386 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



December 3, 1904. 



condition, and tliere is a promise of a large crop. 

 If cotton cultivation proves successful on a com- 

 mercial scale in Montserrat, it will be the means of 

 promoting a great improvement in the circumstances 

 of all classes of the cummunity. A public meeting 

 was held, at which his Honour the Connnissioner 

 presided. 



The meeting held at Antigua, presided over by 

 his Excellency the Governor, was largely attended 

 by planters, and the proceedings were of an interesting 

 character. The extent of land planted with cotton 

 this year in Antigua is rather less than last year. 

 This may be due to the fact that the prospects of the 

 sugar industry have slightly improved owing to the 

 establishment of Central Factories. A proposal to 

 take over the Central Cotton Factory was suggested to 

 be brought before the Agricultural Society. 



In the presidency of St. Kitt's-Nevis cotton 

 cultivation has largely increased, 2,3-50 acres having 

 been planted this year. Successful meetings were 

 addressed by Mr. Oliver in St. Kitt's and Nevis. 

 The fact that 1,047 acres are planted in cotton this 

 year in Nevis is a striking proof of the value of sympa- 

 thetic action on the part of the Executive in promoting 

 agricultural development. If nothing unforeseen 

 happens, the value of the cotton to be exported this 

 year from Nevis will reach about £16,000. This would 

 be an appreciable addition to the income of this 

 depressed little island. 



St. Vincent was reached on November 12. As 

 this island promises to be one of the most successful in 

 gfrowing the best varieties of cotton, it was resolved to 

 devote special attention to it. At the meeting of 

 planters it was reported that between 1,(J00 and 1,700 

 acres were under cotton. Several samples of new-crop 

 cotton exhibited at the meeting were pronounced by 

 Mr. Oliver to be probably the best grown in the West 

 Indies for more than fifty years. Daring the stay in 

 this island, Mr. Oliver gave the planters a further 

 opportunity to confer with him and show him samples 

 for valuation and report. Numerous visits were paid 

 to estates where cotton was being grown. 



On November 21, Messrs. (Jliver and Stanclitfe 

 embarked at Barbados for Trinidad, where they visited 

 the St. Clair Experiment Station and had an interest- 

 ing interview with the Governor. They were due to 

 arrive in Jamaica on November 2.5, where, no doubt, 

 they have found suitable arrangements have been made 

 for fully utilizing their services during their stay. 



At every public meeting held in the several 

 islands resolutions of thanks were unanimously passed 

 to the British Cotton-growing Association for the 

 valuable assistance afforded by it in encouraging cotton 

 growing in the West Indies, and especially' in c<jnnexion 

 with the visit of Mr. Oliver, who-se services have every- 

 where been greatly- appreciated. Mr. Oliver's addresses 

 were alwa3-s received with marked attention. He 

 arranged his facts in so skilful and interesting a manner 

 that he not only won the attention of his audiences, 

 but inspired cotton growers with complete confidence 

 in the success of the industry. 



SUGAR INDUSTRY. 



Jamaica. 



The following extracts from the L< j v. is la iui 

 I'Jirntcr special correspondent on the prosj^ects of the 

 sugar industry in Jamaica are of mterest : — 



All the iilantations are preparing for crop time, which 

 is in the latter part of November and earlj' in December. 

 Col. Kitchener, the owner of Lodge's estate in St. Catherine, 

 is contemplating several improvements on his estate and will 

 lay down a light railway about 2i miles long. The owners 

 of Denbigli estate, for whom the Hon. Geo. McGrath is the 

 local agent, have, it is understood, made plans for the 

 improvement of the property which will involve nearly 

 ••^2.5,000 exiienditure. A large quantity of new distilling 

 machinery arrived here from England a eoii[jle of weeks ago 

 and will shortly be installed on Denbigh estate. At Mona 

 estate new fields have been planted out, and the crop is 

 expected to be an exceptionally large one. 



In conclusion, it must be stated that there are indications 

 of a revival of the industrj', whichj ftir the following reasons, 

 had almost become extinct : 



(1) By the bountj'-fed beet, which lowered the price in 

 the English market to a point at Avhich sugar could not be 

 produced at a profit, owing to the antiquated machinery, 

 which was, up to a short time ago, in use on almost all the 

 estates. 



(2) The planters throwing up sugar and going in for the 

 more paying lianana business. Now they have realized their 

 mistake : the latest sugar machinery is being installed and 

 the area of cultivation extended. 



Labour is plentiful and cheap here, and this is a great 

 advantage, but the planter can never again expect the golden 

 days when sugar fetched S200 per hogshead. But that 

 commodity, with modern machinery, can still be made 

 a paying concern. 



Varieties of Cane in Hawaii. 



Mr. C. F. Eckart, of the Experiment Station and 

 Labijratories of the Hawaiian Sugar Planters' Associ- 

 ation, deals with the subject of the varieties of sugar- 

 cane in i^/Y'.sx Bidldin No. I. The following extract 

 from this paper is of particular interest as it shows 

 that several West Indian canes are giving good results 

 in Hawaii : — 



Dcmerara No. 117 still holds the lead among the 

 recently introduced varieties, and is a promising cane worthy 

 of trial under the diversified conditions of the islan<ls. 



