94 



likel y to be used in actual practice, increases the weight of cane 

 per acre, it increases, in the same proportion, the weight of suc- 

 rose. This leads to the conclusion, important to the planter and 

 sugarmaker, that while it is useless to look for increased saccha- 

 rine richness as the result of any form of manuring, it is, on the 

 other hand, unnecessary to fear injury or falling off in quality 

 from the use of such quantities of manures as can be profitably 

 employed. 



This study of our figures led to another important conclusion, 

 namely, that we should have arrived at the same conclusions 

 for the information of planters concerning the effects of artificial 

 manures, had we used as our basis of comparison the weight of 

 canes instead of the weight of cane sugar in the juice expressed. 

 From this it follows that in future we can greatly simplify our 

 work by putting aside as unnecessary the laborious analysis of 

 hundreds of samples of cane juice and using the weight of cane 

 produced as the basis of comparison between our various plots. 



RAIFFEISEN AGRICULTURAL BANKS.* 



By the EDITOR. 



Agricultural Loan Banks on a popular basis are much wanted 

 in Jamaica, and probably, also in the rest of the West Indies. 



I propose to lay before you a statement of the principles that, 

 I think, should guide us in the formation of such banks. 



At no time was the necessity for people's banks in Jamaica so 

 manifest as after the hurricane of August, 1903. The peasant 

 proprietors of devastated fields were inclined to be apatheac, 

 fatalistic. Owners, generally, large and small, were in want of 

 cash to put their properties in order, and ensure crops for the 

 following year. The Government came promptly to the rescue, 

 sending out agents to rouse and instruct, and distributing broad- 

 cast leaflets of agricultural advice. For those who wanted money, 

 a system of temporary government loans was organised. This 

 step strengthened credit ; large estate owners obtained relief from 

 banks in. the ordinary way ; while to those who preferred it, 

 government loans were granted. 



I will give some details of this system of government loans, as 

 it may be taken as a suggestive example in case government 

 banks are ever instituted. 



A lawf was passed, September, 18, 1903, of which the preamble 

 ran thus : — * Whereas in view of the damage done by the hur- 

 ricane of the nth day of August, 1903, it is desirable to empower 

 the Government of Jamaica to make temporary loans to those 

 who have sustained damages by the hurricane, and to provide 

 simple and efficacious means of making and securing the repay- 

 ment of such loans.' 



* Read at the West Indian Agricultural Conference, held at Trinidad, January, 

 1905. 

 f Jamaica Law No. 47 of 1903, The Hurricane Loans Law, 1903. 



