Vol. III. No. 49. 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



7T 



LECTURED OX THE DISEASES OF THE 

 .SUGAR-CANE.- By L. Lewtoii-Brain, B.A., F.L.S., 

 Mycologist on the statf of tlie Tiiiiieiial Department of 

 Agriculture. Pamphlet series, Xo. 29. 



As announced on p. 25 of this volume, the lectures on 

 the diseases of the sugar-cane, recently delivered at Barbados 

 by Mr. Lewton-Brain, have been issued in i(anii)lilet form. 

 We quote from the preface the following remarks of the 

 Imperial Commissioner of Agriculture : — 



'The diseases referred to attack canes to a greater or less 

 extent in all the sugar-producing colonies in the West Indies. 

 The root disease (Marasmius) was especially prevalent at 

 Barbados last year, and it was largely due to the attacks of 

 this fungus that the sugar crop of 1893 (3-!),000 hhds.) was 

 lower than any during a i)eriod of thirty-four years. It was 

 even l(jwer than in 189.5, when the ravages of the rind fungus 

 (Trichosjih(ieriit) reduced the normal crop of 56,000 hhds. to 

 36,000 hhds. and led to the practical abandonment of the 

 Bourbon cane. The principal canes now cultivated are the 

 White Transparent and .seedling canes. 



'A conservative estimate, after making every allowance 

 for unfavourable seasons and other circumstances, has placed 

 the loss due to the attacks of fungoid diseases at Barbados 

 during 1903 at 10,000 hhds. of the value of £70,000. If 

 we take into account the loss sustained in molasses also, the 

 total loss in 1903 would not fall far short of £100,000. Tt 

 was with the view of aiding the planter to control the 

 diseases attecting his crops, esjjecially in these days of low 

 prices, that the lectures delivered by ilr. Lewton-Brain were 

 organized. It the advice given in the lectures be closely 

 followed, there is little doubt that the loss likely to be 

 sustained from the attacks of cane diseases might be reduced at 

 least one-half. It is hoped that in view of these facts 

 the recommendations of the Department will receive the 

 hearty support of all members of the planting connnunity. 



'The root fungus is ju'esent again this j'ear, but, owing 

 to the greater vigour of the canes due to favourable seasons, 

 the effects are not so marked as last year. It is recommended 

 that tops for planting should be selected from healthy canes 

 only ; that where the disease shows itself in small patches in 

 the fields these should l)e isolated by a trench (al)out a foot 

 deep) dug round them, so as to prevent the disease from 

 passing through the soil and attacking healthy canes ; that 

 all cane stumps whatsoever should be dug up and destroyed 

 either liy burning or being heaped up and treated with 

 quicklime ; and that where a field has lieen very badly 

 attacked by root disease it should be thrown out of cultivation 

 in canes, treated with lime, and planted with other crops for 

 a period of at least one year, preferably two years. 



'These recommendations are of so simple and practical 

 a character that no difficulty need be experienced in carrying 

 them out, and especially as the probability is that they 

 would be the means of saving a considerable portion of the 

 loss to the sugar industry of this island which was estimated 

 last year by responsible officers of the Department at 

 £100,000.' 



DEPARTMENT NEWS. 



The Imperial Commissioner of Agriculture left 

 for the Northern Lslands in the S.S. ' Orinoco' on 

 February 22. An important conference of landowners 

 antl planters was to he held at St. Lucia on the 23rd. 

 instant to discuss the prospects of cotton growing in 

 tliat island. Agricultural Shows were to be held at 

 Dominica on February 25, at Montserrat on February 25, 

 and Antigua, on February 26. Afterwards the Imperial 

 Connnissioner propo.sed to proceed on a visit of 

 inspection to St. Kitt's and Xevi.s, and return to 

 Barbados in the S.S. ' Dahome ' on iiarch 4. 



Subject to the approval of the Secretary of State, 

 Mr. R. I). Anstead, B.A., Christ's College, Cambridge, 

 wdll assume the duties of Agricultural Assistant at the 

 Government Laborator}- under the Island Professor 

 of Chemistry, in connexion with Sugar-cane Experi- 

 ments at Barbados, from March 1 next. 



Pending the approval of the Secretary of State, 

 Mr. W. X. Sands, Curator of tlie Botanic Station at 

 Antigua, will proceed to take up the duties of 

 his appointment as Agricultural Superintendent at 

 St. Vincent on or about March 5 next. 



GOAT KEEPING. 



The following notes on goat keeping appear in 

 the Jowraal of tlie British HonJums Society of 

 Agriculture and Covimerce (Vol. I, Part 2, p. 32): — 



It is perhaps not generally known that thousands of 

 kid gloves are made every year from goat-skins. Many 

 millions of pairs of gloves of all shades and thickness 

 are the product of the destructive goat. 



In the raising of goats we have another profitable 

 industry which might advantageously be taken up by some 

 persons in this colony. We are apt to look upon goats as 

 a nuisance. So they undoubtedly are in the towns and 

 wherever there is a garden or cultivation of any iilants ; but 

 there are thousands of acres of scrubby country land which 

 could be utilized for raising large herds of these animals. 

 Take our pine ridges, which arc to some extent useless for 

 cultivation : goats would thrive well on such lands. They do 

 not require very much care, as is the ca.se with most other 

 animals, and they are easily managed. A few boys can look 

 after several hundred. 



In addition to this skin-value, the flesh, especially when 

 young, is excellent meat and can be sold. Goats also furnish 

 a very rich milk that can be made into cheese, etc. 



An ordinary sized goat-skin is worth from 25c. to 50c. 



There should be a large margin of profit in this business, 

 as goats require no expensive feeding, in fact they can 

 forage out all the food they need for themselves. 



Rubber from Corn Oil. According to the Indui, 



ItiMev World, rubber from corn oil is a most important 

 ruliber substitute, its poimlarity being due to its usefulness 

 as a filler and insulator and to its low cost. Corn oil rubber 

 is one of the products of the Corn Products Co. of the United 

 States. The plants operated by this company also manufac- 

 ture glucose, starch, dextrine, syrup, glycerine, etc., the 

 rubljer being one of the by-products. 



