Vol. 1. No. 7. 



THE AGKICULTUItAL NEWS. 



103 



steadily keep in view that to continue to grow fnun 

 seed sueli fruits as mangos, oranges, avocado pears, 

 sapodiilas, guavas, star aj)ples, ami the various fruits 

 known in the West Indies as plums and cherries is not 

 only a waste of time and opportunity' but it is a con- 

 fession of our want of appreciation of the advantages to 

 be derived from the skilful Titilisation of our surround- 

 ings. It is hoped that at all Botanic Statioiis, Agricul- 

 tural Schools and Experiment plots throughout the 

 West Indies special attention will be devoted to l-)ud- 

 ding and grafting fruit trees and that only budded anrl 

 gi-afted sorts, of known mei-it, will be planted out at 

 these institutions. 



Saccharine Sales Restricted. 



About si.xteen years ago when the discovery of 

 an artificial sweetening agent, termed saccharine, 250 

 times sweeter than sugar, was made there naturally 

 arose a well-grounded anxiet}' amongst sugar planters 

 to learn how tar this new substance was likely to 

 constitute a competitor with cane-sugar. When it 

 was found that saccharine could not become a regular 

 article of food and that its use, in cases where sugar 

 was forbidden, was more or less injurious, the anxiety 

 of the sugar planter was relieved. We now learn 

 that a Bill has been passed in the Reichstag restricting 

 the sale of saccharine in Germany to chemists' shops 

 and to persons officially licensed to sell it. In tact, 

 saccharine has finall}- passed out of the category 

 of an article of diet into that of a flrug to be used 

 sparingly and only under mcilical advice. 



Sweet Potatos for Europe. 



As shown, elsewhere, in these pages it is estab- 

 lished that there is a distinct demand for sweet potatos 

 during the winter months in Europe. This demand is 

 not large, at present, but if it were dealt with in an 

 enterprising and skilful manner there is no doubt it 

 would steadily increase and jjrove of considerable value 

 to the West Indies. To suit the Eurojjean market the 

 potatos should be dug a few days before they are ti> be 

 shipped and the skin alli.iwed to get dry, they should 

 be of sorts that are known to keep well without 

 becoming soft or shrivelling : red-skinned potatos are 

 sometimes yjreferred to white, and it may be added 

 that none of the potatos should weigh more than about 

 12 to 20 ounces or be larger (or smaller) than the 

 closed fist. The best package is the ordinary- Hour 

 barrel with Kmall holes drilled in the sides for ventila- 

 tii.>n. Larwc holes adinit rats and other vermin. 



Chinese Banana at Barbados. 



In an account of the interesting experiment 

 recently published in the Agri cult and JVewa (p. (iH) 

 of the trial shipment of bananas from Barbados it 

 was pointed out that the fruit sent was not the usual 

 West Indian kind (the Grns Michel) but the Chine.se or 

 dwarf banana so largely grown in the Canary islands 

 and forming the bulk of the bananas now consumed in 

 Europe. This fact is regarded as of great importance 

 to the West Indies, ' because if the Chinese banana 

 proves on trial to carry betti.'r than the other an 



impetus to the West Indian fruit trade shoidd follow, 

 because this is the fruit which is preferred in the 

 London market.' Here is an excellent opening for 

 Bai-bados to start a small fruit trade. Tlie plant 

 yielding the Chinese banana is already abundant in 

 the island, it is low in stature and therefore not so 

 liable to be injured by wind while the fruit not only 

 carries well but is jjrefei-red in the London market 

 to any other. If a few planters, with suitable land, 

 Would each plant .500 suckers during the present season, 

 it would soon be possible to test the value of the 

 industry. Mr. J. R. Bovell would be hapjj^^ to afford 

 information on the subject. To obtain large bunches, 

 strong suckers should be planted, about 12 feet apart, 

 in sheltei'ed situations, with good scjil. 



IM- > Oi " — ■ 



Cotton Growing in the West Indies. 



Cotton, at one time a sta])le product of the West 

 Indies, has been almost entirely supplanted by the 

 sugar-cane and is now gi'own on a commercial scale 

 only at Carriacou. The Imperial l)e])artment of 

 Agriculture has recently been conducting experiments 

 with a view of testing the possibility of re-establishing 

 a cotton industry at St. Lucia and Montserrat. 

 Samples of cotton, grown, in these islands, were for- 

 warded to the Manchester Chamber of Commerce in 

 March last. The experts to whom they were submit- 

 ted for examination report : — 



We should value them a.s underiioted, though it would 

 he advisable to take the values a.s more or le.s.s nominal, 

 there having been no actual busine.s.s in the.se descriptions of 

 cotton for some time past. Most of the qualities, however, 

 would fairly readily find buyers. Cotton of white colour is 

 preferred to yellow cotton, and commands a higlier price. 



Sea Island 



ihd. 



Hawkins Prolific A'^d.- 



-m 



Native Montserrat 5hl. — 6 </. 



-iy. 



that this 



King Improved 4| — -5 d. 



Ui'land G d. 



Peterkin tid. 



Native Cotton ( St Lucia) 4J-(/.- 

 We think, with regard to the Sea Island, 

 nught easily fetch considerably more money. 



The following extract from a recent i.ssue of The 

 Times indicates that the jiresent moment is auspicious 

 for successful efforts to revive a cotton industry in 

 the West Indies : — 



The ' shortage ' of cotton which has caused prolonged 

 short time in Lancashire promises also to bring about a 

 resolute ett'iirt to ]iromote the extension of cotton growing 

 within tlio Hritish Empire. An influential conuuittee repre- 

 senting the Chand>ers of Commerce and the associations of 

 nullowners and mill hands was appointed some time back to 

 consider the matter. Yesterday a well-attended meeting of 

 the committee was held at the Manchester Chamber of 

 connnerce, at which resolutions were passed for the formation 

 of a British cotton-growing association with a guarantee fund 

 of £.50,000 for inquiries and operations ' during the next five 

 years. Important subscriptions were announced. Among 

 those taking part in the movement are Mr. J. Thompson, 

 president of the Manchester Chandier, Sir G. Cotton, Sir 

 Alfred Jones, Mr. Musgrave (Bolton), Mr. Newton, vice- 

 president of the Oldham Chamber of Commerce, Mr. Asliton, 

 chairman of the Operative Spinners' Amalgamation, ilr. 

 Hutton (Manchester), and ilr. Emmott, M.P. 



