Vol. 1. No. 9. 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



131 



SUGAR CROPS OF BARBADOS. 



The following Mt'inoraiwlum has been prepared by 

 Mr. J. R. Bovell, the Agricultural Superintendent uf 

 Sugar-cane E.xperiinents, on the Sugar and Mola-sses 

 crops of Bariaclo.s for the four years 1899-1902 

 inclusive. 



It should be uuderstoo<l that the returns are 

 appro.ximate only, as it has not been found possible 

 to obtain figures from every plantation in the island. 

 It will be observed that the average cost of producing 

 a ton of sugar and 100 gallons of molasses, on 75 per 

 cent, of the plantations in Barbados, during the last 



ten years is placed by Mr. Bovell at £12 8.s. Id. On 

 many plantations where the conditions are favourable 

 the cost is less. On the other hand, in some districts, 

 especially in the Scotland district, it is higher. 



The most prominent feature in these returns 

 is the fact that at the average prices for this year (1902) 

 the planters apparently sustain (where no material 

 reduction has been made in the cost of production) 

 an average loss of £4 on every ton of sugar and 100 

 gallons of molasses exported from the island : — 



Sugar and Molasses Crops of the island of Barbados for the four years 



1899 to 1902 inclusive. 



* Sugar and molasses exported to July 31, 1902. 



t The data were obtained from numerous estates situated in all the districts of ths island. The cost includes the production 

 of a ton of sugar and its 100 gallons of molasses, and also the value of the hogshead and puncheon. 



Note — The average crop of sugar for the twenty years 1881 to 1900 inclusive was 50,688 tons. 



EXPERT FOR RUM MANUFACTURE]. 



With reference to the proposal, on page 98 of the 

 Agrlciiltaral iVew.y. for the employment of a special- 

 ist in Rum fermentation ;it Janriica, the Hon'ble 

 Emmanuel DuBoulay of St. Lucia writes : — 



I was much struck by reading in the AfjrkuUural 

 News of July 1 9, kindly sent me, an account of a proi)osal 

 made by Jlr. Cousins, the Agricultural Chemist of .Jamaica, 

 that a Si)ecialist should be apjiointed to investigate the 

 present process of rum manufacture and to advise as to its 

 improvement. 



I think this an excellent move and one that could 

 with advantage be adopted in the i.slands with which the 

 Imperial Department of Agriculture has connexion. 1 am 

 personally aware of how much good was done in ilartinique 

 in this direction, when the methods of rum manufacture, 

 once crude and wasteful, were brought to a high state of 

 efficiency by the advice and superintendence of Experts. 



I hojje the Department will be able to make some 

 move in this matter. I am sure the services of such an 

 expert woulil b^; warmly welcomed and would add one more 

 factor of usefulness to the Department. 



Coral Snakes: An article on the coral snakes of 

 British Guiana ai)pears in tlie Arrjosij for July 26, from the 

 pen of Dr. R. Evans, the new Curator of the Museum at 

 Georc^etown. It appears that coral snakes may lie non- 

 venomous, slightly venomous or highly venomous according to 

 the species. Unfortunately there are no distinctive poiailar 

 names for the ditt'erent species. There are three highly 

 venomous snakes (Ehq^s), two slightly venomous and two 

 non-venomous. One of the latter (Ilysia scr/tale) which 

 grows to nearly a yard in length ' on account of its beauty, 

 perfectly harmless nature and for " cooling purposes " is 

 sometimes worn by the Indians as a necklace.' 



