Vol. XVIII. Xo. 436. 



THE AGRICULTUKAL XEWS. 



deal of the difficult work which the A>sociation had done in 

 the past, namely its relations with Government Departments, 

 Colonial Governments, the Egyptian and Indian Governments. 

 This would leave the Association freer to carry on the work 

 of the active production of cotton. The desire and effort of 

 the Empire Cotton Growing Committee would be to assist the 

 Association in every way, to give advice where possible, and 

 to represent the Association s wishes, wants, and needs to the 

 Government. Under these circumstances it is hoped that as 

 soon as the troubles and difficulties of the war are over, the 

 Association will be able to take a fresh leap forward, and 

 attain the era of prosperity which all desired. It was absolute- 

 ly necessary to develop the cotton growing areas 

 in the British Empire, in view of the large increase of 

 American takings, and there was now an atmosphere 

 at Whitehall most favourable to that position. The 

 present attitude of the Government was very sympathetic. 

 The Committee wished to feel that it had the united support 

 of Lancashire behind it; and if so, real progress would be made. 

 Mr. Hutton also spoke, and stated that it was for their 

 Association to see that the Committee was a success. It was 

 necessary for capital, labour, and everybody to pull together 

 in this matter, because sooner or later there would not be 

 enough cotton to go round. 



Acreage under Cotton in St. Vincent.— From 



a report of the Agricultural Superintendent, St. Vincent, 

 recently forwarded for the information of the Imperial 

 Commissioner of Agriculture for the West Indies, it appears 

 that for the 1918-19 crop there is a total area of 6,089 acres 

 under cotton in that island and its dependent Grenadines. 

 Of this total there are 4,583 acres planted in Sea Island 

 and 1,446 acres in the ilarie Galante variety, all of the 

 latter being in the Grenadines. 



There has been an increase of 1,024 acres under Sea 

 Island, or nearly 30 per cent, over the area planted last year. 

 The acreage under Marie Galante also shows an increase of 

 nearly 15 per cent. 



DOWN THE ISLANDS. 



ITEMS OF LOCAL INTEREST. 



.ST. VINCENT. The Agricultural Superintendent writes 

 to say there is little of interest to report for the mon'h of 

 Novembei. Cotton picking was in full swing. Heavy rains 

 at the teginning of the month, following similar rains at the 

 end of October, led to damage being done to bolls by external 

 disease, and consequently, some loss of crop. The rainfall 

 was not well distributed, although the monthly total is satis- 

 factory, namely 878 inches, recorded at the Botanic Station, 

 and 8'91 at the Experiment Station. 



In the report of special work of officers for the month, 

 mention is made of visits by the Agricultural Superintendent 

 to estates in the Calliaqua and other districts, in connexion 

 with cotton investigations, where there was some loss of 

 cotton due to the causes stated above. On the Land Settle- 

 ment estates in the Linley Valley district, cotton is exten- 

 sively grown, but the diminutive size of the plants in the 

 majority of cises points to a deficiency in s )il fertility as the 

 cause of the poor yield. Arrowroot was being reaped and 

 yielding fair returns. Cotton picking was also in progress at 

 jjhe Clare Valley-Questelles Land Settlement, and very good 



returns were being obtained in some cases. Here a certain 

 amount of loss had been caused by phytophthora disease 

 of the bolls, which, it is shown, can 1 minimized by giving 

 more attention to cultural method' 



AGRICULTURE IN BARBADOS. 



This is the third December in succession during which 

 weather of an unusual character has prevailed. In December 

 1916 there was a protracted drought. List year up to the 

 22nd day of the month there had been practically only one 

 showery day, but on the 23rd, 24th, and 25th some parts of 

 the island were visited by rainstorms of a severe character. 

 Again this year, December has not brought the fre- 

 quent showers which are usual at this time- But while 

 there has not been in general sufficient rain, the weather has 

 been cool, and nearly every day since the 9th instant there 

 have been misty skies with only snatches of bright sunshine. 

 Under these circumstances evaporation has not been rapid, 

 and vegetation has not .suffered as it did during the corres- 

 ponding periods of 1916 and 1917. 



The following shows the rainfall during 1916, 1917, and 

 1918 on two estates — one in the red soil on the hills almost 

 in the- centre of the island, and the other in the black soil in 

 the south; — 



Red soil 

 Block soil 



1916. 

 93-80 inches 



1916. 

 5604 inches 



1917. 

 851 7 inches 



1917. 

 51 -29 inches 



1918. 

 76"37 inches 



1018. 

 57-01 inches 



On the whole, 1918 has been a seasonable year, and the 

 crops now nearly matured will compare favourably with some 

 of the best years in the agricultural history of the island. 



Neither the tillage for the young crop nor the manuring 

 has been completed, and apparently a few weeks of the 

 New Year will have gone by before either will have been 

 accomplished. The fields that have been put out of hand 

 look fairly well, but in many instances the cultivation has 

 not struck us as being up to last year's standard. There is a 

 roughness which meets the eye sometimes, but doubtless 

 the best has been done wiih the labour which was available. 

 Many estates gave bonuses at Christmas time by way of 

 encouragement to labourer.-'. 



We are told that the spring of young canes is in general 

 better than it was last year. The fields planted early are 

 growing splendidly, and the recent showers will greatly assist 

 those which were planted at a later date. 



No less than thirty-three estates changed hands during 

 the year. The total acreage of the thirty-three was 9,132 

 acres, and the total sum piid for them was .-6808,994. 



The year 1918 will, we think, be remembered as the 

 high water-mark of prices paid for sugar estates in Barbados. 

 Not only has the flourishing condition of the sugar market 

 induced higher [irices, but there has been keen competition 

 among ovners of factories to secure estates whereby they will 

 be guaranteed a fairly adequate supply of canes. Time will 

 show whether the factory system under such circumstances 

 will or will not be the best thing for the island. 



The prices of provisions, while n(pt as low as housekeep- 

 ers would like, cannot be said to be exorbitant. The rates 

 this week are: eddoes, white and nut, $l--20 per 100 B).; yams 

 .$1-44 per 100 !b.; potatoes, 96c. per 100 ft. The bulk 

 of the yam and eddoe crop is still to be reaped, but it is 

 expected that potatoes will be sold at a higher rate during the 

 early months of the Jlew Year. (The ZskXh\diO& Agricultural 

 Reporter, December 28, 1918.) 



