies, returned from his
recent visit to the United States and Canada in
ss. Orinoco and landed at St. Kitt’s on the 12th.
instant. Before taking up his duties at Barbados, the
Commissioner will proceed on a tour of inspection
through the West Indies to arrange and provide for
the work of the Department for the remainder of the
current official year, It is probable that Dr. Morris
will first of all accompany the new Governor of the
Leeward Islands, his Excellency Sir Gerald Strickland,
K.C.M.G., on a visit to Virgin Gorda and Tortola, and
then proceed to Anguilla, Nevis, Antigua, and the
Southern Islands, as far as Trinidad and Tobago.

Owing to the quarantine restrictions consequent
on the outbreak of small pox at Barbados, it is
feared that it will be impossible to hold the Annual
West Indian Agricultural Conference in January next.
The Conference of 1903 was proposed to be held at
Trinidad, and it promised to be unusually interesting
and useful, but owing to the fact that none of the
Officers of the Imperial Department of Agriculture or
the Representatives of Barbados would be able to attend,
the Secretary of State has approved of the Conference
being, for the present, postponed. It is sincerely hoped
that the strenuous efforts that are being made by the
Government of Barbados to deal with the outbreak
will before long relieve the island of the serious
disabilities under which it is now placed. In the
meantime it is only right that the Governments of the
other Colonies should adopt the most rigorous steps to
prevent the spread of the disease outside Barbados,

bo
Ot
Wo

THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS.

NoveEMBER 22, 1902.

GLEANINGS.

A fair quality of West India Isinglass is exported from
Demerara. This article is the sound of a fish known in
Demerara as ‘ Gilbaker.’

In some districts of British Guiana guavas are infested
with the sapodilla magot. <A large quantity of sappodillas
are destroyed by the fruit-eating bat, the unripe fruit being
bitten off the trees.

The fresh juice of the green fruit of the papaw is said
to be a cure for ring-worm, one application being sufficient.

Years ago stingless bees occurred commonly in Demerara,
and also in Berbice. They hived in the hollow of the
Courida trees on the west coast, and their store of honey was
gathered, clarified and sold at the rate of one shilling
a bottle, by the residents.

The rainfall recorded at the Botanic Station, Tobago,
during the month of October last, was 10°92 inches, being in
excess of that for the corresponding period in the two
preceding years.

Seeds of the male or solid bamboo ( Dendrocalamus
strictus), received from the Imperial Department of Agricul-
ture, the Botanic Department, Trinidad, and the Royal
Gardens, Kew, are germinating at the Botanic Station,
Tobago, and it is hoped that a number of plants will soon be
available for distribution.

Diamond mining in British Guiana has been vigorously
carried on during the past year, and 91,206 diamonds,
weighing 8,227 carats, were registered in 1901-02 as against
4,981 (640-0 carats) in 1900-01.

The Government of St. Lucia has made arrangements
with the Royal Mail Steam Packet Company to run a
coasting steamer daily, except Sundays and Bank holidays,
from Castries to Vieux Tort and back. Soufriére, Choiseul
and Laborie are intermediate ports of call.

In order to improve the breed of cattle at St. Vincent
a pedigree Hereford bull has been imported by the Imperial
Department of Agriculture from Canada.

The earlier sowings of onions at Montserrat
transplanted about the end of last month.

were

Onions have been successfully grown in several of the
West Indian islands, and their cultivation is now being
attempted at St. Lucia. To encourage preliminary trials a
certain quantity of fresh onion seed will be distributed, free
of charge, on application to the Curator of the Botanic
Station in the island.

Cassava is grown ona small scale in many of the West
Indian Colonies. At Barbados the roots are now selling at
$1.00 per 100 Ib. The price varies at different times of the
year, and is sometimes as low as 40c. for the same quantity.

The average yield of cassava per acre is stated to be
about 5 or 6 tons in Florida. An experiment made in
Barbados with wide planting (12 ft. by 6 ft.) gave a yield of
about 5 tons per acre. In Jamaica a normal return is
reported to be 10 tons.

With the rains the activity of the bees has recommenced;
combs are being drawn out and honey stored. Six swarms
of bees were recently taken, within a week, at the Experi-
ment Stations at Montserrat. Three of these swarms were
weighed as soon as hived, and were 4 Ih., 6} tb. and 34 tb.
respectively. Tak'nz 4,300 as the number of the bees to
the pound, these swarms contained, approximately, 17,200;
29,025 ; and 15,050 each.

Barbados has experienced very welcome showers during
the last week. The canes on the low lands on the leeward
coast are still very short and dry, but in the hills, although
backward, they are green and in a growing condition, and will
doubtless benefit greatly by the break in the long drought.

The canes have arrowed very freely throughout the
island.

The plant commonly cultivated in gardens in these
Colonies under the name of ‘mignonette’ or ‘West Indian
mignonette’ is interesting, inasmuch as it is the famous
henna of the East. A decoction of the leaves in cold water
yields an orange-coloured dye which stains the skin.

The cacao crop in Grenada promises so far to be very
good.

The final arrangements are now being made for the
Barbados Local Agricultural Exhibition, which it is proposed
to hold at Todds Estate, St. Johns, on Tuesday January
13, 1903.

The Board of Education of Trinidad have decided to
hold future school garden exhibitions at various country
centres instead of at Port-of-Spain only.

The prickly pear can be utilized as a fodder during very
severe drought. In Australia it is sometimes boiled and
used for fattening cows. Horses are said to like it when a
little pollard is added to the boiled mass,

Worrel, eNos 1G: THE

AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 253

EDUCATIONAL.

School Garden at St. Lucia.
In the course of his Annual Report on the
Primary Schools in St. Lucia, for 190]. Mr. F. E.
Bundy the Inspector of Schools makes the following

interesting observations with regard to the course of

instruction in actual operation at a School Garden in
the island :—

A school garden was commenced at Foresti¢re East
Indian Mission School, which promises to be a very good
one. From a report drawn up by the teacher, Mr. Neebal,
a few extracts are given to show, how with a little good will,
it is easily possible to start the practical stady of agriculture
in schools. ‘Through the manager’s (R. P. Cropper, Esq.)
kind aid in paying for all such work as the children could
not do, the site selected for the garden was soon cleared.
Men were put to brush and cut down trees, and a proper
shed was erected in a corner for the purpose of raising
nurseries and preparing soil ete. While the garden was still
in preparation, I began giving indoor lessons on seeds and
seedlings, which were raised in small boxes. Lessons were
also given on germination, preparation of seed boxes, etc.
The necessity of moisture, warmth and air in germination
was demonstrated.

‘Finding it difficult to get the children to understand
theoretical lessons, I resorted to practical work as soon as
the garden plot was ready. I had 100 feet square of land
enclosed by a proper fence and a row of peas and plantain
plants planted round near the fence. The latter were
chiefly got by begging for them from the gardeners round
about.

‘The whole of the garden is divided into beds, with a
main path (4 feet wide) in the middle, on which we are
now putting stones gathered by the girls and broken by the
boys.

‘We have already growing a bed of roses for the
purpose of teaching grafting and budding later on;a bed of
cocos with red beans in between ; a bed of cabbages ; another
of sugar-canes ; a few banks of potatos, and a bed of pine-
apples not yet three months planted and a few already
bearing.

‘We had a box of cacao nursery put in some time ago, and
lately I had the children to transplant them. At the same
time I gave a lesson on it. A bed is reserved for experiments
in manure, which is divided into two parts. I have already
had cabbage and large tomato seedlings given away to the
bigger boys who were very glad to get them.

‘With one or two exceptions the boys take great
interest in the lessons, though the current language greatly
militates against a proper understanding of the lessons given
in English.’

From what I have seen on my visits to this school,
one of which was paid together with Mr. G. W. Smith,
Travelling Superintendent of the Imperial Department of
Agriculture, and Mr. G. S8. Hudson, Agricultural Instructor,
T can fully endorse the above report, and I hope by the end
-of the present year (1902) there will be at least a cozen
school gardens in the island which will resemble the one so
well started in Foresticre.

WEST INDIAN EXPORTS.

In the teaching of geography in these Colonies
it is an advantage for the teacher to know at a glance
the relative values of the articles exported from the
various islands. The elementary books on the subject
are often out of date and give merely a list of the
articles exported, conveying no idea of proportion
between the various products. To remedy this defect
we reproduce the following table on the subject,
compiled from the latest statistics from a pamphlet
recently issued by the Department in connexion with
the West Indian Section of the Toronto Exhibition :—

Exports from the West Indies, 1900-01.

{ )

Sugar, Other

Colony. Rum, Important neo
Molasses. Exports. POLS:
( Gold 390,000
: ae “ve Balata 20,000 | 5
British Gurana | 1,440,000 |- Timber, ete. 20,000 2,000,000
Diamonds — 3,000
TRINIDAD AND Cacao 980,000
Tosaco | 582,000}; Asphalt — 177,000 | 1,800,000
(Bitters 37,000
Cacao 270,000
GRENADA ... ... Nil , Nutmegs & 308, 000
| Species 30,000
St. VINCENT 7,000} Arrowroot 75,000 93,800
Sr. Lucra 56,000 | Cacao 38,000 98,500
BarRBADOS 661,900] Vegetables 8,400] 694,000
LEEWARD ISLANDS lene juice 31,000
Las ~ Cacé 24,006 ae
Dominica ... 1,700 |- Sate 25000 66,800
| Oils 4,400
Fruit and D
Antigua 97,300} Vegetables 1,800 102; 000
St. Kitt’s-Nevis 80,700 87,000
Montserrat 2,000] Lime juice 2,500 6,800
{Cattle &
Virgin Islands... Nil 4 Stock 2,100 2,800
Venarec yal 500
Fruit 786,000
Coffee 157,000
enc nnnil_eimento 1115000
JAMAICA 318,000 |- Dye-woods 108,000 1,800,000.
Ginger 66,000
| Tobacco 23,000
’ 8,248,600 3,365,700 | 7,059,709

254 THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. NovemBer 22, 1902:

—-;

COMMERCIAL.

With the view of assisting in finding a market for the
disposal of local produce, arrangements have been made with
the following Agents in these Colonies who will be prepared
to receive consignments and obtain the best prices for them.

It is particularly urged that no shipments be made until
an assurance has been received from the Agents themselves
that they are prepared to accept such shipments.

Agents in the West Indies.
BRITISH GUIANA—B.S. Bayley, Water Street, Georgetown.
TRINIDAD—J. Russell Murray, Port-of-Spain.
BARBADOS—T. 8. Garraway & Co., Bridgetown.
ST. LUCIA—Captain H. Henville, Contractor & Agent, Castries.

MARKET REPORTS.

London,—Oct. 28, 1902.—Messrs. J. Hates Camp &
Co., Messrs. GILLESPIE Bros. & Co. and ‘TH
Pusiic LepGEr,’ Oct. 25, 1902.

Ators—Curacoa, 10/- to 40/-; Barbados 13/- to 35/- per ewt.

ArRrowkoot—St. Vincent, 3d. to 5fd. _per Ib.

Barara—Demerara sheet, 2/65 to “Sir 7 per lb. Dearer.

Berrs-wax—Jamaica, fair to good pale £7 5s. to £7 15s.
per ewt. In fair demand.

Cacao—T'dad, 58/- to 85/- per ewt. Dominica 56/- to 61/-
per ewt. Grenada, common to fine 55/- to 63/- per ewt.
Jamaica, 54/- to 63/6 per ewt. Market quiet.

Carpamoms—Mysore, 1/4 to 4/- per lb.

Corree—Jamaica, 36/- to 125/- per ewt. Costa Rica, 38,6
to 99/- per cwt. Peaberry 75/- to 115,- per ewt.

Corron— West Indian 4} to 5g. per Ib.

Fustic—£3 10s. to £4 5s. per ton.

Grxcer—Jamaica, common to fine 35/6 to 50/- per ewt.

Honry—Jamaica 14/- to 22/6 per ewt. Rather dearer.

Kora Nurs—ld. to 4/. per Ib.

Line Juice—Raw, 10d. to 1/- per gallon ; concentrated,
£11 5s. to £11 10s. per pipe.

Logwoop—Jamaica, £4 2s. bd. to £4 Ts. Gd. per ton.

Mace—-1/3 to 2/10. per Ib.

Nirrate oF Sopa-- Agricultural £9 5s. per ton.

Nurmecs—90’s to 60's @ 1/1 to 2/7, 182’s to 95's @ Td. to
1s. per Ib.

Pimento—24. to 27/. per Ib.

Rum—Demerma 85d. to 1O$d., Jamaica 1/8 to 7/ per
gallon.

Sucar-—Barbados Muscovado, 12/- to 13/- per ewt.
Jamaica Muscovado 10/- to 13,6 per cwt.
Trinidad and Demerara 13/- to 15,/- per ewt. duty
paid.

Sutpnare or AmMonta—£11 15s. per ton.

Tamarinps—Barbados 12/- to 15,6 per ewt.

Frurr—Covent Garpven Marker (‘GardENERS
Curonicie,’ October 23, 1902.)

3ANANAS—G/- to LO/- per bunch.
ORANGES—8,6 to 11,6 per case.
PinEs—3/- to 4/- each.

Halifax N.S.—‘ Tur Maririms Mercuant’, Oct. 9, 1902.

Motasses—Barbados 24c. to 25e. Porto Rico 30c. to 33c.
per gallon.

Orances—Jamaica, $3.50 to $4.00 per box.

Sucars—Bright yellow, $3.70; No. 1 yellow, $5 40.

New York,— October 17, 1902.—Messrs. GrnLesvizn Bros.

& Co.

Cacao—African, 13}c. to 132c.; Caracas, 13}c. to 14}c. ;
Jamaica, no MSOC: fair ordinary, 1 }c., good Famiontee
12c. to 12$e. ; Grenada, no stock ; 1- She. ; Trinidad 13c.
to 14}c. oe ab:

Cocoa-nuvs — Small Trinidads no demand; $11.00 to $12.00;
Jamaicas $22.00 to $24.00 per M.

CorrEE—Rio, good ordinary dic. to 52c. ; Jamaica good
ordinary 6c. to Te. per Ib. ; Manchester grades 83c-
to le. per lb.

Grave Frurr—$5.00 to $10.00 per barrel.

ORANGES—$3.50 to $4.25 per barrel.

Pimenro—4$ to 4}e. per Ib.

Rurser—Nicaragua scrap 55}c. to 54c. per lb ; sheet 46c-
to 47¢. per 1b. ; Gu: ryaquil strip 51c. to 51sec. per th.
Sucar—Muscov: ado, 89°, 3c. per lb.; Centrifugals, 96°, 34c. ;

molasses, 89°, 2{c. per Ib.

INTER-COLONIAL MARKETS.

Antigua,—November 4, 1902.—Messrs. G. W. Bennetr

Bryson & Co., Ltd.
Mo .asses—10c. per imperial gallon, package included.
Sugar—Maszovalo $1.35 por 10) Ib.

Barbados,—November 8, 1902.—Messrs. T. S. GAaRRAWAY

& Co., and Messrs. James A. Lyncu «& Co.
Arrowroor—St. Vincent, $4.00 to $4.12 per 100 Ib.
Cacao—$15.00 per 100 Ib.

Corree—Jamaica and ordinary Rio $8.50 to $9.50
per 100 lb. respectively.

Hay—New Brunswick $1.00 per 100 Ib.

Manvures— Nitrate of Soda $60.00 to $65. 00; Ohlendorff's
Dissolved Gavao $5).9); Sa'phate of Ammonia $75.90
to $80.00; Sulph: ute i Potash $70.00 per ton.

Mou fiscrs==No quotations.

Ontons—Madeira $2.25 to $3.00 per 100 Ib.

Poraros—$1.60 to $1.85 per 160 Ib.

Rice—Ballam $4.50 per bag (190 Ib.) ; Patna $3.50 per
(100 Th.) ; Seeta $3.50 per (100 th. )

Sucar—$2.40 per 100 Th.

British Guiana,—November 5, 1902.—Messrs. WEITING

& Licwrer.

Arrowroot—$9.00 per barrel.

SaALATA—40c. to 42c. per Ib.

Cacao—-native Ile. to 13c. sales. Balata—40c. to 42c.
per lb.

Cassava Srarcu—$8.00 sales.

Cocoa-Nuts—$8.00 to SL0.00 per M.

Correr—Rio and Jamaica Ile. to 11}c. per Ib. (retail.)
—-Creole, lle. to 2c. per lb. i

Eppors—$1.44 per barrel.

Oxtons— Retail 3e. Garlic 8e. per Ib.

Pea Nurs—Curagoa 3fc.; American 5c. per lb. (retail.)

PLANTAINS —24e. to Me per bunch.

Poraros EnGitsu—$2.50 to $3.00 per barrel.

Rice—Ballam SLTo to $4.80, ex store; Patna $5.75 to
$5.80 per bag. Seeta $5.75 to $5.80
—-CREOLE Rice 20e. per gallon, (retail.)

Sweet Por: ‘ATOS Barbados $1.44, Creole $1.20 per barrel.

EAS $2.40 per bag.

Yans— $2.04 per bag.

Mo.asses —Vacuum Pan, yellow, I5e. per gallon, casks
included.

Sucar—White $3.50 to $4.00; Dark Crystals $1.80! to
$1.90! ; Yellow $2.10 to $2.25.; Molasses—$ 1.40 to
$1.60 (nominal) per ewt.

Tiaser—Greenheart 32c. to 55c. per cubic foot.

WALLABA SHINGLES—$3.00 to $5.00 per M.

Trinidad,-—November 6, 1902.—Messrs. Gorpoy, Grant

«& Co, and Messrs. Epcar Trier & Co., November
7, 1902.
Cacao—Ordinary to good red $12.75 to $13.00; estates,
$13.30 to $13.60 per Fanega. ‘
Batara—Venezuelan 43c. per th.
Corrern—Venezuelan 6$e. per th.
Ontons—$2.50 to $3.00° per 100 1b.
Poraros Exauisu $1.25 to $1.75 per 100 1b.
Rice—Yellow $4.50 to $4.75 ; White Table $5.25 to $5.75
per bag.

SuGar—For Grocery use, $1.60 to $3.00 per 1001b.

Wor. I. No. 16. THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 255

Publications on sale of the Imperial Department of Agriculture

FOR THE WEST INDIES.
The ‘WEST INDIAN BULLETIN.’ A Quarterly Scientific Journal.

Volume 1. Reports of the Agricultural Conference of 1899 and 1900 and other papers ; complete, in the original
paper covers as issued, post free, 5s. The parts can no longer be sold separately.

Volume II. Full report of the Conference of 1901, and other papers. Price, in original paper covers as issued,
post free 2s. 9d.

Volume HII. No, I. Agricultural Conference of 1902: President’s Address and Sugar Industry. No 2. Confer-
ence of 1902 (continued). Educational and General Papers. No. 3. Sugar Industry, Seale insects, School
Gardens, Object Lessons, Volcanic Phenomena, ete. Price 6d. Post free 8d. each.

PAMPHLET SERIES.

The Pamphlets are written in a simple and popular manner and the information contained in them is especially
cadapted to West Indian conditions. They contain amongst other subjects, summaries of the results of the experiment work
on sugar-cane and manures, the full oficial reports of which have only a limited circulation. The following list gives particulars
sof all the pamphlets which are still available. The missing numbers are out of print and can no longer be supplied :—

(3) Seedling and other Canes, at Barbados 1900, Price 2d. Post free, 24d.

(5) General Treatment of Insect Pests, 2nd Edition Revised. Price 4d. Post free, 44d.
(6) Recipes for cooking Sweet Potatos. Price 2d. Post free, 24d.

(7) Scale Insects of the Lesser Antilles. Price 4d. Post free, 5d.

(8) Cultivation of Vegetables in Barbados. Price 2d. Post free, 24d.

(9) Bee-keeping in the West Indies. Price 4. Post free, 5d.

(10) Manures and Leguminous Plants at Barbados, 1898-1901. Price 4d. Post free, 5d.

(11) Hints for School Gardens. Price 2d. Post free, 24.

(12) Seedling and other Canes in the Leeward Islands, 1900-1901. Price 2d. Post free, 24d.

(13) Seedling and other Canes at Barbados, in 1901. Price 4d. Post free, 5d.

(14) Screw worm in Cattle at St. Lucia. Price 2d. Post free, 24d.

(15) Plain Talk to Small Owners Prize 2d¢. Post free, 2d.

(16) Hints on Onion Cultivation. Price 2/7. Post free, Jed.

(17) General Treatment of Fungoid Pests. Price 47. Post free, 5d.

(18) Recipes for Cooking West Indian Yams. Price 2d. Post free, 24d.

(19) Seedling and other Canes at Barbados, in 1902. Price 4d. Post free, 5c.

(20) Seedling and other Canes in the Leeward Is!ands. Price 2d. Post free, 24d.

‘NATURE TEACHING.’
A text-book based upon the general principles of Agriculture for the use of schools, prepared by the Honourable
Francis Watts and others. (Pages XII and 199) The Plant, the Soil, Plant food and Manures, Weeds, and Insects are succes-
sively treated, and the information given is illustrated throughout by simple experiments which can readily be carried out
in an ordinary school. ‘The Book is mainly intended for the use of Teachers. Price, limp cloth 2s., or in a superior style
-of binding 2s. 6d. Postage in either binding, 34d. extra.

The ‘AGRICULTURAL NEWS’ A Fortnightly Review.

The ‘Agricultural News’ contains extracts from official correspondence and from progress and
other reports ; notes on interesting points connected with the work carried on at the Government Laboratories, Botanic
Stations, Experiment Stations, Agricultural Schools, Experiment Plots, School Plots, Agricultural Shows, Lectures to teachers,
-ete., the occurrence of disease, the arrival of new plants and animals, the flowering and fruiting of plants of special note, the
appointment, promotion and removal of officers, the weather, and, in fact, any information indicating what is going on in each
Colony and the progress made in Agricultural matters throughout the West Indies.

The ‘ Agricultural News’ is printed in time to be distributed, regularly, by each mail, and is on sale by the
local agents of the Department at one penny per number, post free, 14¢. The subscription price, including postage, is
1s. 73d. per half-year, or 3s. 3d. per annum. All applications for copies are to be addressed to the Agents, not to the Department.

—

Agents.

The following have been appointed agents for the sale of the publications of the Department :+-—

London: Messrs. Dutau & Co., 37, Soho Square, W. Barbados: Messrs. Bowen & Sons, Bridgetown. Jamaica :
‘THe Epucationat Suprry Company, 16 King St., Kingston. British Guiana: ‘Daily Chronicle’ Office, Georgetown.
Trinidad: Messrs. Munro & Co., Frederick St., Port-of-Spain. Yobago: Mr. C. L. PiLacemMaAnn, Scarborough.
‘Grenada: Messrs. F. Marrast & Co., ‘The Stores,’ St. George. St. Vincent: Mr W. C. D. Prouproot, Kingstown. St. Lucia =
Mr. R. G. McHueu, Castries. Dominica: Messrs. C. F. DuverNey & Co., Market St., Roseau. Montserrat: Mr. W.
LLEWELLYN Watt, Plymouth. Antigua: Mr. F, Forrest, St. John’s. St. Hits: Messrs. 8. L. Horsrorp & Co., Basseterre.

256 THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. NovemBer 22, 1902,

THE BEST MANURES FOR COLONIAL USE

ae AS EGE Se

Ohlendorff’s Dissolved Peruvian Guano—For Sugar-cane and general use
Ohlendorff’s Special Sugar-cane Manure
Ohlendorff’s Special Cocoa Manure

Sulphate of Ammonia, Nitrate of Soda, Superphosphates, high grades,
Potash Salts, Basic Slag and all other high-class Fertilizers.

APPLY TO LOCAL AGENTS OR DIRECT TO
THE ANGLO-CONTINENTAL (LATE OHLENDORFF’S) GUANO WORKS,

London Agency, 15, Leadenhall Street, London E.C.,

[33. ] Barbados Agents: Messrs. James A. Lynch & Co., Bridgetown.
THE BARBADOS MUTUAL LIFE ASSURANCE SOCIETY.
ESTABLISHED 1840.

CHIEF OFFICE, Beckwith Place, Bridgetown, Barbados.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS :

MICHAEL J. BOVELL, Esq., CHatrMan,
EK. T. RACKER, Esq., Vice-CHairMan.

J. N. BANCROFT, Esq., JAS. H. INNISS, Esq.,
B. ERNEST BYNOE, Esq., M.C.P., Hon. J. THOMAS JONES, M.L.C.,
JOS. W. CRONEY, Esq., H. LAWRANCE JOHNSON, Eszq.,

JAMES E. INCE, Esq.
Transactions to December 31, 1901.

Total Assurances Issued as a ae ca it We ... $11,813,382
Total Bonuses Declared (31 December 1900)... ae nC a5 500 oo 3,610,921
Sums Assured and Bonuses Existing cue ee ae aed oan 5,060,468
Total Claims by Death and Matured Ridomntients tp ae Bs ee mee 5,451,158
Life Assurance Fund... iis wots Be aus ae %S ee 2,143,840
Annual Income ea ae ai ee was sa 257,983
Net Surplus December rey 1900) _ 297,124

The Premiums are Lower than those chi irged by ofhen Life Offices doing Jousiness in ithe West Indies,
The Bonuses declared have not been equalled by any other Assurance Society in the world.
Its Policy Contracts are Liberal, Fair and Equitable.
The Policy is Absolutely Non- Forfeitable so long as any surrender value remains.
Loans granted on Security of Policy.
Liberal Surrender Values.
Claims promptly paid.
Every facility given for the revival of Lapsed Policies.
It grants Interim Bonuses.
It gives Compound Bonuses.
All the profits belong to the Policy-Holders.
H. J. INNISS,
May 22, 1902. Secretary.
[16.]

Printed at Office of Agricultural Reporter, 4, High Street, Bridgetown, Barbados.

- ag SRS
ti

= gos MY,
"Ar

A.' PORENIGHT LY. .REVLEW

OF

THE

IMPERIAL DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE FOR THE WEST INDIES.

Vor. I SO the

BARBADOS, DECEMBER 6, 1902.

Price ld.

CONTENTS.

Pace. Pace.
Antigua, Arbor day in ... 264 , Oranges in the Sale Room 260
Bananas, Cultivation of Gute eos SAE
ced) _ 961 Bibliographia Jamaicen-

Ve csp ooo Bed pan PANS
Mosquito Brigades... 267

The Natural History of

Bee-keeping :—
Honey, Uses of
Jamaica...

. 265
. 265

Plants . 267
Cocoa-nut oil meal ... . 259 West India... a 26K
Department News ... ... 267 | Poultry :—
Department Publications 272, Diseases... . 266

Departmental Reports :— Raising Chickens at

Cuba: Trade of, for Grenada . 266
1901 ... ... 270 | Science Notes :—
Grenada : 3otanic Disintegration of Corals 269
Station 1951. . 270 | Etherand Nitrogen-free
Trinidad : Elementary Extracts O00 | RooeRP Aa,
Education 1901-02 ... 276 New method of treating
Educational :— Starch . 269
Barbados, Lectures to Sugar Industry :—
teachers at... ... 261 Root disease of Sugar-
School Gardens at Trini- cane aco dade wenane4tne)
GENEL) Acar Jose oon), pac OS) Sugar-cane pests in the
Fruit : Exportation of ... 260 Hawaiian Islands 258
Gleanings ... ... ... 268 | Tomato seed, Cleaning ... 270

Insect Notes :— Wielvet-(Seedst... ‘sal |S.
A New Insecticide ... 264 | Volcanic Dust, Analyses
Screw worm in Cattle 264 | of ore o8 Go) SEAS

Market Reports . 271 | Winter Visitors to the

Notes and Comments . 262 West Indies .-. .:. 257

Wanter Wisntors he the West ii at

4
YO AST winter the number of visitors to
LC :
SG It is
anticipated that during the coming winter
an unusual number of visitors will be attracted to
this part of the world to witness the effects of the

Jamaica was the largest on record.

recent voleanic eruptions and enjoy the delicious

The
steamers of the Royal Mail Steam Packet Company

climate and splendid scenery of these islands.

leaving fortnightly from Southampton are largely
The tour lasts sixty-five
days and extends to the Leeward and Windward Islands,

patronized by winter visitors.

including Dominica, Martinique, St. Vincent, Grenada,
Trinidad, The

steamers of the Imperial Direct Line (Elder, Dempster

LaGuayra, Caracas and Jamaica.
& Co.) communicating between Bristol and Jamaica,
In fact, this

line offers special facilities for winter tours, and by its

also bring out a large number of visitors.

means the beautiful island of Jamaica is brought into
closer touch with Europe than almost any part of the
West Indies. From the United States and Canada,
Jamaica ‘the gem of the West Indies’ may be reached
by the weekly twin-screw steamers of the United Fruit
Company from New York, Boston and Philadelphia.
The Quebee Steamship Company offers ‘a special
thirty-day cruise through the Caribbee islands’ in the
s.s. Madiana, leaving New York on February 7 for
Bermuda, St. Thomas or St. Croix, San Juan and Ponce
(Porto Rico), St. Kitt’s,
St. Lucia, Demerara, Santiago and

Oo

Dominica, Martinique,

Havana (Cuba).

