Voi,. XVIII. No. 442. 



THE AGRICULTUEAL NEWS, 



105 



Desirable Hedge Plants. 



Reference U> the editorial of the AiirtcuUvral X'lrs, 

 JMarch lo. 191-5, will shinv how this Department has 

 advised the growing of hedges as advantageous to all 

 tortas of cultivations in these islands. In the same 

 editorial there was a list given of some plants that 

 are known t(j form satisfactory hedges. An additioj\ 

 to this list was noticed in a short article in the issue 

 of April 10, I'.ll."). 



In the Khode.f'ia Agri.ctUtiiral Journal, December 

 1918, there is some advice as to plants suitable for 

 forvuing cattle-proof hedges on Khodesia. Among these 

 there are a couple which grow ti-eely in the West Indies, 

 but of which no notice has apparently been taken as 

 suit.ible plants for hedges. One of these is Duranta 

 Flumieri. This is a ver^- showy shrub or small tree, 

 which blooms almiist through the year in small racemes 

 of pretty blue flowers. After the disappearance of the 

 Howers, the clusters of smallyellow berries which succeecf 

 them are almost as attractive as the bloom. The stems 

 are somewhat thorny, and if planted fairly thickly and 

 kept clean, it would seem to be, as the Khodesiaa 

 journal claims for it, a good strong hedge. 



This shrub, which is known in many of the West 

 Indian islands as 'pigeon berry', grows easily from seed. 

 /The berries may be planted In situ, or preferably in 

 a nursery, to be transplanted when about 6 inches high. 

 Another plant recommended in Rhodesia is 

 Bougainvillaea, especially the two species glabra and 

 spectoJiilis. This is used as an ornamental hedge in some 

 of the West Indian islands, and is certainly of strong 

 enough growth to form a close hedge of any height or 

 width which may be desired. The blaze of colour in 

 theHowering season, which is almost the whole year, 

 makes it a most showy object. The two species of 

 Bougainvillaea mentioned above grow easily from cut- 

 tings inserted in the ground. I'ntil growth starts, they 

 should be kept well supplied with water. The plants 

 are extremely hardy, and when established, will stand 

 long periods of drought. 



Recent Plant Legislation in Antigua. 



The CJolonial Secretary of the Leeward Islands has 

 ibrvk'arded to the Imperial Commissioner of Agriculture 

 a copy of a Proclamation, dated March 5, 19iH, which 

 has been issued in Antigua, forbidding the importation 

 of all citrus plants, and parts of citrus plants, including 

 their fruits, from British (Juiana or any island or 

 pkcein the West Indies, except the islands of Dominica, 

 Montserrat, St. Lucia, and Gi'enada. 



This step has been taken as a precaution against 

 the introduction of the disease of citrus trees known as 

 'blossom blight' or 'wither tip', which is in existence 

 in British Guiana and in several West Indian islands. 

 The introduction of this disease would lead to disaster 

 to the lime industry of any of the Leeward Islands. 



Another Proclamation in Antigua, dated February 

 2t), 1919, forbid.s the importation of growing or sprouted 

 Goco-nnts into that island from Trinidad or Grenada, to 

 avoid the introduction of the' 'red ring disease', which 

 exists in those islands. An account of this disease was 



given by the Mycologist on the staff of the Imperial 

 Department of Agriculture in the AgriculUiral kew^ 

 of Februnry 8, 1919 



J, It maj- be noted that these Proclamations have 

 been issued in accordance with the advice of the 

 Imperial Commissioner to the Government of the 

 Leeward Islands. 



The Jamaica Imperial Association. 



The first annual general meeting of the Jamaica 

 Imperial Association was held at the Association's 

 office in Kingston on February 18, 1919, at which the 

 first annual report was read. This i-eport, which was- 

 printed in full in the Jamaica Gleaner of the same date, 

 is interesting reading. In a notice of the formation of 

 the Association in the Agricultural Neivs, June 1, 1918, 

 the objects of the Association were pointed out. The- 

 report just presenteil shows that the Association's 

 activities during the past year have been numerous and 

 important, and attended with a great deal of success. Iri 

 the first place the A.ssociation was successful in influenc- 

 ing the Government in the direction of providing a sum 

 of money for combating ankylostomiasis, which has led 

 to the commencement of a regular campaign carried on 

 b}' the Rockefeller Foundation. With regard to the 

 industries of the island the Association has emphasized 

 the need for co-operation in each one of them, and V»y 

 the appointment of sub-committees to deal, each with 

 one particular industry, benefits have accrued to 

 them all. 



It is evident that this Association, consisting as it 

 does of prominent and far-seeing men interested in the 

 development of Jamaica, although in no respect a. 

 Government institution, nmst be of the greatest possi- 

 ble value as a medium of communication between 

 the Government and those concerned with the various- 

 industries of the colony. 



Close Season for Cotton in Barbados. 



The enforcement of a close season for cotton has been 

 consistently advocated 'by the Imperial Department of 

 Agriculture for the West Indies, and from time to time 

 the passing of Ordinances for that purpose in the 

 ditTerent islands has been noticed in the pages of the 

 Agricultural Netvi. In the Supplement to the 0£icial 

 Gazette, Barbados. .March 27, 1919, an Act is published 

 under the authority of the Governor, Council and 

 Assembly of the isl.ind, to provide for the destruction 

 of old cotton plants, and for the establishment of a 

 close season. 



This Act orders: (I) that no cotton plants or stumps 

 shall be left growing on any land after the thirtieth day 

 of April in any year, and that on or before the said date, 

 all cotton plants and stumps shall be dug up and buried 

 or effectually destroyed by fire; (2) that no cotton 

 shall be planted on any land in the island between the 

 first and thirty-first days of May inclusive in any year 

 It is satisfactory to know that now all the smaller 

 islands interested in the cultivation of Sea Island 

 ■ cotton have laws to enforce a close season for cotton. 



