402 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



Decembee 17, 1904. 



appointed are men of wide experience and knowledge, 

 and with their assistance the results of the Conference 

 cannot fail to advance the interests of these colonies. 



A glance at the provisional programme of proceed- 

 ings published in another column will show the 

 importance of the .subjects likely to be brought forward 

 and discussed. As usual, the condition and prospects of 

 the sugar industry are the first tojjics for discussion. 

 Taking into consideration the very ex'tensive series of 

 experiments that ha\e been carried on for several years 

 ■with the view of raising new and richer varieties of 

 canes and improving the commercial yield of sugar by 

 means of artificial and other manures, the results to 

 be submitted at this Conference should prove of 

 special interest. The cacao industry, it is evident, 

 would well repay any efforts that are made to keep the 

 trees in good health and increase their ^productiveness. 

 Experiments in this direction have already been 

 started on successful lines. The use of cacao di'iers for 

 drying the crops by artificial heat in unfavourable 

 seasons is gradually extending. It would be useful to 

 have the results so far attained clearly placed before 

 the Conference. 



The veiy successful cultixation of fruit in Jamaica 

 has stimulated other colonies to endeavour to establish 

 a fruit industry. Efforts at Barbados and Trinidad 

 are full of promise and are likely to be prominently 

 brought before the Conference. The cotton industry, 

 on the lines now carried on, is comparatively new. 

 The prospects of the present crop are so encouraging — ■ 

 that is, in localities suited to the requirements of the 

 cotton plant — that everything of practical value 

 connected with the industry would be a welcome 

 addition to our knowledge of the subject. Amongst 

 subjects of a general character papers on Agricultural 

 Banks, on Rubber Plantations, on the occurrence of 

 Anthrax, on the Hairy or Woolless Sheej) of the West 

 Indies, and on the local manufacture of Cocoa-nut oil 

 may be cited as indicating the wide range of topics to 

 be submitted for discu-ssion outside the staple indus- 

 tries of these colonies. 



It would be impossible to omit the consideration 

 of the valuable work that is being carried on, every- 

 where, with the view of introducing the teaching of 

 the principles of Agriculture into the Primary and 

 Secondary Schools in the West Indies. In some 

 colonies this work has received considerable attention 

 and striking results such as those that have arisen in 

 connexion with School Gardens and School Shows at 

 Trinidad deserve to be prominently brought before the 

 Confei'ence. 



The question whether or not Praedial Larceny is 

 to be discussed in its general bearing on agricultural 

 progress will probably be submitted for decision by 

 the Representatives after their arrival at Trinidad. 



It cHily remains to express the hope that all who 

 are appointed to take part in the coming Conference 

 will carefully study the provisional programme of 

 proceedings and that ihoy will do all that is possible 

 to obtain such facts and figures as appertain to their 

 respective colonies before they leave for the Conference. 

 It may be added that it would greatly contribute to 

 the interest and success of the Conference if specimens 

 and samples were brought for exhibition, as well as to 

 illustrate the remarks of the speakers. 



SUGAR INDUSTRY. 



' Male ' Supfar-canes. 



In a previou.s i.ssue of the Agrirultural Neivs (Vol. IT, 



p. .iL'Oj 



mention was made of the occurrence of so-called ' male ' 



or 'man' sugar-canes in Antigua. Dr. Watts, who examined 

 these specimens, stated that they were simply canes in wliicli 

 the side buds ('eyes') were slightly, or not at all, develnped. 

 Mr. J. R. Bovell, Agricultural Superintendent at liarbados, 

 recently found some of these 'male' canes in the fields at 

 Dodds Experiment Station. An examination of these 

 specimens shows that the degree of suppression of the liuds 

 varies. In some cases these are normal at one or two nodes 

 of a cane, and sui>pressed at all the others. In other cases 

 a few of the Vmils can just l:)e made out on very careful 

 examination, while at the other nodes not the least trace of 

 a hw\ is to be discovered. The ^■ariety of sugar-cane in this 

 instance is R. 3,661. So far as is known, no explanation has 

 been offered of this phenomenon. 



Germany. 



The Consvlar Report on the trade of Germany 

 for the first half-year of 1904 has the following 

 reference to the sugar industry ; — 



The sugar industry is seriously affected by the Brussels 

 Sugar Convention, which, as was anticipated, checks the 

 export of the formerly bounty-fed beet root sugar. The 

 imports and exports for the last three years were as 

 follow.s : — 