A special twenty-one-day tour in the West Indies
is offered by F. C. Clark of New York in the magnifi-
(Maria

From Canada regular fortnightly

cent s.s. Aaiserin Theresa ) leaving on
January 14, 1903.
excursions to these islands are offered in the winter
season by Messrs. Pickford & Black of the Canadian &
Imperial Line of Steamers from St. John’s, New
Brunswick, and Halifax, Nova Scotia.

lasts about six weeks and facilities are

The round trip
afforded for

THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS.

DrcemMBer 6, - 1902.

landing at nearly all the islands from Bermuda and
St. Kitt’s, southwards to British Guiana on the main-
land of South America. There is also direct communi-
cation between Canada and Jamaica on the 15th. of
every month from Halifax, Nova Scotia, touching at
Bermuda and Turks Islands.

We might suggest to visitors that they would
greatly add to the interest of their tour in the West
Indies if they would visit the Botanic Gardens,
Agricultural Schools and the Experiment Stations
maintained in the various islands under the auspices
of the Imperial Department of Agriculture. These
institutions are usually close to the Janding places and
they offer an excellent means for becoming acquainted
with the useful and ornamental plants of the tropics.
At Jamaica, Trinidad and British Guiana there are
Botanic Gardens of considerable beauty and extent,
and these should certainly not be missed.

Sugar-cane Pests in the Hawaiian Islands.

The Lowisana Sugar Planters Journal of June
14, 1902, contained an article on the insect enemies of
the sugar-cane in the Hawaiian Islands observed by
Mr. R. C. L. Perkins, who made very extensive insect
collections there. It is of interest to compare the
insects found in or on the cane there with those
known in these islands.

The cane borer (Sphenophorus obscurus ) evidently
corresponds to the weevil or ladybird borer (Spheno-
phorus sericeus) of the West Indies. Equally the
small borer (Hypothenemus sp.) is equivalent to the
shot borer (XN yleborus perforans). There is no West
Indian equivalent of the longhorned beetle (Argosoma
reflecum) unless we include the Trinidad cases of palm
weevil (Calandra palmarwm), an occasional pest of
sugar-cane. The Nitidulid beetle (Haptonchus sp.)
has a relative of the same family very abundant on the
canes in Barbados and equally harmless.

Of caterpillars, the Hawaiian Islands have three ;
the two Omiodes have no real equivalent cane feeding
species in these islands, though there are several that
equally eat grasses. The third (Spodoptera mauritia )
is evidently similar to the West Indian corn worm
(Spodoptera frugiperda), which oceasionally attacks
young canes.

The four-banded fly (Huxesta annonnae) is
represented here by Huwesta stigmatias. The mole
cricket injurious in the Hawaiian Islands has not yet
been recorded as injuring cane in these islands, though
two species occur here.

The shorthorned Grasshopper (Oxrya velox) is
represented here by Schistocerca pallens. Mr. Perkins’
remarks on the increase of Hawaiian _ species,
introduced in 1892, are very interesting reading
in the light of the efforts being made to ensure
that no fresh pests will be introduced to the West
Indian Islands. The longhorned grasshopper (Xiphi-
dium fuscum) is here represented by two species of
Conocephalus, both rarely injurious to cane. Of bugs,
the Hawaiian Islands have two leaf hoppers (Fulgo-
ridae), an-aphis and a-mealy bug (Dactylopius). The
West Indies have one leat hopper (Delphax succhari-
vora, also of the Fulgoridae), an aphis and two species
of mealy bug (Dactylopius sacchari and calceoluriae ).
In all of the fifteen insects mentioned by Mr. Perkins,
there are in the West Indies representatives of twelve.
These are not only closely allied in every case, but work
in just the same manner. The West Indies have also
the moth-borer (Diatraea saccharalis) unrepresented,
by any insect in the Hawaiian Islands, and the root
borer (Diaprepes abbreviatus).

The similarity between the pests of the two
localities is very striking, the more so as in no case are
the species identical. The whole paper is of interest
to West Indian sugar planters. Mr. Perkins draws
attention to the danger of introducing such pests as
Apogonia destructor from Java, or the moth-borer
from the West Indies, ete. These remarks apply
equally to these islands, both in the case of the many
pests mentioned by Mr. Perkins as occurring in the
Hawaiian Islands and those found in Java, Australia,
etc. It is to be hoped that no new insect pests will
find their way to these colonies, the list at present
being sufficiently long.

Root Disease of Sugar-cane.
The roots of plants serve two principal functions.
The first is to anchor the plant. The roots branch
underground and become interwoven with the soil

particles and thus function as anchoring organs. The
second function of roots is to absorb from the soil
water containing mineral salts, potash, nitrates,

phosphates, ete., in solution, which serve as food for
the plant. Anything that attacks and weakens the
root system causes loss to the plant in two ways: it
loosens the plant in the soil so that it is more easily
uprooted, and secondly, it cuts off the plant's supply
of water and mineral food.

The symptoms of root disease are similar to
those caused by water and mineral starvation. The tips
and edges of the leaves dry up, and finally, many of the
leaves wither and fall off. Ifthe roots are examined
many of them will be decayed and rotten, or covered
with a white felt or fungus tissue; the young roots are
often seen to be dried up at their tips.

The most common root disease of the sugar-cane
is caused by a fungus that belongs to the same group
as the mushrooms and toad-stools, After wet weather

Vor Nowalif

THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS.

259

diseased plants and old stumps of the cane often bear
groups of the small toad-stools of this fungus (Jaras-
mius) as shown in the figure. These toad-stools are
the reproductive organs of the fungus. On them spores
(‘seeds’) are produced in immense numbers and are
blown about by the wind.

Fig. 17. A portion of the base of a shoot of a sugar-cane
attacked by root disease bearing the toad-stools of a fungus (a
species of Marasmius) which apparently causes the disease.

The fungus usually spreads from one plant to
another, underground, by means of its vegetative part
—the white felt-hke ‘mycelium’. Consequently the

first plant attacked becomes the centre of a circle of

diseased plants, a circle which rapidly increases in
diameter as fresh plants are attacked.

It is unfortunately only too easy to obtain
specimens of the ‘fruits’ or toad-stools of this fungus.
If one examines a number of old cane-stools, lying
about a field or on a heap, a number will show a
quantity of the white felt-like mycelium about the
roots, etc, or sometimes a small group of the toad-
stools. If one takes such a stump and keeps it moist
(as under a bell-jar), ina few days a number of the
toad-stools will appear, the cap will open out and,
finally, the whole thing shrivels up, the spores having
been distributed. The danger of leaving these old
stumps about, when they come from a diseased field,
instead of burning them thus becomes evident.

A short account of an attempt to apply remedial
measures to diseased canes, will be found in the

Agricultural News, Vol. I, p. 3.

COCOA-NUT OIL MEAL.

The cocoa-nut palm (Cocos nucifera) is found
throughout the tropics, and large quantities of the nuts
are exported from the West Indies, Ceylon, West Africa,
the Pacific Islands, ete. Jamaica in 1900 exported
cocoa-nuts to the value of £41,000, whilst Trinidad’s
annual output is from twelve to fourteen million nuts,
worth about £16,000. The kernel of the nut contains
a high percentage of a valuable oil, which is largely

used for cooking, illuminating, etc., and as the source of
‘nucoline’ or cocoa-nut butter utilized as a substitute
for lard and butter in cooking (see Agricultural News,
page 53).

Prof. A. H. Church, F.R.S., in his book on Food
records the following analysis of the fresh kernel of
the cocoa-nut :—

Ini W.

In 100 parts 0z. gr.

Water 46°6 ia 200

Albuminoids, ete. ... I5yt5) ORRSSD:

Oil 359 51325

Sugar, ete... 81 1h al3%0)

Cellulose 2°9 0 203

Mineral matter 10 QO 70
The nutrient ratio of this kernel is 1:16. The

fresh nut, it will be seen, contains nearly 36 per
cent. of oil, in addition to 8 per cent. of sugar and 55
per cent. of albuminoids. In the ordinary process of
manufacture the greater part of the oil is extracted and
a residue obtained known as cocoa-nut oil cake. This
substance in common with several other ‘cakes’
obtained from oily seeds such as cotton seed, linseed,
ground-nut, ete., has a high nutritive value.

The following analyses of cocoa-nut oil cake are
taken from a paper from Mr. M. E. Jappa, Report,
Agricultural Experiment Station, California, 1895-96,
page 113. As a basis of comparison the mean of three
analyses of linseed oil cake (compiled from data in the
same paper) are also reproduced.

i}

Cocoa-nut oil cake. | Linseed

oil cake.

(Mean of

Ist. 2nd, | 3 analy-
| sample. | sample. Ses. )
Moisture 12°87 14-68 O22
Pure ash 454 4:27 4°67
Crude protein... 20:06 19°16 29°55
Crude fibre oa] ESO 8°55 8:24
Nitrogen free extract...) 40°90 42°81 36°73

(Starch, sugar etc. ]

Crude fat 10:13 10°53 10:07

The author remarks : ‘cocoa-nut oil cake meal is
another much valued concentrated food, and is finding
more favour every year with the dairymen of California,
While not rating as high in flesh formers as cither
linseed or cotton seed meal, it appears im many cases
to be more relished by the animals.’

Prof. W. A. Henry in his recently published book,
Feeds and Feeding, gives a summary of an interesting
experiment made by the French War Department as
to the value of cocoa-nut meal for horses. ‘The results
proved that cocoa-nut meal was equal and even
superior to the same weight of oats.’

THE

AGRICULTURAL NEWS.

DrEcEMBER 6, 1902.

WEST

ORANGES iN THE SALE ROOM.

The following extract from Mr. W. Gill’s pamphlet
on Jumaicu Fruit in British Markets, deals with the
inspection, and sale of the fruit after it has reached its
market :-—

The fruit, which generally takes from 8 to 10 days on
the voyage from Spain, does not need to be shipped in cool
chambers but goes forward the same as any other ordinary
freight, only in this instance, a steamer will take her whole
cargo in oranges. These cargoes are invariably handled by a
broker whose business it is to receive and inspect the
shipment, classify it, and then advertise it to be put up for
sale at public auction. Except towards the close of the
season, the fruit rarely ever needs inspection, so perfect and

uniform is the condition in which it arrives. The
warehouse men can gauge the exact state of the fruit

without hardly ever having to opena box. This is due to
the systematic and regularly even packing, and the box being
composed of slats with spaces between, where the hand when
flat can be easily inserted. It is quite possible to see from
the exterior of the package the even rows of beautifully
graded fruit, with the wrapping uniform and intact, and the
whole box and its contents perfectly symmetrical. The
advantage that such a case of fruit derives in thorough
ventilation, is at apparent. After the are
warehoused they are then sorted out into consignments
corresponding to their respective shippers, each consignment
being inspected and classified according to a scale, generally
of six degrees, which splits the consignments up into various
odd lots of from one case to thirty. A carefully prepared list is
then printed and all the lots numbered thereon, together
with the shippers name, his brand and _ specifications.
These lists are distributed among the buyers who attend
the sale, and the intending purchaser can easily see at
a glance what grade or quality of fruit he is buying,
although in the majority of instances he never
the actual fruit itself until it is delivered in his own ware-
house. At some auctions, a sample case taken at random
from each lot is sent up, opened and exhibited in the pit of
the auction room, to show the general appearance ; but
invariably the buyer is guided in his bidding by the marks
list. For the benefit of those who
at any time may receive these brokers’ lists, copies of which
with prices printed thereon are invariably forwarded by
mail to the shippers and growers, after a sale is over—and
may be unable to interpret these remarks of classification,

once cases

sees

he sees on the broker’s

INDIAN ERUGE:

I give the following key :—

Class I can have 2 per cent. of rot
” IT ” ” 5 9 ” ”
” III bb) ” 10 ” ” ”
” IV ” ” 25 ” ” 2
” Vi 2” 39 50 bb] bb] ”

Some brokers use instead, the marks, ‘C, CC, XC, X?
There is also a class lower still, designated by the term
‘wasty,’ which mark attached to a case of oranges, is a sure
blow to its hopes of finding its way into any other hands but
those of the curbstone hawker or some old apple woman.

EXPORTATION OF FRUIT.

In our editorial on page 193 and elsewhere, we
have repeatedly drawn attention to the damage done
to the West Indian fruit trade by the exportation of
fruit of bad quality to foreign markets. The following
notes from the Jamaica Gleaner of November 12,
furnish additional evidence on the same point. The
statements are the result of the observations of Mr. W.
Cradwick, the Agricultural Instructor at Jamaica,
made during a recent visit to New York :—

Mr. Cradwick has just returned from New York where
he made it his business to inquire into the conditions of the
fruit market. A large quantity of fruit was coming in from
Jamaica, and he was amazed at what he saw. He secured
samples of the fruit and brought these back with him. A
more despicable assortment of tropical fruit it would be hard
to imagine. Some of itis quite unrecognizable. Grape fruit
which is not grape fruit: a shapeless thing like an orange : a
wizened piece of skin which was a poor enough lime at its
best : an object with a resemblance to a pomegranate : and
some other articles Mr. Cradwick shows.

The effect of the fruit cargoes composed largely of stuff
like this is disastrous. The fruit men from the cities who
come to look out for good fruit refuse to have anything to do
with them, and when they are sold as Jamaica fruit an order
comes back not to send Jamaica fruit in future. This is
hard on the shipper who comes along with good fruit, the
day after, and it practically amounts to one Jamaican
robbing another. Quality is the only thing the salesmen
can dispose of. Quantity, and the worst kind of it, is what
Jamaica insists on supplying.

Vor. Te. Nos el

THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS.

261

We understand that Mr. Cradwick’s samples will be
shown at the Legislative Council to-day. They form the
best argument for the Government measure of protection
that could be furnished.

CULTIVATION OF BANANAS.
TREATMENT AFTER PLANTING,

In previous issues (pp. 228 and 224) we have

iven extracts from Hon'ble W. Faweett’s paper on

©The Banana Industry of Jamaica’ dealing with

clearing the ground and planting suckers. We

reproduce below his remarks on the eare of the plants
after they have been planted :—

VALUE OF PLOUGHING.

Various opinions are held by banana planters about
ploughing. Some who have planted in light, loamy soils
have beén reaping excellent crops for some years without any
ploughing. Others, with heavy soil, plough every eight weeks
with a 6-inch plough, alternately one way and across. Others
again plough only once a year,

A friend who is establishing a cacao walk with
bananas before planting, ploughs, cross-ploughs, harrows and
when necessary, trenches, afterwards he ploughs with a small
plough (with moon-coulter attached) three to six times a
year. On banana lines, where a plough cannot work, he
forks occasionally and hoes frequently. He says that the
plough is far more effectual in breaking up the soil than any
other implement he has tried, and it keeps the land clean
much longer. The plough works from 4 to 6 inches deep,
and the cultivator 2 to 3 inches. Another planter forks once
a year, and uses the cultivator to keep the weeds down. When
the grass is too high for the cultivator he uses hoes, and only
substitutes the plough for the hoe or cultivator when labour
is scarce. Both plough and cultivator are kept to 2 inches
in depth in orcer to avoid destroying roots.

ROOT PRUNING.

Keeping down weeds, maintaining a surface mulch, and
loosening the soil, are all important matters in the cultivation
of bananas as of other plants, and Iam of opinion that a
judicious pruning of the roots by the plough is also of great
value, for as the roots do not naturally branch but grow
straight out to great distances, pruning the roots induces
branching at the several ends, and a further production of
roots from the bulb.

A planter for whose judgement I have the greatest respect
writes as follows:— ‘Ido not think that ploughing close
to the banana and cutting through the roots does any harm.
On the contrary, | am certain it does good—principally I
think, because the cutting gives fresh impetus to the roots,
and this activity increases the growth of the plant. Take,
say, potatos or turnips, which ave usually grown in drills 27
inches wide : so long as a horse hoe can work in these rows it
is good cultivation to keep working, even to the damage of
some of the leaves. Every time it is put through all the
roots crossing the drills must be cut, yet you see the greatest
improvement in the growth of these plants.’

EXPERIMENT AT THE HOPE GARDENS.

The following experiment, made at a banana plot in
Hope Gardens, throws light on the subject of the formation
of new roots induced by cutting them back. In planting the
plot holes 3 feet wide and 2 feet deep were dug, the soil was
returned to the holes and the suckers planted therein. The
surrounding soil was ploughed and cross-ploughed after the
plants began to grow. ‘he soil is deep, rich, black, and
rather heavy.

On November 19, a trench one foot wide and 2! feet
deep was dug half-way round a one-year old banana stcol at a
distance of 3 teet from the stem that was about to fruit, and
the soil returned. In doing this the thick fleshy roots, some
of them 5 feet to 6 feet long, were severed. | No roots were
found below 6 inches from the surface. Ten days later the
soil between the first trench and 8 inches from the stem was
removed, to the depth of 2 fve5 6 inches and returned, cutting
off all the roots with the spade to within 8 inches of the
stem. It was noticed when doing this that the roots that
were cut off at 3 feet from the stem had thrown ont numerous
fibrous roots down their entire length.

A month later, on December 30, the soil was opened up
from 3 feet inwards. New roots were seen to have grown
out 3 feet from the stem down to a depth of 2 feet from the
surface. These roots were carefully followed back to the
stem: some proved to be new roots direct from the stem,
whilst others had grown out from around the cut ends of the
original roots, one root giving rise to five or six vigorous
feeders.

Some of the cut roots did not grow at all but remained
just as they were, except that they died back some 2 or 3
inches; this was more noticeable near the surface where they
would come under the influence of dry weather. Some deeper
ones had, however, rotted back a few inches, due perhaps to
the ragged cut by the spade, or the root itself being injured
at its junction with the stem with the pull of the cut.

The roots on the undisturbed side of the plant simply
lengthened out a little and remained near the surface,
5 inches being the lowest depth at which roots were found.

The plant did not seem to have suffered any ill effects
from the disturbance of its roots on one side.

LATE PLOUGHING NCT ADVISABLE.

In my opinion ploughing so as to cut the roots close to
the stem, should not be allowed when it is possible that the
embryo bunch is being fornied, as the stored food-material
would be used to form new roots instead of being utilized in
the bunch. How this loss of food-material affects the bunch
we do not know—whether it delays the shooting, or affects
the size of the bunch or the fingers. This subject of the us2
of the plough was discussed at the Banana Conference in
Jamaica, and as a result some planters do not now plough
except after the main crop for the American market is
reaped, and not later than November

Where ploughing is not the practice, the fork is used to
great advantage when the young suckers are two months
old.

Where the rains are constant, and the soil heavy, the
cutlass is the best tool in weeding. The hoe and the assam
fork and the cultivator are tools used under different condi-
tions. The disc-harrow is an admirable instrument, and
should be in constant use so long as the soil is sufficiently
dry. If the ordinary plough forms a pan, a subsoil plough is
used occasionally to secure good: drainage.

Lectures to Teachers at Barbados.

The first of the lectures to the teachers at the St.
Thomas centre, Barbados, on the manner and method of
teaching agricultural science in Elementary Schools was
delivered at Clifton Hill on Saturday, November 15, by
Dr. Longfield Smith. Twenty-nine teachers attended.

The lecture was illustrated by numerous — simple
experiments, and at the close cyclostyle notes containing a
summary of the lecture and a list of experiments were
distributed to each teacher.

to
a
to

THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS.

DecemBer 6, 1902.

EDITORIAL NOTICES.

Letters and matter for publication, as well as all
specimens for naming should be addressed to the Commis-
sioner, Imperial Department of Agriculture,
Barbados.

It is particularly requested that no letters be addressed
to any member of the statf by name Such a course may
entail delay.

Communications should always be written on one side
of the paper only. It should be understood that no contri-
butions or specimens will, in any case, be returned.

All application for copies of the ‘Agricultural
News’ should be addressed to the Agents, and
not to the Department. A complete list of the London
and Local agents will be found on page 272 of this
number,

Correspondents sending newspapers should be careful to
mark the paragraphs they wish to bring under notice.

Agricultu ‘al dlews

Vor. I. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 6, 1902. No. 17.

NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Requests for Information.

On November 10, a correspondent in Trinidad
wrote asking to be supplied, ‘either directly, or
through the columns of the Agricultural News, with
an analysis of cocoa-nut meal.’ In response to his
request the notes on page 259 of this number have
been published. The Department is prepared to supply
whenever possible, information on agricultural questions,
and the columns of the Agricultural News afford a
ready means of giving a wide publicity to facts of
interest throughout the West Indies. We trust other
readers will avail themselves of this method of obtain-
ing help on any matters, in which it may le within
the power of this Department to assist them,

School Gardens.

In our last issue we drew attention to the
promising condition of one School Garden in St. Lucia,

recently started and carried on by the energy of

manager, teacher and scholars. At Trinidad the move-
ment was taken up earlier, and it is gratifying to find

that there are now 149 school gardens in the Colony, of

which no less than 78 were of sufficient merit to obtain
the Government Bonus at the last examination. Some

of the faults in the gardens and the best methods of

remedying them are dealt with on page 269,

Pests on Lime Trees at Dominica.

The scale insects which did so much harm to lime
cultivation in Montserrat some years ago, though
present in Dominica, do not yet seriously atfect the
trees, and they may never do so as the climatic condi-
tions appear adverse to their rapid increase. While
this is a subject for congratulation, it must not be
assumed that the lime trees in Dominica are free from
pests inimical to plant life. The climatic conditions
which tend to keep in check scale insects specially
favour fungoid growths, and it is from this quarter that
the lime cultivation in Dominica is already suffering.
If measures are not taken to combat their attacks, the
matter will probably become very serious to planters
in a few years.

In the majority of cases these fungoid attacks are
due to carelessness in pruning, and in omitting to apply
covering such as coal tar to the fresh wounds. In
many instances in pruning the trees, no attempt 1s
made to cut or saw off branches close to the main stem,
but usually about a foot of stem is left. This dies, and
is at once attacked by a fungus, which establishes itself,
spreads to the living tissues and slowly, but surely,
kills the tree. :

Planters often do not realize the real cause of the
ill health of their trees, because the ill effeets which
follow bad pruning are not visible to the eye for some
long time after the fungus has gained an entry.
Planters would do well to look carefully into this
matter, and adopt remedial measures to plants now
suffering. They should prune more carefully in future,
and regularly apply some covering to all wounds and
cuts on the trees. For a fuller discussion on this

question see the pamphlet General Treatment of

Fungoid Pests, recently issued by this Department.
g ) A ]

Creosoted Timber in the West Indies.

In those tropical countries where hard wood is
unobtainable, the use of ereosoted timber is to be com-
mended. A good illustration of its value is to be seen
in the case of the telephone system in Antigua. Here
ordinary pitch pine was formerly used for posts, when
it was found necessary to renew the lines about every
three years.

Creosoted pitch pine posts were tried and some
have now been in use for five years, and are still
perfectly good and appear safe for some years to come.
Although costing more in the first instance, there
is considerable economy in the long run.

The importation of creosoted pitch pine in the
ordinary course of business is to be desired, it would
then find extensive application in building, for floor
joists, sills and similar work, as well as work exposed to
the weather, such as fencing.

A brief review of a recent publication dealing with
the general question of the decay of timber is given on
page 61 of this Journal,

Mors la Nomalii:

THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS.

263

The Introduction of New Vegetables.

An interesting instance of the difficulties experl-
enced in attempting to introduce a new vegetable into
any locality is given by Mr. P. MacOwan, Government
Botanist at the Cape of Good Hope. He received
a dozen fruits of the Christophine or Cho-cho, and in
the hope of bringing this excellent vegetable to general
notice at the Cape distributed them throughout the
Colony. One grower was very successful and soon had
a crop of ninety fruits. Efforts were made to bring
them prominently to notice but without much success.
Mr. MacOwan continues :—

‘Two or three other amateur gardeners now have
the plant, but it is disappointing to find that it has not
been taken by the purveyors of our vegetable market,
and is only known to a few people as a euriosity. I
dare say if we had on record the primeval history of
the cabbage or of the turnip, we should find that the
man who first grew and ate the esculent novelties was
similarly disappointed when he pressed them upon
the attention of his prehistoric neighbours. They no
doubt, asked why we should venture to eat such new

fangled stuff, when there was such an abundance of

acorns to be had—a food which had stood the test of
centuries, and had been eaten by their forefathers
from time immemorial.’

SS

Exportation of Fruit.

The article on ‘ Packing Oranges’ on page 244 of
our last issue and that on ‘ Oranges in the Sale Room’
on page 260 of this number give a good idea of the
careful methods adopted by the Valencia orange ship-
pers, and the excellent results achieved. The high
standard attained by the Valencia exporters is well
indicated by the description given of the orange boxes,
containing their ‘even rows of beautifully graded
fruit, with the wrapping uniform and intact, and the
whole box and its contents perfectly symmetrical.’
Moreover it is reported that ‘except towards the close
of the season, the fruit rarely ever needs inspection, so
perfect and uniform is the condition in which it arrives.’

With this pleasing picture before us, it is distress-
ing to read of the condition in which some, at any rate
of the Jamaica fruit reaches New York (see page 260).

Until this evil is remedied it is impossible for
West Indian fruit to secure the confidence of buyers in
foreign markets, and until this confidence is obtained,
the West Indian export fruit trade cannot hope to
succeed.

Sugar-cane Pests at Hawaii.

The notes on page 258 show that the sugar
planter in Hawaii is troubled by pests very similar
to those affecting the canes in the West Indies. The
Hawaiian planter is fortunate in not having to cope
with the moth-borer, although as we showed on
page 115, this formidable pest was nearly introduced
recently in a barrel of plants from British Guiana,

A Cane Loader.

A mechanica! device capable of performing this
portion of reaping a cane crop has long beena desidera-
tum. The Louisiana Planter reports that a machine,
adapted to this end, is now in active operation on many
plantations in Louisiana. At one trial twenty-two cars
were loaded in two hours fifty-five minutes, the loads
varying between 2,400 and 3,000 tb. each.

Broom Corn.

Large quantities of brushes, brooms, ete., made of
broom corn are annually imported into the various
West Indian islands. If the plant producing the
brooms could be grown locally, a considerable industry
might in time be developed and the money now sent
out of the country for these articles be retained, with
corresponding advantage to local agriculturists.

The broom corn is a close relative of the ordinary
Sorghum or Guinea corn which does so well here, and
there seemed no reason why it should not thrive in the
West Indies. To test this point a small plot was
grown last year at the Botanic Station, Antigua, with
very successful results. The arrows were dried, cured
and made up into small brushes, which were exhibited
at the Agricultural Exhibition in February.

We have recently seen a small patch of broom
corn in Barbados, in excellent condition.

There would appear to be no reason why this plant
should not be more extensively grown and the produce
made into brooms, ete., for local sale and use.

Malaria and Mosquitos in the Campagna.

The Diplomatic and Consular Report No. 2896,
on the Trade of Rome and District tor 1901 contains
some interesting notes relative to the success of the
efforts made to cope with malaria in the Campagna.
‘Government and the public have been of late most
strenuously grappling with the malady that infested
the district for so many centuries, playing great havoc
with the inhabitants. The majority of the cottages
are now provided with wire nets so as to prevent the
intrusion of mosquitos.’

From the subjoined table, which gives the per-
centage of fever-stricken in the Campagna at various
periods since 1888, the reader will perceive the great
improvement achieved, especially since 1897, when the
mosquito theory was advanced :—

Year. Number of Percentage of
inhabitants. fever-stricken.
1888 7,898 21:46
1891 8,074 16°76
1894 7,996 20:00
1897 9,209 6°54
1900 12,276 373

THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS.

DECEMBER 6, 1902.”

INSECT NOTES.

Screw worm in Cattle.

