Vol. I. No. 2. 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



£3 



it is level with the surface of giound. Tlie orange Volcanic Ash in Barbados 



plant is then placed on this with the tap root firmly 



fixed into ground. ' The nock of the tree should stand 



well above the surface of the soil on a cii-culav {ilot of 



good earth, soft but firm. It h ahuuliddy ftttal tu 



plitnt orange trees too deeply.' 



Cotton Production in the West Indies. 



During the last thirty j-ears cotton cidtivation 

 has been almost abandoned in these islands. The only 

 locality where it it has survived is the small island of 

 Carriacou coniKK'ted with the Colony of Grenada. It is 

 noticed that Carriacou cotton was recenth' quoted in 

 the London market at 4|c. per pound. Experiments 

 in growing cotton are being carried on at St. Lucia, 

 Montsen-at and Antigua. It would be of distinct advan- 

 tage if a cotton industry could be established in some 

 parts of the West Indies. In addition to the cotton 

 itself cotton seed, converted into meal, is valuable for 

 feeding purjjoses ; or, if the oil were extracted, the 

 residual cake is good for feeding and for nianurial 

 purjjoses. 



■oOX- ♦ -€!» 



Journal, Jamaica Agricultural Society. 



Tliis Journal, now in its sixth year of issue, is 

 recognized as one of the most useful agricultural publi- 

 cations in the West Indies. It was started by Mr. 

 George Douet, the late Secretary, witli the object of 

 affording hints and suggestions sjiecially adapted t(.) 

 the requirements of small cultivators. The S(jciety is 

 to be commended for continuing to publish the Journal 

 on the original lines ; and there can be no doubt that 

 it is a valuable agent in disseminating inf irmation and 

 in encouraging sound agricultural methorls in the 

 island. A similar Journal dealing with local conditions, 

 and in full sympathy with the difficulties of cultivators, 

 large and small, would be of great service elsewhere 

 in the West Indies. 



Agricultural Development in the Bahamas. 



Iti the speech of the Governor of the Bahamas 

 (Sir Gilbert Carter, K.C.M.G.) at the opening of 

 the Session of the Legislature on February li) last, 

 his Excellenoy laid stress on the wisdom of paying 

 more attention to the careful and systematic culti- 

 A'ation of the land. He added : — 



No doubt the .soil of tliase islaiuls is mainly of an 

 intractable character, but I am quite sure that cai>ital judi- 

 ciously expended upon it would not be wasted. There is an 

 important distinction between the culture of plants and their 

 mere growth ; no doubt in some directions, special attention 

 is devoted to the pine-apple, but as a general rule anything 

 approaching to the scientific culture of economic product.s of 

 the -soil is exceptional in these islands. I still hold the 

 opinion, which I expres.5ed on my first arrival in the C!olony, 

 that it would be a manifest advantage to join in the Botanic 

 Garden [agricultural] system of the West Indies under the 

 able direction of Ur. Morris, and I trust that the Legislature 

 "will sooner or later make provision for such a scheme. 



A description of the vulcanic eruptions at Martinique 

 and St. Vincent has already been given in the newspajiers. 

 It may be worthy of note that the volcanic ash that fell at 

 Barbados from .5 p.m. on the 7th. to 4.30 a.m. on the 8th. 

 varied from three-eighths to lialf-an-inch in depth. It 

 covered houses, trees, and all vegetation with a grey 

 mantle of impalpable powder and gave the landscape a 

 singular appearance. By actual measurement it has been 

 ascertained that the weight of ash was at the rate of 17 '58 

 tons per acre, or 11,251 tons per square mile. Taking the 

 area of Barbados as 166 .square nules it is probable that 

 nearly two million tons of ash were deposited over this 

 island alone. An immense quantity must have, also, fallen 

 into the sea. The composition of the a.sh has not yet been 

 ascertained. It is probable, as in the case of the ' Jlay dust' 

 of 1812, that it contains silica, alumina, oxide of iron and 

 oxide of manganese with some trace of sulphur. It should 

 be regarded in its ultimate results, at least, as beneficial to 

 the soil. 



'Minor Products' in Ceylon. 



The following extract from the address of the 

 Governor of Ceylon to the Legislative Council of 

 the Colony on October LS, I90I, summarizes briefly 

 some of the recent efforts made t:) supplement the 

 staple tea industry of the islanfl by the cultivation of 

 other products : — • 



Cacao is doing well, anil on most large estates the 

 canker has been largely eradicated. Cocoa-nuts, cinnamoii, 

 cardamoms, and other smaller products have been in a 

 prosperous condition during the year. 



Of new products, rubber claims the first place. 

 Exports of appreciable (luantities have commenced, and the 

 prices obtained have been most satisfactory. The latest 

 market report contains the entry 'Best Para, os. 9(/.; Ceylon, 

 fine. Para sort, 4s. If;/, per ft.' This cultivation may now 

 be considered established in the wet low-country districts. 



Camphor has continued to attract attention, and bids 

 fair to prove a paying nunor product for many parts of the 

 south-west and the hills. Samples iirei)ared from trees grown 

 in the Botanic Gardens have lately been valued at 126s. 

 per cwt. The yield of cam})hor from clipi)ings of leaves and 

 youu"' twio-s is about 1"2 per cent, and the preparation is 

 cheap, so that in places where 16,000 1J)S. of clippings can be 

 obtained from an acre in a year, there is little doubt that it 

 will pay well. 



Of other minor or new products, tobacco continues to 

 extend, also vanilla, pejijier, cinchona, and cassava : the roots 

 of the last named are, however, only used as yams, and not 

 for the preparation of tapioca. Citronella oil is in a very 

 depressed state, owing to o-ser-production and to low prices, 

 with new competition in unadulterated oil from Java. The 

 adidteration of our oils is so vvhcilesale and so shameless that 

 it is difficult to foresee any remedy fur the depression, unless 

 the cultivation be taken up by large manufacturers. A 

 detailed investigation has been made, and a report will soon 

 be published. 



Investigations are being made into the Ceylon gutta- 

 perchas, ebonies, and other subJeHs. (Board of Trade 

 Jovrnal, Jan. 16, 1902.) ' 



