A FORTNIGHTLY REVIEW 



OF THE 



IMPERIAL DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE FOR THE WEST INDIES. 



Vol. III. No. .54. 



BARBADOS, MAY 7, 1904. 



Price Id. 



I 



Leeward Islands. 



HE last issue of the Agricultural Rews 

 contained a brief review of the recently 

 issued report on the sugar-cane manurial 

 experiments conducted under the direction of the 



Imperial Department of Agriculture in the Leeward 

 Islands during the season 1902-3. The important 

 nature of these results warrants our making a further 

 reference to them. 



As stated by the Hon. Francis Watts in his letter 

 of transmittal, ' a considerable amount of information 

 has been accumulated, and definite results are now 

 appearing, some of them of a striking character.' 

 Amongst these might be mentioned the detrimental 

 effect of dividing the nitrogen into two doses. The 

 experiments have clearly demonstrated that it is better, 

 both for plant canes and ratoons, to give all the 

 nitrogen in one application. It is further shown that 

 this effect is most marked where potash is given in 

 considerable quantity with the first dose of nitrogen. 

 It is suggested that this somewhat unexpected result is 

 to be explained by reference to the manner of feeding 

 in the case of the sugar-cane. 



We would draw particular attention to the 

 statement made by Mr. Watts that ' plant canes, when 

 the field in which they have been planted has been 

 jnoperly tilled and manured with pen manure, require 

 no artificial manure.' Planters are advised to apply 

 artificial manures to plant canes only when it has been 

 found impossible to give the requisite amount of pen 

 manure. With ratoon canes, however, it is very 

 different. It is clearly shown by the expenments that 

 maximum crops can be obtained only by the use of 

 artificial manures. 



For ratoon canes, nitrogen, in a rapidly-acting 