Mr. C. W.
screw worm in cattle to the Proceedings of the Trini-
dad Agricultural Society for June 1902, his paper
being reprinted from the Field Naturalists Journal

Meaden contributes information on

of 1893. The life history observations are practically
identical with those already published in the Depart-
mental pamphlet No. 14, Serew worm in Cattle at
St. Lucia (see also Agricultural News, Vol. 1, pp. 8 and
73). Mr. Meaden is not able to state where the fly breeds
in the usual way, outside the cattle. There can be no
doubt that this infestation of living animals is abnor-
mal and that the fly breeds as a rule in some decaying
animal matter. Any reduction in this breeding
material would lead the fly to seek for other food for
its young, and this probably explains its attack on
cattle.

Mr. Meaden’s paper contains a remedy that may
prove useful in St. Lucia and elsewhere. He states
that ‘Capuchin powder’ (prepared from the dried seed
of Schaenocaulon officinale) when put into a wound
full of maggots, either drives them out or kills them.
Equally efficacious is a plant called the ‘Madar’ or
‘Redeye, found growing in Trinidad pastures, of which
the pounded leaves and flowers are used to dress the
wound, ‘These suggestions are worth the attention of
stock owners in St. Lucia, who should try these two
plants as substitutes for carbolyzed oil or Jeyes’ fluid.

A New Insecticide.
CRUDE OIL AND SOAP.

In a previous issue of the Agricultural News
(p. 216), mention was made of an emulsion of crude
native petroleum used in Barbados for spraying young
corn, The definite proportions of this mixture have
now been settled and the compound may be made as
follows:—

Place ten pounds (10 Ib.) of whale oil soap ina metal
vessel (such as a kerosene tin) and heat slowly until
the soap melts. In a separate vessel dissolve 4 oz.
napthalene (powdered) in 5} pints of crude petroleum.
Add this to the boiling soap, and stix thoroughly till
both are well mixed. On cooling a solid mass is
produced, which readily lathers in water and can be
used at the rate of 1 Tb. to 3 Th. per 10 gallons of water.
The compound contains a large proportion of crude
petroleum rendering it a valuable insecticide for scale
insects, plant lice, white blight, and also for such pests
as corn fly. Moreover, it is very effective against ticks
and other vermin on cattle, horses, dogs, ete., if used
simply asa soap. ‘he emulsion being solid is easily

handled and will keep indefinitely. It needs only to
be rubbed up in cold water to be ready for use.

The mixture is evidently only a soap containing a
large proportion of crude petroleum and a small amount
of napthalene, and is likely to prove a valuable insecti-
cide. <A fuller account of the mixture will appear in
the West Indian Bulletin shortly. Soft soap may be
substituted for whale oil soap, but in this case, the
above proportions will need to be varied. If a soap
containing much water is used, a larger quantity must
be taken proportionately, and the excess of water boiled
off. The above proportions can only be adhered to if
the soap is very dry and semi-liquid whale oil soap
will need to be boiled down before the oil is added.

ARBOR DAY IN ANTIGUA.

We mentioned in a previous number of this Journal
(p. 123) that the Agricultural Society of Antigua had agreed
that, for this year at least, November 9, the King’s birthday,
should be observed as an Arbor Day throughout the island.
We find by the Antigua Standard of November 15, last, that
day was observed as a Bank holiday and the function came
off most successfully. ‘By 9 o'clock,’ says the Standard, ‘the
school children from all parts of the island were mustered in
and about the Victoria Park ; the boys of the Antigua
Grammar School as also the students and scholars of the
Buxton Grove Theological College and secondary school, with
their respective principals were also present and took part in
the proceedings. Altogether they numbered hardly less than
3,000, while the spectators may fairly be estimated at 5,000.
It was a big turn out to witness the inauguration of “Arbor
Day” in Antigua, as a custom to be observed annually in
future.

‘As the result of the day’s function, there were planted—

‘\ group of sixteen Palm trees in the triangular space,
at the top of High Street and east of East Street, approxi-
mately centred by the Governor's tree.

‘A circle of Palm trees around the Band Stand.

‘A clump of White-woods [Bucida Buceras] in the
Park.

‘An avenue of seventy-one Mahogany trees along the
main road in the Park.

‘It is proposed that on next Arbor Day there shall be
local celebrations in every parish in the island, when it is to
be expected that the grounds surrounding Churches and
schools, and other public places will be beautified. These
country celebrations also offer better facilities than that in
the Victoria Park for the planting of fruit trees in suitable
places, as well as trees for ornament. We hope the country
schoolmasters will co-operate to the best of their ability in
this matter.

‘Trees are needed absolutely in the country districts,
where the shortsighted planter is satisfied to sacrifice his
crop rather than appropriate land to anything but cane.’

It is gratifying to note that the people of Antigua
have resolved to make Arbor Day an annual function, and it
is hoped that other colonies will follow their example in this
respect. We might add that all the trees planted at Antigua
on this oceasion were supplied from the Botanic Station
there, and personal assistance was given by the Curator,
Mr. W. N. Sands, to the Arbor Day Committee in carrying
out the arrangements.

Vou: I... No. 17. THE

AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 265

BEE-KEEPING.

Uses of Honey.

As it appears that little use is made of honey, other
than for actual consumption, in the West Indies, it may be
of interest to refer to the matter here.

Honey possesses many valuable qualities and the presence
of formic acid renders it capable of being kept for years.
There are many economic uses of honey apart from its value
in embalming bodies as practised on the bodies of illustrious
men as far back as the tine of Alexander the Great.

For many years past honey has been used in all parts
of the world in the manufacture of certain drugs and syrups
sold by chemists; also in the manufacture of sweetmeats,
cakes, ete., and has from the remotest times been considered
a wholesome and nourishing food. It has been repeatedly
shown that cakes made with honey will keep fresh for many

months. For medicinal purposes honey cannot be too
strongly recommended. Whilst for children and elderly

people honey is unequalled. All foods must undergo a
process of digestion by which the foodstuffs are dissolv ed and
rendered capable of being made use of by various parts of
the body. Honey requires very little, if any, digestion, and
is therefore ready for immediate assimilation or absorption.
Honey is especially recommended in cases of dyspepsia,
rheumatism, asthma, hoarseness and all affections of the
chest. As a gentle laxative no better medicine can be taken.

To emphasise these facts the following remarks may be
useful :—

“T consider honey, as a food, second to none, on account
of its great solubility in the blood, its power of providing for
the heating of the body, and the maintenance of life. I
strongly recommend it as food for children, especially for
those who are growing quickly, since it provides an easily
digested food, “and changes their pale faces and languid
condition to rude health. It is also useful to the aged, from
its heat-giving properties. Do you wish to enjoy a green
old age? Eat daily the most precious food of the ancients —
milk and honey. Break some bread in a cup, with milk and
pure honey. This is the most healthy, the most nourishing,
and the most relishing breakfast.’

Bee-Ke2ping in Jamaica.

The above is the title of a short paper in the
Bee-keeper’'s Record for November, by Mr. W. Craw-
shaw. It contains many interesting facts worth
recording. He says :—

There is no doubt, that many spots in this island are
El Dorados for the experienced bee-keeper, but I would
remind fecord readers that the produce of this Colony is all
extracted Boney and that we think ourselves fortunate when
we clear 2s. a gallon. Imagine an apiary of 400 hives
placed on blocks near the ground, and shaded gently and
intermittently by the waving plumes of the majestic cocoa-
nut palm, surrounded by a vast extent of cultivated land,
growing bananas, cocoa-nut and logwood, with occasional

tamarind and orange sprinkled between. Bananas keep the
bees at it practically all the year round with pollen, but
unfortunately, although they produce abundance of nectar,
they possess a long nectary which is a trial of Tantalus to
the eager Apis melifica. The cocoanut gives pollen and a
fine honey all the year round in small quantities.

But the logwood! For three months in the year the
bees—provided they are in proper working order—stream
in in clouds almost darkening the air, laden with the finest
amber-coloured honey. Last year a hive gave me 37}
gallons of pure logwood honey, and the same queen was
presented to me by a gentleman who stated that she had
given him close on two barrels of honey, or 50 gallons,
the year previous.

I mentioned just now that the blossom of the banana
has a deep ovary. A great deal has been written lately in
America about breeding long-tongued queens, so as to reach
the nectar in red clover. With careful work I believe the
change might be effected; but would it not be infinitely
easier, and answer the same end, to shorten the nectary of
the clover blossom? TI understand that practically anything
can be done in the way of changing the form of flowers by
careful selection and crossfertilization, and surely a red
clover might be produced which would make itself a little
more sociable to the bees.

If any bee-keepers should think of coming to Jamaica to
carry on their business, let me give them the following useful
hints :—

1) There is plenty of room. (2) They will require
£300 capital to establish an apiary of 300 hives with good
materials. (3) They must take time and look round
carefully before selecting a locality.

On the other hand, an apiary intelligently worked
should bring in £1 per colony per year. I have already
averaged 84 gallons for an apiary of ninety hives, and this in
a locality that I consider far from the best. Any one
therefore who is prepared to put up with a change of
surroundings and the curtailment of a few comforts, may
derive a very fair income from an apiary in Jamaica.

VELVET SEEDS.
(Quiina jam«aicensis ).

One of the most beautiful and interesting seeds of
Jamaica is that known as velvet seed, found in the
mountains of St. Ann’s. This tree, or rather shrub,
belongs to the natural order Guttiferae, and is con-

sequently allied to the hog-guin and the Santa Maria,
as also to the celebrated mangosteen of the East Indies:

It is to be remarked hati in the case of the velvet
seed, the edible pulp usually attached to this portion of
the fruit (and which in the mangosteen gives to it its
great value) is converted into a soft, velvety tomentunm:
& rich chestnut colour, but so bright and silky as to
render the seeds objects of great beauty.

It is to be regretted that these seeds are so rare
and difficult. to procure in large quantities, as otherwise
they would undoubtedly form an important article of
commerce. It may be added that the velvet seed tree
is to be distinguished from a plant common in the
plains and used for ornamental purposes, known as
velvet leaf (Sida cordifolia), as also from pareira-brava,
sometimes known as_ velvet leaf (Ci ssumpelos
Parcia), a medicinal plant of some value,

THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS.

DecemMBer 6, 1902.

POULTRY.

re

The following is a continuation of Mr. Barclay’s
notes on the cause and treatment of diseases of common
occurrence among poultry. Here he gives practical
suggestions for tHe treatment of Roup. His notes on
the cause and treatment of Yaws will appear in the
next issue :-—

ROUP.
The greatest trouble, I think, especially in moist
climates, is roup, which term covers several different kinds
of colds. In bad cases, all the forms may be present at

ence. The first symptoms are a slight watering in the eyes,
and the skin above the eyes looks blue. Then there will
also be watery stuff running from the nostrils, and the
mouth of the chicken will have a foul smell. Later, if left
unattended, the eyes become filled with sticky, yellow
matter, and close up altogether. If still neglected, the
yellow matter becomes hard, covers the whole of the eye-
ball, and if left alone it will work outwards and the fowl
will ultimately scratch the lump of hard matter out, when
the eye will also be found to be gone, that is, if the fowl
does not die before it reaches this stage. In the very worst
eases the mouth becomes filled with a yellow growth which
has a very foul smell. This form of cold is called canker,

and is very contagious, and when the growth extends oan
the throat, it is diphtheric roup, the worst of all. In such
cases the fowl should be killed at once and either burned or
buried at the root of some tree, covered with lime, and stones
piled on the top, to prevent dogs scratching the body out.

TREATMENT.

If taken in hand at once, it is seldom that simple roup
cannot be checked; but as it is usually left until the eye
becomes closed, it then causes a good deal of trouble to cure.
Whenever a hen or chicken appears with watery matter in
its eyes, ten drops of Jeyes’ fluid or other
disinfectant, or if nothing of the kind is at hand, a teaspoon-
ful of kerosene or even lime juice and a litttle sweet oil
should be added to half a pint of water, well stirred, and
the eyes washed out in the morning. If done in the evening
and the birds are left to go to roost with wet eyes, the cold
will probably be worse in the morning. It is important to
note this, as many people work away in the evening, trying
to cure their chickens, and when later the cold breeze blows
upon their wet eyes, the trouble is aggravated. When the
watery matter is seen about the nostrils of the bird, they
should also be gently washed, and the mouth should be clean-
cd out daily. To clean the eyes and nostrils, a small piece
of rag should be taken, dipped in the mixture mentioned,
the surplus water squeezed out, and the eyes cleaned first ;
then the nostrils, and the mouth can be cleaned with the
little finger or another piece of rag rolled up like a quill, or
a feather. The rag should afterward be burned. When the
hard yellow matter has already gathered in the eyes of the
hird, a little piece of pointed stick, not too sharp, should be

oe 4 re
some good

taken, the top eyelid of the fowl turned far back, the red
skin then noticeable down over the eyes should be lifted
by the stick, the latter is worked round, and the hard matter
hooked out. This is a delicate operation but may generally
be done safely, without injuring the eye. In canker or
diphtherie roup where the mouth and throat becomes filled
with a cheesy gathering, the bird should at once be killed
as already mentioned. There is nothing gained by trying to
cure such birds, and the risk of infection is great. In all
cases of cold in the eyes, tincture of iodine, to be got from
all chemists in a small phial, cost three-pence, which will
last for a long time, should be painted round the eyes of the
birds, with a sinall camel hair brush, taking great care that
the stuff does not get into the eyes. The iodine draws out
the inflamation
CAUSE OF DISEASE.

Roup is caused by a chill, and through the bird sleeping
on damp ground or wet roosts. They are predisposed to
roup and all troubles by running and feeding on stale
ground as described under ‘ cholera,’—or by being shut up
in a bad-smelling house. Cleanliness and comfort will keep
them clear of roup.

BRONCHITIS.

3irds otherwise well kept, but which have been subjected
to a sudden change, such as exposure to sudden heavy rain
after a long, dry, hot spell, suddenly develop a rattling or
wheezing noise in the throat. This is bronchitis, and it is
most difticult to get rid of, while if happily you manage to
cure it, it still recurs very readily.

HOW TO CURE.

To cure, stop feeding corn ; feed ground peas and dry
rice for hard food ; give a dose of Epsom salts once a week ;
put a drop or two of sulphate of iron in the drinking water
(a couple of rusty nails will do), and paint the bird’s throat
persistently with tincture of iodine twice a day.

A good pill to give is made thus: — Take a piece of tallow
candle (must be tallow), work some Epsom salts and a little
ginger or pepper into it, and give to the birds. This is
wonderfully effective.

A GENERAL REMEDY.

For all forms of roup, but bronchitis especially, and
also for gapes, the following plan will cure when cure is
possib le at all, but it necessitates care and judgement when
putting into effect, so that the fowls may not be suffocated.

Take Stockholm tar, eucalyptus oil, or turpentine,
(either is good) and put into a little tin dish ; have your fowl
in a closed box, puta red-hot iron in the tar and allow the
fumes to fill the box. The fowl should be lifted out for a
breath after half a minute, and put back again for small
intervals. Where many fowls are thus ailing they can be put
in a closed house and thus subjected to the fumes of tar, or
turpentine.

Raising Chickens at Grenada.

The Rev. G. W. Branch of Good Hope Estate, Grenada
is at present conducting an interesting experiment in raising
chickens by the aid of an incubator. So far he has been suc-
cessful in rearing several hundred chickens. Mr. Branch finds
that a mixture of cracked corn, ground bones and fresh meat
forms an excellent diet. His method of supplying meat,

in an economical manner, is very ingenious. A flock of
Guinea pigs, kept in a hurdle-pen, is every day drawn

upon to supply fresh meat at the rate of 2 oz. to every dozen
chickeas.

Wor Ia No... li.

THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS.

267

{OTES ard

S55

WEST INDIA : Jno. N. Lighthourn’s Sons, New York
<: London. 10 ceats Bimonthly. Annual subscription
70 cents, post free.

The second number of this attractively produced
magazine is well up to the standard set in the first issue.
The contents are sufficiently varied to appeal to a large
cirele of readers, comprising agricultural topics, the British
Guiana Indians, the King’s coronation, negro philosophy, ete.

Tn an article on the banana flour industry of Jamaica,
Mr. F. C. Sharp disposes of the belief as to the enormous
amount of food produced per acre by the banana, and shows
it to be much less than yams, sweet potatos, tannias or
maize.

Other papers of agricultural interest are those on ‘The
sisal cleaning company,’ ‘Cane Farming in Trinidad,’ ‘Cotton
growing in the West Indies,’ ‘Sweet potatos,’ ‘ Limes,’ ete.

The journal is well printed and well illustrated, and we
trust it may have a long and prosperous career.

MOSQUITO BRIGADES AND HOW TO ORGAN-
TZE THEM. By Ronald Ross, F.R.S, ete. London,
G. Phillip and Son, 32, Fleet Street, B.C. Price 3s.

This little hand-book is the practical outcome of the
work conducted by Major Ross and many others with
mosquitos, from the point of view of disease transmission.
Everyone is now familiar with the views of modern science
of the relation of the mosquito to malaria in human beings,
though all do not yet believe it to be true. Few will be
aware that the destruction of mosquitos, and thus the
reduction of malaria has been reduced to a practical everyday
matter, requiring no special skill but merely energy and
common sense. To show this is the object of Major Ross’
book, which deals very simply and practically with all that
concerns mosquitos and their eradication.

The author devotes the first six chapters to the habits
of mosquitos, their breeding places and other important
points. The next nine treat of the practical steps, —methods
of raising funds and organizing gangs, interesting house-
holders and others in the work, and, generally, of carrying
on a campaign against mosquitos. A short summary,
followed by cautions and comparisons, and some very
pungent remarks on sanitary and municipal authorities,
closes the book proper. The appendix, forming nearly
half of the volume, contains reports of the various mosquito
campaigns in different parts of the world.

The book is practical, sensible and well written. There
is a common sense tone about it which may appeal more to
those who doubt than would a set scientific treatise.
Medical men may find useful information in these pages and
we would commend it to the attention of those who act on
sanitary boards, vestries, ete., or who endeavour to sway
public feeling through the press. There is no reason why
such mosquito campaigns should not be organized in all West

Indian towns, to the great improvement both of publie
health and comfort, and such work should not be hard if
Major Ross’ experience were made use of.

THE NATURAL HISTORY OF PLANTS.

We have received from Messrs. Blackie & Sons, Parts
3 and 4 of their reissue of Professor Kerner’s delightful
work, a general review of which was given on page 203 of
this Journal. These two numbers are mainly devoted to
the work of leaves. The clever devices of many plants to
protect their young and delicate leaves from the sun and
wind are well described. Other interesting chapters show
how plants arrange their leaves so as to be in the best
position for carrying on their functions, and the various
methods by which plants protect themselves from attacks of
animals. The work can be confidently recommended to all
who take an interest in plants, and they will never regret
their purchase. The book will be complete in sixteen
monthly parts at 1s. 6d. each.

BIBLIOGRAPHTA. JAMAICENSIS. By ¥. Frank
Cundall, F.S.A. Vhe Institute of Jamaica, Kingston.

This pamphlet of eighty-three pages, contains, as its sub-
title states, ‘a list of Jamaica books and pamphlets, magazine
articles, newspapers and maps most of which are in the
library of the Institute of Jamaica.’ The contents are
divided into groups. The enumeration of a few of these will
show the scope of the volume:—‘General Aspects of Jamaica
‘History’, ‘Natural History’, ‘Law and Politics,’ ‘Sociology,’
‘Folklore,’ ‘Education,’ ete. To render the book more
generally useful a number of cross references are given.

The list has been restricted to books or articles dealing
solely with Jamaica, and contains 1,109 references inall. It
should prove of great assistance to all interested in the past
and present condition of the Colony.

DEPARTMENT NEWS.

Mr. G. Whitfield Smith, the Travelling Superm-
tendent of the Imperial Department of Agriculture,
returned to Barbados by the s.s. Orinoco from Trinidad
and St. Vincent on November 30. He had been absent
from the Head Office since October 2, and as previously
arranged had visited the Virgin Islands, Montserrat,
Dominica, St. Lucia, Grenadaand St. Vincent. In the
Virgin Islands and Montserrat Mr. Smith delivered
courses of lectures to the teachers of elementary schools,
and in addition inspected the Botanic Stations and
Agricultural Schools of the Department at each of the
islands visited.

Mr. A. H. Kirby, B.A., of St. John’s College,
Cambridge, Natural Science Honours, formerly Science
Master at King Edward VI School, Nuneaton, and at
present Science Master at Wellington County School,
has been selected for the post of Agricultural and
Science Master at the Antigua Grammar School in
connexion with the Imperial Department of Agricul-
ture.

268

THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS.

DercemBer 6, 1902.

GLEANINGS.

As indicative of the extent to which the cultivation of
rice in Demerara has affected the importation of the article,
it is interesting to note that in 1895 48,348,068 Ib. were
imported. Since then there has been a steady decrease,
the imports for 1901-02 amounting to only 15,213,503 Ib,

Hard fully ripe cocoanuts are imported from Trinidad
into St. Kitt’s, where in addition to being used for pastry
they are placed in cellars until well sprouted, when they
are sold for parlour decorations at 8d. to 1s. apiece.

It is reported from Montserrat that some canes of the
variety B. 147, which had been allowed to ‘stand over’ from
last season at Gages estate, grew to an abnormal length.
One of these, dressed ready for the mill, measured 18 feet,
and contained fifty-six joints, the longest joint measuring
7 inches. The plot was planted in May 1900 and reaped in
Noyember 1902.

Tf a cocoanut were planted in the ground in an upright
position, its growth would be retarded because although the
roots foree a passage between the husk and the shell,
coming out at a point of the shell which has been eut off to
allow them exit, yet the hard shell would remain immediately
under the stem until the former had decayed. Whereas if
the nut is planted in the natural position in which it falls,
namely, on the side, the roots come out, from the first, clear
of the husk and shell.

An Association of the teachers in the Primary Schools
has been recently formed at Montserrat. Monthly meetings
are held for the discussion of educational topies.

Sponge fishing is an important industry at the Bahamas,
and affords employment to between 6,000 and 7,000 persons.
During the fifteen months ended in March of this year, over
one million pounds weight of sponges were exported, of the
value of £91,500. Nearly ninety per cent. of the sponges
go to the United States, and the remainder to Great Britain.

The recent rains have slightly checked the picking of the
cacao crop in Trinidad, but at the same time they have been
very beneficial to the sugar crop.

The Trinidad Mirror reports that a want of labour has
been felt by the sugar planters, as most of the unindentured
labourers have been very busy in the rice fields. A consider-
able amount of rice is now grown in the Colony, and at this
season largely takes up the time of the free coolies,

The area of Jand under cane cultivation in British Guiana
has increased from 67,884 acres in 1900-01, to 72,148 in
1901-02. The increase in the cultivation has been general
on all the estates in the colony, one plantation, ‘Skeldon,’ in
3erbice leading with 703 acres more in canes than at the
same period last year.

Letter wood or Leopard wood is well known as one of
the ornamental woods of the West Indies. Snake wood is
another trade name. It is employed for small turnery,
walking sticks, cabinet inlaying, ete., and prized on account
of its curious markings.

The Gomea of St. Vincent ( Bursera gunmifera) known
in Jamaica as the Birch, forms good ‘live’ telegraph posts.
In Antigua it is known as the Turpentine tree and used
in asimilar way. The timber is employed for coopering,
boat building, ete.

It may not be generally known that sugar is employed
in the manufacture of transparent soaps. The Louisiana
Planter states that 150 tb of sugar are necessary for 1,000 Ib
of soap.

A specimen of the aloe cultivated at Barbados has been
determined at the Royal Gardens, Kew, as Aloe vera, a
native-of the Mediterranean region of Europe, and probably
introduced to the West Indies in very early times.

During the current year 387,576 Ib of balata, yielding
a royalty of $7,770.27 were exported from British Guiana.
This industry is in a fairly prosperous condition at present,
good prices having been obtained for the product.

The revenue from the British Guiana gold industry for
the year 1901-02 exceeded that received in 1900-01 by
$400.77, the royalty on gold produced being $70,932.54 as
against $79,871.46 for last year.

Grenada presents an interesting example of the substitu-
tion of one industry for another. The exports of sugar in
1882 were of the value of £21,000; by 1894 they had fallen
to £50, and now, the island does not grow enough for its
own consumption. The cacao industry has developed whilst
sugar has declined, and the exports of cacao in 1900 were
worth £270,000.

The Botanie Garden at St. Vincent was established as
long ago as 1765. It is the oldest garden in the West
Indies and perhaps in any part of the New World. Another
old Botanic Institution in the West Indies is the garden at
Bath, Jamaica, dating from 1774. The ill-fated garden at
St. Pierre, Martinique, was established at about the beginning
of the last century.

The output of shingles from Demerara has decreased
by 50 percent. There has been a slight increase in the
export of charcoal.

Cane farming is being adopted on several of the large

plantations in Demerara, the land being rented to the
farmers for this purpose.

Vor. I. No. 17.

AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 269

EDUCATIONAL.
School Gardens at Trinidad.

The following account of the efforts made in
Trinidad to encourage a practical interest in plants by
means of School gardens is taken from the Annual
Report for 1901-02 of the Inspector of Schools for the
Colony :—

Of the 82 schools in operation on March 31, 1902, 67
had taken up Practical Agriculture previous to that date,
and out of the 80 schools examined, 30, or 37°5 per cent.,
presented this subject, the results being in my opinion
satisfactory for the first year.

In some schools, notably Mayaro Government, and New
Grand, E.C., to which the award of ‘ Very Good’ was given,
the subject had been treated in a systematic and intelligent
manner, whilst at other schools, notably —Hard Bargain,
North Trace, New Grant and Princes Town Government,
5th. Company, 6th. Company and Neckchuddy Road E.C.
the work deserves great credit.

My chief object has been to impress upon the teachers
that a school garden is not for the purpose of merely growing
vegetables, but to be cultivated in such a manner as to
impress upon the children by means of experiments the
benefits to be derived from true Agriculture. I have also
recommended teachers to try and induce the parents of
children to come and see the results for themselves which
will do more, I think, than anything else, to make them
believe in the benefits to be derived from the proper training of
this most important subject, and cause its more rapid spread
and adoption amongst the labouring part of the community ;
and this I am glad to say has already commenced, as some
of the parents of the children attending 5th. Company, 6th.
Company, and Neckchuddy Road E.C. Schools, have been
to the teachers asking for information as to the methods
used to grow the fine vegetables obtained at these schools.

The chief faults in the school gardens are :—

(1) Overerowding, and imixing of different plants,
which renders ‘rotation of crops’ impossible.

(2) Planting only with a view to get as much as
possible out of the land, without any regard to exhaustion of
the soil, and without experiments.

(3) Insufticient use of green manure.

(4) Want of compost heaps.

(5) Insufticient mulching during the drying season.

In order to remedy these mistakes, I am advising the
teachers : —

(1) To set aside a plot for each kind of vegetable, and
plant at regular distances.

(2) ‘To set aside a portion of each plot for experiments.

(3) To bury in each plot as much as they can of the
plant refuse.

(4) To form compost heaps of any surplus vegetable
refuse, weeds and grass.

(5) Always to mulch as far as possible in the dry
season.

I have been careful to inform teachers that it is not the
Jook of the garden on the day of examination for which the
award is given, but for the general work during the year.

On the whole I may say that, I think the outlook for

practical agriculture in this district is very promising, and if
an instructor could visit the different schools two or three
times a year, and take practical work, as well as give
lectures, the results would be marked, as I have no doubt
that after a time, some of the more intelligent adults would
also attend sometimes, more especially if the subjects of the
lectures were known beforehand.

T am sorry to say that, the parents of pupils attending
Russillac C.M.T. School have refused to allow their children
to work in the school garden, and have threatened to take
them away if they are compelled to do so. In consequence
practical agriculture has ceased to be taught at this school.

Se el

SCIENCE NOTES.

Disintegration of Corals.

Dr. J. E. Duerden, A.R.C.S., formerly Curator of the
Museum of the Institute of Jamaica, contributes to the
Bulletin of the American Musewmn of Natural History, Vol.
XV, pp., 323-32, an interesting paper entitled ‘ Boring-Algae
as agents in the disintegration of Corals.’ Since 1854 it
has been known that the hard, calcareous parts of corals are
often penetrated in all directions by tubules, due to the
growth of filamentous plants. On dissolving a piece of
coral so attacked, in acid, a fluffy mass remains consisting
mainly of algae, in a living active condition. These coral
boring algae the author regards as playing ‘an important
if not the most important part in the disintegration of corak
masses.’

New Method of Treating Starch.

