252 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



NoVKMBKR 22, 1902. 



"5^^#^^ 



GLEANINGS. 



Onions Imvc been successfully grown in several of the- 

 West Indian islands, and their cultivation is now being 

 attenii)ted !Tt St. Lucia. To encourage preliminary trials a 

 certain quantity of fresh onion seed will be distributed, free 

 of charge, on aiijilication to the Curator of the Rotanic- 

 Station in the island. 



Cassava is grow n on a small scale in many of the West 

 Indian Colonies. .\t Rarliados the roots are now selling at 

 $1.0(J I'cr 100 111. The jirice varies at ditterent times of the 

 year, and is .sometimes as low as 40c. for the same quantity. 



A fair (juality of West India Isinglass is exported from 

 Demerara. This article is the .sound of a fish known in 

 Demerara as ' Gilbaker.' 



In some districts of British Ouiana guavas are infested 

 ■with the sajiodilla magot. A large quantity of .sapprnlillas 

 are destroyed by the fruit-eating bat, the uin-ipe fruit being 

 bitten off the trees. 



The fresh juice of the green fruit of the papaw is .said 

 to be a cure for ring-worm, one application being suthcient. 



Years ago stingless bees occurred commonly in Demerara, 

 and also in Rerbice. They hived in the hollow of the 

 C'ourida trees on the west coast, and their store of honey was 

 gathered. clariKed and sold at the rate of one shilling 

 a bottle, by the residents. 



The rainfall recorded at the Rotanic Station, Tobago, 

 during the month of October last, was 10'92 inches, being in 

 excess of that for the corresiionding period in the two 

 preceding years. 



Seeds of the male or solid band)00 (DendrDcaUimiia 

 strict lis), received from the Imperial Department of Agricul- 

 ture, tlie Rotanic De[iartment, Trinidatl, and the Royal 

 (jlardens, Kew, are germinating at the Rotanic Station, 

 Tobago, and it is hoped that a number of [ilants will soon be 

 availal)le for distribution. 



Diamond mining in Rritish Guiana lias been vigorou.sly 

 carried on during the past year, and '.)1,20G diamonds, 

 veinhing S,227 carats, were registerc<l in 11)01-02 as against 

 4,9.5l ((UO-O carats) in 1900-01. 



Tlic' Government of St. Lujia has made arrangements 

 with the Royal Mail Steam Packet Comi)any to nni a 

 coasting steamer daily, excejit Sundays and Rank holidays, 

 from Castries to Vieux Fort and back. Soufriere, Choiseul 

 and Laborie are intermediate ports of call. 



In order to inqirove the breed of cattle at St. ^'irlccnt 

 !i jiedigree Hereford bull has been inqiorted by the Inqicrial 

 De|vartment of Agriculture from Canaila. 



The earlier sowings of onions at Moiitserrat were 

 transplanted about the end of la.st month. 



The average yield of ca.s.sava per acre is stated to be 

 about 5 or G tons in Florida. An experiment made in 

 Rarbados with wide iilanting (12 ft. by 6 ft.) gave a yield of 

 about 5 tons per acre. In Jamaica a normal return ia 

 reported to be 10 tor.s. 



With the rains the activity of the bees has recommenced; 

 combs are being drawn out and honey stored. Six swarms 

 of bees were recently taken, within a week, at the Experi- 

 ment Stations at ilontserrat. Three of these swarms were 

 weighed as soon as hived, and were -1ft'., 6| lb. and 3i lf>. 

 re-^i ec;i\ely. Tak'ng 4,.300 as the number of the bees to 

 the jiound, these swarms contained, approximatelv, 17,200; 

 29,02.5 ; and 15,050 each. 



Rarbados has experienced very welcome .showers during 

 the last week. The canes on tlie low lands on the leeward 

 coast are still very short and dry, but in the hills, although 

 backward, they are green and in a growing condition, and will 

 doulitless benefit yreatly by the break in the long drought. 



'I'he canes have arrowed very freely throughout the 

 island. 



The plant commonly cultivated in gardens in these 

 Colonies under the name of ' mignonette ' or 'West Indian 

 mignonette' is interesting, inasmuch as it is the famous 

 henna of the East. A decoction of the leaves in cold water 

 yieliLs an orange-coloured dye which stains the skin. 



■ood. 



The cacao crop in Grenada j>romises so far to be very 



The final arrangements are now being made for the 

 Rarbados Local Agricultiu-al Iv\liiliition, which it is [)roposed 

 to hold at Todds Estate, St. .lohns, on Tuesday January 

 l.i, 190:?. 



The r.oanl of Education of Tiiniilad have tlecidcd to 

 hold future school garden exhibitions at various country 

 centres instead of at I'ort-of -Spain only. 



The [irickly pear can be utilized as a fodder <luring very 

 severe drought. In Australia it is sometimes boiled and 

 used for fittcning cows. Horses are .said to like it when a 

 little pollard is added to the boileil muss. 



