THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



January 25, 1919. 



DOWN THE ISLANDS. 



ITEMS OF LOCAL INTEREST. 



ST VIS. ENT. There is little to report of interest for the 

 month of December, Mr. Sinds writes to say. The reaping 

 of arrowroot and cotton was retarded in certain districts, owing 

 to an outbreak of influenza amongst the labourers. The 

 weather was seasonable and the later planted cottonvas bearing 

 well. The rainfall recorded at the Botanic Station was 

 7-98 inches, and at the Experiment Station, .541 inches 



A visit by Mr. W. Nowell. Mycologist on the staff of the 

 Imperial Department, on December 17, is recorded. 



GRENADA. In uotes of interest for the month of 

 November now to hand, it appears that plant distribution 

 included the following: lime plants, 2,100; coco-nut plants, 

 19; budded citrus, .30; grafted mangoes, 15; timber trees, 1 1 ; 

 ornamental. 21; seed coco-nuts. 3,093; kidney heans, 131 fb.; 

 Canadian Wonder beans, 1 R-; Stizolobium, 2i B). Regarding 

 staple crops, Mr. Moore states that the picking of cacao was 

 continued, and the trees were flowering well again in some 

 sections; reports were however conflicting as to the prospects 

 of the crop as a whole. The nutmeg crop was finishing 

 well: there had been a drop in locgil prices from 23c. to 8c. 

 The lime crop was good: concentrating works will soon be 

 needed to deal with this crop. The sugar crop looked prom- 

 ising where good cultivation had been given. Grinding had 

 begun on small holdings. The prospect of the Sea Island 

 cotton crop was doubtful: Marie Galante was promising. 

 Cotton stainers were plentiful. The yam crop was poor in 

 some places but good in others, father provision crops were 

 good. The rainfall recorded at Richmond Hill during the 

 month was 6 54 inches. 



In the month of December plant distribution comprised: 

 coco-uut plants, 54; timbei trees, 12; ornamental plants, 12; 

 seeds, 5 packages. In the Botanic Gardens work of a 

 routine nature was performed. In regard to staple crops, 

 Mr. Moore sajs that, compared with the last crop, the pick- 

 ings of cacao to date are considerably less on many estates. 

 There is promise, however, of good second pickings, if the 

 weather continues showery enough. Cacao thrips had begun 

 to decrease; spraying for thrips was still in progress on one 

 or two estates. The liinfall recorded at llichmond Hill dur- 

 ing the month was 4 3i) irches- 



iio.MiNi(A. Accordiup to notes forwarded by the 

 Curator, Mr. Joseph Jones, auring the month of December 

 the crop from the lime expei-ment station amounted to 

 190 barrels, making a toUl of Sf!' barrels of fruit for nine 

 months. Plant distribution during ihe month was as follows: 

 limes, 5,000; cacao, 50; budded citrus, 60; grafted oranges, 2; 

 shade tree cuttings, 100; peanuts, 10 U*. In addition, 

 78 packets of vegetable seeds were sold. The local price for 

 ripe limes and raw lime juice remained unchanged. There 

 is a good demand for cured cacao. Local buyers are now 

 paying i>ri. to 6.W/. per lb. for this product. The rainfall for 

 the month was 5 80 inches. The total rainfall for the year 

 (1918) wa.^ 71 04 inches, or 9 inches below that of the 

 previous year, which was 80'80 inches. 



MO.STSKRRAT. Mr. W. lloVjson writes to say that the 

 rainfall during the month of December was moderately 

 favourable for crops. The reaping of the cotton breeding 

 plot in the Expcrimeut Station was completed, the total 

 yield being at the rate of 550 II). of lint per acre Plant 

 distribution included: lime plants, 600; bay plants, 300; sweet 

 poUto cuttings, 400. Reapings from the bay tr>:e experiment 

 plot totalled 7,176 ft. of leaves, yielding 80 lb- of oil from 



the acre; the plot remains vigorous. The second crop of 

 cotton in the island hiis turned out moderately well. In one 

 district serious damage was done by cotton stainers. One 

 thousand bales of the 1918 crop have been delivered to the 

 Government. It is now questionable if the total crop will 

 much exceed that of last season. A considerable area of land 

 is ready for next crop, and the indications at present are 

 that the area planted in 1919 will equal that of the present 

 season. The date fixed for the destruction of old cotton 

 plants is January .31, and the planting of the new crop js 

 allowed from March 1, as in last year. No results have so 

 f.ar been obtained in the attempts made to destroy silk cotton 

 trees by means of sodium arsenite. Destruction of the 

 mahoe trees by felling was continued. The question of 

 suggesting amendments to the Cotton Traffic Ordinance is 

 under consideration by the Agricultural Societj-. The 

 arrival on December 30, of Mr. S. C. Harland, Assistant 

 for Cotton Research on the start of the Imperial Department, 

 is noted. His visit is regarded as of considerable interest 

 in connexion with the cotton breeding work carried on in the 

 island. The rainfall recorded at Grove Station was 5'10 inches. 

 The total rainfall for the year (191.'^) was 55 "38 inches. 

 ANTIGUA. During the month of December plant dis- 

 tribution comprised the following: decorative plants, 18; 

 cane plants, 57,455; castor seed, 50 ft). Mr. Jackson men- 

 tions the fact that attempts are again being made to raise new 

 varieties of sugar-cane. The cane crop throughout the island 

 made but poor growth during the month, on account of the 

 dry weather experienced. On some fields good stands have 

 been obtained with the newly planted crop Account sales for 

 cotton sold to the Admiralty have been- received. All Antigua 

 cotton, with the exception of 12 bales, was graded as 'Good 

 Ordinary', and obtained 4.0c/- per lb ; 12 bales, graded as 

 Ordinary, were sold at 36d. per. lb. The Barbuda cotton was 

 graded as Ordinary and obtained 3'ii/. per lb. During the early 

 part of the month attacks of cotton caterpillars were experi • 

 enced, which decreased considerably towards the end of th 

 month The attack ot flower-bud miggot appears also to b^ 

 decreasing Cotton slainer attacks were slightly increasing. 

 The rainfall for the month was 141 inches; for the year, 

 39-89 inches. The rainfall was practicilly the sime as that 

 for 1917, and the past year. Mr, Jackson thinks, may be 

 rei^arde I an an indirtrrent one from an agricultural point of 

 view. 



ST. KiTTs There were distributed during the month of 

 of December: 25 lb. rounceval peas, .3 lb. soy bean?, and 

 6,000 Cine cuttings. The cane crop throughout the island 

 continues to improve owing to the good rains of the 

 pa.st month, and prospects, .Mr. Shepherd states, are 

 considerably better. Contracts are being made by many 

 of the muscovado estates for syrup instead of sugar, 

 and the Factory crop has already been disposed of at 

 a high figure. The young cane crop is germinating 

 well. The late cotton has been much affected by the 

 heavy rains and attacks of cotton stainers, hence a smaller 

 return is anticipated. The earlier j>lanted cotton has given a 

 good average return. The Ordinance providing for the des- 

 truction of the food plants of the cotton stainer has boer 

 put into operation. The rainfall for the month was 4 70 

 inches; total rainfall lor the year, 4 '.J 35 inches. 



viiwi.N ixi.ANiw. Accoraing to notes forwarded by 

 the Curator, Mr. \V. (3. Fishlock, little beyond routine work 

 was attempted at the Tlotanic Station, Tortola, during the 

 month of November. 'I'he general condition of the crojis in the 

 island is said to be poor. Cotton cultivation.s suffered from 

 severe attacks of cotton worm; potato plots also suffered 