The Botanical Gazette for July 1902, records that ‘as a
result of a series of experiments begun at Clemson College in
1901, and brought to a successful completion in the labora-
tories of the New York Botanical Garden, Dry Alexaueee
Anderson has developed a method by which, with the
application of heat to starch grains and to air-dry starch in
many forms, the granules or particles are expanded many
times their original dimensions, being fractured into
innumerable fragments during the process. As a result of
this treatment a grain of rice is expanded to eight or more
times its original volume, while still retaining its original
form. Other cereals exhibit similar behaviour. The process
is applicable to nearly all starchy seeds and starchy substan-
ces, greatly increasing their nutritive availability. The
products obtained are pleasant to the taste, and the process
may. be varied to produce a great variety of flavours with
any given cereal. Furthermore, the material prepared in this
manner is absolutely sterilized and may be preserved or
stored for long periods. The approval the products have
met from food and chemical experts suggests that the process
inay prove of great economie and commercial value.’

‘Ether’ and ‘Nitrogen-free’ Extracts.

‘Ether extract? is an expression commonly used in
giving the results of analyses of food stuffs, ete. It denotes
the material taken up by ether from the substance after the
water has been removed, and for all general purposes may be
taken as ‘fat.’

Another term frequently met with is ‘Nitrogen-free
extract.’ Under this head are included starch, sugar, gums,
ete. The proportion of nitrogen-free extract is very
important in all feeding stuffs, especially corn, meals, ete.

270

THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS.

DecemBer 6, 1902.

GRENADA: REPORT ON THE BOTANIC
STATION, 1901. By Mr. W. E. Broadway, Curator.

Amongst the more important new works undertaken
during the year, a retaining wall was erected along the
bank of a ravine near the Office, and a new road laid out by
the upper boundary of the Station.

Useful work has been done in the distribution of
economic plants, nearly 9,000 being sent out during the year.

Small plots of limes and alfalfa were established during
the year, and the other experiment plots continue to make
satisfactory progress.

The rainfall for
92-15 inches.

the year was normal and _ totalled

TRINIDAD: ANNUAL REPORT ON ELEMEN-
TARY EDUCATION, 1901-02. By Mr. R. Gervase
Bushe, M.A., Inspector of Schools.

Amongst the items of agricultural interest dealt with in
this report, Mr. Bushe states that since the inauguration, in
1899, of lectures to teachers, 188 teachers in Trindad and
Tobago have availed themselves of the opportunities offered
to attend the courses of instruction by Professor Carmody
and Mr. J. H. Hart. Practical instruction in agriculture is
making gratifying progress in the colony, and up to March
Jast no less than 149 schools had commenced school gardens.
Of these seventy-eight were sufficiently good at the time of
the annual examination to secure a bonus. Forty schools
contributed to the show of vegetables grown in school
gardens, held at Port-of-Spain in January, and offered a
sufficient demonstration of ‘the evident interest that had
heen aroused by the introduction of agriculture as a subject
of instruction in our elementary schools.’

A more detailed account of some of the school garden
work is given on page 269 of this number.

CUBA: TRADE OF FOR 1901. Diplomatic and
Consular Renorts, No. 2909, Foreign Office, October 1902.

It will be of interest to agriculturists in the British
West Indies to note that his Majesty’s Minister at Havana
reports that ‘the production of sugar is on the increase :
improvements are being introduced in the cultivation of
tobacco : considerable activity is observable in the minor
agricultural industries, such as the raising of fruit and
vegetables, and in the exploitation of the valuable cabinet
woods with which the forests abound!

The total amount of rice imported was 1,741,552 ewt.,
valued at £758,421; of this 1,717,175 ewt. came from
British India, only 934 ewt. from the United States, and
23,385 from Valencia in Spain.

Sugar to the value of £6,167,042, molasses £243,366
and rum £41,308 were exported, the total value thus being
£6,451,716, as against £3,520,768 in 1900. The quantity
of sugar exported was 589,281 tons, as against 286,996,
tons in 1900.

Tobacco, cigars and cigarettes were exported to the
value of £5,065,435, as against £5,217,594 in 1900.

Fruits amounted to £199,949 (£145,956 in 1900), cacao to
£78,735, (£79,826 in 1900), honey and wax to £91,947
(£83,715 in- 1900), woods (chiefly mahogany) to £237,903
(£209,941 in 1900). The fruits comprise bananas, pine-
apples and-cocoa-nuts and were all exported to the United
States.

The development of the island’s resources is expected to
be greatly furthered by the construction of the new railway
to Santiago de Cuba, which is now nearly completed.

VOLCANIC DUST.

Analysis of the Dust of October 16 at —
Barbados.

The chemical analysis, by Mr. R. Radclyfte
Hall, B.A., Acting Professor of Chemistry, Barbados,
of a sample of the volcanic dust which fell at Barbados
on October 16, has given the following results. For
analyses of the dust of May 7-8, see page 88 of the
Agricultural News:—

The complete mineral contained in 100 parts :—

Moisture 07520
Loss on ignition 0-130
Potassium oxide (potash) 0753
Sodium oxide Ado 3979
Calcium oxide (lime) 9-409
Magnesia be 3594
Manganese oxide mc 0-150
Alumina and Titanium oxide 20-154
Tron oxide ace age 9-596
Phosphoric anhydride (phosphoric acid) 0-449
Sulphuric anhydride 0-148

Silica (by ditference) 51138
100-000
Of the above the following percentages were soluble in
Hydrochloric acid :

Potassium oxide (potash) ‘O87
Sodium oxide ‘ig "627
Calcium oxide (lime) 3-200
Magnesia 1284
Ferrous oxide AP ae 1410

Ferric oxide, Alumina and Titanium
oxide Br are 8666
Phosphoric anhydride (phosphoric acid) “061
Sulphuric anhydride ... 148
Silica : ct te 1138
Soluble in Citric acid solution, 1 per cent. 027
028

” ” ” ” ” ” » ”

Cleaning Tomato Seed. The Gardeners’ Chronicle
describes a method of cleaning tomato seed which seems
simple and practical. The pulp, being scooped out, is
placed in a_ sieve, the mesh of which not allow
the seeds to pass through. The sieve is then placed in
water and the pulp is rubbed through the mesh of the
sieve by means of the hand. In a short time, the pulp
being all rubbed away, the seed remains perfectly freed from
it. Melon and similar seeds may be cleaned in the same
way.

does

Wore i 'Noo lie

THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS.

to

(ii

COMMERCIAL.

With the view of assisting in finding a market for the
disposal of local produce, arrangements have been made with
the following Agents in these Colonies who will be prepared
to receive consignments and obtain the best prices for them.

It is particularly urged that no shipments be made until
an assurance has been received from the Agents themselves
that they are prepared to accept such shipments.

Agents in the West Indies.

BRITISH GUIANA—B.S. Bayley, Water Street, Georgetown.
TRINIDAD—J. Russell Murray, Port-of-Spain.
BARBADOS—T. S. Garraway & Co., Bridgetown.

ST. LUCIA—Captain H. Henville, Contractor & Agent, Castries.

MARKET REPORTS.

London,—November 11, 1902. Messrs. J. Hates Catrp
& Co., Messrs. Gruesriz Bros. & Co. and ‘THE
Puetic Lepcer,’ November 8, 1902.

Ators—Curagoa, 10/- to 40/-; Barbados 13/- to 35/- per ewt.

Arrowroor—St. Vincent, 3d. to 53d. per Ib.

Barara—Demcrara s ieet, 2/03 to 2/6 per Ib.

Bees-wax—Jamaica, fair to good pale £7 5s. to £7 15s.
per ewt. In good demand.

Cacao—T’dad, 58/- to 85/- per ewt. ; Dominica 56/- to 57/-
per ewt.; Grenada, common to fine 56/- to 62/- per ewt. ;
Jamaica, 54/- to 63/6 per ewt. Market steady.

Carpamoms—Mysore, 1/4 to 4/- per lb.

CorreE—Jamaica, 37/- to 125/- per ewt. Costa Rica, 42/-
to 99/- per ewt. ; Peaberry 75/- to 115,;- per ewt.

Corron— West Indian 41} to 5). per 1b.

Fusric—£3 10s. to £4 5s. per ton. In moderate demand.

Gixcer—Jamaica, common to fine 35/6 to 50/- per ewt.

Honry—Jamaica 14/- to 23/- per cwt.

Kora Nurs—ld. to 4. per Ib.

Lure Jurce—Raw, 10d. to 11d. per gallon ; concentrated,
£11 10s. per pipe.

Locwoop—Jamaica, £4 2s. 6d. to £4 7s. Gd. per ton.

Mace—-1/2 to 2/10 per Tb.

Nirrare or Sopa-- Agricultural £9 5s. per ton.

Nurmecs—90’s to 60’s @ 1/1 to 2/7, 132’s to 95's @ 7d. to
1s. per lb.

Pimento—2hd. to 23d. per Ib.

Rum—Demerara 8d. to 10$d., Jamaica 1/7 to 2/7
proof gallon.

Sucar-—Barbados Muscovado, 12/- to 13/- per ewt.
Jamaica Muscovado 10/6 to 13/6 per cwt.
Trinidad and Demerara, 9/- to 15/9 per ewt. duty
paid.

SunpHate or AmMonta—£11 12s. Gd. per ton.

Tamarinps—Barbados 12/- to 15/6 per cwt.

Fruir—Covent GarpeN Marker (‘GARDENER’S
CHronicie,’ November 8, 1902.)

Bananas—7/- to 10/- per bunch.
OrRANGES—8/- to 17/6 per case.
Pryes—3/- to 4/- each.

New York,—November 14, 1902.—Messrs.
Bros. & Co.

Bananas—Jamaica firsts, §0c. to 5c. ; eight to seven
hands, 65c.

Cacao—African, 13}c. to 13%c.; Caracas, 13fc. to 14fc. ;
Jamaica, 11} to 11}c.,; Grenada, 13}c.; Trinidad
13c. to 14e. per lb.

Cocoa-NutTs— Small Trinidads $11.00, no demand; Jamaicas
$21.00 to $22.50 per M.

per

OILLESPIE

Correr—Rio, good ordinary 5c. to dje. ; Jamaica, fair
to good ordinary Ge. to Te. per Ib. ; Manchester
grades 8c. to 10$c. per Ib.

Grare Frurr—$3.00 to $7.00 per barrel.

Orances—Jamaica, $4.75 to $5.50 per barrel.

Pinenro—4éc.to 4}4c. per Ib.

Rusver—Nicaragua scrap 5dc. to 55$e. per Ib ; Guayaquil
strip 52$c. per tb.

Sucar—Muscovado, 89°, 3,3;c. per Ib.; Centrifugals, 96°,
321c.; molasses, 89°, 2}gce. per Ib.

INTER-COLONIAL MARKETS.

Antigua,—November 18, 1902.—Messrs. G. W. Bennett
Bryson & Co., Ltd.

Mo.asses— Market closed.
Sucar—Muscovado $1.37$ per 109 Ib.

Barbados,—November 22, 1902.—Messrs. T. S. Garraway
& Co., and Messrs. James A. Lyncu & Co.
Arrowroor—St. Vincent, $4.00 per 100 lb.
Cacao—$12.50 to $13.00 per 100 lb.
Corrre—Jamaica and ordinary Rio

per 100 lb. respectively.
Hay—New Brunswick 80c. to $1.09 per 100 lb.
Manures—Nitrate of Soda $60.00 to $65.00 ; Ohlendorfi’s
Dissolved Gain) $59.09; Sulphate of Ammonia $75.00
to $80.00; Sulphate of Potash $70.00 per ton.
Motasses—No quotations.
Ontons—Madeira $2.75 to $3.00 per 100 Ib.
Poratos—$1.75 to $2.16 per 160 lb.
Rice—Ballam $4.50 per bag (190 tb.) ; Patna $3.50 per
(100 th.) ; Seeta $3.50 per (100 tb.)
Sucar—§2.40 per 100 th.

$8.50 to $9.50

British Guiana,— November 19, 1902.—Messrs. WEITING

& RICHTER.

Arrowroot—$9.00 per barrel.

Barata—40e. to 42c. per lb.

Cacao—-native lle. to 13c. sales per lb.

Cassava SrarcH— $7.00 to $7.50 sales.

Cocoa-Nuts—$8.00 to $10.00 per M.

Corrre—Rio and Jamaica 11}c. to 12c. per Jb. (retail.}
—-Creole, 11c. to 12e. per lb.

Eppors—$1.92 per barrel.

Ontoxs— Retail 3c. to 3$¢ ; Garlic 8c. per Ib. Wanted.

Pra Nurs—Curacoa 3$c.; American 5c. per lb. (retail.)

PLANTAINS —20¢e. to 26c. per bunch.

Poraros EncusH—$2.75 to $3.00 per barrel.

Rice—Ballam $4.75 to $4.80, ex store; Patna $5.50 to
$5.60 per bag; Seeta $5.70 to $5.80
—_Creote Rice 20c. per gallon, (retail-)

Swerr Poratos— Barbados $1.08, Creole $1.00 per barrel.

Tannr1as—$1.92 per bag. é

Yams—S2.64 per bag.

Mo.asses—Vacuum Pan, yellow, 15c. to 16c. per gallon,
casks included.

Sccar—White $3.50 to $4.00; Dark Crystals $1.85 to
$1.914; Yellow $2.10 to $2.25.; Molasses $1.40 to
$1.60 (nominal) per ewt.

Timepr—Greenheart 32c. to 55c. per cubic foot.

WALLABA SHINGLES—$3.00 to $5.00 per M.

Trinidad,-—November 20, 1902.—Messrs. Gorpon, GRANT

& Co., and Messrs. Epcar Tripp & Co., November
De LIOZ

Cacao—Ordinary to good red $12.75 to $13.00 ; estates,

$13.75 per Fanega.

Barara—Venezuelan 42c. to 43c. per th.

Corrre—Venezuelan. No quotation.

Ontons—$2.25 to $3.50 per 100 1b.

Poratos Enciiso—$1.35 to $1.70 per 100 1b.

Rice— Yellow $4.50 to $4.75 ; White Table $5.25 to $5.75
per bag.

Sucar—For Grocery use, $1.70 to $3.50 per 1001b.

Liz THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. December 6, 1902.

THE BEST MANURES FOR COLONIAL USE

2 ASEe sey:

Ohlendorff’s Dissolved Peruvian Guano—For Sugar-cane and general use
Ohlendorff’s Special Sugar-cane Manure
Ohlendorff’s Special Cocoa Manure

Sulphate of Ammonia, Nitrate of Soda, Sunerphosphates, high grades,
Potash Salts, Basic Slag and all other high-class Fertilizers.

APPLY TO LOCAL AGENTS OR DIRECT TO
THE ANGLO-CONTINENTAL (LATE OHLENDORFF’S) GUANO WORKS,

London Agency, 15, Leadenhall Street, London E.C.,
[33. ] Barbados Agents: Messrs. James A. Lynch & Co., Bridgetown.

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BCC
WF =—y\ ey

SS ——
—— es

Phy 2

A FORPNIGHTLY REVIEW

Or

THE

IMPERIAL DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE FOR THe WEST INDIES.

Wor. le No: 18: BARBADOS,

DECEMBER 20,

1902. PricE ld.

CONTENTS.
PaGE. PAGE.
Barbados, Minor Indus- | Indian Corn, Composition
tries at 2 20h | oO BP cs en est ees 2h
Bee-keeping :— | Insect Notes:— *
Uses of Honey ... ... 281 | Orange Bark Weevil ... 280
British Honduras :— rina : oar
Agricultural Resources | Markee as eee
of Secempeo: dco peer 740 | Notes and Comments ... 278
. T . Q Our Book Shelf :—
; >We 273
Cotton in the West Indies 273 | Physical Geography ... 283
Department News ... ... 283 The Universe .. 283
Department Publications 287 | Poultry 282

Dominica, Vanilla at ... 276 | St. Lucia, Agricultural
? Ss

3 Notes... ... --. 279
Educational :— ; WNates ee ae
= Screw Pines . 281
Barbados, Lectures to = 4 Z
eee at gge | Sugar Industry :
z S ¢ «awe Se >. . ‘
puSsSIé : Sugar
Montserrat, Lectures to E Wace ; ees or4
teachers at... ... 285 oa 32, SOROA Rado coon
Shiva (@aralene 285 West Indian Sugar in
© wi 2 aoe eee So
i Canada sco cee Ales
Garden Notes :— Volcanic Dust, Analysis
Grafting or Budding OL, Bircmiecis cen sess 200
Tape ... 25 West Indian Products ... 275
Gleanings... ... ... ... 284 | Yaraqué, a Product of
Herbarium, Value of ... 285 Cassava 210

Cotton in the West Indies.

» N the West Indies, as in Africa and else-

where, considerable interest is being taken

extend its cultivation. The establishment of a cotton
industry in these Colonies does not mean the introduc-

tion of an entirely new plant, with all the accompanying
doubts as to its suitability to West Indian circum-
stances. Cotton may yet be called a West Indian
industry, albeit shrunken to such small proportions
that it

little

exists on a commercial scale only in the
island of Carriacou.

Cotton has long been identified with the West
Indies and at one time these Colonies supplied over
70 per cent. of the cotton used in Great Britain. The
the West Indies contain numerous
references to the cotton plant and its cultivation.
According to Sir Hans Sloane, ‘it appears that it
was found manufactured for cloathing by the Indians,
when Columbus first discovered the West Indies.’
(History of Jaumaica, Vol. II, p- 71).
History of Barbados, published in 1657, notes that on

older bi xt ks on

Ligon in his

one estate of 500 acres in the island only 200 acres
were cultivated in sugar, and the remainder devoted to
wood, pasture, provisions, tobacco, together with ‘five
acres for ginger and as many for cotton wool.’

In Jamaica, cotton was an important plant early
in the Eighteenth Century and, to quote Sir Hans
Sloane again, ‘cotton is one of the wealthy West
He also records that it was to be
Trinidad too
individuals their
This cultiva-

Indian commidities.’
found in St. Lucia and Guiana. In
cotton was grown. ‘A few
fortunes by its growth and exportation.
tion, however, was afterwards abandoned for the more
lucrative production of sugar.’ (De Verteuil’s Trinidad,
p. 252).

made

274 THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS.

The days of ‘the more lucrative production of
sugar’ would appear to have passed away, and it is
not improbable but that cotton may once more take its
place amongst the staple products of the West Indies,

Little information is to hand as to the yield per
acre obtained in the West Indies in the days when
cotton was a staple product. Long in his History of
Jamaica, published in 1774, gives the following return
for an estate in that Colony.
feet apart.

The plants were sown 5
Two crops were obtained within a year:
the first. eight months after sowing, the second, four
months later. From 20 acres, Longe sets the yield of
cotton at 6,000 Tb. for the first crop and 3,000 th. for
the second: a total of 9,000 Th. or 450 th. per acre. He
adds that ‘in the Parish of Vere, 240 tb. per acre is
reckoned a tolerably good yielding,’

In the United States between 250 tb. and 300 th.
of cotton per acre has been the average crop for the last
fifteen years. Descriptions have already been given in
the Agricultural News of the results obtained during
the last two years on experiment plots in the Leeward
Islands (see pages 153, 169, ete.)

In some small scale experiments recently made at
Montserrat no less than 2,800 th. of seed cotton, equal
to over 900 tb. of lint per acre, were obtained from a
plot of Sea Island cotton. A plot of one quarter
acre of mixed varieties yielded 3,429 th. of seed cotton,
or at the rate of about 1,100 Tb. of lint per acre.
Returns of this order
obtained in Cuba.

are stated to be commonly

These figures must for the time be accepted with
caution and need to be put to the test of experiments
on a commercial seale. Even however at the much
lower average of 300 Ib. of lint per acre, obtained in the
United States, and also in Carriacou there is reason
to believe that cotton will prove a remnunerative crop
in the West Indies.

To illustrate the actual efforts being made to
reintroduce cotton into these islands we may mention
that in St. Kitt’s there are now some 230 acres under
Montserrat follows with 160. In St. Lucia, +
acres are devoted to cotton at the Experiment Station,

cotton.

and the industry is extending throughout the island,
To encourage the cultivation the Agricultural Society
are offering prizes at their forthcoming Show. In
Antigua also cotton is now cultivated to an appreciable
extent.

SUGAR INDUSTRY.

West India Sugar in Canada.

The following interesting notes on the importa-
tions of West India sugars into Canada are taken
from the Maritime Merchant of November 20 :—

‘The importations of West India sugars into Halifax have

been much larger this year than ever before,’ said
Mr. G. McG. Mitchell of G. P. Mitchell & Sons. ‘I have
not the complete figures for the year at hand, but there was
landed here during the months of April, May and June,
8,000 tons of West India cane sugar, and the total importa-
tions for the year will not be far short of 20,000 tons. The
year before only 5,000 tons were imported. The bulk of this
goes to the refineries, but a small percentage is sold to the
grocery trade in the state in which it is received. The
Montreal refineries take about two-thirds. The increase has
had the effect of decreasing the importations of beet root.
Formerly the refineries consumed a very large proportion of
foreign beet root, but this year the percentages have been
reversed. In 1898 the importaticns of beet root amounted
to 19,000 tons; in 1899 to 18,000 tons, and in 1901 to
25,000 tons. For 1902 the consumption of beet root by
our refineries will be much lighter.

‘For the last five or six years we have been working up
the trade in West India sugars. The preferential duty has
helped some, but the difficulty has been to persuade the West
India exporter that he could do as well by shipping to
Halifax as to New York. As a matter of fact, he can do
better. We guarantee to pay the same price that rules in
New York on the date that the ship arrives here. This gives
the West India merchant who ships to Halifax the advan-
tage of the lighter expenses and charges which obtain at this
port. The steamer here goes direct to the refinery and there
are no costs for lighterage. It is likely the importation of
West India sugars will continue to increase. The abolition
of the bounties in foreign beet root countries next September
will necessitate the addition of a like amount upon the cost
to the consumers. The strong position of raw sugar at the
present time is due to this expectation.’

A Prussian Beet Sugar Factory.

The following account of the earnings of a beet
sugar factory is taken from a letter in the Louisiana
Planter for November 8, 1902 :—

Recently the large sugar factory of Culmsee, in Western
Prussia, has. published its annual report. The factory had
for the campaign of 1901-02 planted an area of 6,092
hectares, as against 5,106 hectares in 1900-01. The large
inerease is in some measure due to the hopelessly damaged
winter cereals, so that many fields of wheat, rye, ete., had to
be turned over and sown with beets. The crop taken from
the above area amounted to 179,714 long tons of beet, as
against 117,081 tons for the preceding campaign, The
season lasted from September 24 to December 14, and there
has been an average working of beets in 24 hours of 2,420
tons, as against 2,318 tons last year. The contents of sugar

Wor, I: Nowalls

THE AGRICULTURAL

Lo
1
or

NEWS

was 14:86 per cent. as against 16-71 per cent. in 1900-01.
The sugar turned out amounted to 23,957 tons or 13°51 per
cent. of the weight of the beet. The financial result has
been, after writings off of 156,163 marks, a net profit of
227,500 marks, of which the shareholders received a dividend
of 174 per cent. as against 20 per cent. a year ago.

ST. LUCIA.

a eat Notes.

Mr. Geo. S. Hudson, the Agricultural Instructor
has contributed the following notes: =

Weather.—The rainfall for November in the cacao
districts averaged about 18 inches. Such weather makes
planters reflect on the advantages of an artificial cacao
drying apparatus. It would be of great value to learn
what fuel, or how much, is used in the hot-chamber of the
cacao drier at the Dominica Botanic Station.

Cacao.—The cacao crop in St. Lucia, though backward,
is satisfactory on the whole, most estates hoping to do
better than last year.

There has been the usual recurrence of ‘thrips’ asso-
ciated with ‘ Diplodia’ attacking branches and leaves, this

wet season, on cacao estates on light soils and in less humid
climates ; but in cases where high cultivation is practised,
the attack seems to become feebler every year: it usually

commences in September, the foliage becoming small, sparse
and yellow, and the higher branches dying away. From

May to August such trees as survive recover their vitality.
The actual mortality in a badly attacked plantation is about
2 per cent. per annum, but the remainder of the trees yield
little or no crop. Nitrate of soda at the rate of 1 ewt. per
acre is an excellent stimulant in such cases, and forking,
draining and, in some cases, lime, are also necessary, combined
with frequent and clean weeding. Thrips, unassociated with
* Diplodia,’ when attacking young cacao Cae with limited
foliage, frequently kill them. This may be cheaply and
easily dealt with by spraying, when only small plants are in
question, at a cost of 2s. to 3s. per acre.

WEST INDIAN PRODUCTS.

Drugs and Spices

in the London Market.

The following forms the second contribution on
this subject from the pen of Mr. John R. Jackson,
A.L.S. His former article will be found on page 226,

Though business generally in Mincing Lane during the
month of October was reported to be of a fluctuating nature,
there were points in the drug market that raised some
interest. At the beginning of the month though quietness
reigned in the drug trade, the fact was noted, that over a
thousand packages of crude drugs were delivered from the
warehouses during September, which included 100 packages
of Ipecacuanha. At the end of October a decided all-round
improvement in business was reported, several products
claiming special attention, amongst them being peppermint
oils, which in the course of a week advanced about 6s per Ib.

bringing the price of the best brand up to 1&s. 6d. to 19s.
per lb., while Japanese dementholated oil rose 4s. per
lb., the quotations being from 10s. to 10s, 3d. per Ib.

For some time past there has been considerable eet
with regard to the supply of Buchu leayes and Senega root.

The first are furnished by three rutaceous shrubs—arosma
betulina, B. crenulata and 2B. serratifclia, all natives of the
Cape of Good Hope. The dried leaves are used as a stimu-
lant and tonic, and in chronie diseases of the bladder. The
supply has become so short that as much as ls. 6d. per tb.
has been paid for fair green leaf which has been referred to
as ‘famine price.’ Senega is the root of Polygala Senega, a
North American plant belonging to the Polygalaceae. It is
commonly known as a snake root in consequence of its
former reputation for the cure of snake bites. At the present
time it is extensively used in medicine as a stimulant and
expectorant, especially in chronic bronchitis. The following
extract from a circular recently issued by the London branch
of an American house, with reference to the future prospects
of Senega root, will be of some interest :—

‘The market is practically bare, and the demand active.
In spite of the extreme prices offered diggers, there is no
evidence that there isany amount of root coming forward, and
the season is now drawing to a close. Our shipments have
not been over 26 per cent. of the average. Minnesota and
Dakotas are no longer a factor, as the land is now taken up
for agricultural purposes, and the same movement is progress-
ing rapidly in the Canadian North West. The prospects
are therefore for greatly reduced shipments of this article in
the future.’ In the early vai of October the prices ranged
from 2s. 104d. to 3s, per 1b., business being ack quickened
by a tender appearing on behalf of the Indian Government
for 3,000 Ib, At the end of the month 3s. was the prevailing
price.

iw)

s.

Though none of the drugs here mentioned are of West
Indian produce, a reference to them may not be out of place,
as indicating that there are many products the cultivation of
which might well be extended. With regard to the demand
and market value of West Indian drugs, we note that at the
beginning of the month a bag of dark natural kola sold with-
out reserve at 24d. per Ib, a case of small natural at 25¢.,
and a half-barrel of fresh at ld. per Ib. A fortnight later
this article stood as follows:— For good bright washed
sound West Indian 43d. per Ib. was asked, a bid of 3d.
being refused ; and for a similar parcel in another catalogue
3%d. was submitted. At the commencement of the month
grey Jamaica sarsaparilla was in small supply, 1s. 3d. per tb.
being paid for sound, and 1s. 2d. for slightly damaged. For
five bales of native red at the same sale 8id. to “94d. was
paid, and 74d. for country damaged. At the end of the
month the prices slightly advanced, ls. dd. being asked
for grey Jamaica, while Lima Jamaica was unobtainable.
The business done in arrowroot has been quiet. At the
commencement of October St. Vincent was bought in at 25d.
per Ib. ; a fortnight later the prices had increased, and fine
St. Vincent in tins was bought in at 5$d. ; for good quality
in barrels, bids of 3/. to : 3c, per lb. were pails anid ordinary
quality was partly sold at 24d. At the end of the month a
small lot of St. Vincent was sold at 3¢. per Ib. Good
Jamaica ginger has been in fair demand at Beate to dearer
rates for common. At the sale in the middle of the month
200 packages were oftered and 150 barrels sold at the follow-
ing rates:— Low middling to middling 39s. 6d. to 42s. ;
ordinary to good ordinary 38s. to 38s. 6d., and common to
good common 36s. to 387s, 6d. per ewt. Forty-two cases and
fifty bags of Cochin were also offered at the same sale and
seven cases sold, bold roughly cut and scraped and mouldy
at 80s. : medium at 58s. 6d., and small heavily limed at 47s.

