A FORTNIGHTLY REVIEW 



OF THE 



IMPERIAL DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE FOR THE WEST INDIES. 



Vol. I. No. 15. 



BARBADOS, NOVEMBER 8, 1902. 



Pkice Id. 



CONTENTS. 



Page 



Anthrax, at St. Vincent 232 

 Bananas, Cultivation of ... 228 



Carih InipleniL'nt.s 220 



Corn, Iniiirnvinj; local 



varieties of ... 



Cotton cultivation 



British (jluiana 



Oejiartnient News — 



Deiiartnient PuMications 239 

 Do])artuiental Ueiiorts :— 



Canary' Islands 



Fisheries : — 



Tarjion in Triuidail ... 



Gleanings 



Honey, Sale I'f in Ameri- 

 can market 



Insect Notes : — 



Sjjraying Sweet Potatos 



West Indian insect 



injurious in Florida 



Lecture to Teachers at 



Barbados, 



22!» 



227 

 237 



237 



233 

 230 



220 

 232 

 220 



2:u 



P.\(iE. 



Market Rejjorts 238 



Notes and Comments ... 230 



Our Book Shelf : — 



Nature Study 235 



Pictorial Practical Gar- 

 dening, etc 235 



Projiagating Citrus 

 Fruits 235 



Sumatra Tohacco under 

 shade 235 



Pasture Trees 234 



Poultry 234 



Pyrethrum and Mi)S([ui- 



toes 235 



Rice i)roduction in 



British Guiana ... 232 

 Sugar Industry : — 



British Guilina Notes 226 

 Utilization of Home 



Products 225 



Volcanic Eru])tion at 



St. Vincent 237 



West Indian Products ... 220 



the .sugar tnidc ot tlic world thr .sugar-cane yielded 

 relatively I'lioriuous returns and jilanters made every 

 effort to extend the area under sugar-cane cultivation. 

 To this end valuable fruit and other trees were cut 

 down, poor lands jirepared at great cost, and, in fact, 

 scarcely any sacrifice was thought too hea\-v so long 

 as it led to an iiicrea.se of the output of the staple crop. 



With sugar selling at £20 to £30 per ton, or even 

 more, there is no doubt tliat the planters of tho.se days 

 followed the most remunerative course. It would have 

 been unprofitable for them to devote to the jiroduction 

 of Indian corn, yams, etc., land which would yield sugtir 

 t(j the value of say £50 per acre. Canes were acconlingly 

 grown on every available acre and the sugar e.x]iorted, 

 whilst importations were depended on for the neces- 

 saries of life. 



In the sugar island 



Utilization of Home Products. 



IMOXCi.ST the causes responsible for the 

 jiresent agricultural depression in the 

 West Indies, particularly in the sugar- 

 producing islands, must be placed the high ])roHts 

 formerly obtained from sugar cultivation. In the 

 days before the beet became an important factor in 



of the West Indies, this 

 course is still followed, to a large extent, in spite of 

 the great changes in the sugar industry. A ton of 

 sugar formerly sold for £20 or £30, now it is worth 

 §20 to .?30. Yet in too many cases the planters' best 

 energies are devoted to ])roducing sugar, often to be 

 Sold at a loss, whilst relatively enormous amounts of 

 foodstuffs ami other aitieles are imjmrted. a great part 

 of which could and should be pioduced locally. 



As a first step towards the desired end more use 

 needs to be madv of products which are now exported. 

 Experiments made in Europe, America, and in the 

 West Indies, in Exjiei'imont Stations, with army horses, 

 and by private individuals, have conclusively proved 

 the high value of molasses as a feeding stuff for 



