Vol. III. No. 60. 



THE AGRICULTTIKAL NEWS. 



251 



EDUCATIONAL 



SEXIOR COUNTRY READER, III: By H. R. if. 

 Buchanan, B.A., London: Jfar:ii^llan cO Co., Ltd., 1904. 

 Price, 2s. 



Among our book-shelf notes (Vol. II, p. 235) will be 

 found a short review of a Country Recuhr, Part II. The 

 present volume belongs to the same series and is equally to 

 be recommended. 



It is entirely devoted to agricultural matters. Beginning 

 with a chapter on 'Simple principles of manuring,' and 

 another devoted to rhe use of agricultural implements, it 

 goes on to deal with the \arious crops commonly cultivated 

 in Great Britain. 



The later chaptei's should jirove almost as useful in AVest 

 Indian as in English schools: they deal with such subjects as 

 ' Cottage gardens,' ' Cottage pigs,' ' Cottage poultry,' 'Hares 

 and rabbits — a comparison,' etc. 



The chapters on iioultry and rabbits are particularly well 

 written and contain many useful suggestions, such as what 

 birds and what breeds of rabbits to keep, the arrangement of 

 the hutch, and so on. 



This little book contains a large number of admirable 

 illustrations (one of which we reproduce on p. 247), and at 

 the end is a vocabulary explaining many of the words u.sed. 



A West Indian teacher, who is interested in agriculture 

 and devoting his attention to a school garden, would be likely 

 to find this little reader full of suggestions that would be 

 useful to him both in his teaching and in his practical 

 agriculture. 



SISAL EXPORTS FROM MEXICO. 



The following note, which appeared in the Soatli. 

 American Journal, London, of February 13, 1904, is 

 taken from the United States Monthly Sv.nvnuwy of 

 Commerce and Finance for February : — 



The export of henequen or sisal hemp, as it is often 

 called, during the calendar year 1903 from Yucatan, through 

 the ports of Progresso and Canipeche, consisted of 611,939 

 bales, value declared in the custom-hou.ses, $36,040,032-32. 



The exports during the last five years were : 1899, 

 44.5, 978 bales; 1900, 499,626 ; 1901, 517,519; 1902, .528,246- 

 190.3, 611,939. 



It will be observed that there has been a steady increase 

 in the in-oduction of henequen. The latest information is 

 that during this year (1904) the jilantations are being very 

 considerably increased ; the yield for the year is expected to 

 exceed last j-ear's. 



DEPARTMENT NEWS. 



At a convocation of the University of Dui-ham, 

 held on June 22, the honorary degree of D.C.L. was 

 conferred upon Sir Daniel Jlorris, K.C.M.G., D.Sc, 

 M.A., F.L.S., Imperial Commissioner of Agriculture 

 for the West Indies. 



Agricultural Apprentices in British Guiana. 



At the last meeting of the British Guiana Board 

 of Agriculture it was decided to approve of a .scheme of 

 agricultural ap])reriticeship whereby boys were to 

 receive instruction at the Botanic Station and e.xperi- 

 ment fields. The folhnving are the princij)al sugges- 

 tions : — 



^ That the iiundser of apprentices .shall for the present be 

 limited to six. 



That a three-months' iirobation shall be allowed. 



That the age limit shall be between fifteen and eighteen 

 years. That the period of apprenticeship shall be three years. 



That the rate of pay shall be 16c. per diem for the first 

 year, 20e. for the second yeju-, and 24c. for the third year. 



That the apprentice shall attend one course of lectures 

 to teachers at Queen's College during the second and third 

 years of hi.s apjirenticeship. 



That a plot of land shall be given to such apprentices as 

 are deserving of it,' after the first year. 



That, if feasible, oiiportunities shall be offered to the 

 apprentices of accompanying an Agricultural Instructor on 

 some of his visits during the third year of apprenticeship. 



A School Garden in St. Lucia. 



On a recent visit to St. Lucia, we were nnich 

 impressed with the excellent results that had been 

 achieved in the garden at the Castries Anglican 

 Juvenile School. This is undoubtedly one of the best 

 attempts of the kind we have seen. Through the 

 courtesy of the Inspector of Schools we were enabled 

 to obtain from the teacher notes from which the follow- 

 ing brief sketch of the operations that have been 

 conducted has been compiled : — 



Operations were commenced soon after the Easter 

 vacation in 1902, the necessary funds being supplied by the 

 JIanager for the clearing, forking, bedding, etc., of a plot, 72 

 feet by 32 feet, which was made up into eleven Ijeds, 4.', feet 

 wide, with 2-feet walks between. 



Cabbage, tomato, egg plant, onion, beet, lettuce, and 

 other seeds were sown in boxes, and the seedlings trans- 

 planted into beds by the boys. 



In November, an additional plot, 68 feet by 36 feet, 

 was made \\\> into ten beds, 5 feet wide. 



Nine exhibits were sent to the Agricultural Show held 

 on March 27, 1903, for which three first prizes were awarded. 



Throughout 1903 and up to the jiresent the cost of 

 upkeep has easily been met by the proceeds of the sales of 

 l>roduce. 



A bed, 20 feet by 4i feet, was planted with Sea Island 

 cotton seed in September 1903. The lint was beautifully 

 hand-picked by the girls. 



Cabbages have been grown weighing over 6 lb. ; tomatos, 

 4 oz. ; egg fruits, 4 lb.; sweet peppers ('lluby King'), 6 

 inches long. 



Much trouble has been experienced from attacks of the 

 mole cricket. 



Over two dozen kinds of garden vegetables and eight 

 other kinds of plants have been grown from time to time. 



The teacher of this school is to be congratulated 

 upon the excellent results that have followed his 

 efforts. 