At the last sale of the month nine packages of musk
seed o* fair quality from St. Vincent were offered, one of
which s9'd at the high price of 1s. 4d. per Ib.

THE

AGRICULTURAL NEWS.

1902.

DerceMBER 20,

WEST

VANILLA AT DOMINICA.

A good crop of vanilla pods is now being reaped
from the vanilla vines growing at the Botanic Station.
These are sent to the Agricultural School where
the boys are taught to cure the pods under the
supervision of the Officer-in-charge. Last year, in
curing, each pod was wrapped with thread to prevent
splitting and afterwards slowly dried by sun heat. This
year the pods are being dipped in hot water of the
temperature recommended by Seychelles planters, and
the usual after-treatment is being followed. The
dipping process is very effective in preventing the
vanilla from splitting. There is no doubt that those
who are experimenting with vanilla in the West Indies
would do well to closely follow the Seychelles methods,
already published in the Agricultural News, (page 67
et seq.) in cultivating the vine, in fertilizing the flowers
and curing the pods.

AGRICULTURAL RESOURCES OF
BRITISH HONDURAS.

The recently issued Colonial Report on British
Honduras for 1901 contains the following summary
of the present condition of agricultare in the colony :—

The resources of this colony are so considerable that it
is marvellous that much greater development has not taken
place than is shown by the returns. At least four rivers
could be made navigable for light draught steamers for
considerable distances inland, and a dozen for canoes or
doreys. The Hondo, New River, and Sarstoon are already
being used to some extent for navigation by moderately large
craft, but their utility might be increased. Mahogany,
logwood, vanilla, cacao, rubber (Casti//oa e/astica), sapodilla
(from which ‘chicle’ or chewing gum is prepared), and
pimento or allspice are indigenous, and pine-trees and various
hardwoods are present in great abundance. The soil in many
large areas is peculiarly suitable for the growth of the sugar
cane, and factories of very large size could be established
if capital were forthcoming. Bananas, oranges, pine-apple,
rice and maize are only a few of the products whieh grow

INDIAN ER UE,

luxuriantly. The bounteousness of nature seems to have
made existence so easy in the past that the inhabitants have
not been spurred to exertion by necessity, and have lived
alinost solely by cutting mahogany and logwood, found in the
forests, Which are then floated down the rivers. Attempts
have been made within recent years to cultivate bananas, but
cultivation is hamperel by want of agricultural knowledge on
the part of the land owners and the difticulty of obtaining
labourers accustomed to any other kind of labour than that
of wood-cutting. The cultivation of cacao is being attempted,
but has not yet expanded to any considerable extent. Before
agriculture can be expected to become a thriving industry, it
will be necessary to facilitate transport by improving the
navigation of the rivers and by making good cart roads or
tramways leading to the rivers on the sea coast; this is
especially necessary in the case of banana cultivation, the
fruit being perishable and needing great care in handling.
Communication by telegraph or telephone will also be
necessary if a thriving business, is to be carried on. No use is
at present being made of the vanilla, pimento, or Jumber
(other than mahogany, cedar and logwood). Vanilla grows
so luxuriantly that frequently when riding along the roads
through the forests the rider has to lop off the overhanging
vines with his machete in order to secure free passage. There
seems good reason to believe that a lucrative industry could be
established in the production of the bean if attention were
paid to the matter. Another natural product of the forest at
present almost entirely wasted is the cohune nut which yields
the finest oil for table and other purposes, while the refuse
might be suitable for fool for stock. Immense quantities at
present go to waste.

YARAQUE, A PRODUCT OF CASSAVA.

In the Geographical Journal for September
1902, is published a paper by Mr. E. André entitled
‘The Caura Affluent of the Orinoco’, giving an interest-
ing account of Mr. André’s recent journey up the
Caura river and the habits and occupations of the
inhabitants of the surrounding villages. Among the
economic plants cultivated in these regions is the
cassava (Manihot utilissima) from which cassava
cakes and a fermented drink called Yuraqué are

Vor. I:

prepared by the Indians. Mr. André thus describes
the preparation of Vuraqué:—

Yaraqué is the fermented drink made from the cassava,
and it is known under different names all over Guiana.
Ordinarily, Yaraqué is prepared only in sufficient quantities
every three or four days to meet the requirements of the
household. Banana leaves are placed on the ground in a
corner of the hut, and upon these leaves the cassava, thoroughly
damped with water, is spread in layers. On each layer
a powder of a sage-green colour is sprinkled. This powder is
called yaraqnéro, and is prepared from the leaves of a plant
of the same name (7'rema micrantha). The preparation of
this powder is simple. The leaves having been dried on the
large slab, used for baking cassava, an operation which does
not take long, are then reduced to powder by being rubbed
between the hands. This powder is kept in’ well-stopped
gourds, as there is a minute red ant which is very fond of it,
and will find it out wherever it may be hidden. The mass
of damp cassava and yaraquéro is then covered over with
banana leaves and allowed to ferment. At the end of two or
three days the mass becomes slightly sour. In this state it
is either eaten or drunk mixed with water and cane-jnice.
Tf allowed to ferment for more than three days, it becomes
intoxicating. Large quantities of yaraqué are consumed
during the dances which form part of almost every celebra-
tion among the Indians. On these occasions the stuff is
prepared on a big scale, generally in dug-outs.

COMPOSITION OF INDIAN CORN.

HUSKED VERSUS UNHUSKED CORN,

The two following analyses of samples of Indian corn,
grown in Barbados, have been furnished by Mr. R. Radclytte
Hall, Acting Island Professor of Chemistry, Barbados. The
first column gives the percentage composition of the husked
corn, whilst the figures in the second column refer to the
product obtained by grinding up corn and cob together,
often spoken of as ‘corn and cob meal :—

Hecked Unhusked

corn
corn.

(corn and
cob).
Moisture ee Boe oa apes 13°15
Oil nee ae: eoeh 4°83 2°90
Albuminoids 11°81 9°63
Mucilage, starch, ete. ... ae 67°61 66°75
Indigestible fibre sa “fe 1-70 5°92
Ash... abs aoe See 1°62 1:65
100-00 100-00

The general result of experiments in various parts of the
world goes to show that it is advantageous to crush corn and
cob together for feeding purposes. It is true that the cob
alone has only a comparatively low feeding value. Dr. Henry
in eeds and Feeding page 22, says ‘it has been suggested
that pure corn meal lies heavy in the animal’s stomach, and
while in this condition is not so readily attacked by the juices
of digestion. On the other hand, the particles of cob when
associated with the meal corn, cause the mass to be loose in
the stomach in condition for easy digestion,’

THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS.

bo
TI
nwt

MINOR INDUSTRIES AT BARBADOS.

The following extract from the Colonial Report
on Barbados for 1901-02 (No. 368) gives interesting
information with regard to the arrowroot industry of
the colony. Although cacao, nutmegs and spices are
found in the island, the general conditions are adverse
to their profitable cultivation on any large scale.

ARROWROOT.

Foremost among the minor industries, apart from the
island sea fisheries, and what are known as ‘catch crops’
on sugar estates, may be placed the cultivation of arrowroot.
This cultivation is almost entirely contined to the parishes of
St. Joseph and St. Andrew (there being only about 1 acre in
St. John’s parish), and in the first two parishes principally
on the lands sloping towards the sea. On these lands, swept
as they are by the sea breezes, it appears to be possible to

cultivate arrowroot with success.
About 336 acres are under arrowroot cultivation as
follows :—
Parish. Acres
St. Andrew’s 273
St. Joseph’s 62
St. John’s 1

The industry is at present entirely in the hands of the
peasants who carry on the cultivation in small plots, the
largest being three acres in extent on Cambridge plantation
im the parish of St. Andrew.

It is difticult to arrive at the number of persons who are
engaged in the industry because of the smallness of the plots,
and because it is carried on by labourers in their spare moments
—early in the morning before going to work in the sugar
plantations and during the evening after their return. But
assuming that each labourer worked four days per week, that
is 208 days per annum, continuous occupation would be
afforded to 162 persons. As a matter of fact, however, as
many as 700 persons must be engaged in arrowroot cultiva-
tion, most of them as already stated, during their spare time.

The greater part of the arrowroot made in Barbados is
sold in the country districts by what are locally known as
‘starch sellers.’ These sellers are either the producers
themselves or are persons who buy the arrowroot and retail
it. The annual yield is about 2,700 barrels, and the value,
at the low price of 9s. per 100 tb., about £5,000.

Most of the imported arrowroot comes from St. Vincent
and is sold in Bridgetown. As there is an import duty of
2s. 6d. per 100 tb., to which must be added the cost of freight
and the middleman’s commission, there is still room for the
local expansion of the island product apart from the possi-
bility of making it an article of export. Before exportation
can take place there must be considerable improvement in
manufacture by the erection of suitable factories provided
with modern appliances.

CACAO.

There are a few cacao trees here and there, but judging
from their appearance it is unlikely that cacao growing can
ever assume any importance in Barbados. Both soil and
climate appear to be unsuitable.

NUTMEGS AND SPICES.

I have seen nutmeg trees growing well in gullies and
ravines but there is no systematic cultivation, and it is
doubtful whether suitable areas, sufficiently large, could be
obtained to admit of cultivation being conducted on a
commercial scale,

278 THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS.

DrcemMBER 20, 1902.

EDITORIAL NOTICES.

Letters and matter for publication, as well as all
specimens for naming should be addressed to the Commis-
sioner, Imperial Department of Agriculture,
Barbados.

It is particularly requested that no letters be addressed
to any member of the statf by name Such a course may
entail delay.

Communications should always be written on one side
of the paper only. It should be understood that no contri-
butions or specimens will, in any case, be returned.

All application for copies of the ‘Agricultural
News’ should be addressed to the Agents, and
not to the Department. A complete list of the London
and Local agents will be found on page 287 of this
number,

Correspondents sending newspapers should be careful to
mark the paragraphs they wish to bring under notice.

Agricultural Stews

\Wiotes IE

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 20, 1902. No. 18.

NOTES AND“ COMMENTS:

Trial Shipment of Bananas from Dominica.

Recently a small shipment of six bunches of
bananas was made to London per Royal Mail Steamer.
The object of this experiment was to test the system
of packing adopted in the Canary Islands, in which the
bunch of bananas, cut at the right stage, is carefully
wrapped ina thin layer of cotton wool, in turn is covered
with paper, and lightly tied to keep both the wool and
paper in place. ‘The bunch is then carefully laid in the
crate and held in position, to prevent bruising, by perfectly
dry banana trash. The bunches in question arrived in
London in perfect order and realized 7s. Gd. a piece,
and at a time when the banana trade was reported at a
low ebb on account of heavy arrivals. The brokers
write as follows ——

‘We are very pleased to be able to report that the
condition and packing left nothing to be desired, and we
are satisfied that if the fruit can be brought ina like
condition there need be no fear for the results.’

An account of a similar trial shipment of bananas
from Barbados was published in the Agricultural
News, page 68.

Ce A

Jamaica Horse Show.

On page 167 of the Ayricultural News attention
was drawn to the Jamaica Horse Show which it is
proposed to hold near Kingston on February 11 and
12 of next year.

The excellent qualities of Jamaica horses are well
known throughout the West Indies, and it is essential

that every effort should be made to maintain and
improve the breed. A Show must certainly be placed
amongst the best possible means of doing this. The
bringing together of a typical collection of Jamaica
horses will enable breeders to see the weak points and
defects in the stock now being produced, and stimulate
them to set to work to rear improved animals.
Ths Secretary of State for the Colonies has expressed
his full sympathy with the project by becoming one of
the Patrons of the Show. We can only recommend all
interested in West Indian horses to give the Show
their active support by subscribing towards the fund
for prizes, or in any other way in their power. The
Honorary Secretary of the Show is the Rey. Thos.
P. George, Newcastle, P.O., Jamaica.

Coffea stenophylla at Dominica.

Mr. J. Jones, the Curator of the Botanic Station,
reports:— ‘The. plot of the new African coffee
(Coffea stenophylla) at the Station is now in fine con-
dition and is bearing an excellent crop of berries. This
is a suitable species to grow at low levels in Dominica,
as it is not troubled by the coffee fly. (Fora general
account of stenophylla coffee see page 6.)

‘The new coffee from the Congo (Cojiea robusta),
has now reached the flowering stage. It is not likely
to prove a success; at low elevations in this island, the
plants being already badly attacked by the coffee leaf-

S, >
miner.

Prevention of Rotting in Timber.

Woodwork exposed to the weather frequently rots
from the effect of water entering the joints. It has
been suggested that this rotting may be largely
prevented by the simple expedient of putting a little
powdered sulphate of copper (bluestone) into mortises
and joints when fixing the structure in position.

Rotting of wood is largely due to the presence of
fungi, and sulphate of copper is a powerful fungicide.
Used in the manner suggested, any water centering a

joint will diffuse the sulphate of copper through the

wood and prevent its decay.
worth trying.

So simple a remedy is

TT

West Indian Products in London.
The second article by Mr. J. R. Jackson, A.LS.,

formerly Curator of the Museum of Economic Products
at Kew, appears on page 275 of this number. It
gives a concise summary of recent sales in the London
market of some of the minor productions of the West
Indies.

Vou. I. No. 18. THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 279
Cacao in West Africa. East Indian Bananas at Dominica.

The Imperial Institute for November 1902, Among the varieties of East Indian bananas
in reference to the cultivation of cacao in West ba P

Africa says :—

An industry which has been spreading during the
last few years in several parts of Africa, and on some of
the islands round the coast, is the cultivation of cacao.

The chief source at present is the Portuguese island o#

St. Thomas, and it appears that all the land suitable
for the purpose is already occupied ; at the same time
several islands in the vicinity are being covered with
plantations. The German colony of the Cameroons,
on the Western coast of Africa, ranks next, but practi-
cally the whole production is shipped to Hamburg. The

following figures show the output during recent
years :

13925 18955) 897. S98 1s99h 1900:
Bags. 900. 2,640. 5,400. 6,745. 9,047. 9,833.

It is expeeted that Madagascar, which has not
completely recovered from the war with France, will
become one of the most important sources of cacao,
the central portion and the eastern coast especially, from
Tamatave, being highly suited to the industry. Com-
plaints have from time to time been made that the
German planters improve the outside appearance of the
bean to the detriment of the ‘break, but that matter
can be readily remedied.

Diseases of Poultry.

In this issue Mr. J. Barclay completes his account
of the diseases commonly atfecting poultry in the West
Indies. The present article, together with those in the
preceding numbers of the Agricultural News furnish
poultry keepers with simple and practical means for

the prevention and cure of the ordinary ailments of

their birds.
Cee
Peasants’ Cacao Plots in St. Lucia.

In the course of his Annual Report for 1901,
Mr. A. F. Palmer, the Magistrate for Districts II and
IIL of St. Lucia writes :—

In the Second District there was a general depression
during the last three months of the year owing to an
unparallelled shortness of the cacao crop. The severe gust of
wind experienced in July and August did considerable
damage to the old trees, causing most of the young pods to
wither.

Cacao growing as a peasant industry is not advancing ;
the emigration to Cayenne deprives the districts of nearly
all the able-bodied men, with the result that little or nothing
is being done in keeping up old, or starting new, plantations.

There are new ventures by some possessing capital, and
large areas are being planted in a few localities, but however
well these may succeed they will not create in the future
that general prosperity which would be secured by a large
number of small holdings.

It should be the aim of all interested in the agricultural
development of the colony to promote and encourage the
establishment of small areas. Three acres of well kept
cacao would give a fair income to a labourer and could easily
be maintained single handed.

received at the Botanic Station from Kew, the one
known as ‘Guindy’ deserves special mention. Recently
two very large bunches were ripened and proved to be
ane favour. It is well worth growing as a dessert
ruit,

Another imported kind called ‘Pisang Maas’ proves
to be the same as the local variety well known under
the names of ‘ Figue Sucrée’ and ‘ Lady’s Finger.’

St. Vincent Crown Lands.

It is encouraging to find that notwithstanding the
heavy damage sustained by the purchasers of Crown
Lands in St. Vincent, many of whom lost their entire
cultivation of cacao and other products, the people are
still eager to extend planting operations during the
present season. The Agricultural Instructor reports
having received applications for over 3,000 economic
plants of various kinds during his recent visit to the
Adelphi and Park Hill settlements.

West India Sugar in Canada.

From the note on page 274 it will be seen that
the trade in sugar between the West Indies and Canada
is reported to have increased during the past season.
This is the more gratifying in view of the possible
changes which may be produced in the United States
market. Dependence on one market only is not a good
condition for any industry.

Arrowroot in Barbados.

The figures quoted on page 277 indicate that the
arrowroot industry of Barbados is more important than
might be supposed. Altogether about 336 acres in the
northern parishes are under this crop, and the annuat
value, at the low price of 9s. per 100 Ib., is as much as
£5,000. The produce finds a ready local sale.

School Gardens.

The article on School Gardens appearing on page
285 is the first of a series in which we propose to give
an account of what is actually being done in this direc-
tion in England. The plans of the gardens should be
useful to teachers in the West Indies, remembering of
course that various modifications will be necessary to
adapt the methods described to local conditions,

280 THE

AGRICULTURAL

NEWS. Decemper 20, 1902.

INSECT NOTES.

The Orange Bark Weevil.
(Cryptorhynchus sp.)

An interesting insect’ was found attacking orange
trees in Grenada in 1900, and as it is likely to be found
not only in Grenada but elsewhere in the West Indies,
a short account may prove interesting.

Fic. 18.

Beetle, from above and from the side, about natural size.
Grub, from the side, half natural size.

THE ORANGE Bark WEEVIL.

The weevil in question is a small brownish insect,
about half an inch in length: the head is_ stall,
prolonged into a curved beak which is usually concealed
under the body. The thorax is brown with a sparse
covering of small, whitish scales that give it a dingy-
white appearance. The wing cases are large, fitting
closely to the body, of a dingy whiush-brown. The
legs are long,and the under surface of the body has
large white scales which give it a beautiful appearance
under a magnifying glass. This beetle lays eggs on,
or in, the bark, and the little grub that hatches eats
into the bark and commences to eat the wood below.
In time it forms a neat cylindrical pit, extending into
the wood, about } inch deep, and } inch in diameter,
In this pit the grub lives undisturbed.

The grub is white and fleshy, with a large head
armed with powerful jaws. It has no legs and remains
in this pit till it is fully grown. Then the grub makes
a thin, tough cocoon, and turns to the chrysalis. From
this the perfect weevil emerges, eats through the thin
bark over the pit and comes out.

The weevils may be found on the branches and

trunk of the tree, and their colour is somuch like that of

the bark that it is no easy matter to find them.

Fortunately, the insect needs to be very numerous
before it. becomes seriously destructive, and it is not a
difficult matter to destroy it if it is found to be attack-
ing a tree. By tapping the tree with the point of a
penknife, the pits are easily found, and when found, can
be cut open and the grub or chrysalis killed. If this is
not satisfactory, a good plan is to paint the trunk and
large branches with the following mixture :—

Crude ecarbolic acid one pint

Whale oil soap Deel

Clay
Mix the soap with one gallon of hot water. Stir in the
carbolic acid (Phenol), add 10 gallons of water and
enough clay to thicken it: two applications should be
made with intervals of one to two weeks between. This
mixture keeps beetles from coming to lay eggs and
kills any grubs that may be in the tree. It also has <
beneficial effect in destroying lichens and other growths
on the bark, though it does not injure the latter. It is
also wise to whitewash the trunk and branches of
neighbouring trees so that they may not be attacked.
This insect is one of those minor pests that are rarely
troublesome except in the case of a few trees here and
there, but do become destructive when orange trees
are planted in any number, Its work is so character-
istic that the pest is not likely to be mistaken, and the
above description and figure may help in determining-
its identity in case of doubt.

Specimens of similar insects attacking orange and

lime trees should be sent to the Head Office for deter-
mination, as the records of all such cases are of value.

GARDEN NOTES.

Grafting or Budding Tape.

The following simple method of making grafting,
or budding tape is taken from the Bulletin of Miscel-
laneous Information for October 1902, issued by the
Botanical Department, Trinidad :—

‘Materials: —(1) White cotton tape, } inch wide ;
(2) Bees-wax \
(3) Ship’s pitch f

Directions:—Put equal parts (} lb of each is sufticient
for about 15 yards of tape) of bees-wax and ship’s pitch in a
small metal or earthenware vessel with a wide mouth, and
heat over a fire, stirring as the two constituents melt
together. Then plunge a piece of tape of convenient length
into the liquid, keeping hold of one end with the finger and
thumb. With the other hand hold two small pieces of wood
on each side of the outer end of the tape, just in front where
it is held by finger and thumb. ‘Then pull the tape through
between the two pieces of wood so as to remove extra wax
and distribute it evenly over the tape. As each piece is
dipped, it should be hung on a wire to dry. It will be cool
and ready for use in a few minutes.’

Commenting on the above the Editor, Mr. J. H. Hart,
writes: ‘The black tape used by electrical engineers for
covering wires is a useful substitute. As it is packed in
air-tight tins, it can be kept in good condition for lengthy
periods.’

equal parts.

Analysis of Volcanic Dust. Through an over-
sight the last two lines in the analysis of volcanic dust, given
on page 270 of the Ayriewtural News, are meaningless.

Readers are requested to place asterisks or other marks
to denote that of the potassium oxide (potash) present,
‘027 was soluble in one per cent. solution of citric acid.

Similarly of the phosphoric anhydride (phosphoric acid)
the proportion soluble in one per cent. citric acid was
“O28 per cent.

Vou. I. No. 18. THE

AGRICULTURAL NEWS.

281

BEE-KEEPING.

The Uses of Honey.

3efore cane sugar was produced on a large scale,
honey was the chief sweetening agent. It possesses
certain qualities and characteristics, which no substi-
tute can supply. For this reason its use for various
purposes is recommended. On page 265 of the
Agricultural News some general remarks were made
as to the uses of honey. The following recipes have
been prepared by Dr. R. Hamlyn-Harms. The
original authors of the recipes are indicated in
brackets at the end of each.

Honey Tea Cakes: Take 13 1b. of flour, 1 Ib. of honey,
1 nutmeg grated, } tablespoonful of ground ginger, } tea-
spoonful of carbonate of soda. Mix the flour and ginger and
nutmeg. Dissolve the honey and soda in a little hot water.
Work the whole into a smooth dough with the butter
beaten to a cream. Roll it half an inch thick, eut it into
small cakes, and bake them twenty-five minutes in a moderate
oven. These to be eaten in perfection should be served
immediately. [Bancks].

Honey Lemon Cake: Take +4 oz. of butter, 1 lh. honey,
four eggs well beaten, one teaspoonful of essence of lemon,
half a teaspoonful of milk, one teaspoonful of soda, flour
enough to make it very stitt, Bake at once in a quick oven.
[ Bancks].

Rich Honey Cakes that will keep for mouths: Beat
1 Ib. butter to a cream, add 4 oz. castor sugar. Mix a tea-
spoonful of baking powder to a pound of flour and add
gradually to butter and sugar beating all the time. Add
i lb. of run or extracted honey. Take eight eggs and
divide the yolks from the whites beating each well. Add
first the yolk and then the whites to the other ingredients.
The more this cake is beaten the lighter and better it will
be. [Bancks].

Honey Sandwiches: Cut thin bread and butter and
spread with honey. Sprinkle with oatmeal, baked till just
brown. Press another slice of thin bread and butter on the
top and cut into fingers. [Bancks].

Cough Mixtures: (1) Honey, sweet oil, lemon juice
and sweet spirits of nitre, in equal parts.—Dose 5 teaspoon-
ful. (2) Barley water mixed with honey and juice of lemons.
Drink warm.

For Coughs and Sore Throats: Honey either alone or
mixed with lemon or lime juice.

For Inflamed Eyes: One part of honey to five parts of
water. Mix and bathe the eyes two or three times a day till
well.

For Influenza: To 4 oz. of honey add the juice of
a lemon or lime. ‘Take a teaspoonful or two occasionally, as
hot as possible. This simple remedy has been found very
useful.

Honey pop corn Balls: Take one pint of extracted
honey, put it into an iron frying pan and boil until very

thick, then stir in freshly popped corn, and when cool, mould
into balls. This will especially delight the children. | Miller].

Honey-cavamels: One eup of extracted honey of best
flavour, one cup granulated sugar, three tablespoonfuls sweet
cream or milk. Boil to soft crack or until it hardens when
dropped into cold water, but not too brittle ;—pour into a
greased dish stirring in a teaspoonful of extract of vanilla just
before taking off. Let it be $ to 3? inch deep in the dish,
and as it cools, cut in squares and wrap each square in
parafin paper, such as grocers wrap butter in. To make
chocolate-caramels, add to the foregoing one tablespoonful
melted chocolate just before taking off the stove, stirring it in
well. For chocolate-caramels it is not so important that the

honey be of the best quality. [C. C. Miller}.

SCREW-PINES.

These plants are characteristic of the Old World Tropics,
a large number of them being only found in the islands of tle
Indian Archipelago. They usually occur on the sea-coast or
in marshes, sometimes covering large tracts of country with
a mass of vegetation which is almost impenetrable.

The leaves are narrow and tough and leathery, and are
armed along the midrib and edges with sharp recurved
prickles. They are arranged in dense tufts or crowns at the
ends of branches, and it is this resemblance to pine-apple
leaves that gives the plants their name of screw-pines.

Vig.

Showing the general habit of the plant.

19. ScrEw-PINE.

(Panda us utilis).

The leaves of some screw pines found in Mauritius are
used for making bags or sacks, in which sugar is exported.
Baskets, fans, and mats are also made from the leaves in
various parts of the world, and the rough fibrous fruits are
employed as scrubbing brushes.

A very remarkable feature about these plants is their
aerial roots. They grow out from the stem protected by a
well-marked root cap, and down into the soil. They are some-
times called ‘fying buttress’ roots, their function being to give
an additional support to the tall, branched stem with its mass
of foliage.

282

THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS.

DeEcEMBER 20, 1902.

POULTRY.

The following concludes Mr. Barclay’s interesting
notes on the prevention and treatment of some of the
diseases of common occurrence among poultry. His
next contribution will deal with ‘Setting Hens’ and
“Chicken Rearing’ :—

YAWS.

When little pustules or swellings break out about the
heads of chickens, the trouble is sometimes called chicken
pox, but in the West Indies it is called yaws. It seldom
attacks hens here,—only chickens.

The diseased growths, if left untended, grow round the
eyes and beak until these are closed, and often grow into
the inside of the beak.

TREATMENT.

The first thing to do is to remove the cause. This is
uncleanliness in some form, generally through the chickens
sleeping in a close coop among the accumulations of their
own excretions. Keep the chicken coop open and airy.

Wire netting or simply wooden bars across the front of
a chicken coop is enough protection, and ventilation is
secured. Clean out the coop every day and fling in some
fine earth and sand: lime is a little too caustic if used alone
and may injure the chickens: wood ash is good. Give the
chicks a dose of Epsom salts. These may be dissolved in
water and given, but the surest way is to mix with soft food.
One teaspoonful of the salts will do for a dozen, week or two-
week old chickens; two teaspoonfuls will do for a dozen three
week to four-week old chickens, and a good dessertspoonful
to a dozen chickens just over four weeks, and a little more
as they grow older. Twice a week the salts should be
administered to assist a cure: as a preventive, once a week
is enough. Such burning stuffs as carbolic acid are often
recommended and undoubtedly are effective, but when the
pustules or swellings are near the eyes, or at the edge of, or
inside, the beak, there is a danger of the chickens getting
carbolie acid in their eyes or mouth. Todine is much milder
and is effective, though slow. Take a quill or camel-hair
brush, dip lightly in iodine and paint the sores. I prefer to
take an old penknife, make it sharp, then make it red-hot,
and cauterize each swelling. This can be done safely no
matter where the swellings or pustules are. They do not
grow again when thus treated, although, of course, they may
break out in other places so long as the blood of the chicken
is not cleared of the poison inhaled in its filthy or ill-venti-
lated coop.

GAPES.

When you see a fowl going about listlessly, and every
now and then gaping as if it had a difficulty in breathing,
and then seems to be swallowing something, suspect gapes.
Gapes is the result of a collection of little thread-like red
worms in the windpipe, and the trouble is caused by fowls

drinking filthy water such as you see them doing around

kitchens where sloppy water is thrown about. It is also

caused by feeding on the same piece of ground for a long

time, sothat the soil is stale and sour with remains of

old food and the droppings of the fowls. Again, cleanliness

will prevent this disease.
; TREATMENT.

