Vol. III. No. 56. 



THE AGFvICULTUKAL NEWS. 



185 



Royal Mail Steam Packet Company. 



The following extract is taken troin the opening 

 remarks in the report of the Court of Directors of the 

 Royal JIail Steam Packet Company presented on 

 May 11 last: — 



In presenting the accounts for the year 190.3, the 

 Court of Directors liave to reiwrt that the trade with the 

 West Indies has continued in a depressed condition, and the 

 rates of freight, both outwards and homewards, liave, in 

 many instances, been unrenuinerative. The action taken by 

 the Colonial Office, in conjunction with the Imperial De[)art- 

 ment of Agriculture, for the development of the industries of 

 the West Indies, which it is hoped will hell) to restore 

 tliese colonies to their former prosperity, will continue to 

 receive the warm co-operation of the Court, who in this 

 connexion have had pleasure in carrying, free of freight, 

 trial shipments of fruit, cotton, and machinery. 



This Department deeply appreciates the generous 

 and sympathetic efforts made by the Directors to 

 assist in its work, and is glad of the opportunity of 

 expressing the value of their hearty co-operation in 

 promoting the agricultural development of the West 

 Indies. 



Cotton Cultivation in Montserrat. 



A highly successful meeting of planters and small 

 owners was held at the R. C. School at Montserrat on 

 Saturday, May 14, when the Commissioner (his Honour 

 F. H. Watkins) gave a ' Plain talk to Small Owners ' 

 on the cotton industry in Montserrat. 



Mr. Watkins briefly summarized the advantages 

 and disadvantages of cotton cultivation and <irged his 

 hearers, should they determine to embark on this new 

 industrj', to give their careful attention to various 

 points in connexion with the gi'cwth of cotton and its 

 ■cultivation for the market. After going into these 

 points in detail, Mr. Watkins impressed upon the 

 growers that they must realize : (1) that cotton 

 requires suitable soil and climatic conditions, and 

 constant and intelligent observation ; (2) that this 

 industry should not be embarked upon, unless the 

 growers were determined to throw all their energy and 

 power of observation into the cultivation ; and (3) that 

 if the industry is to succeed, un.selfish and combined 

 action must be taken to stamp out insect pests and 

 disease. 



Destruction of the Love Vine in Trinidad. 



On page 842 of the last volume of the Agrl- 

 cuUuvdl N^ews v/e gave a summary of a leaflet, issued 

 in Trinidad, which described measures to be adopted for 

 destroying the parasitic pest known as Love Vine 

 {Cuscufa sp). So serious a menace to the agricultural 

 interests of the island has this pest become, that steps 

 have been taken to deal with it by legislation. 



Under the Agricultural Protection Ordinance 

 (No. 20 of 1902) inspectors have been appointed who 

 will collect from infested spots and forward for identifi- 

 cation to the Chief Inspector (Mr. J. H. Hart, F.L.S.,) 

 portions of the pest. The Chief Inspector will there- 



upon obtain the approval of the Governor to sign an 

 order to destroy the parasite. This order directs the 

 destruction within twenty-one ihiys, by burning or 

 burying, 'of all that destructive vegetable growth 

 known as CasciUa or Love Vine now being and 

 growing upon the said land'. 



Provision is made under the Ordinance for the 

 due carr^'ing out of such order or for prosecution in 

 the case of defaulters. 



West Indian Bulletin. 



The first number of Volume V of the West Indian 

 Balletin has just been published. This contains 

 several articles likely to be of interest in these 

 colonies. The first is a lengthy, but interesting 

 article, by Mr. W. R. Buttenshaw, M.A., B.Sc, in 

 which is brought together a mass of information 

 relative to the starch-producing plants of the West 

 Indies. The text is illustrated by eleven original 

 drawings showing the characteristics of the starch 

 grains in each case. 



The second article is by Jlr. R. RadclySe Hall, 

 B.A., and Mr. J. R. Bovell, F.L.S., F.C.S., giving the 

 results of experiments in growing twenty-eight 

 varieties of sweet potatos at Barbados under the 

 direction of the Imperial Department of Agriculture. 



Other articles are on the Fruit Industry of 

 Jamaica, the Birds of St. Vincent and the Naudet 

 process for extracting cane juice. 



It may be added that the West Indian Bidletin 

 is on sale by the London and Local Agents of the 

 Department (price Gd., post free Hd.). 



A New Pamphlet on Cotton Cultivation. 



A pamphlet devoted to cotton cultivation is being 

 prepared and will shortly be issued. This pamphlet, 

 which is arranged in the form of a catechism of 

 cotton growing, is designed especially for the u.se of 

 peasant proprietors, small settlers and others who 

 require information on this subject in a simple and 

 popular style. 



It will deal with the essential points in regard to 

 cotton growing in all stages from the preparation of 

 the soil to the preparation of the seed-cotton for the 

 factory. Clear directions will be given as to the 

 sowing of the seed, the proper season for planting, 

 manuring, tillage, and care of the plant during its 

 growth, including minute instructions as to methods of 

 treating the cotton worm and other serious pests of 

 cotton." In this pam)jhlct will also be given directions 

 as to picking and sunning cotton so as to enable 

 growers to obtain the best possible prices for their 

 product. Finally, all the more essential points, to 

 which attention will have to be paid, will be carefully 

 summarized. 



We strongly ad\'ise all cotton growers to obtain 

 this pamphlet as soon as it is issued, and to make 

 themselves thoroughly familiar with its contents : it is 

 only by so doing can they hope to meet with that 

 measure of success which is so heartily desired. 



