264 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



AuousT 13, 1904. 



EDITORIAL NOTICES. 



Letters and matter for publication, as well 

 as all specimens for naming, should be addressed 

 to the Commissioner, Imperial Department of 

 Agriculture, Barbados. 



All applications for copies of the 'Agricul- 

 tural News' should be addressed to the Agents, 

 and not to the Department. A complete list of 

 the London and Local agents will be found at 

 foot of page 27 1 of this issue. 



The 'Agricultural News': Price Id. per 

 number, post free I'^id. Annual subscription 

 payable to Agents 2s. 2d. Post free, 3s. 3d. 



^gritulturat ^linuii 



Vol. m. SATURDAY, AUGUST 13, 1904. No. 61. 



NOTES AND COMMENTS. 



Contents of Present Issue. 



Oar editorial deals with the shipment of bananas 

 from Barbados. Mention is made of several matters 

 relating to crates and packing whicli require the 

 attention of shippers. 



On i)p. 2.58-9 will be found several interesting 

 notes relating to West Indian seedling canes. Further 

 reference is made to the successful cultivation of 

 B. 147 and B. 208 in Queensland. 



Our cotton notes contain a summary of Sir Daniel 

 Monis' speech at Liverpool, references to the progress 

 of the cotton movement in Jamaica and St. Vincent, 

 and a brief report on experiments in Porto Rico. 



Mr. Barclay's notes on rabbit keeping are con- 

 tinued on p. 262. Mr. Barclay gives valuable hints in 

 regard to the treatment of rabbits at the time of 

 breeding. 



Reports on the examinations recently held at the 

 Dominica and St. Vincent Agricultural Schools arc 

 published on p. 2C3. 



Recent Department Publications. 



The following publications have recently been 

 issued by the Department and can be obtained of all 

 Agents : — 



Dominica: Repm-U on Botanic Statipn, Ayri- 

 Cidtural School, and Experiment Plots (Price, G'7.): 

 *SV. Lucia: Reports on Botanic Station, Acji-iadtti.rai 

 Scliool, Erperiment Station, and Experiment Plots 

 (Price 6(/.) ; and Montserrat: Re^nrrts on Botanic 

 Station and Experi'tnent Plots (Price 'Sd.). 



Short reviews of these ])ublications will be found 

 on p. 267 of this issue. 



The reports on the Botanic Stations, etc., at 

 St. Vincent, Virgin Islands, and St. Kitt's-Xevis, are 

 in the press and will shortly be issued. 



The insect notes in the present issue deal with 

 the cotton leaf-blister mite and the orange fiddler 

 beetle. (See p. 266.) 



Brief reviews are given on p. 267 on three 

 Department Reports recently issueil. These are the 

 annual reports on the Botanic Stution.s, etc., at Dom- 

 inica, St. Lucia, and Montserrat. 



In his market report Mr. J. R. Jackson gives an 

 interesting note on the satisfactory position of Jamaica 

 ginger in the London market. 



Cotton Leaf-blister Mite. 



We desire tij draw special attention to the note on 

 the cotton leaf-blister mite on p. 266 of this issue. 



Daring last season this post proved a very serious 

 menace to the cotton industry, and there is no doubt 

 that at Jlontserrat, at any rate, the financial losses on 

 its account were considerable. 



It will be seen that with the exception of Barbados 

 and Antigua, the mite has made its appearance in 

 practically all the islands in which cotton is being 

 grown. Fortunately, up to the present, its attacks 

 have not been particularly .serious except in Montserrat. 



It will therefore be quite obvious that in the 

 leaf-blister mite we have a pest that ma}" prove as 

 serious as the cotton worm. 



This being the case, the .same amount of precaution 

 and attention will be necessary in combating this pest. 

 Experiments have shown that it can be controlled by 

 the use of a mixture of lime and sulphur. Care must 

 be taken to get the dust on to the young buds as well 

 as the leaves. 



Fruit Growing in Porto Rico. 



Ill his report on the trade of Porto Rico for 1908, 

 the British Consul writes of the encouraging prospects 

 of the fruit industry. 



About 10,000 acres are devoted to orange cultiva- 

 tion, the more I'ecent portions being worked on most 

 scientific lines. With the advantages enjoyed by 

 Porto Rico in the absence of frost and in the possibility 

 of cheap freight, the island is likel}' to become an 

 important rival to California and Florida in the 

 production of oranges. The growth of the trade is 

 indicated by the official returns, which show that the 

 export of the present uncultivated oranges has increased 

 in value from £10,278 in 1901-2 to £46,118 in 1902-8. 



Though pine-apple growing continues to receive 

 attention, the results, so far, have not been entirely 

 satisfactory, as the variety grown does not appear to 

 ship well. It is anticipated that other fruits, at 

 present grown only for local consumption, will become 

 articles of export as soon ,as greater facilities for 

 transportation are obtained. 



