YoL. in. No. 46. 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



29 



BARBADOS AND PORTO RICO MOLASSES. 

 Pamiililet Series, No. 28. 



This pamphlet contains eorresi)ondence relating to the 

 in(juiry conducted by Sir Daniel Morris and Mr. J. 1!. Bovell 

 on the subject of Barbados and Porto Rico molasses and 

 their report embodying the results of the inquiry. 



A clear statement is given of the relative merits of 

 Barbados and Porto P>ico molasses, and the pre[)aration of the 

 latter for market is described. It is considered that the 

 *juality of Barbados molasses might be improved by the 

 adoption of some of the methods practised in Porto Rico. 



A brief summary of the report together with the 

 recommendations made by Sir Daniel Morris and Mr. Bovell, 

 hasalready ajipeared in the Aijricultuial Xews (Vol. II, p. 387). 

 A more comjilete review of this jjamphlet together with 

 a general statement of the position of afiiiirs in connexion 

 with this inijuiry will be found on pp. 17 and 18 of the 

 present issue. 



BRITISH GUIANA .- REPORT OF THE BOARD 

 OF AGRICULTURE, 1901-S. By Professor J. B. 

 Harrison, C.M.G., M.A., Deputy Chairman. 



This report gives an account of the work of the Board 

 from its inception, in .luly 1901, to JIarch 31, 1903. During 

 this period eight general meetings have been held ; the 

 greater jiart of the Board's business is conducted by 

 circulating papers — a jilan which admits of matters being 

 disposed at the meetings with little expeiiditure of time and 

 discussion. 



The following are the Standing Committees : — Finance 

 and Executive, Stock, Librarj', Exhibition, Agricultural 

 Education, Sugar-cane Experiments, and Subsidiary Products. 

 We have already given in the Agrii-ultural Netvit, from time 

 to time, extracts from reports on the sugar-cane experiments 

 and on the efl'orts that have been made to promote agri- 

 cultural instruction in the colony, by means of school 

 gardens, agricultural shows, etc. 



Sjiecial attention is drawn in the report to the work 

 performed by the Stock Committee: 'In accordance with 

 the recommendations of the committee, two half-bred 

 Cjuernsey bulls were imported from Trinidad, two Plymouth 

 Piock cocks and twelve hens of the same kind from Canada, 

 while at the end of the financial j-ear orders were in course of 

 execution in Canada for a thoroughbred Short-horn bull, a 

 Holstein bull and three Holstein cows, and in Trinidad for 

 thoroughbred Berkshire pigs. This committee will doubtless 

 in course of time find its work greatly increased. There is 

 perhaps no subsidiary industry in this colony of greater 

 promise than that of raising stock on the very extensive 

 liasture lands of the littoral, and later, perhaps, on some of 

 the Berbiee savannahs.' 



Similar accounts are given of the work performed by 

 the other committees, which bear evidence of the usefulness 

 of this recently-formed Board. There can be no doubt that 

 this work, so well inaugurated, will have far-reaching effect 

 •on the agricultural progress of the colony. 



DEPARTMENT NEWS. 

 The Imperial Conunissioner of Agriculture arrived 

 at Antigua on Saturday, January 2. A meeting of 

 planters was held at ( Jovernnient House on Wednes- 

 day, January 0. The Governor, Sir Gerald Strickland, 

 presided. Sir Daniel Morris gave an address embody- 

 ing some of the results of his recent visit to the 

 United States: and the Hon'ble Francis Watts laid 

 before the meeting an outline of the scheme for 

 advancing money to cotton growers during the coming 

 season. Particulars of this scheme will be published 

 later. The Connnissioner of Agriculture returned to 

 Barbados on January 9. 



We regret to announce the death, on January' 3, 

 of Mr. William Lunt, Curator of the Botanic Station 

 and Agricultural Superintendent of Sugar-cane Experi- 

 ments at St. Kitt's. The occurrence is deeply 

 regretted by all classes of the community. 



Mr. Henry A. Ballou, B.Sc, has been occupied 

 in the investigation of cotton diseases at Montserrat. 

 The ' mite' pest has caused some damage especially on 

 the western slopes of the island. j\[r. Ballou is expected 

 to return on January 1(J. 



Mr. W. B. Seabrook, the expert ginner from the 

 Sea Islands of South Carolina, whose services have 

 been engaged by the Imperial Department of Agri- 

 culture, arrived at Barbados in S.S. ' Fluminense' on 

 the I3th. instant. 



THE' USE OF CARBON BISULPHIDE AS 

 AN INSECTICIDE. 



We reprinted on p. 897 of the Aijrtvidtwml Xews 

 (Vol. II) a pamphlet, prepared by Mr. H. H. Cousins, 

 giving instructions as to the use of carbon bisulphide 

 as an insecticide. The editor of the Journal of the 

 Jamaica A(jricuUural Society gives the following 

 additional notes as to its use for certain purposes : — 



Destroying stinging ants attacking pine-apples and 

 orange trees by finding tlieir nests, pouring a little of the 

 liquid in the hills or in the holes and fling some earth over. 

 Even when the ants had tlieir nests around the roots of the 

 orange trees, the application of the bisulphide did not harm 

 the roots. 



Where orange trees had leaves turning yellow, and 

 attacks by grubs at the roots were suspected, four lioles were 

 bored dowr., 2 feet from the tree (closer in very young trees) 

 and about a tablespoonful jioured in each of the holes, 

 quickly covering with .some earth instantly. 



Barrels of corn and peas were protected from attacks by 

 weevils, and these insects destroyed where they already 

 existed, by pouring a teaspoonful of bisulphide into a little 

 tobacco tin (or any other like utensil) placed on the top of 

 the cover, a sack flung over and the lid of the barrel jammed 

 down tight on the sack. 



The drawback to the free use of bisulphide in orange 

 groves where the grubs of the Fidler Beetle were attacking 

 the roots of the trees, was the e.\pensc of buying it, 3s. 6c?. 

 for a jar holding a little less than a quart. Now that the 

 Chemist holds a supply at so cheap a rate as 4rf. a B)., this 

 stuff ought to come into general use. 



