22G 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



NoVKMBER 8, 1D02. 



animals. It i.s stated on good authority that 'cane 

 molasses has the same feeding value as an equal weight 

 of corn.' 



(Jn ])ages l()iS-124 of the A<iriciiJ/ itral Xia-.i we 

 gave an account of tht; exjX'riments carrie<l out in 

 Porto Rico, where army horses kept in excellent 

 condition and did their fidl work on grass and molasses 

 only, each liorse taking 14 1b. of molasses dailv. The 

 old custom, however, is still maintained in thes(} 

 colonies and molasses is sa\<\ at verv low rates and 

 exported, whilst thousands of bushels of high-jiriced 

 coi-n and oats are imported annually from the 

 United States. 



A second means of remedying the jiresent non- 

 economical state of affairs lie.s in the home j)roduction 

 of many articles now imported. The jiroposed re-intro- 

 duction of cotton may pi'ove a step in the right 

 direction, if care is taken to utilize the cotton seed 

 and its products to their best advantage. The\- nuist 

 not be exported for a mere trifle but should be 

 employed to reduce the very heavy importations of oil 

 meal, oil cake and cotton seed oil, <if which tho imports 

 into Barbados were of the value of £24,000 in lilOO, 

 and into the Leeward Islands about .£.5,000 in tlu' 

 .same year. 



Xumei'ons other opportunitii s for I'cducing expen- 

 <iiture Could be cited, but the essential |)oint is this. 

 In the sugar-producing islanils the staple crop does 

 not now give the profits of former yeais. Planters 

 need to adapt themselves to the changed circumstances 

 and reduce the impoitation of food stuffs. At 

 present dear American jiroduets aic boing obtained in 

 exchange for cheap sugar to the im]io\i.'rishnicnt of tin,' 

 West Indies. 



West Indian Insect Injurious in Florida. 



.\ bulletin entitled S<iiiir Jiuieds Iiijitrioiix to ]\'i/<lf (///<■ 

 Crijjix * liiis recently been received, containing a .short 

 account of an in.scct occurring in the West Indies, found to 

 be destructive to bean and pea plant.s in Florida. 'I'liis 

 insect is the 'Swallow-tailed skipper (Eiahtmics jirotiuf. L.) 

 a robust vclvety-lnown liuttertiy with white sjiots on the 

 forewings. In appearance it i.s .similar to tlic ' Canna or 

 arrowroot ski|iper' but <litter.s in the swallow-tail prolongation 

 of the Iiin<l wings. Tlie insect may now be found in 

 Rarbados, Dominica and Antigua, (and probably throngliout 

 the Le.sscr Antilles). Mr. t'hittenden enumerates (.'ulm, 

 Jamaica, Trinidad and several South American localities. No 

 leports have been received of this insect proving destructive 

 to liean or pea jilants in the West Indies, and it is believed 

 to feed here on wild jilants ; but it is not unlikely to make 

 its appearance in gardens where its food plants are grown. 



SUGAR INDUSTRY. 



British Guiana Notes. 

 The Demerara Anjusi/ for October 22, says: — 

 A few light showers fell during the fortnight, the 

 rainfall registered varying from half an inch to three 

 inches in different localities. The weather iluiing the 

 current month has been (pate sea.sonable and fnour- 

 able to rij)ening canes. The younger portion of the 

 cultivation would, however, have derived benefit from 

 lu'avier showers than those experienced. 



Sl'O.^R M.\KIX(J. 



Sugar making is progressing rapidly. The cane 

 juice is of good (piality, and is woiking ui' freelv, the 

 extraction on indicated sugar in juice awraging fS8 

 j)er cent, to !)0 j)er cent, of !)() sugai-. The yield of sugar 

 1)er acre is better than was anticipated owing to the low 

 gallons of juice required per ton sugar. The totiil 

 output of rum this year should not exceed (!.") jter 

 cent, of that made last year. 



M.\HKKTS. 

 Thi're is a firmer tendeni'V in the sugar market, 

 and last sales of iXi crystals were made at |1..S0 per 

 100 lb. The rum market is still overstocked and oidv a 

 lessened production will put this market right. 'I'he 

 net value of 40 over proof coloured iiim is ab<iut 2G 

 cents a gallon. 



WEST INDIAN PRODUCTS. 



*/•". //. Cluttiiiih,,. Hvdletin .'«, N.S., Division of Entomology, 

 I.S. Deiiartnieiit of .Vgiiculturo. 



Drugs and Spices in the London Market. 



The following interesting article on the recent 

 sales of \\'<'st Indian drugs and spices has been 

 eontributrd liy .Mr. John K. Jaekson, A.L.S., formerly 

 Curator of the Museums at the Royal CJardens, Kew: — 



In these day.s, wlien the \alue of object le.s.sons is 

 acknowledged on all sides, the samples of law products to be 

 seen in the Mincing Lane Show Hooins on the eve of the 

 foitnightly diug sales, together with those in the liilliter 

 S(pi.oe warehouse and the several docks in the east of 

 London, have inoved to be of imincnsc value to numliers of 

 students, who have of late sought to improve their jiractical 

 knowledge by visits to these great centres of t'omnierce. 

 The importance of combining the cominercial side with the 

 scientific is now fully acknowledged by the ready assistance 

 that is rendered, by business men, to inembeis of pharmaceu- 

 tical and other classes, by giving periuission of occasional 

 access to tlie.se stores of knowledge, an op[)ortunity of which 

 teachers and their classes are only too glad to avail 

 themselves, for here is to be seen not only the raw pioilucts 

 themselves as originallj' produced -so useful an item in the 

 knowledge of a iihannacentical student, — but also the mode 

 of iiie|iaiatioii ami packing in the several countries of 

 liiodu<tion. All these are imiiortant points in the cducatioa 

 of one whose future life is to be .sjient as a planter, or in some 



