Vol. hi. No. 50. 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



91 



AGRICULTURAL SHOWS. 



DOMINICA AGRICULTURIST, XO. 2 .- Edited by 

 H. A. Alford Nicholls, C.M.G., M.D., F.L.S. Price 2s. M. 



Tlie second number of tliis jjublication, wliicli i.s the 

 journal of the Dominica /Agricultural Society, lias just been 

 issued. It contains an account of the proceedings of the 

 society for the year 190L, with full reports of its meetings. 



Among the pai>ers that are rejiroduced may be men- 

 tioned that by his Honour H. Hesketh Bell, C.M.G., on the 

 cultivation of pine-apfiles in Dominica. There is also an 

 interesting account, contribiited by various members, of the 

 cultivation of the lime. 



It is gratifying to note that the Dominica Agricultural 

 Society is still in a flourishing condition, and we. hope it will 

 continue to receive the hearty sujiport of the planting 

 .community. 



THE NATURAL HISTORY OF PLANTS .■ By 

 Professor Kerner von !Mari!aun, English translation by 

 Professor F. W. Oliver. New edition in 16 parts at I.s. 6(/. 

 each. London: Messrs. Blackie cO Son, 50 Old Bailey, E.G. 



We refer our readers to jjrevious notices of the new 

 edition of this valuable work in the Afiricultuval News (Vol. 

 I, pp. 123, 20.3 and 267, and Vol. II, p. 77). Numbers 7 

 to 1 6 have recently been received and these complete the 

 work, which is one that all students of botany will find 

 both useful and interesting. 



The first section of the second volume deals with the 

 reproduction of plants and includes interesting chapters on 

 the dispersal of pollen and of seeds and the crossing of 

 flowers ; while in the second section the history of specie-s is 

 dealt with including the alteration in the form of plants due 

 to various external conditions and a discussion on the origin 

 of species. 



THE EVOLUTION OF PLANT LIFE .- LOWER 

 FORMS: By G. ilassee, F.L.S. London : Metkuen d; Co., 

 18 Bury Street, W.C, 1S91. Price 2s. 6</. 



This volume is one of Jlessrs. Jlethuen's ' University 

 Extension Series' which are intended for the use of e.xtension 

 students and home reading circles, to supplement the 

 teaching of the lecturer. The author, Mr. G. Massee, F.L.S., 

 Principal Assistant (Cryptogams), Royal Herbarium, Kew, is 

 well known as a high autliority on Cryptogamic Botany, 

 especially on that part of it relating to fungi. 



The first chapter deals with general ideas of plant life, 

 giving an account of life and the characteristics of living 

 matter — the cell as the unit of plant structure, the se.xual and 

 asexual methods of reproduction and a comparison between 

 animal and plant life. 



The remainder of the book is devoted to a consideration 

 of the various divisions of the vegetable kingdom, the 

 relationships of the members of these divisions one to 

 another and the relationships existing between the various 

 groups. Besides this each chapter contains an account of the 

 structure and reproduction of the plants dealt with, and the 

 fossil members of the divisions. 



Dominica. 



The sixth annual Agricultural Show held in this island, 

 under the auspices of the Imperial Department of Agriculture, 

 took j)lace on Wednesday and Thursday, February 24 and 2.5. 

 The sliow was held in the Botanic Gardens and presented a 

 very attractive api)earance. The exhiliits represented a wide 

 range of productions and were most tastefully arranged. 

 After an address by the Administrator, the Diplomas of Merit 

 were distributed by the Imiierial Commissioner of Agricul- 

 ture, who expressed himself as thoroughly pleased with so 

 genuine and valuable an effort to promote the agricultural 

 interest of the island. 



The Report of the Committee will, it is hoped, be 

 shortly ])ublished dealing fully with this interesting and 

 successful show. 



Montserrat. 



The Agricultural Show in this island was held on 

 Thursday, February 2.5, in the market place closely adjoining 

 the landing stage. The exhibits were fully representative of 

 the products of the island and showed a steady improvement 

 on those of former years. It was gratifying to observe that 

 all classes of the community cordially worked together in the 

 interests of the show. The most .striking exhibits were 

 cotton, onions, honey, and garden A'egetables grown by pupils 

 attending the elementary schools. After an address by his 

 Honour F. H. AVatkins, the Imperial Commissioner of 

 Agriculture distriljuted the Diplomas of Merit and heartily 

 congratulated the Committee on the successful results of 

 their efforts. 



Antigua. 



A very successful Agricultural Show was held at Antigua 

 on Thursday, February 2.5. The show was opened by his 

 Excellency the Governor, who in a short speech referred with 

 satisfaction to the work of the Agricultural Department and 

 to the obvious improvement in the quality of many of the 

 exhibits. 



The most gratifying feature of the exhibition was the 

 very fine show of minor products, especiallj' of cotton 

 and onions. Both of these products were represented by 

 twenty to thirty exhibits in each of the classes and were of 

 exceptional quality, although perhaps the onions were in 

 some cases a little too large, and not sufficiently matured. 



The exhibits of meals and starches were again large and 

 showed what might be done in the way of manufacturing 

 food supplies for home consumption. 



In all the vegetable and fruit classes the competition 

 was keen ; the exhibits were of a much higher standard than 

 before, and here it might be mentioned that there was a large 

 number of exhibits liy the peasant proprietors, the number of 

 prizes they obtained greatly exceeding that of previous 

 occasions. 



A new feature of this show was the exhibits from 

 elementary schools. The plants exhibited in pots, of which 

 there were about thirty, were fairly well grown, but, as the 

 judges remarked, they might have been arranged so as to be 

 of greater educational value. The exhibit of vegetables from 

 St. ]\rark's school garden was excellent and does credit to 

 the master and scholars. 



The Botanic Station exhibit occupied a separate room. 

 It comprised a number of varieties of yams, sweet potatos, 

 corns, Egyptian and other cottons. 