To cure it, take a stiff wing feather from a fowl, trim it,
only leaving half an inch of feather at the tip: dip this in
kerosene or turpentine, put the fowl under your left arm,
shove up its gullet with the fore finger and thumb until you
see the opening into the windpipe plainly, then put the
feather gently down, turn it quickly round three times and
withdraw. Let the chick have a breath, take a fresh feather,—
dry this time,—and repeat the operation. You will probably
see specks on the feather like blood, and it may be ; but these
will likely be the minute gape worms. Repeat the operation
a third time with a feather dipped in sweet oil. If the worms
do not come up on the feathers, they are at any rate dis-
lodged and killed, and the fowl will cough them up and
expel them.

DIARRHEA

In diarrhoea, which is easily noticed, a mild dose of
half salad oil (cocoa-nut, cotton seed, olive, sun flower, or pea-
nut) and castor oil is best, followed by feeding on dry rice for
a week.

LICE.

When fowls seem to mope without any apparent cause,
suspect lice. Give them a dusting with insect powder, let
them have some dry earth and wood-ash for a dust bath, and
apply kerosene oil to the ends of their roosts.

CRAMP.

Sometimes the legs of a fowl stiffen so that it is unable
to walk and simply sits, yet it has a hearty appetite. This will
probably be cramp in the legs and is caused by damp. To
cure, steep legs in warm water, or rub with hot water cloths,
then rub with a good embrocation, or turpentine ; wrap up

legs in cloth, and put the bird in a cosy box during the
night. Repeat every night until better.
OTHER DISEASES.

Fowls are subject to many other diseases like bumble
foot, apoplexy, constipation, consumption,
dysentery, rheumatism, crop-bound, debility, egg-bound,
inflammation of ovary, eyes and liver ; gapes, gout, indigestion,
liver diseases and worms, but those fully described are most
common in the West Indies.

comb-disease,

SUMMARY.

In conclusion I will summarize what I have said. Keep
only good layers of active disposition ; give them as free a

run as possible; have an airy, comfortable house built of
materials at hand, sheltered from the wind and rain, have
dry, comfortable nests free from lice, and made private ; feed
scraps in the morning, and corn varied with household scraps,
cocoa-nut, brown rice, and cheap peas like Congo peas in
the evening; purchase as little food as you can help, grow it
all if possible ; keep everything clean; give a dose of Epsom
salts all round once a week as a preventive of diseases ; take
care of the manure; keep chickens by themselves ; do not
in-breed; breed only from pure-bred cocks, and then eggs
will be plentiful with you who are careful and follow out
these ideas, and the many who do not know how to get
good results, the many who have not the opportunity of
keeping fowls cheaply, if at all, as in towns, and the many
who have not the aptitude, and the many who will not
trouble to exercise care and thoughtfulness will have to buy
them from you.

Wor. I No: 18. THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 283
ie ot = boiling under reduced pressure and its application to the

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fae

PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY.

By Merger, A.
Allman & Son, Ltd. London. Price 2s. Gd.
The authoress states that she has tried in this book to
treat the subject of Physical Geography as based on observa-
tion, rather than experiment. The book should prove useful
to teachers and others who are dealing with the elementary

parts of the subject.
The form and rotation of the earth is discussed and the
chief facts from which we derive our knowledge of the shape

Reid,
R.Sc.

and movements of the earth given, and their bearing
explained. The apparent movements of the sun and the

movements and changes of the moon are treated in the same
way. Then follows an account of the atmosphere, its
composition, temperature, pressure, moisture and movements,
Four chapters are devoted to the sea, treating of its depth,
deposits and movements.

We then have a short account of the formation and
breaking down of rocks ; the chief agents in the elevation
and wearing down of rocks are enumerated and their action
explained and illustrated.

The later chapters contain short accounts of the
distribution of plants, animals and population, and we find
the chief factors bearing on distribution stated and explained
and their mode of action worked out.

Finally, we have a short chapter on the geographical and
other changes which have occurred during geological time.

THE UNIVERSE. By F. A. Pouchet.
edited by Professor J. R. Ainsworth Davis.
1902. London. Price 7s. Gd.

Pouchet’s Universe has been so long known to naturalists
that it seems almost superfinous to give any account of its
contents. The subject-matter is very wide, covering the
animal kingdom, vegetable kingdom, geology, the a’r, the
sidereal universe and an account of monsters and supersti-
tions.

The present edition, which is attractively bound, printed
and illustrated, has been revised and brought up to date by
Professor Ainsworth Davis. The text, however, has been
interfered with as little as possible, so that the book has lost
none of the charms of its style.

It would be hard to find a book which would better
arouse in children an interest in, and a love for, the study
of nature.

Nevised and
Blackie & Son,

Lectures to Teachers at Barbados.

The second lecture to the elementary school teachers of
Barbados at the Bridgetown centre on the manner and method
of teaching agriculture by means of object lessons, was delivered
at Harrison College on December 6, by Dr. Longfield Smith.
Thirty- -six teachers attended. The differences fsccs een the
various kinds of natural waters, the solvent power of water,
the formation of clouds, dew, rain and rivers, the boiling point,

manufacture of sugar, the expansion and contraction of water
by heat and cold, the point of greatest density of water, were
all explained, and illustrated by simple experiments. The
chemical composition of water and the preparation and pro-
perties of hydrogen and oxygen were demonstrated.

At the close of the lecture, cyclostyle notes were dis-
tributed to each teacher. A similar lecture was delivered at
the St. Peter’s centre on December 13. The lecture was
attended by eighteen teachers and by several ladies and
geutlemen of the parish interested in the subject.

VALUE OF A HERBARIUM.

In a recent issue we quoted from Botuniziiy,
Prof. W. W. Bailey’s practical book for field botauists,
an extract on the usefulness of Botanic Gardens. The
following appreciation of a Herbarium, from the pen
of the same author, forms an interesting supplement:—

But let us consider a little more closely the uses of a
herbarium and of a botanic garden.

In regard to the former it is to be said that much of the
systematist’s work is of necessity upon dried plants. These
he soaks in warm water, which in a measure restores the
contours and softens the tissues so that they can be examined.
A botanist could not by any chance visit ail countries nor
even every part of his own, but in the herbarium he can have
all or a large part of the plants of any given region exposed
in their natural sequence, or what science at the time
considers such. Plants even of one family or genus are not
all simultaneously in flower or fruit, but in the herbarium all
parts can be thus viewed. The natural affinities and
geographical and altitudinal distribution can be learned in no
other way, though closet work must need supplement more
direct field observation.

Again, the herbarium is a cyclopzedia of ultimate appeal.
To it the student in doubt may appeal as to an authority.
At least he will aszertain what the’ best investigators have
thought. Hence a fine public herbarium is something to be
amassed and cherished.

A botanic garden is almost equally important. Therein
plants should ‘be arranged as nearly as possible by their
one affinities, well and clearly labelled, so that all may
learn them. Many horticultural experiments can here be

tried. Moreover, the garden should, like that of Kew, be a
centre of cieseimetion both of knowledge and useful

products. It should at all times be open to the public and

hence become a park of most delightful and varied
usefulness.
DEPARTMENT NEWS.
Dr. D. Morris, C.M.G., the Commissioner of Agri-

eulture for the West Indies, touched at Barbados on ‘the
16th. instant on board the s.s. Duhome en route to St.
Vincent, Grenada and Trinidad. During the last month
Dr. Morris has been engaged in visiting the Stations
and Schools of the Department at St. Kitt’s, Antigua,
Montserrat, Dominica and St. Lucia. He has also
delivered addresses to the Agricultural Societies at
Antigua, Montserr: at and Domine a and,on December 12
atte ided an important meeting a the St. Lue a
Agriculture al Society.

It is probable that Dr. Morris will return to Bar-
bados about the end of the present month,

THE AGRICULTURAL

NEWS. December 20, 1902.

GLEANINGS.

There was a fair honey flow from Jogwood and
other trees at St. Lucia during the latter part of November
and strong colonies are rapidly filling supers.

The Hon’ble Francis Watts states that some of the
manurial experiments carried on with sugar-canes at Antigua
Semphasise the point that it is not remunerative to use artifi-
cial manures upon land in poor physical condition.’

The JJdirror states that the shipments of cacao from
Trinidad to the end of November were 29,435,000, or about
60,000 bags more than last year.

The value of the cacao drier at the Dominica Botanic
Station was appreciated and taken practical advantage of
during a recent spell of rainy weather.

The seeds of annatto, also known as voucou, are stated to
be an antidote for cassava poisoning. Any information on
this point would be of practical value and interest.

Devil grass, or Bahama grass now found almost all over
the tropical and temperate regions of the world, is a native of
the East Indies. It is universally appreciated for its power
to withstand drought, and to thrive on pocr soils, and is
often employed for tennis lawns.

The sale of plants at the Tobago Botanic Station during
October realized £4 4s. 9¢. Cacao plants were most in
demand.

Varieties of cotton received from Montserrat are
germinating freely at the Botanic Station, Tobago. Cotton
occurs in a wild state in Tobago and good results may be
hoped for from the improved varieties now introduced.

The Ligu cacao (Theobroma bicolor) is now fruiting at
the Botanic Station, Dominica. Several plants of the
Alligator cacao (Theobroma pentagona) has also flowered.
Both of these species were obtained from Nicaragua by
Mr. J. H. Hart, Superintendent of the Botanic Gardens,
Trinidad.

Some first-class poultry comprising Buff Orpingtons,
Wyandottes and Plymouth Rocks have recently been
imported into St. Lucia by private individuals.

A quantity of Seville orange and rough lemon seeds
has been sown at the Tobago Station as
buddin

Botanic stock for

The sponge industry of the Turks and Caicos Islands
showed a substantial increase last year over the year previous.
The value of sponge exported in 1900 was £3,950, while that
exported last year was £9,277. This industry is not carried
on wholly by the people of these islands. More than three-
fourths in value of sponge exported last year was shipped to
the Bahamas and may be said to represent the gatherings
taken from the Caicos banks by schooners from the Bahama
Islands.

On one estate in Grenada where very particular attention
is “given to cultivation and manuring, the efforts of the
proprietor have been rewarded by a yield of 130 bags (of 182
lb. each) of cacao from about 16 acres. This is at the
of 8 bags per acre.

rate

According to the Maritime Merchant the market for
molasses in Halifax is very firm and sellers are demanding
full prices. The demand is remarkably good at present and
holders anticipate that the stocks will be no more than
ample for the season’s requirements.

At Grenada demonstration lessons in budding and
pruning were given by the Agricultural Instructor at the
Botanic Station to the boys of the Anglican and Roman
Catholic Schools on the first and second Fridays in September
last.

Reference has already been made in the pages of this
Jounal to the valuable work done by Agricultural Instructers
in these islands. Of this the following extract from a recent
report by Mr. Geo. S. Hudson, the Agricultural Instructor at
St. Lucia supplies an instance :—‘On October 4, I inspected
Palmiste Estate, Soufriére, the property of Messrs. Minvielle
and Chastanet and was pleased to find that in continuation of
my instructions they have transferred their plantation frcm
unhealthy weak plants to vigorous trees. On the 5th
October [ went over Mr. Lafitte’s Cacao property
“La Dauphin.” Here also my instructions have been carried
out with excellent results, some yields being as high as 8 ewt.
per acre without manure.’

The branch Agricultural Societies at Soufriére and
Choiseul in the island of St. Lucia are said to be doing useful
work. Their efforts include the importation of pure bred
stock and the formation of village libraries of agricultural
literature.

The Jamaica Gleaner of November 26, reports that ‘the
St. Ann Parochial Board has directed its clerk to apply to
the Superintendent of Public Gardens for a hundred euealyp-
tus trees, free of charge, to drain the swamps round St. Ann
say. If the request is granted, as we presume it will be, a
portion of the trees will be distributed to the residents of the
lower part of the town and the rest planted on lands
belonging to the Board. The experiment is an interesting
one for Jamaica, but the utility of the eucalyptus tree in
drying up swamps and improving the condition of a town has
been amply demonstrated over and over again in Australia
and elsewhere. We hope other Boards will follow the up-to-
date example set by St. Ann, and that they will take up the
campaign against the malarial mosquito on the lines recom-
mended by Major Ross and other authorities.’

Vow Tee Nowy ls: THE

AGRICULTURAL NEWS.

to
io 2)
or

EDUCATIONAL.

School Gardens.

School Gardens are now becoming established in
many islands throughout the West Indies and will
doubtless, year by year, accomplish incre sasingly useful
work in teaching the eleme notary principles ae agricul-
ture. Meachersa in these colonies will doubtless be glad
to learn something of what is being done in other pats
of the world. he methods employed with success in
England should not, of course, be adopted entirely, as in
many details they will be found unsuited to the condi-
tions of the tropics.

The following is the plan of the garden, anl scheme of
instruction at a ville uge hes with average attendence of 118,
and with a staff consisting of Head ‘ertificated ‘Teacher , two
Female Assistants and one Assistant.

Fig. 20.

GENERAL PLAN OF GARDEN.
Operations were begun with 7 forks,
hoes, 2 dutch hoes, 6 rakes, and 2 garden lines; the cost of
these was £3 6s. 6¢7. The stock of tools has since been
augmented by the purchase of more forks, ete., a wheel-
barrow, water pot, boat baskets and garden towels. All seeds,
with the exception of potato seed are found by the managers
and cost about 15s each year. Manures (farm yard and
and chemical) cost 15s annually and the rent of the ground
is £1. These expenses are met by the Government Grant of
£2 16s Od and an Aid Grant of £2. On the fruit plots the
following trees were grown :—Two pear trees, two apple
trees, two plum trees and one cherry tree. Some bush fruits
are also grown. The boys are taught pruning, grafting, and
budding, in addition to general fruit culture. The instruction
is given once a week from 2.35 to 4.10 p.m. The boys
stand round one of the plots, while the teacher demonstrates
how each operation is to be carried out. Afterwards they
<lisperse to their own plots and each does the necessary work
to the best of his ability. On wet afternoons the boys have
to talk about, and write compositions upon, the work which
has been done or is to be done in the gardens. The
instruction is continued throughout the year.

7 spades, 7 draw

Bae
aoe

This account is taken from a pamphlet recently
issued by the English Education Department. For
further particulars see the West Indian Bulletin,
Vol. IIL, pages 211-230.

Lectures to Teachers at Montserrat.

A third course of six lectures in Agriculture was
delivered to the teachers of Eleme ntary Schools at
Montserrat in November last by Mr. G. Whitfield
Smith, the Travelling Superintendent of the Depart-
ment. The Lectures lasted for three hours each day
and were attended by twelve teachers. Experiments,
of a simple nature, requiring only apparatus to be found
in any household, were performed to illustrate the
subjects dealt with. In cases where details of plant
structure were explained the teachers were provided
with fresh specimens of seeds, stems, roots, leaves and
Howers which they were required to dissect for them-
selves. To aid them in doing’ so,
large coloured drawings of the plants
l2 discussed carefully prepared before-
hand were distributed.

The subjects dealt with on this
occasion were as follows :—

Lecture 1. Germination—The seed
dissected and described——-What a
contains—Conditions necessary for sue-
cessful germination—Points of difference
between Monocotyledonous and Dicotyle-
donous seeds.

seed

Uses of the cotyledons—
Albuminous and Exalbuminous seeds—
What becomes of the radicle—plumule
—(illustrated by germinating specimens
14 of corn and bean seeds. )

Lecture 2. Structure and functions
of roots, stems, leaves and flowers (illus-
trated by living specimens and coloured
diagrams. )

Lecture 3, The soil and atmosphere.
Their relation to plant life.

Lecture 4. Elements of plant food in
a soil—Physical condition of the
necessary for successful growth of good crops.

Lecture 8. Soil moisture.—Its source.—Movements.
Inportance.—How conserved.—Soil and other mulches.
Manures and their value.

Lecture 6. How the plant lives—What becomes of the
food taken im by plants from the soil and atmosphere. (Illus-
trated by simple experiments showing—transpiration of
moisture from leaves—Formation of starch i in leaves depend-
ent on light-—-Evolution of oxygen from green leaves in sun-
light—Respiration of plants.) In addition to the above, four
demonstration lessons in pruning, budding and preparing soil
for seed beds were given by Mr. A. J. Jordan, the Agricultural
Instructor.

soil

In place of the usual examination at the close of the
course, those teachers who had attained first rank in previous
examinations were on this occasion made each day to explain
to the others what had been described to them i in the lecture
of the day before.

Great interest was displayed throughout the course and
the teachers are said to have acquitted themselves in a very
creditable manner.

286

THE AGRICULTU

UR

RAL NEWS.

December 20, 1902,

COMMERCIAL.

With the view of assisting in finding a market for the

disposal of local produce, arrangements have been made with
the following Agents in these Colonies who will be prepared
to receive consignments and obtain the best prices for them.

an assurance has

It is particularly urged that no shipments be made until
een received from the Agents themselves

that they are prepared to accept such shipments.

Agents in the West Indies.

BRITISH GUIANA—B.S. Bayley, Water Street, Georgetown.
TRINIDAD—J. Russell Murray, Port-of-Spain.

BARBADOS—

s?.

London,— November 25,

Halifax, N.S.—The

T. S. Garraway & Co., Bridgetown.
LUCIA—Captain H. Henville, Contractor & Agent, Castries.

MARKET REPORTS.

1902.—Messrs. J. Hates Carrp
& Co., Messrs. Gittesere Bros. & Co. and ‘THE
Pusric Lepcrr,’ November 22, 1902.
Ators—Curacoa, 14/6 to 40/-; Barbados 13/- to 35
Arrowroot—St. Vincent, 3d. to 5d. per Ib.
Barara—Demerara sheet, 2- to 2/6 per lb.
Bees-wax—Jamaica, fair to good pale £7 5s.
per ewt. In good demand.
Cacao—T'dad, 58/- to 85/- per ewt. ; Dominica 56/6 to 57, -
per ewt. ; Grenada, common to fine 56/- to 62/- per cwt. ;

/- per ewt.

to £7 15s.

Jamaica, 54/- to 63/6 per ewt.
Carpamoms—Mysore, 1/4 to 4/- per Ib.

CorrEE—Jamaica, 37 - to 12 per ewt. Costa Rica, 42/-
to 90/- per ewt. ; Peaberry 75/- to 115,- per ewt.
Corron— West Indian 4} to 5,5. per Ib.
Fusric—£3 10s. to £4 5s. per ton. Steady.
Gincer—Jamaica, common to fine 35/- to 50,- per ewt.
Hoxey—Jamaica 18/- to 25,6 per ewt.
Kora Nuts—lid. to 4d. per Ib.
Lime Jurce—Raw, 10d. to 1/-
£11 10s. per pipe.
Locwoop—Jiamaica, £4 2s. bd. to £4 Ts. Gd. per ton.
Mace—-1/3 to 2,10 per Ib.
Nirrare or Sopa-- Agricultural £9 5s. ee ton.
Nurmecs—90's to 60's @ 11 to 2/7. ff 132’s to 95's “@ Td. to
1s. per lb.
Pimento—2}d. to 2}. per Ib.
Ramee Denermrs 9d. to LOSd.,
proof gallon.
Sucar-—Barbados Muscovado, 12/- to 15,- per ewt.
Jamaica Muscovado 10.3 to 13.6 per ewt.
Trinidad and Demerara 18/6 to 15,- per ewt. duty
yaicl.
Saris or AMmMonta—Z£11 10s. to £11 11s. 3d.
Tamarinps—Barbados 12/- to 15/6 per ewt.
Frure—Coventr Garpren Marker (‘Gardener's
CHRONICLE,’ November 22, 1902.)
Bayanas—8/- to 14/- per bunch.
OrANGES—9/- to 14- per case.
Pines—3/- to 4/- each.
* Maritime

per gallon: Concentrated,

Jamaica 1/8 to 7/- per

per ton.

Merchant,’ November 20,
1902.
Mo rasses—Barbados 24c. to 85e. Porto Rico dle. to 34e.
Orances—Jamaica, $2.75 to $3.00 per box and $5.vu
per barrel.

Sucars—Bright yellow, $3.70; No. 1 yellow, $3.40.

New York,—November 28, 1902.—Mess-s. GrtLespie
Bros. & Co.
Bananas—Jamaica firsts, $0c. to $1.00; six to eight

hands, 45c. to 70c.

Cacao—African, 12}c. to 13}c. ; Caracas, 13fc. to 18c. ;
Jamaica, 114 to 11fec., ; Grenada, 13}c. to 13he. ; Trini-
dad 18c, to L4e. per Ib.

Antigua,—December 2, 1902.—Messrs. G. W:

Barbados,—December 6,

Trinidad,

Cocoa-nvuts — Trinidads $16.00 to $18
to CO per M.

CorreE—Rio, good ordinary dic. to 5jc. ; Jamaica, fair
to good ordinary 5c. to 6c. per lb. ; Manchester
grades 8he. to L0Sec. per lb.

Grave Frvurr—$4.00 to $7.00 per barrel.

Orances—Jamaica, $4.25 to $4.75 per barrel.

Pivento—4ic. ex hark and 4#c. per lb. ex store.

Rueser—Nicaragua scrap 55c. to 56c. per lb; Guayaquil
strip 53c. to 54c. per th; Esmeralda sausage 57e. to
58c. per lb.

Sugar—Muscovado, 89°,

96°, 3 2c.; molasses .
> Ww

.V0; Jamaicas $21.00

3x. to 3 Sze. per 1b. ; Centrifugals,
89°, diic. to 3kce. per Lb.

INTER-COLONIAL MARKETS.

BENNE?rT

3ryson & Co., Ltd.

Mo.asses—Market closed.

Svucar—Market closed.

1902.—Messrs. T. 8. Garraway

& Co., and Messrs. JAmes A. LyncH «& Co.

Arrowroot—St. Vincent, $4.00 per 100 1b.

Cacao—$12.00 per 100 Ib.

Corree—Jamaica and ordinary Rio
per 100 Ib. respectively.

Hay—New Brunswick 80c. to $1.00 per 100 lb.

Manvres— Nitrate of Soda $60.00 to $65.00 ; Ohlendorff’s
Dissolved Guano $60.00; Sulphate of Ammonia $80.00
to $85.00; Sulphate of Potash $67.00 per ton.

Motasses—No ee

Ontons—Madeira $3.00 to $4.50 per 100 Ib.

Poraros—$2.21 to $3.25 per 160 lb.

Rice—Ballam $4.35 to $4.70 per bag (190 th.); Patna
$3.50 per (100 Th.) ; Seeta $3.50 per (100 th.) ; Rangoor:
$2.00 to $300 per (100 Ib.)

Sucar—$2.40 per 100 th.

$8.50 to $9.50

British Guiana,—December 3, 1902.—Messrs. Wertinc
?

& RicHrer.

Arrowroor—$9.00 per barrel.

Barata—40ce. to 42c. per lb.

Cacao—-native lle. to 18c. per Ib.

Cassaya Srarcu—$7.00 per barrel.

Cocoa-NutTS—88.00 to $10.00 per M.

Corree—Rio and Jamaica I1}c. to 12c. per Ib.
--Creole, llc. to 12c. per Lb.

Eppors—$1.56 per barrel.

Oxtonxs— Retail 35¢ ; Garlic 9e. per lb.

Pea Nurs—Curagoa 4c.; American de.

PrLanrains —l6c. to 44c. per bunch.

Poraros Encusu—$2.75 to $3.00 per barrel.

Rice—Ballam $4.75 to $4.80, ex store; Patna £5.75 to
$6.0) per bag; Seeta $5.75 to S6.00

-CRrEOLE Rice $4.00 per bag.

Sweet Poraros Batbudes $1.44, Creole $1.20 per barrel.

TAaNNIAS—$1.92 per bag.

Yams—$2.50 per bag.

Motasses—-Vacuum Pan, yellow, J5c.
casks included.

Svucar—White $3.50 to $4.00; Dark Crystals $1.92 to
$2.10; Yellow $3.50 to $4.00; Molasses $1.40 to
$1.60 (nominal) per ewt.

Timpber—Greenheart 32c. to dde. per cubie foot.

WALLABA SHINGLES—$3.00 to $5.00 per M.

1902.—Messrs. Gorpox, Granv

. Evcar Tree & Co., December

(vetail.)

Wanted.

per lb. (vetail.)

to 16e, per gallon,

December 4,
& Co, and Messrs
5, 1902:

Cacao—Ordinary to good red $12.75 to $15.50.

3anaTa—Venezuelan 42c. to 48e. per th.

Correr—Venezuelan. No quotation.

Ontons—$2.25 to $3.75 per 100 Ib.

Poraros Encuiso—$1.60 to $1.75 per 109 1b.

Rrce—Yellow $4.70 to $4.75 ; White Table $
per bag.

Svear—For Grocery use, $1.70 to

5.50 to $5.75

$3.50 per LO0Lb.

Vor. I. No. 18. THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 287

Publications on sale of the Imperial Department of Agriculture
FOR THE WEST INDIES.
The ‘WEST INDIAN BULLETIN,’ A Quarterly Scientific Journal.

Volume 1. Reports of the Agricultural Conference of 1899 and 1900 and other papers ; complete, in the original
paper covers as issued, post free, 5s. The parts can no longer be sold separately.

Volume IT. Full report of the Conference of 1901, and other papers. Price, in original paper covers as issued,
post free 2s. 9d.

Volume III. No. I. Agricultural Conference of 1902: President’s Address and Sugar Industry. No 2. Confer-
ence of 1902 (continued). Educational and General Papers. No. 3. Sugar Industry, Scale Insects, Schook
Gardens, Object Lessons, Volcanic Phenomena, ete. Price 6d. Post free 8d. each. No. 4. Seale Insects,
Sorghum Poisoning, A new Insecticide, ete. (In the Press)

PAMPHLET SERIES.

The Pamphlets are written in a simple and popular manner and the information contained in them is especially
adapted to West Indian conditions. They contain amongst other subjects, summaries of the results of the experiment work
on sugar-cane and manures, the full official reports of which have only a limited circulation. The following list gives particulars
of all the pamphlets which are still available. The missing numbers are out of print and can no longer be supplied :—

(3) Seedling and other Canes, at Barbados 1900. Price 2d. Post free, 24d.
(5) General Treatinent of Insect Pests, 2nd Edition Revised. Price 4d. Post free, 43.
(6) Recipes for cooking Sweet Potatos. Price 2d. Post free, 24d. 4

7) Seale Insects of the Lesser Antilles. Price 4d. Post free, 5d.

(8) Cultivation of Vegetables in Barbados. Price 2d. Post free, 24d.

(9) Bee-keeping in the West Indies. Price 4d¢. Post free, 5d.
(10) Manures and Leguninous Plants at Barbados, 1898-1901. Price 4d. Post free, 5c.
(11) Hints for School Gardens. Price 2d. Post free, 24d.
(12) Seedling and other Canes in the Leeward Islands, 1900-1901. Price 27. Post free, 25d.
(13) Seedling and other Canes at Barbados, in 1901, Price 4d. Post free, 5d.
(14) Serew worm in Cattle at St. Lucia. Price 2d. Post free, 24d.
(15) Plain Talk to Small Owners Price 2d. Post free, 24d.
(16) Hints on Onion Cultivation. Price 2d. Post free, 24d.
(17) General Treatment of Fungoid Pests. Price 4d. Post free, 5d.
(18) Recipes for Cooking West Indian Yams. Price 2d. Post free, 23d.
(19) Seedling and other Canes at Barbados, in 1902. Price 4d. Post free, 5d.
(20) Seedling and other Canes in the Leeward Islands. Price 2d. Post free, 24d.

‘NATURE TEACHING.’
A text-book based upon the general principles of Agriculture for the use of schools, prepared by the Honourable
Francis Watts and others. (Pages XII and 199) The Plant, the Soil, Plant food and Manures, Weeds, and Insects are succes-
sively treated, and the information given is illustrated throughout by simple experiments which can readily be carried out
in an ordinary school. The Book is mainly intended for the use of Teachers. Price, limp cloth 2s., or in a superior style
of binding 2s. 6d. Postage in either binding, 34d. extra.

The ‘AGRICULTURAL NEWS’ A Fortnightly Review.

The ‘Agricultural News’ contains extracts from official correspondence and from progress and
other reports ; notes on interesting points connected with the work carried on at the Government Laboratories, Botanic
Stations, Experiment Stations, Agricultural Schools, Experiment Plots, School Plots, Agricultural Shows, Lectures to teachers,
ete., the oceurrence of disease, the arrival of new plants and animals, the flowering and fruiting of plants of special note, the
appointment, promotion and removal of officers, the weather, and, in fact, any information indicating what is going on in each
Colony and the progress made in Agricultural matters throughout the West Indies.

