188 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



Septembku 27, 1902.. 



NEWS FROM THE ISLANDS. 



The Hoii'hli.' Fniiicis Watts, li.Sc, liaslieeii a|i]iMiiiteil a 

 iiieiiibei- of the recently eoiistituteil J'.oaid of Health fui- the 

 C'tmiitry districts of Antigua. 



'I'here are some vacancies for [mjiils at the .Vgricultural 

 ftchooi, St. Lucia. Aiiplicatious .should be made to the 

 Curator, Botanic Station, St. IjUcia, from whom full partic- 

 ulars can be obtaineil, on or liefore the .SOth. instant. 



The Highbury rest-house has l)een o[)ened for the use of 

 visitors and travellers in Dominica, 7A miles from Roseau, at 

 1,800 feet elevation and near the Imiierial roid. It is 

 .s})ecially intended for person.s Avho wish to ]niis|icct ('mwii 

 lands. Ai)]ilication for [lermission to use it .shoulil be made 

 at the Colonial JMigineer's t)ffice. 



The S. S. Ti-i'iit carried a large consignment of fruit 

 from .faniaica to London. 1,000 jiackages of oranges alone, 

 tlic ./(iinaica Daily 'J'c'cijniph reiiorts to have been put on 

 l.oard. 



Blr. .John It. i'lovell, F.L.S., Inis been ap|iointed a 

 member of the Central I'lmr Law Board of Jiarbailos. 



A'aniila cultivation is Ijcc lining well established in 

 various parts of Dominica. I>arge (|uantities of plants are 

 now available, and the climate appeal's well adapted to the 

 cidtivation. 



The recent volcanic disturbances ajijicar to have caused 

 considerable cliangcs in the sea bed, and extraordinary 

 difficulties liavc been encountered in atti'inpting to repair 

 the interrupted telegraphii- cables. 



The Ibiiible \\\\\. Fawcett, B.Sc, has lieeli inxiled to 

 <k'li\cr a lecture at the New York Jiotanic (iardcns during 

 Ills visit to the I'lant-l'reeding and Ilyljridi/.ation Conference. 

 He purposes to take as his subject 'Jamaica, a Paradise for 

 the r.otanist.' 



The weather in Barbados is e.xtremely dry fur the 

 season of the j'ear, and the crops are suffering for lack of 

 ■water. The condition of the canes on tlic higher lands 

 threatens soon to become serious if the drought continues. 



A I'lantcrs' (Jnild has been farmed in I'.arbados to 

 initiate and iironiote 'measures calculated to advance the 

 interests of the sugar industry and improve tlie condition of 

 the island in geneial.' 



Fresh Teneriffe onion seed (both red and white varieties) 

 can now be [lurchased at the Dominica Botanic Station at 

 111. [ler [.acket. 



\n effort is being made to promote a '.Tamaica 

 Preserves and Honey Company Limited.' The capital is to be 

 rai.sed by 10,000 shares of fiTeach. Mr. A.E. Wigan is to be- 



the maiiairini' Director in .Jamaica. 



The weather in St. Lucia during July and August ha.s. 

 been favourable to the cro[is. The rainfall has averaged 

 about 10 inches per month. 



The cacao cro^i of St. Lucia is stated to be much 

 improved in i)rosiiects, although the May flowers held very 

 poorly. With suitable weather the cro)! will probably be iu 

 e.xcess of that of last year. 



Mr. W. X. Sands, Curator of tiie Botanic Station, 

 Antigua, read an interesting paper before the local Agricul- 

 tural Society on the ' Improvement of local varieties of 

 Indian corn'. We hope to give a full .summary in a later 

 issue. 



Seeds of the ' J'.arliados Sipiash', an excellent vegetal)!© 

 which aiipears to be little used elsewhere in the West 

 Indies, have recently been distributed by the Department to- 

 all tlie Botanic Stations. The plant will be carefully 

 cultivated to test its suitabilitv to local conditions. 



The Dominica Potaiiii- tiardju contains an excellent 

 collection of the liest kinds of East Indian bananas, obtained 

 originally through the Royal Uardeu-s, Kew. Twenty-three 

 varieties were sent hist month to the Royal Botanic 

 (Jardens Trinidad. 



The rotting of pine-aiiples wliich unfortunately oci-urs 

 sometimes during transit is ajiparently due to two fungi, 

 one of which enters by bruLses and the other by the cut ends 

 of the stalks. To [irevent their ravages, it is nece.s.sary to- 

 take great care in [lacking the fruit, and to guard against 

 bruising and crushiici during transit. 



Chives are reported to do well on the highlands of 

 Crenada and are said to yield a good profit with careful 

 cultivation. 



Of nine varieties of beans and peas tried as green 

 dressings in Antigua this year, the Louisiana cow pea (or 

 white bonavist) and tlie Montpellier bean gave the most 

 satisfactory results. They were both fairly resistant to insect 

 attacks. 



Antigua exported during last .season 27,.'')O01ti of 

 onions to the intercolonial and New York markets. Iu 

 addition large (piantities were coi:sumcd locally. The crop- 

 was less than the previous year owing to the abnormally 

 wet season. 



Trinidad has received a su|iply of the Spineless Lime 

 fn m the Potaiiic Station at I'ominica. 



Owing to the success of Smooth Cayenne ]iine at 

 Antigua the Imperial Department of Agriculture is endeavour- 

 ing to encourage its cultivation by importing suckers for 

 distribution to planters, at less than co.st price. r)00 suckers 

 have already been introduced from Jamaica, and 1,-500 more 

 are expected shortly. 



