Vol, XVIII. No. 439. 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



56 



DOWN THE ISLANDS. 



ITEMS OF LOCAL INTEREST 



ST. VINCENT. During the moath of January cultural 

 operations mostly comprised work in the Botanic Gardens. 

 Plant distribution included 1,600 cane cuttings Some 

 difficulty was experienced, Mr. Sands says, in getting arrow- 

 root reaped, as the soil was dry and hard. Ground provision 

 crops were plentiful. The cotton crop was holding out well 

 and good pickings of white cotton continued to be obtained. 

 It is estimated that 4.50 bales of 360tt). each were ginned by 

 the end of the month. The manufacture of syrup in preference 

 to sugar will be undertaken on several estates: operations in 

 this connexion have commenced. The annual campaign against 

 food-plants of the cotton stainer has begun. The rainfall 

 recorded at the Botanic Station for the month was 5'36 inches, 

 at the Experiment Station the precipitation was 5"73 inches; 



ST. Luci.\. Plant distribution during the month of January 

 was as follows: lime plants, 500; budded oranges, 10; grafted 

 mangoes, 9; coffee (Robusta^, 90; nutmegs, 42; ornamental, 

 •29; tobacco seeds, 6 oz. and 2 packets; onions, 2i Bb; vegetable 

 seeds, 31. The lime and cocoa crops were slackening, while the 

 reaping of sugar-cane was general. Considerable quantities of 

 provisions were received at the Government Granary and 

 Provisions Depnt during the month. The rainfall recorded at 

 the Botanic Gardens, Castries, for the month was 17-64 

 inches; at the Botanic Station, Choiseul, 4 08 inches was the 

 record. 



AGRICULTURE IN BARBADOS. 



While the crop to be reaped is a satisfactory one, we 

 would note that it will, to some extent, fall below the ex- 

 pectations of a few months ago. We have had trying 

 weather for all crops since the end of November, and the 

 canes will not only be forced ripe, but they will naturally 

 be less juicy than they would have been under more 

 favourable conditions. We already know that the B. 6450, 

 even where the canes look healthy and vigorous, have, 

 developed dry centres, and the ratoons are practically where 

 they were in the middle of December. 



The prospective price of syrup is said to be such as to 

 make it more remunerative for those who can do so to reap 

 their canes in preference to selling them V i the factories, even 

 at the advanced price of crystals. 



We urge producers to prepare syrup in the beat possible 

 manner, and to send away from their boiling houses a 

 thoroughly clean article. 



We regret to say that, owing to weather conditions, the 

 start in general of the young crops has been more irregular 

 than last year. About one-third of the fields are growing 

 well, but the remainder have required an abnormal amount of 

 supplying, and will have to be supplied again and again before 

 anything like regularity will be obtained. 



The Guinea corn crop will be a moderate one. This was 

 to be 3xpected, as this crop is princi[)Ally grown in the 

 seaboard parishes. Potatoes are more plentiful than at this 

 time last year, but they have risen to -Sl'DG per 100 Bb. 

 But little now remains to be reaped of the yam crop, and 

 during the past fortnight the price of this vegetable has 

 risen from $100 to fl-20 p€r 100 lb. (The Barbados 

 A^riculturai Meporter, February 8, 1919.) 



AGRICULTURE IN NEVIS. 



From the report of the Agricultural Instructor, Nevis, for 

 the quarter ended December 31, 1918, the following matters 

 of interest concerning plots in, the Ejperiment Station, and 

 the condition of staple crops in the island, are abstracted. 



The yield of cotton from the demonstration plot was 

 somewhat disappointing, owing to the fact that before the 

 completion of the first picking, heavy rains fell, causing a 

 considerable amount of boll dropping In addition to this, 

 cotton stainers were very abundant during the season, and 

 caused internal boll disease and the shedding of a large 

 number of young bolls. The plants took on new growth, but 

 very few bolls are holding on, consequently there is little 

 prospect of any second picking. The return, so far, is about 

 150 tt». of lint per acre. The l-acre plot of sweet potatoes was 

 reaped during the quarter, and a return of 7,340 fc. of pota- 

 toes was obtained. The crop was all sold in the local market. 



The cane crop throughout the island has very much 

 improved, and fair returns will be obtained from many of the 

 fields. Preparation for next season's crop is in progress, and 

 there will be a great increase in the acreage put under canes, 

 which is made up to a great extent of lands which were in 

 cotton. Schemes for the manufacture of fancy molasses, and 

 for a better system for the transportation of canes to the 

 St. Kitts sugar factory are being discussed. 



The cotton crop this season has fallen short of the 

 planters' expectations. The average return per acre will 

 be very low in some places, especially from late planted 

 fields, chiefly on account of the heavy rains and the per- 

 sistent attacks of insect pests — the cotton worm and the 

 cotton stainer. The total amount of cotton purchased for 

 the Imperial Government to the end of the quarter was 

 325 bales, or 160,099 ft. net. 



The provision crops, on the whole, are satisfactory, and 

 reaping operations are in progress. Sweet potatoes are 

 selling cheap; there is no market for large quantities. 



The rainfall for the quarter was 19-56 inches; for the 

 year 53-98 inches. 



CORN ON COB AND SWORD BEANS AS A 

 STOCK FEED. 



Attention has been drawn to the use of corn on the cob 

 in several previous numbers of this journal. To make it a 

 balanced ration for stock, however, it is necessary to add 

 some product rich in nitrogenous matter or protein. 



The following analysis of such a ration is taken from the 

 Bulletin of the Department of Agriculture, Trinidad and 

 Tobago, Vol. XVII. Part 3: - 



Mr. H. Meaden, Manager of the Government Farm, 

 Tobago, prepared a mixture composed by weight of one part of 

 corn, three parts of corn cob ..nd one part of white sword 

 beans (Canavalia ensi/ormis) It has been analysed by Mr. 

 H. S. Shrewsbury, F.LC, acting Government Analyst, with 

 the following results: — Composition: (per cent.) ash, 1-4; fat, 

 2-4; protein, 10-7; moisture, 11 '7; woody fibre, 9 2; and car- 

 bohydrates, 54-6. The total food units are 87-3 of whic;h 

 61 -0 are digestible. The latter may be compared with the 

 digestible units in average pasture grus, 46; ia oats, 73; and 

 in corn (maize) grain, 97. Mr. Shrew, oury adds: 'the sample 

 represents a balanced stock feed of moderate food value'. 



It may be remirkei that white sword beans have been 

 used for stock feeding for th? last two years in Trinidad on 

 some of the estates of the U^ine St. Madeleine, ■ 