The ‘ Agricultural News’ is printed in time to be distributed, regularly, by each mail, and is on sale by the
local agents of the Department at one penny per number, post free, 13d. The subscription price, including postage, is
1s. 74d. per half-year, or 3s, 3d. per annum. Ad/ applications tor copies are to be addressed to the Agents, not to the Department.

Agents.

The following have been appointed agents for the sale of the publications of the Department :-—

London: Messrs. Dutavu & Co., 37, Soho Square, W. Barbados: Messrs. Bowen & Sons, Bridgetown. Jamaica +
Tue Epucartonan Suppry Company, 16 King St., Kingston. British Guiana. ‘Daily Chronicle’ Office, Georgetown.
Trinidad Messrs. Munro & Co., Frederick St., Port-of-Spain. Zobago: Mr. C. L. PLacEmann, Scarborough,
Grenada: Messrs. F. Marrast & Co., ‘The Stores,’ St. George. St. Vincent: Mr W. C. D. Prouproot, Kingstown. St. Lucia:
Mr. R. G. McHuan, Castries. Dominica: Messrs. C. F. Duverney & Co., Market St., Roseau. WVontserrat: Mr. W.
LLEWELLYN WALL, Plymouth. Antigua: Mr W. Forrest, St. John’s. St. Kitt’s: Messrs. 8. L. Horsrorp & Co., Basseterre.
Nevis; Mr. S. D. Matonr, Charlestown.

288 THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. DecemBer 20, 1902.

THE BEST MANURES FOR COLONIAL USE

pee * eA RE 3

Ohlendorff’s Dissolved Peruvian Guano—For Sugar-cane and general use
Ohlendorff’s Special Sugar-cane Manure
Ohlendorff’s Special Cocoa Manure

Sulphate of Ammonia, Nitrate of Soda, Superphosphates, high grades,
Potash Salts, Basic Slag and all other high-class Fertilizers.

APPLY TO LOCAL AGENTS OR

THE ANGLO-CONTINENTAL (LATE OHLENDORFF’S) GUANO WORKS,

15, Leadenhall Street, London E.C.,
Barbados Agents: Messrs. James A. Lynch & Co., Bridgetown.

DIRECT TO

London Agency,
(33. ]

PINE-APPLUE «SUCKERS.

Fancy Varieties at Greatly Reduced Prices.

CACAO PROPERTIES

FOR SALE

IN Sis bUCEE

Smooth Cayenne

£1 10s. per 100 or £12 per 1,000. A—40 to 50 acres: 10 acres Cacao, 3 acres female
Nutmegs, 13 acres Kola, 1 acre Oranges—all
: bearing, capable of extension. Price—£1,000,—
Green Ripleys half cash.
10s. per 100 or £4 per 1,000. B—120 acres forest Jand: 50 acres suitable for
Cacao. Price—£150 cash.
ed Ripleys 2 : : ss
R preys : C270 acres: 9 acres bearing Cacao: 50 acres
10s. per 100 or £4 per 1,000. being planted by tenants: desirable locality.

Price—£2,000.

J Carefully packed and delivered in Kingston, 13 —378 acres: 50 acres somewhat neglected Cacao,
damMatea. some Kola and Black Pepper: 80 tenants on
ra ; estate: healthy locality. | Price—£1,000.
The above are choice plants thoroughly acclimatised L .
to the tropics. E 250, to 300 acres > 30 acres bearing Cacao:
dwelling house. Price—£1,000,—half cash.
The undersigned has sent Pine-Apple suckers to F—75 acres: 20 acres bearing Cacao: good dwelling

nearly all of the West Indian Islands and they
have given universal satisfaction.

CHAS. EUGENE SMITH,
Barbican, Halfway Tree,

B.W.L

Jamaica,

house: desirable loeality. Price.—£1,600.
Apply in first instance, to
GEO. S. HUDSON,
Agricultural Instructor,
St. Lucia.

Printed at Office of Agricultural Reporter, 4, High Street, Bridgetown, Barbados.

INDEX,

A. |

Africa, cacao in, 7, 279.
Agricultural education (see Education.) |
Agricultural institutions in West Indies, |
14, 46, 62, 78.
—— instructors, appointment of,
—, value of, 284.
— News, comments on, 205.
—, objects of, 1.
— shows, Antigua, 118, 172, 216.
— Barbados: 70, 118.
—, British Guiana, 205.
, Dominica, 236.
-, Montserrat, 118.
objects of, 118.
—, value of, 65.
Virgin Ista 118. |
society, Antigua, 123, 216. |
—, Dominica, 76, 216
—, St. Lucia, 236. |
Agriculture and volcanic eruptions, 135. |
—, boards of, 17. |
Aloes, Barbados, 121, 268.
— in London market, 227.
Anastrepha Serpentina, 88.
Andropogon caricosus, 216.
— pertusus, 105,
Annatto, antidote for cassava poisoning,
284.
Anolis alligator, 170.
Anthrax at St. Vincent, 231, 232.
Antigua, agricultural education at,
— scholarships, 187.
— show, 118, 172, 216.
— society, 123, 216.
arbor day, 264.
beans and peas, experiments on, 188. |
bee-keeping at, 74.
botanic station, reports, 171, 220.
cotton industry at, 23, 153, 169, 195.
economic experiments at, 205.
hay grass at, 216.
Indian corn at, 229.
Kirby A. H., appointment of, 267.
—, lime industry at, 165.
loquat at, 236.
Morris D., visit of,
onions at, 38
peasant g garden experiments, 220.
-, pine- -apples , 44.
sacred or water bean at, 104.
vegetables for Boers at, 39.
whales ashore at, 119.

ol.

107.

’

?

| Apogonia destructor, 258.

| Arachis hypogaea, 26, 136.

Arbor day, 49, 55, 86, 101, 151, 219,
264.

_Argosoma reflexum, 258.

| Arrowroot, at Barbados, 277, 279. |

|= = St. Lucia, 109, 132:

—, in London market, 120, 127.

—, Jamaica, composition of, 75.

— Vincent, composition of, 100.

Ants white, remedy for, 91.

B:

75.
development. of,

Bacillus levaniformans,
Bahamas, agricultural
23,
Balata, at British Guiana,
Bamboo, flowering of, 39.
—, male, 252.
Banana Industry :—
Canary banana, 118, 164.
—, at Barbados, 68, 103, 134.
Cultivation at Canaries, 250.
— Jamaica, 121), 228;

268.

-- 244,
261.

Diseases, Heterodera, 7.

—, in Egypt, 7, 84

—, insect attacking, 163.

—, nematode worms, 7.

Exports from Jamaica, 55.

Imports into British Guiana, 236,

— — United Kingdom, 164.
— ee bates eelo)lis
Packing, experiments with, 199.

Preserved, 155,
Shipment from Barbados, 68,
-—— Dominica, 278.
Varieties cultivated at Dominica,
279.
Banana, leaf of,
Bananas, West
introduced to,
Barbados, agricultural shows

70.

L354.

188,

104.

Indies,
99

new varieties

22)

at,

—, aloe industry, 121. |
—, arrowroot, 279.

—, bananas, Chinese, at, 68, 103 13

—, trial shipment of, 68, 134.

~, bird migrants at, 102.

Barbados, elementary schools, examina-
tion, 107.

—, ground- nut industry, 136,

—, elementary schools, prizes for plants
grown at, 125.
, English hares at, 167.

—, fish, destruction at, 183.

— -—, tarpon at, 56.

—, Harrison College, natural science
and agriculture, reports on, 11.

—, Import duties, 236,

—, lectures to teachers, 59, 204, 213,

234, 261, 283.
, mahogany at, 54.

minor industries at, 277.
-—, peasant plots at, 40.
, reptiles of, 151, 170, 210, 248.
-, snakes of, 151, 210.
—, soils of, 221°

, Sugar-cane experiments at,

161, 166, 178, 182, 194.

34, 157,

—, sugar crops, 131, 163.

—, sweet potato trade, 7.

—, voleanic ash, 23, 44, 88) 25;
217

Barbuda, game shooting at, 158

Barclay, J., poultry notes, 122, 138,
154, 170, 186, 202.

Bats and grapes, 106. -

—, in houses and churches, 12.

Bee-keeping, at Antigua, 74, 220.

— — Dominica, 122

a — Grenada, 152.

— — Jamaica, 26, 86, 92;
134, 251, 265.

— — Montserrat, 106.

= = St. Lucia, 284.

— -- St. Vincent, 42, 109.

—, honey, a nutritive laxative, 106.
;. , an attic full, 140.
- —, in American market, 229.
—, —, uses of, 265; 281.
—, lizards and bees, 122.
—, plants, Cleome, 106.

, Ipomea sidaefolia,
; -, seaside grapes, 74.
-, possibilities of, 38.
—, shade for hives, 236.
Bees, stingless, at B ritish Guiana,

; — Dominica, 40.

| Bees-wax, production of, 165.
| Beet sugar, production in Enrope, 66.
—— United States,

236.

252.

29

“=;

210,

Beet Sugar, Prussian factory, 275.

Bell, H. H., volcanic eruptions
agriculture, 135.

Bird lime tree, 28.

— migrants to West Indies, 102.

—, Soufriére, 61.

Birds and fruit, 61.

—, game, use of, 200.

—, language of, 171.

Black birds, planters friends, 246.

— witch, 92.

Bois immortel, difficulty with, 71.

Books, preserving mixture for, 140.

Book Reviews :—
Agricultural Bulletin,

ments, 155.

Agricultural Journal, Queensland, 171.
Bee-keeping in Jamaica, 251.
Bermuda lily disease, 171.
Bibhographia Jamaicensis, 267.

and

Straits Settle-

Bulletin of Micellaneous Information,-

Trinidad, 155.
Butterfly book, 13.

Check List, Forest Trees, U.S. A.,
203.

Cyclopaedia of American Horticulture,
110.

Eruptions in Martinique and St.

Vincent, 251.

Feeds and Feeding,
155.

Forest Influences, 171.

Growing Sumatra tobacco under shade,
235.

Tnsect book, 15.

La cacao, sa culture et sa preparation,
P. Preuss, 155.

Lectures on some physical properties
of soils, Warrington, 139.
Methods of propagating citrus
other fruits, Webber, 235.

Mosquito brigades, 267.

Natural History of Plants,
123, 203, 267.

Nature Study and Life,
235

Physical Geography, 285.

Pictorial greenhouse management, 235.

_- practical fruit growing, 235.

W. A. Henry,

and

Kerner,

C. F. Hodge,

i=} 2
— gardening, 235.

Plain Facts as to Trusts and Tariff,
25il:

Progressive lessons in science, <A.
Abbot, 219).

St. V: ineent Soufriere, 155.

Text-Book of Elementary Botany,

Laurie, 91.
The Universe, 283.
Tropical Agriculturist,
West India, 267.
Borassus flabellifer, at British Guiana, 93.
Botanic Gardens and Stations ;—
Antigua, report on, 171.
British Guiana, report on, 29,
Ceylon, report on, 1901, tale
Dominica, garden pavilion for, 1
, plants, distribution of, 183.

155.

12,

290

Botanic Gardens and Stations :— Contd.
Grenada, report on, 270.
Montserrat, report on 157.
St. Kitt’s, report on, 141,
St. Vincent, establishment of, 268,
—, report on, 109.

Tobago, 141, 172, 204.
Trinidad, report on, 1901-02, 77

Value of, 201.

Bougainyillea glabra, var. Sanderiana, 90. | —-

— lateritia, 90.

Bovell, J. R., address to Barbados Agri-
cultural Society, 157.

—, report on agricultural work,
to 1901, 13.

--, sugar-cane experiments at Barbados,
IGS airs IES

-—, sugar crops,
Se

Breadfruit, composition of, 40.

British Guiana, agricultural exhibition
and shows, 150, 205.

1898

Barbados, 1899-1902,

— —, board of agriculture, 17.
-= —, botanic gardens, reports,

29) 93.
cotton at, 227.
diamond mining in, 252.
gold, 165, 268.
report by Mr.
visit to emiGeul 45,
—, rice at, 38, 152, 232.
—, sugar-cane experiments,

166, 179.

?

Ward on!

=

-- sugar industry, 82, 226,
—, studious teachers, encour-
agement for, 125.
—, wealth of hinterland, 165,
British Honduras, agriculture in, 8, 276.

— mahogany trade, 247.
Broadway, W. E., report on botanic
station, Grenada, 270.
Broom corn, use of, 263.
Bulletin, West Indian, 121, 129, 237.
3ursera gumimifera, 268.
Bushe, R. G., report on elementary
schools, Trinidad, 270.

C.

Cacao, alligator, 254.
—, colour of seed as test of quality, 130.
—, cultivation at Africa, 7, *
— Barbados,
— Ceylon, 23,
—Dominica, experiment plots, 51.
—, Grenada, experiment plots,
51, 154, 245.
: —, versus sugar, 268.
, Java, experiment station at, 87.
==: -—, St. Lucia, 25, 51, 72, 109,
188, 196, 279.
—, Tobago, 236.
—, Trinidad, 245, 284.
—, cuttings from, 71. {

| Chitin,

Cacao, disease, 243.
—, canker,
121

remedies

— for, 30,
Ceylon, 29.
Grenada, 7.

—, Surinam, 14.

drier, at Dominica botanic station,

19, 85, 284.

— flower, 25.

, Forastero, 29.

—, grafting, 54, 243.

—, improvement by selection, 214.

—, la cacao, sa culture et sa prepara-
tion, 155.
—, manuring, notes on, 196.

—, pods, character of as criterion for
seeds, 77.

—, shade for, 87.

—, tiger, 284.

—, Trinidad, prohibition of imports at,
100.

Camphor, in Ceylon, 23.

Canada, West Indian trade with, 199,
201, 275.
Cane-farming,
82, 268.

Cane plants, treatment with tar, 22.

Capuchin powder, 264.

Carbon bisulphide as insecticide, 140.

Carmody, P., Trinidad, annual report,
125.

—, — trade, 136.

Carrapicho or Aramina fibre, 189.

Carruthers, J. B., cacao canker in Ceylon,
29.

Cassava, composition of, 93.

— cultivation, Florida, 252.

—, United States, 71.

flour, inquiry for, 100.

— poisoning, 5.

— roots, price of, 25:

—, Yaraque, a product of, 276.

Castilloa elastica, as shade for cacao, 21.
(see also Rubber, Central American.)

Cattle, care of, 50.

Lucia, 57.

—, St. Vincent, improvement of breed,
172.

Centipedes, usefulness of,

Cereus triangularis, 186.

Ceylon, botanic gardens, reports, 1901,
lite

—, cacao disease at,

crop, 1901,

—, citronella oil in, 23, 77

—, minor products in, 23.

—, nutmegs, experiments in grafting, 69.

—, rubber planting, 93.

—, swedes, experiments with, 109.

Chemistry, agricultural, lectures in,

23.

British Guiana, returns,

)

88.

125.
Chives, in Grenada, 188.
Cho-chos,

58.

| Christophines, recipes for cooking, 58.

2)

Chrysanthemum cinerarifolium, 22
—coccineum, 220.

Cissampelos Pareira, velvet leaf, 265.

1D
io}
e

Citrate of lime, 99.

Citronella oil, in Ceylon, 23, 77.

Citrus fruits, experiments with stocks, |
132. |

— plants budded stock, value of, 183.
—, method of propagating orange,

235.

Coccoloba uvifera,

Cochon terre, +0.

Cockroach poison, 107.

— trap, 37.

Cocoa-nut butter, 53.

—-, for decoration, 268.

— oil cake, analysis of, 259.

—— — meal, 259.

—, planting of, 268.

—, six-branched, 92.

Coftea robusta, 121, 278

— stenophylla, 6

Coffee, African new,

, budding, 243.

—, Congo, cultivation at, 121.

—, Dominica, 278.

grafting 54, 243

74.

6.

Jamaica, 92.
, Java, grafted hybrid trees,
eases of, mee
= peaberry, 8
—, Porto Tee! Sepent on trade, 141.
—, production and consumption of, 55
—, shade for, 93.

and dis-

Commercial agents in West Indies, 14.

Commission, scientific, St. Vincent, 54
70, 86.

—, —, voleanic disturbances, report
on, 128.

—= —, West Indies, visit to the,
i),

Conference, plant breeding at New
York, 135, 157.

—, West Indian Agricultural, 251.
Cook, O. F., shade in coffee culture,
Corals, disintegration of, 269.
Corn, remedy for fly worm, 216,
—, Guinea, planting, 40.
, —, value as fodder,
Indian, abnormal, 163.
, -—, composition of 277
—, cultivation at Barbados, 40.

93.

40.

-, - Grenada, 245.
—, —, improvement in, 229, -2¢
—, —, planting of, 40, 55.
—, —, seed, preservation of, 26, 106,
204.

experiments with, 216.
report on trade of 1901,

-—, spraying,
Costa Rica,

135.
Cotton cultivation at Antigua, 1535, 169,
195.
= — — British Guiana, 227.
— = — Leeward Islands,
153, 169, 195, 236.
= - Montserrat, 103,
236; 2d:
— = — Porto Rico, 141.
— — =— Sic, dicing
972
al.

Cotton cultivation at St. Lucia, 25, 103
172; 236:

Tobago, 28 a
in West Indies, £

= 103,
198, 273.

| —, demand for, 209.

—, manuring of, 195.
—, packing of, 153, 246.

—, quality of, 153.

—, Sea Island, 169.

— seed, as fertilizer, 195.

= — stock foods 23)195.

oil industry of United States,

245.
—, utilization of 25, 66.
— value of, 198.
— varieties of, 153.
Cousins, H. H., pine-apples with cocks-
comb heads. 130.
Cow-pea, disease-resisting variety, 85
Crickets, mole, 40.
Crinum giganteum, 90.
Cryptorhynchus sp., 280.
Cuba, onion industry at, 20.

Culex fatigans, 120.
Curacoa, screw worm, treatment at, 73.
Cy cloneda sanguinea, 45.
D.
Dacryodes hexandra, 154,
Dactylopius, 258.
— citri, 200.
@Albuquerque, J. P., report on agri-

cultural work for 1898 to 1903, 15.
—, sugar-cane experiments at Barbados,
161.
—, vacation leave, 28, 44.
Date palms, disease at Antigua,
Dendrocalamus strictus, 252.
Department publications, 7, 287.
Devenish, Sylvester, tarpon in Trinidad,
233:
Dhal, imports into British Guiana, 220.
Diatraea saccharalis, 3.
Diseases of plants :-—
Banana, 85
—, in Egypt, 7, 84.
Sermuda lily, 171.
Black blight, at Grenada, 199.
Cacao, canker in Ceylon, 29.
— proclamations against, 14, 38.
— witch broom, 14.
Cemiostoma coffeela, 245.
Coffee, Arabian, 242, 243.
—, root disease, grafting as
Cow-peas, root knot in, 85.
Fungoid pests, 171, 187.
— specimens, how to pack
ward, 243.
Nectria, 29.
Nematode worms in bananas,

172:

and for-

8+.

Nematode worms in cacao, 245,
— coffee, 243.

Phy tophthora, 29.

Pine-apple, ‘ wilt’ disease, of,

Plasmodiophora in Ceylon, 77.

Sugar-cane, Marasmius, 3, 259.
—, pine-apple disease, remedy for, 66.

213.

—, root disease, 3, 258.

Dominica, agricultural department
announcements, (2.

=, — progress at, 25.

—, —school, examination, 109.

— — —, poultry at, 190.

—=; ==) —— stock at, lb6:

—, — society, Mr. Lockhart on
cacao, 216.

—, bananas, East Indian, 279.

— —, shipment from, 278

—, botanic station, plant distribution,
185.

— = —, report on, 221.

—, cacao drier at botanic station
19:

—, experiments in drying, 85.
—; Coffea stenophylla, 268.
—, experiment plots at, 51.
—, Highbury rest-house, 188.
—, lime cultivation, visit of F. Watts,

60.
—, limes, pests on trees, 262.
—, —, spineless at, 38, 180.

—, Morris, D., visit to ,44, 60.

—, onion cultivation at, 58,
215.

—, pine-apples, 166, 180.

—, plant proclamation at, 38.

—, poultry at the agricultural school,
90.

—, Smith, G. W.,

—, soils, report on,
76.

—, stock at, 20, 156,

—, vanilla cultivation at, 7

Dye factory, Jamaica, 92

Dyer, W. T. T., Botanical Adviser for
the colonies, 70.

72, 213

?

visit to, 44, 60.
by Hon. F. Watts,

135, 276.

Education, Agricultural, 59, 97.
At Barbados, in elementary schools,

107.
— British Guiana, 12¢
— Dominica, agricultural school half-
yearly examination, 156.

—, in elementary schools, 109.
— Harrison College, reports on, 11.

— St. Kitt’s, 43.

—St. Lucia, agricultural — school
examination, 109, 156.

—St. Vincent, agricultural school
examination, 109, 156.

27,

Cambridge local examination, Oils
187.

Essay on, 11.

In elementary schools, objects of, 177.

Jamaica, University College, change
in name, 91.

Lectures to teachers at Barbados,
213, 234 261, 283.

- = ienada,

—— Jamaica,

59

>

109.

Las
(2,

123, 156, 162

= ee \ontsertat.

172.

— Trinidad, 91.
Nature Study exhibition, 55,
Scholarships at Antigua, 107, 187

— in West Indies, 177.

School gardens, 139, 279, 285.
a — at Barbados, 123.
_ = — St. Kattisie 43:
= — — St. Lucia, 253.
— —)— Trinidad: 269)

Egypt, banana disease in, 7, 84.
Elaps, 131.

Endamus proteus, L., 226.
Ether extract, 269.
Eucalyptus, plants for drainage, 284.
Eucharis lily, cultivation of, 248.
Europe, sugar-cane crop in, 22.
Euxesta annonnae, 258,
Exhibition, agricultural,
Guiana, 150.
—, Colonial at Royal Exchange, 6.
—, Toronto, 6, 102, 121, 150, 166, 181.
Experiment plots, as object lessons, 51,
—, at Grenada, 51.
— —, establishment Oi, yl
Experiment station, for cacao in Java,
87.
Exports, from West Indies 1900-2

in British

1, 253.

F.

Farmers, agricultural education for, 59.

Fawcett, W., cultivation of bananas,
12], 228.
, lecture at New York Botanic
Gardens, 188.

—, report on Jamaica gardens 13,
Ferments, vegetable, 43.
Ferns, gold and silver,
Tish, destruction at

dynamite, 183.
Fisheries, artificial propagation of sea-

eggs, 24,

2 Grane ecaille (see Tarpon).

-, kutfum (see Tarpon).
Fisheries. sea ergs 24

Isheries, S€a €Qys 4,

~, tarpon, 8, 24, 56, 72,

D3o-

, United States, 39.
Fishlock, W.C., appointment, 12.

Fhies, at Grenada, 120.

26.
by

watering of,
Barbados

104, 126, 136,

Food, report on preservation and colour-
ing matter in, 56,

Forest Influences, 189.

Fortylegs, usefulness of, 88.

Fowls, (see Poultry).

Freeman, W. G, aloe industry of Barba-
dos, Te

Fruit, at Tobago, 148.

—, banana, cultivation of, 228.

—, for British market, 164.

= , from Barbados, 68.
’ ?
a Sire 244.

—, citrus, experiments with stocks, 152.

—, consignment from Jamaica, 188.
—, explosion on Para, 68.

—, exportation of, 260, 263. (see also
Packing).

—, grape culture, 106, 152, 196.

—, Jamaica, 92

= = im 1B aah market, 230.

—, limes, spineless, analysis of juice,

180.

—, nutmeg,

—, oranges,

—, —in

—, packing for export,
244, 246.

—, to keep birds from, 61.

— trees, budded and grafted, advantage
of, 102.

—, undersized, 172.

Fulgoridae, 258.

Funtumia 39, 54, 87, 185, 215.

grafting, 84, 148.
grafting, 148.
sale room, 260.

30, 84, 193, 230,

G

Gainfoot, B., report botanic
British Guiana, 93,

Galbraith, 8S. J.,
Seychelles, 67, 197.

Garcinia mangostana, 215,

Gecko, 170.

Ginger, Cochin,

—, cultivation at Jamaica 227.

—, St. Lucia, 109.

207

aol.

Globicephalus, at Antigua, 119,
Goat keeping, hints on, 211.

God-ochro, 186.
Good Reese Company, suppliers of
and other plants, 26.
Grafting tape, 280.
Grape, cultivation at Grenada,
—, Jamaica, 9, 196.
—, purple, preferred by birds, 106,
- fruit at Jamaica, 86, 102.
Grass, devil, introduced plant,

roses

132.

2S4.

Grave, Caswell, artificial propagation of | —

24,

Green page moth, 168.

Grenada, agricultural instructor,
7)

me

sea-eggs,
report,

, arbor day, 151.

gardens, |

vanilla cultivation in

1901-02, 77.

Grenada, black blight in,
—, botanic station, 270.
—, budding and pruning, lessons in, 284.
—, cacao, 245.

—, —, bloom on, 7.

—, — experiment plots, 51,
—, chicken raising at, 266.
—, flies, plague of, 120.

—, grape culture at, 132.

—, Indian corn at, 245.

—, lime industry, 195,

199.

—, orange bark weevil in, 280.

—, tarpon in, 136.

arittin, E. F., molasses as food for
horses, 108,

miffiths, Rev. W., grape culture at

Jamaica, 196.

Ground-nuts, 26, 136.

Ground provisions, at Dominica agrieul-
tural school, 172

= —, at St. Lucia, when to
plant, 25.

— —, ‘Yams from the West
Indies,’ 187.

Guava, red or Cayenne, 172.

Guango, as shade tree, 13.

Guaxima fibre, value of, 189.

Guinea grass, moth attacking, 167.

Gum fermentation
75.
Gunga, in the West Indies

of sugar-cane juice,

, 136, 166.

| H:

|Halobates, 211.
| Hamlyn-Harris, R., 221.
| Hand-books to West Indies, 94.

| Hares, English, in Barbados, 167.

Harris, T. J., grafting nutmegs, 84.

Harrison, J. B., reports sugar-cane

experiments, British Guiana, July to

| December, 1901, 2, 179.

|Hart, J. H., essential oils of West
Indies, 121.

|

k —, Lagos silk rubber, value of, 215.

|—, packing oranges, 84.

|—, report on pasture trees
234.

at Trinidad,

Trinidad botanie gardens,

Hay grass, as fodder plant, 216.

Herbarium, value of, 284.
| Hernandia pees 119.
sonora, uses of, 7, 119.

| Heterodera, saaine banana, ete., d4.
| Hevea brasiliensis, 36, 52.

Honey, in roof of house, 140.
yin St. Lucia, 57.

—, Jamaica, in England, 86.

, nutritive laxative, 106.

—, production in Jamaica, 134.

|—, sale of in American market, 229.

uses of, 281.

Hooker, Sir Joseph, honour to, 86.

Horticulture, American Cyclopedia of,
110.

Howard, Albert, epiphytic growth on
cacao and limes, 121.

Hudson, Geo. 8., notes on agriculture

in St. Lucia, 109, 196, 275.
—, Visits to small proprietors, 172.
Hylodes martinicensis, 248.

Hypothenemus, sp., 258.

Tlysia seytale, 131.
Immortel, nitrogen in dried flowers, 125,
Insecticides, crude oil and soap, 264.
Insect Pests, 115.
Anastrepha Serpentina, 88.
Ants, how to destroy on lawns,
— umbrella, 172.
Apogonia destructor, 258.
Argosoma reflexum, 258,
Beetles, plague of in Pomeroom,
— use of wing covers, 73.
Birds as destroyers of, 102.
Blackbirds and toads, 246.
Black witch moth, 92.
Brown shield scale, 152
Cacao beetle, 9.

124.

236.

140.

Corn aphis, 184.
— ear worm, 184.

fly, 184.
Dactylopius, 258.
Euxesta annonnee, 258.
Fiddler or may-bug, 100.
Flies, Grenada, plague of, 120.
—, propagators of disease, 215.
Fulgoride, 258.
Fumigation, value of, 45,
Guinea grass moth, 167,
Hypothenemus sp. 258.
In America, spraying in towns, 231.
-— Dominica, scale on lime trees, 252.
— Florida, West Indian in, 226.
Mealy-bug, in Trinidad, 200.
Mole cricket, 258.
Mosquitos in the West Indies,
Moth borer, 3, 184.

—, collecting
rara, 50.
Moths, remedy for, 200.
Moulds, and scale insects 152
Moults, or skin casting, 155.
Nitidulid beetle (haptonchus, Sp.,) 2!

