66 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



Fkbruary 27, 1904. 



Wilde iiixl operated by steam power, was started at 

 Montserrat in the beginning of 1903. Tliis, at present, 

 consists of two gins and a screw press operated b}- an 

 oil engine. Another ginnerj-, owned b_v ^frs. Howes, 

 is in active work on (he windward side nf ^lontserrat. 

 A third ginnery is in charge of Mr. Wilkins. 



A Government ginner}-, driven by steam power 

 and containing one double action, single roller gin, was 

 opened by Lad\' IMorris at Barbados on July 31, 1U03. 

 This was re-oj)ened, after considerable enlargement, by 

 Sir Frederic Hodgson, K.C.M.G., on February 2.5, 

 1004. At present it consists of a 12 horse-power steam 

 engine, si.K single action I\Iacarthy gins (Platts) and 

 a hand-power baling press. The cost of this fectory 

 is placed at about .£900. Mr. J. J. Law was engineer 

 in charge. 



It may be added that Messrs. H. E. Thorne & Son, 

 at Barbados, have a private ginnery in ojjeration with 

 two Asa Lees single action, single roller gins, and a 

 screw baling press of their own construction. Both the 

 gins and press arc operated by steam power. 



A Government ginnery, driven by an oil engine 

 with three single action, single roller gins, (one Platts 

 and two Asa Lees) and a hand-powei- baling press, was 

 opened at Antigua by Lady Edeline Strickland on 

 December 11, 1903. A hand-power gin, provided by 

 the Imperial Department of Agriculture, has been in 

 active use at Antigua for nearly two years. 



What is likely to prove the largest and most 

 effective ginnery in the West Indies is now in course 

 of being erected at St. N'incent under the direction of 

 the Imperial Department of Agriculture. Mr. J. J. Law 

 is engineer in charge. The factory will be a three- 

 storied building, 90 feet long, 27 feet wide, with a 12-foot 

 verandah. There will be a lower or basement floor, 

 a ginning floor and a cotton loft. The roof of the 

 verandah opening out from the cotton loft will serve 

 for drying the seed-cotton. The machinery will be 

 operated by a Hornsby-Akroyd oil engine and consist 

 of eight gins — 2 Platts, 2 Dobson & Barlows, 4 Asa 

 Lees. There are two baling presses : one is an exact 

 counterpart of that used for packing Sea Island 

 cotton in James Island, South Carolina. The latter 

 was furnished by ]\Iessrs. Lebbey and Bailey, of 

 Charleston, S. C. A hand-power gin is also available 

 at St. Vincent. 



Mr. E. Y. Connell, an enterprising engineer, is 

 engaged in establishing a central ginnery at Nevis, 

 where he will be prepared to deal with all the seed- 



cotton likely to be produced in that island. The 

 engine and a gin have been loaned by the local 

 Government. Two more gins are shortly expecteil to 

 complete the outfit lor the current season. All the 

 gins are a contribution fr.im the British Cotton 

 Growing Association. 



Two hand-power cotton gins an<l a press, are in 

 course of being jirovided for use in the island of 

 Anguilla. In the Virgin Islands a cotton gin and a 

 press, contributed by the British Cotton Growing 

 Association, are proposed to be operated by an aermotor 

 similar to that in use at St. Lucia. A hand-power gin 

 is provided for use, if necessary, in the out-islands of 

 this group. 



According to a Grenada newspaper 'cotton 

 machinery is being erected by 3Ir. L. R. Mitchell on 

 the northern side of the careenage, St. Georse.' 



At Jamaica, a Macarthy single roller gin and 

 baling press have been contributed by the British 

 Cotton Growing Association for the use of growers in 

 that island. They are proposed to be ready for use 

 during the current .year. 



Hand-power gins and presses have lately been 

 obtained for use in Trinidad and British Guiana. These 

 are intended to be used during the crop season of 1904. 



In regard to all these ginneries it is desirable to 

 jilace on lecord an appreciation of the ver}- active part 

 taken in their establishment by the British Cotton 

 Growing Association. The total v.-ilue of the engines, 

 gins and presses contributed by the Association cannot 

 be far short of £700. It is understood that, unless 

 otherwise agreed upon, the engines, gins and presses 

 arc to be regarded as on loan and to remain the 

 pi'op(_'rty of the Association. 



SUGAR INDUSTRY. 



Sugai'-cane Experiments at British Guiana. 



The following is the pi'ogress report, prepared by 

 Profes.sor Harrison, C.M.G., M.A., F.I.C., F.G.S., on 

 the sugar-cane experiments at British Guiana for the 

 half-3ear ended December 31, 1903: — 



During the period under review tlie sugar-cane 

 experiments liave been carried on under my control, assisted 

 by the advice of members of the Sugar-cane Experiments 

 Conuuittee of the Board of .Agriculture. The actual conduct 

 of the work has devolved upon Mr. R. Ward, Agricultural 

 Assistant to that Board. 



