Vol. III. Xo. 63. 



THE AGRICULTUEAL NEWS. 



297 



Rabbit Keeping in the West Indies. 



The notes on ' Rabbit Keeping in the We.st 

 Indies ' which have been written by Mr. John BarcUi}-, 

 Secretary of the Jamaica Agricultural Society, for the 

 Ajjrlcidtaral A^ews, are concluded in the present issue. 

 These articles were commenced in our issue for July 16. 

 They have dealt with the breeds of rabbits, their 

 proper housing, breeding, and feeding, while the last 

 instalment is devoted to the treatment of diseases. 

 Mr. Barclay has clearly shown that care and attention 

 are necessary to make rabbit keeping a success, but 

 that when intelligently taken up the rearing of rabbits 

 is likely to prove rcniunerative. 



Fumigation of Imported Plants. 



We are glad to learn that an Ordinance (No. of 

 1904) has been passed by the Legislative Council of 

 Dominica, and has received the Governor's assent, to 

 provide for the fumigation of plants imported into the 

 presidency. This Ordinance is based upon that in force 

 in Jamaica which has given entire satisfaction. 



It ordains that all plants imported shall be 



.delivered up to the Treasurer who shall cause them to 

 be conveyed to the agricultural authoritj' (the Curator 



•of the Botanic Station) for fumigation: that plants 



.shall be landed only at the port of Roseau : that the 

 process of fumigation shall be conducted by the agri- 

 cultural authority in such a manner as he may consider 

 adequate for the destruction of any vegetable or in.sect 

 pests which may possibly be on such plants : that all 

 plants shall be remo\'ed b}' the ijwnor from the Botanic 



.Station immediately on his being required to do so. 



The Ordinance further states that the expenses of 

 removal to the place of fumigation and of the fumiga- 

 tion shall be borne by the Government, but that the 



•Government shall incur no liability in respect of an}' 

 risk attending fumigation. 



■ Cotton Experiments in Trinidad. 



In the Balli'ti ii dj Miscellaiic(.ia>! Jnfafjiiatiun 

 Mr. J. H. Hart, F.L.S., Superintendent of the Botanical 

 Department, reviews the experiments that have been 

 . carried on with cotton in Trinidad. 



At the St. Clair Experiment Station the trial of 

 Sea Island cotton was not a success, the plants being 

 badly attacked b}' insects. Better results were obtained 

 with Upland or Creole cotton, which did not suffer in 

 this way. Samples sent to the Imperial Institute were 

 reported to be superior to American Ujsland and to be 

 ■worth about dd. per ib. Sea Island cotton from Princes 

 ■Town district, ginned at the station, obtained a price of 

 15(J. per tb. 



It is evident that serious efforts are to be made 

 to carry on experiments daring the ensuing season. 



• Over 2,000 11). of seed have been obtained throiigh the 

 Imperial Department of Agriculture, and a large 



.amount has been distributed. Experiment plots are to 

 be started at Diego Martin reformatory, River estate, 



• Cedros, Dabadie, and St. Clair with Sea Island cotton, 

 with a view to proving whether this variety is suitable 



: for cultivation in Trinidad. 



Fibre Plants in Mauritius. 



The Jou.rnal d'Aijrictdture Troplcale for March 

 contains a paper by M. Boname on the fibre industry 

 in Mauritius. The plant that is cultivated for fibre is 

 Farcraea glyantea, called the 'green aloe' to 

 distinguish it from the 'blue aloe' {Ayave americana). 



The exports of fibre from Mauritius have varied 

 from 3-58 to 3,000 tons anmially. The machine used 

 for extracting the fibre is very primitive and similar 

 to the Mexican 'ra.spador:' it is worked by water or 

 steam power. It is estimated that, on an average, 

 88,000 lb. of leaves are required to yield 1 ton of dry 

 fibre. M. Boname sets forth very clearly the superior 

 claims of the sisal plant as a source of fibre. As the 

 result of experiments it has been shown that the sisal 

 plant gives 60 per cent, more fibre from a similar 

 weight of leaves than the Farcraea. The sisal fibre is 

 much easier to extract and clean, the price in foreign 

 markets is higher, and the yield is greater. 



Agriculture in Bermuda. 



According to the Aiinual Report on Bermuda 

 for 1903, there was a considerable increase in the 

 value of the exports during the year. The principal 

 exports were arrowroot, bulbs, hides, onions, potatos, 

 and mi.scellaneous vegetables. The exports of onions 

 amounted in value to £.5.5,340 ; these were shipped 

 almost entirely to the United States. The value of 

 the exports of potatos was £33,945. 



There is in the colony an arrowroot factory 

 equipped with a modern plant. The product of this 

 factory is of excellent quality and commands a good 

 price. The value of the exports of arrowroot (to the 

 United Kingdom) was £1,184. Hope is expressed 

 that this trade will grow, as the manufacture of 

 arrowroot was at one time an important industry. 



The crops of jjotatos and onions were average 

 ones ; higher prices were obtained for the onions than 

 in the previous year, but the prices of jDotatos were 

 low all through the season. The lily crop was small, 

 and prices were low ; consequently, there was a large 

 falling off in the value of the exports of lil}' bulbs. 



There was an appreciable increase in the exports 

 of vegetables other than potatos and onions, and it is 

 stated that a much larger quantit}' would be exported 

 to New York, if greater facilities for cold storage 

 accommodation were offered. 



At the Public Gardens, which are supported 

 chiefly as an agricultural experiment station under 

 the Board of Agriculture, an experiment in the grow- 

 ing and curing of tobacco was conducted during the 

 year. A portion of the product was forwarded to the 

 Imperial Institute for a report. Several thousand 

 Panama-hat plants {Carlwlovlca 'pahnata) were raised 

 from seed and distributed. A silo has been erected 

 at the garden, and it has been demonstrated that 

 ensilage might with advantage be generally made b}' 

 farmers in the colony. Reference is made in the report 

 to the arrangements that have been made with the 

 Imperial Department of Agriculture for the services 

 of an agricultural lecturer. 