120.

eggs in Deme-

foto)

dad,
gems 258,
On corn, treatment of seed,
—, Indian corn, 104.
—, sweet potato, 184.
—, Spraying against caterpillars,

26.

»

32,

58 |
suber of species of moths in Drain

=
=

Carbon bisulphide as an insecticide, Insects, Maribunta,

Jack-in-the-box tree, 7, 119,
Jackson, Sir Henry, appointment of, 38,

Insect Pests (contd.) - —

On sugar-cane in Hawaiian islands,
258.

Orange bark weevil (with fig.), 280.

Orange pest at Jamaica, 100.

Oxya velox, 258.

Praepodes vittatus, 100.

ted spider, jacobs, scarabee,
moth, 184, 200.

Report of the South Eastern Agricul-
tural College on, 45.

St. Lucia, ten species of scale insects
from, 204.

St. Vincent, anthrax, at 132

—, new species trom, 231.

—, jury from, 100.

Sapodilla maggot, 88, 120,

Scale insects, 25, 125.

potato

a= — on lime trees, 204.
Scavenger fly on banana, 203.
Screw worm, 40.

— —, at Curacoa, 70.

— —, at St. Lucia, 8, 73.
-—— —, in eattle, 264.

— -—, treatment, 40.
Sphenophorus lyratus, 168.

— obscurus, :

Spraying in England, 248.

Steirastoma depressum, 9.

White ants, remedy for, 91.

Woolly pyrol moth, means of checking
attack, 184.

Miphidium fusewn 258.

Grenada, usefulness
of, 200.

Development of, 76.

Found at sea, 211.

How to kill,

Instructors, travelling, duties of, 199.
Ipomea sidaefolia, 109,

Iron, preserving, receipt for, 90.

| Isinglass, West Indian, 154, 183, 252

J.

194.

| Jackson, J. R., West Indian products,
| 230) 275.
| Jamaica, Agricultural Society, Journal

of, 23.

—, agricultural instruction to teachers,

79, 123, 156.
—, — students, training of,
, banana industry, by Wm.
121), 228.
—, export from, 55.
—, bee-keeping at, 26, 92,251, 265.
—, Board of ‘Agriculture, Ife
—, Botanic Gardens, report 1900-01, 13.
, coffee at, 92.
, dye factory at, 92.
, exports for 1901, 9

162.
Fawcett,

Jamaica, fruit cultivation at, 92.
—, —, exports to England, 230.

—, Government Laboratory, 173.

—, grape cultivation at, 9, 196.
—, grapefruit in England, 86.
—, honey in England, 86.

—, — production at, 134.
—, horses, 167.

—, horse show, 278.

—, lime industry, 92.

—, logwood, shipment of, 39.
-, mahogany grown at, 54,
—, orange pest at, 100.

—, prospects in, 113,

—, rice industry at, 92.

—, rum manufacture in, 98.

—, stock for, 231,
—, Sugar-cane, B. 147 at, 114.

=. IB eobdtat las
—*, -2Enpy 5idratw lies
Dy sO brates
=D ovat alae

—, experiments with varieties in,
114.
—, tarpon in, 72, 104.
—, tobacco cultivation at, 53.
—, University College, change
Oe
—, voleanic dust at, 104.
Jatropha gossypifolia for leprosy, 62.
Java, new cacao experiment station in,
87.
—, sugar-cane, cross fertilization, 147.
Jenman, G. S, Report on botanic gar-
dens, British Guiana, 29.

in name,

Jones, J., Report, botanic station, 221.
—, cacao drying at Dominica, 85.
Jordan, A. J., Report on experiment
station, Montserrat, 157.
—, onion cultivation, 197.
K.
Kirby, A. H. appointment of, 267.

Krakatoa, new flora at, 43.

L.

Lady birds, value of, 45.

Lagerstroemia Flos-regine, 90.

Lamont, N., West Indian sugar industry,
145,

Land settlement scheme, St.
report on, 109.

Leeward Islands, cotton growing,
169.

|—, Sugar industry in,

| Lefroy, H. Maxwell,

Leguminous trees,
coffee and cacao,

Vincent,
153,

18.
28, Lil.
value as
93

shade to

294

Lemon, Sicily, at Antigua, 236.
Lepidoptera Heterocera, 88.
Leprosy, reputed cure for, 62.
Levan, in sugar-cane juice, 75.

Lewton-Brain, L. appointment of, 157,
203.

Lime, citrate of, demonstration of pro-
cess, 99,

—, industry at Antigua, 165, 236.

— —, — Grenada, proposed, 195.

= = Jamaica, 92.

— —, Montserrat, 149.

Limes, pests on, 121, 262.
—, spineless, analysis of juice, Hee

— —, at Dominica, 38, 18

Liophis perfuseus, 151.

Lizards and bees, 122

Logwood, shipment from Jamaica, 39.

Louisiana, minor industries, 247.
—, stock, feeding of plantation, 29.
Lunt, Wm., report on St. Kitt’s botanic

station, 141.
Mace, 227.
Macgillivera, D., budding and grafting

fruit trees, 148.
McTurk, M., British Guiana,
wealth of, 165.
Mahogany, trade in British Honduras,
247.

hinterland,

—, at Jamaica and Barbados, 54.
Malaria and mosquitos, 12.

—, in Campagna, 263.

Mango, extension of season, 119.
—, grafted, advantages of, 118.

—, in Grenada, 172.
Mangosteen, fruiting of at Dominica, 215,

Manihot utilissima, 276.
» poisoning by, 5.

Neon 100.

Meare: lawn mowings as, 15.

Manures, artificial, purchase of, 41.

—,, nitrate of soda, method of applying
dO,

Marasmius, on sugar-cane, 3.

Maribunta, at Grenada, usefulness of,
200,

Market reports, 15, 31, 47, 63, 79, 95, |
110, 126, 142, 158, 174, 190, 206,
292) 238, 254, 271, 286.

Martinique, volcanic eruptions at, 81,
251.

Meaden, C. W., report on government

stock farm, Trinidad, 125.
Melipoma sp., 40.
Melon, precocious germination, 52.

Mignonette, West Indian, 252.

Milch cows, care of, 50.
Millen, H., report on Tobago botanic
station, 141.

D4.

grant in aid

Milk, new standard for,
Minor industries,
bados, 172.

of

Bar-

Minor industries at Barbados,
—, — Louisiana, aie
Molascuit, by-product of sugar,
147.
| Molasses, food for horses,
—, stock, 66,
—, price in Halifax market,
Mole crickets, 40, 258.
Montserrat,
—, bee-keeping at, 106.
—, coronation plot at, 172.
—, lectures to teachers at,
—, lime industry at, 149.

22, 66, |

108, 124.
O14.
IS4,

285.

157.
—, visit of D. Morris to, 44, 60.
Morris,
delegate at, 157, 187, 951.
—, visit to Antigua, 76.
—, Dominica
44, 60.

them, 267.
Mosquitos and malaria, 12.
—, Anopheles, 120.
—, in Campagna, 263.

agricultural efforts at, 43. |

—, preparation of papain at, 4, 55, 172.
—, report on experiment station, 76.

D., plant breeding conference,

and Montserrat,

Mosquito brigades and how to organize

| Onions, cultivation, 72, 134.

|= — at Antigua, 38, 188.

—, — — Cuba, 20:

|—, — — Dominica, 58, 188, 213,
| Zaley

|—, — — Montserrat, 172.

|\—, — — —, demonstration in sow-
| ing, 204.

VS Sik Iinein, SE

—, — — Tobago, 236.

|— —, hints on, 28, 76.

| —., instruction by travelling instruec-
| tors, 230.

—, seedlings, hints on, 197.

—, sets, how to grow, 58.

—, experimental shipments of, 58.

—, m New York market, 58.

Oranges, budding, 8, 54, 284.
—, disease of bark weevil, remedies for,
280.

—, cultivation amongst bananas, 214.
at Jamaica, 235,
== pest on,
260.

2

>
—, in the sale room,

—, packing, 84, 244.
—, Porto Rico, report on trade, 141.
—, propagation of, 235.

100.

—, list of, found in each colony, 120. —, Seville, as stock, 54.
Moth borer, collecting of eggs, 50. —, Tobago, grafting and budding, 148.
— —, In sugar-cane, 3. —, trees, planting of, 23.
Moths, blue page, at Barbados, 56. Osment, Thos., appointment as agricul-
—, in Trinidad, 88. tural instructor at St. Vincent, “28,
Moulds, how to check, Oxya velox, 258
| Musca domestica, 215.
| Myiadestes sibilans, 61.
| Myristica moschata, 69.
12
Packing for export, 250.
N. —, value of good, 198.
Palin leaves, opening of, 61.
Nature study, exhibition, 55. Pandanus utilis, 83, 281.
|e erancllinenso 35s Papain, preparation of, 4, 55. ;
|— —, value in education, 214. Papaw, at Montserrat, 4, Bb; 172.
/Nelumbium iuteum, 104. —, cure for ring worm,
— speciosum, 104. —, ferment in, 43. ;
New industry, growth of, 241. Para, R.M.S., explosion on, Board of
New York, plant breeding conference at,| Trade inquiry, 68.
135. Para, trade of, 250.
Nitrate of soda, method of applying, 50, | Pastures, care of, 37. y
Nitrogen free extract, 269. Pear, prickly, in Australia, 252
| Nucoline, 53. Peasant plots, at Barbados, 40.
| Nutmegs, at Barbados, 277. Peat molasses, composition of, 66.
{se Jamaica, 13. Peppers, Chili, 22,00 tesco
= — Tobago, 148. Phillipines, agricultural investigations in,
_, grafting, 54, 84, 69, 119, 148. 59. : i“
|Nuts, kola, 227. —-, experiment station for, 59.
—, surra disease in horses at, 134.
Pimento, 227.
Pine-apples, at Antigua, 44, 204, 220,
,» — Dominica, 166, 180.
O. , — Porto Rico, 11.
-, aid to digestion, 107.
Olivier, 4., fruit, quality of exported, |—, black Antigua, 180.
121. —, - —, at Grenada, 204.
~Omiodes, 258. —, Brazilian pine, 180.

Pine-apples, Charlotte Rothschild, 181.

cockscomb heads, how caused, 130.

exports from Antigua, 1901, 220.

ferment in, 45, 107.

fungoid attacks on, 188, 213.

—, La Brea, 180.

Maipuri, 180.

packing and shipping, 164, 166.

queen or golden queen, 180.

smooth Cayenne, disbribution
188.

—, undersized in “London market, 172.

Pisonia aculeata, 28.

Pitheco!obium Saman, as shade tree, 13.

Plant breeding conference at New York,

Wi2.
—, possibilities of, 247.

— pathology, 75.

Plants, climbing, 46.

—, fever in, 61.

—, natural history of, 123, 203, 267.

Polistes, 200.

Polybia occidentalis, 200.

Pond flies, 25.

Porto Rico, deposits of guano and phos-
phates, 220.

—, prospects of sugar crop 1902, 115.

-—, trade report for 1901, 141.

Potatos, English, cultivation experiments
in West Indies, 149.

—, —~, sprouting, harmful, 76.

—, sweet, cultivation at St. Lucia, 109.

—, experimental culture of, 61.

of,

’

—, —, experiments in shipping, 99,
181.

—, —, for Europe, 99, 103, 231.

—, —, kinds cultivated in Tobago, 76.

—, —, meal, samples sent to London,
204.

» —,) packing, careful selection neces-
sary, 182.

—, packing, directions for, 181.
—, red spider, attack on, 200.

-—, spraying against caterpillars,

Poultry, a double tragedy, 74.

—, breeds of fowls, 74, 138, 154.

—, camphor for hens’ nests, 26.

—, chicken raising at Grenada, 266.

—, common fowls, improving, 231, 234.

—, diseases of, 250, 266, 279, 282.

—, economic importance of, 122.

—, feeding, 186, 190, 202.

—, hints on keeping, 122.

—, housing, with diagram
runs, 219.

—, Importance of cleanliness 246.

—, in small enclosures, 42.

—, imported at St. Lucia, 284.

—, Leghorns, 170.

—, manacou, dangerous to, 172.

—, Minoreas, 170.

—, pumkin seeds as food for, 74.

-—, raising, 118, 214.

—, report on, at the agricultural school
at Dominica, 90.

of house

—, scaly leg on fowls, remedy for, 106.

Lo
io}
OL

Poultry, ticks on fowls 74, 106,

—, to catch fowls easily, 90.

—, to cure an egg-eating dog, 90.
Praedial larceny, 166.

Prickly heat, treatment for, 58.
Produce, quality of, 33.

Products, home, utilization of, 225, 246.
Pumpkin seeds, food forfowls, 74.
Pyrethrum, mosquito destroyer, 235.

Q.

Quaxima or carapicho fibre, 159.
Queensland, Agricultural Journal, 171.
Quiina jamaicensis, 265.

R.

Rain, an inch of, 75.

\eforestation, experiments at Grenada,
154.

—, Tecoma leucoxylon, 220.

—, results of experiments, 220.

Remigia repanda, 167.

teport, agricultural chemists, associa-
tion, 157.

—, Antigua, botanic station, 171, 220.

—, — economic experiments at, 205.

—, Barbados agricultural work at 1898
to 1901, 13.

—, British Guiana botanic gardens, 29.

—, — —, Mr. Ward’s visit to Trini-
dad, 45,

—, Canary Islands, trade for 1901, 237.

—, Ceylon, botanic gardens, 77.

—, —~, cacao canker in, 29.

—, —, Government mycologist. 77.

—, Costa Rica, trade for 1901, 125.

—, Cuba, trade for 1901, 270.

—, Dominica, botanic station, 221.

—, Elementary education, 1901-02, 270.

—, Grenada, botanic station, 1901, 270.

—, Jamaica botanic gardens, 13.

—, — government laboratory, 175.

=
‘

—, Louisiana, feeding of plantation
stock, 29,
—, Montserrat, experiment _ stations,

ISOS i,

—, notes on insect pests, 45.

—, Para, trade for 1901, 250.

—, Porto Rico, 141.

—, St. Kitt’s-Nevis botanic station, 141.

—, timber, decay of, 278,

—, —, tropical, 105.

—, Tobago botanic station, 141.

—, Trinidad, government analyst, 125.

— botanic gardens, 77.

—, — government farm, 125.

—, volanie dust, Barbados, 88.

—, Wye College, notes on insect pests,
45.

teptiles, Barbados, 170, 248.

Rice cultivation at British Guiana, 38,

152. 232.
—, Demerara, importation in, 268.
—, Jamaica, 13, 92.
—, Porto Rico, report on trade, 141.
—, Trinidad, 268.

—, value of imported, 220.

Rosa rubiginosa, 71.

Roses, where to obtain, 26.

Rubber, 21.

—, Central American, as shade for cacao,
Zi

— cultivation, British Guiana, 165.
; Ceylon, 23, 93.

—, Trinidad, 77.

— forests, in Soudan, 114.

—, from young trees, 180.

—, Lagos, 54, 185.

——i —, cultivation at Tobago, 39.
_, —, — at Trinidad, 87.
_, —, pruning necessary, 54.

=, —, test of latex in Trinidad, 215.

—, Para, 36, 52, 93.
—, world’s demand, 247.
Rum, manufacture at British Guiana,
236.
—, Jamaica, study of, 98.
—, expert for, 131.

S.

Saccharine, restricted sale of, 103,

St. Kitt’s, agricultural education at, 43.
—, report on botanic station, 141.

—, school plots at, 43.

, Sugar, duty on exported, 150,

, Sugar-cane experiments in, 18.

—, tobacco experiments at, 53, 130.

St. Lucia, agricultural efforts at, 25.
—, — notes from, 57, 275.

—, —school examination, 109.
—, — —, vacancies at, 188.
—, — society, 76.

, arrowroot, 109, 132

, cacao crop at, 109.

—-, — cultivation at, 72, 196.

—, coasting steamer at, 252.

, cotton at, 25, 103, 172, 236.

, experiment plots at, 51.

—, ginger at, 109.

—, importation of stock, 87.

, mole crickets at, 40.

, peasant cacao plots, 279.

plant proclamation at, 14.

potato, sweet, 109.

return of Dr. Morris from, 60.

school gardens, 253.

screw worm, 8, 73.

spraying machines, importation, 236.

—, sugar production in, 147.

St. Vincent, agricultural instructor, ap-
pointment of, 28.

— school examination, 102.

—, report on, 109.

296

St. Vincent, anthrax, government notice, |
929

aV0-.

—, arrowroot, composition of, 100.

—, bee-keeping at, 42.

—, botanic station, report on,

—, Carib implements, 229.

—, crown lands at, 279.

—, gomea in, 268.

—, land settlement scheme, report on,
109.

109.

—, scientific commission for, 54, 70.
—, Soufriére, 155.

—, stock, importation of, 25

—, tree planting at, 101.

—, voleanic ash at, 59.

—, — eruptions at, 81, 86, 201,

ZBI = Deve

» —— —, report on, 251.

Sands, W. N., Antigua botanic station,
report on, 171, 220.

—, Indian corn, improvement in, 229.

Sapium Jenmanii at British Guiana,
93.

Sapodilla, pest of, 88, 120,

Sarsaparilla, 227.

Scale insects, enemies of, 31.

—, on young plants, 25.

School gardens, and object lessons, 139.

— —, in England, 279.

—, in St. Lucia, 246, 253.

—, in Trinidad,

—, plan and scheme for 285.

Schrenk, Hermann yon, timber and its
decay, 61.

Scorpion (Mabuia agilis), 170.

Screw pines, in the tropics, 281.

Serew worm, 40, 264. |

—, treatment at Curacoa, 73.

—, —at St. Lucia, 8, 73.

Sea eggs, artificial propagation of, 24.

Sea-side grape, honey plant, 74.

Seeds, ornamental, as curios, 102.

Seedworth, G. B., forest trees of United
States, 203. :

Seychelles, vanilla cultivation in, 60, 67,
83, 101, 116, 133,

Shaddock, Labuan pomelo, 148.

Shin, D., cotton cultivation in British
Guiana, 227

Sida cordifolia, 265,

Smith, G. W., agricultural school plots,
report on, 221.

—, cacao drier at Dominica, 44.

—, visit to Dominica, 44, 60.

—, - , Virgin Islands, Montser-
rat, Dominica, St. Lucia, St. Vincent
and Grenada, 203, 267.

Smith, R. Greig, gum fermentation of
sugar-cane Juice, 75,

Smith, E. F., plant pathology,

Snakes, Barbados, 151, 210.
~, coral, British Guiana, 131.

Soils, Barbados, whence derived, 221.

Sorghum, green, poisoning cattle, 70.

Soudan, rubber forests in, 114.

75.

Sour-grass and ticks, 105, 219.
Sparrows, West Indian, 56.

Spathelia simplex, 90.
Sphenophorus obseurus, 258.

Spices at Barbados, 277.
Sponge fishing, Bahamas, 268.
—, industry, increase in, 284.

Squash, distribution of seed from Bar-
bados, 188.

Starch, new method of treating, 269.

Steel, preservation of, 90.

Stegomyia fasciata, 120.

Stenostoma bilineatum, 151.

Stock, cattle, pink eye in, 168.

|—, economic feeding of, in Louisiana,

29°
—, experiments with aromatic grasses,
157.

—, feeds and feeding, 155
’ t=}

— -—, molasses, 66, 214.

— —, purchase of, 247.

— —, value of condiments in, 56.

— importation, St. Lucia, 87.

—, Introduction of at Dominica, 20.

—, Jamaica, horse show, 278
» — Importation at, 231.

—, report on, Trinidad farm, 125.

—, screw worm in, (see screw worm).

—, Trinidad export from Venezuela, 172.

Stomoxys calcitrans, 182.

Straits Settlements, Agricultural Bulle-
tins iD:

Stubbs, W. C.,
stock, 29.

Sugar, as staple crop in Jamaica, 13.

Sugar-beet factory, earnings of, 274.

feeding of plantation

Sugar-cane, area under cultivation in
British Guiana, 268.

— —, —., different varieties in Brit-|
ish Guiana, 35.

—, B. 147, 166, 268.

—= B..156; 178:
3. 208, 36, 162, 178.

ap
= 4, 178.
<=, BP 347. 178!
=, Bssice Wr:

—, Bourbon versus other varieties, 194,
198.

—, chemical selection, experiments at
Barbados 35.

—, crops, Barbados, 1882-1902, 163.

1899-1902 inclusive, 151.

99

>
—, —in Europe,
—, cross fertilization in
—, cuttings disease of,
—, D. 74, 198.
—, D. 95, 36, 179, 198.

; DE 130) 162%
—, D. 145, 162.
—, diseases of, Marasmins, 36,
— experiments at Antigna, 35.

—, at Barbados, 34, 166, 178,

194.

Java, 146.
66,

MAC

aoe

—, address by J. R. Bovell

157
— —, review of, 182.
—, British Guiana, 2, 179.
— —, — Jamaica, 144.
=, St. Kitt’s, 18.

182, |

Sugar-cane, report on work at Barbados
1898-01, 13.

—, farming in British Guiana, returns,
82.

—, forked 115.

—, fungoid diseases, treatment with tar,
5)

—, issue of pamphlet ‘“ Seedling and

other Canes at Barbados,’ 237.
—, ‘Sugar-cane experiments

Leeward Islands,” 237.

—, loader in Louisiana, 263.

—, manufacture of Jamaica rum, 98.

—, manurial experiments, 162.

—, at Barbados, 34.

—, method of applying nitrate of soda,
50.

—, molascuit, 22, 147

—, molasses as food for army horses,

108, 124.
—, stock feed, 214.

—, moth borer in, 3, 50.

—, muscovado, new market for, 98.

—, new seedlings, 179.

—, pests. how introduced, 114.
—, in Hawaiian _ islands,

263,

-—, plant canes, care in selection, 182.

—, production of sugar at St. Lucia,
147.

—, Rock Hall cane, 162, 178.

—, root disease of, 258.

—, rum manufacture, expert for. 131.

—, Sealy seedling, 162, 178.

—, seedlings, experiments with, 34.

—, stunted and rotten, remedies
114.

—, White Transparent, 162, 173.

Sugar, constituent of soap, 268.

—, export duty at St. Kitt’s, 150.

—, industry, beet in United States,
210.

in

252
20d,

for,

, — position of, 18.
» —— production in Europe.

-, —, progress of, 82.
—, bounties, 18.

—, in British Guiana, 226.
—-, in Porto Rieo, 115.

—, in Trinidad, 245.

—, Prussian beet

sugar factory,

—-, sugar crops of the world, 22.
—, trade, West Indian and West
African, 98.
- +, Trinidad, labour wanted at, 268.
— -—, university of tropical agricul-
ture, want of, 146.
— —, West Indian, 145.
ie ; - sugar in Canada, 274,
279.
| Surinam, cacao disease in, 14.
| Surra disease, in horses, 147, 182.
|— -—, Phillipines, 134.
|— , precautions in Trinidad, 198.
}owedee, Ceylon, experiments at, 109.
Sweet briar, a goat exterminator, 71.

Sweet potatos, (see Potatos).
Swizzle stick tree, 220.

2h

Tahiti, cultivation of vanilla in, 39.
Tamarinds, 227.

Tannias, St. Lucia, when to plant, 25.
Tannock, D., report on agricultural

schoo] plots, 221.
—, vacation leave, 76.
Tarpon, at Barbados, 56.
British Guiana,
Grenada, 136.
Jamaica, 8, 72,
= Trinidad, 2
Teak seed, at St. Vincent,
Termites, remedy for, 91.
Text-book of elementary botany, 91.
Theobald, V., insect pests, 45.

West Indian species of mosquitos,

120.
Thompson, Sir Harry, death of 38.
Tick dip, Natal, 163.
Ticks, remedy for, 74.
Timber, letter wood, uses of,
—, rotting of, <

-, tropical, rings of growth, 45.
—, West Indian, creosoted, 262.

— 24.

104.

BD)
).

204.

268.

Tobacco, cultivation at Jamaica, 13, 55.
—, — — ot. Kitts, 53, 133.

, Porto Rico, report on trade, 141.
— a oe growing under shade, 235,

Toads, as planters’ friends, 246.

Tobago, arbor day, 151.
—, arrival of settlers from Grenada, |

204.
—, better steamship facilities for, 220,
—, botanic station, 10.
—, cassava at botanic station,
—, Ebboa yams in, 58.
—, Lagos silk rubber at,
—, nutmegs and oranges,
budding 148.
—, plants, sale of, 284.
—, report on botanic station,
—, stock, importation of, 236.
—, Sweet potatos cultivated in, 76
—, tree planting at, 101.
Tomato, seed, how to clean,
Toronto exhibition 1902, 102,
166, 181.
Tree planting in Trinidad,
—, prize competition, 87.
—, stumps, to remove, 151.
Trema micrantha, 277.
Trinidad agricultural education at, 91.
—, annual report of government analyst,
125.
—, arbor day, 151.
—, Bulletin of miscellaneous
tion 1902, 155.

Ue,

220.

39.

grafting and

141.

270.

121, 150,

70.

informa-

|

Trinidad, cacao and sugar at, 245.

-, —, importation forbidden, 100,
coal deposits at, 220.

—, Coffea stenophylla in, 6.

—, Lagos silk rubber at, 87, 215.

—, mealy-bug, 200.

—, moths of,

—, nature teaching in schools, 204,
—, report by Mr. Ward on visit to, 45,
on botanic gardens, 1901-02,

— government stock farm,

~

—, rubber trees at, 77
—, school gardens at,
—, tarpon at, 233
—, trade of, 136.
, tree planting in,

Tp yieal readers, 27.
Trypanosoma calcitrans, 182.
— Evansi, 134, 147.

269.

70.

(8k

United States,
—, beet sugar, in,
—, forest trees of, 2
—, onions in, 58.
Urania leilus, 168.
— lobata, 189.
— sloania, 59.

15ile

bananas imports,
a 210:

V.

| Vacoa fibre, 83.

Vanilla at Antigua in private gardens,
256.

—, cultivation British Guiana, 220.

Dominica, 135, 188, 276.

=, —, Seychelles 60; 67, 83, LO,
TG, dee WBE Paley.

= == ‘Shim, 3)

—, —, Tobago, 220.

—, cutting, cost of at Vera Cruz, 150.

—, cuttings for sale at Dominica, 72.

Vegetable ferments, 43.

Vegetables, English,
Dominica, 204.

—, new, difficulties of introduction,

Velvet seeds at Jamaica, 265.

Vera Cruz, vanilla cuttings from,

Vines, diseases of, 26.

Virgin Islands, agricultural efforts
10, 92.

cultivation at

263.
150.

in,

instructor appointed, 12.

Voleanic dust, analysis of, 44, 73, 270. |
280.

9°

—, at Barbados, 23, 44, 88, 215,

PATE |

| Yams,

Voleanie dust at Jamaica, 104.

—, encountered at sea, 60.

—, insect pests, effect on, 215.

—, manurial value of, 85
eruptions and agriculture,

—, at Martinique and St. Vincent,
to 2A, Weal, Save, 2)5)) |.

—, changes in sea level, 188.

, ‘Century ’ on, 167.

—, reports heard at Venezuela, 236.

—, report on, 183.

—, scientific commission
Vincent, 54, 70, 86.

for St.

W.
Warrington, R.,
soil, 139.
Water bean, 104.
Watts, F. Antigua, report on economic
experiments at, 205
—, citrate of lime, 99.
—, cotton growing in Leeward Islands,
153, 169.
—, Dominica, report on soils, 76.
—, lime industry, Dominica, 60.
—, papain, preparation of, 4.
—, sugarcane experiments in Leeward
Islands, 284.
Weeding, importance of, 151.
West India, 267.
West Indies, agents, 95.
—, agricultural institutions in,
30, 46, 62, 78, 110, 173.
—, commercial agents in, 14,
» —imquiry in, 78. 2119:
—, cotton production in, 23, 103
—, educational efforts in, 27.
—, exports, 253.
, gunga in, 136, 166.
= hand-books to, 14,
78, 94.

,

physical properties of

14,

30, 46, 62,

—, isinglass, 154, 183.
— —, products in London
296, 230, 975, 278.
—-, oils, essential, 121.
, trade with Canada,
— —, winter visitors to,
Whales at Antigua, 119.

market

1995 201.

257.

Wickham, H.A., cultivation of Para
rubber, 52.

Wing covers, use of, in beetles, 73.

Xiphidium fuscum, 25%.

Xyleborus perforans, 258.

| Yams, at St. Lucia, when to plant, 25.

Ebboa in Tebago, 58.

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