Vol. XVm. No. iU. 



THE AGRICULTUIIAL NEWS, 



H? 



The experiment already made shows that limes will 

 grow well upon sour orange stocks. With regard to citron 

 and M'gergeb stocks, the results are in doubt. Up to two 

 years after planting very poor growth has been made by the 

 first named. Growth on the M'gergeb stock has been better, 

 but it gives no promise yet of being .so suitable a stock for 

 limes as the sour orange. 



Propagation by layering. Some years ago a few 

 experiments were made on coast estates in the propagation 

 of limes by layering. The method usually followed is to 

 remove a ring of bark from the stem of a selected branch, 

 and then to place a few handfuls of moss over and above the 

 ■wound, the moss being held in position on the stem by sack- 

 ing, or bound by wide bands of vegetable material such as 

 the sheathing cases of leaves of Musa tcxtilis and the dry 

 leaves of the Pandanads; or by dividing a bamboo pot and 

 then placing it in position and filling with either moss or 

 earth. If the moss or soil is kept .vetteit, roots are emitted 

 in due cou'se. When strongly rooted, which usually results 

 in two or three months, according to the season of the year 

 and the amount of attention given, branches may be 

 severed and planted out. This method of propagation cannot 

 be recommended for the drier coast districts of Dominica. It 

 ■is troublesome, costly, and slow, and such plants after being 

 planted in dry localities tend in their young state to produce 

 flowers and fruits, a weakening process, instead of the free 

 growth, or strengthening process, whic'i is needed. When 

 in this stage they are apt to fall victims to attacks of scale 

 insects. The efforts to overcome these attacks by pulliug off 

 the successive flushes of flowers, and the need of applications 

 of nitrogenous manures to promote a free growth have 

 tesulted in this form of propagation being ruled out under 

 the conditions mentioned. Dependence is rightly placed on 

 healthy seedlings, which can be raised in quantities both 

 easily and cheaply. 



This matter, however, presents another aspect in the case 

 of lime growing in wet districts. Under moist climatic con- 

 ditions the lime branches emit roots readily, the daily atten- 

 tion which is required in a drier climate is not necessary; 

 hence progagation proceeds more quickly and at less expense. 

 As it is probable, but not yet fully proved, that the lime tree 

 ■will not be as long-lived under the wet climatic conditions of the 

 interior lands as it is under the drier climate of the coast zone, 

 a method of propagation which is likely to result in early 

 productioQ of fruit is worth a careful trial. In such experi- 

 ments care should be taken only to propagate from young, 

 healthy, bearing trees. 



An experiment with plants raised by layering is now 

 being tried on Neba estate, which is located in a district 

 having a considerable rainfall. The rooted cuttings are said 

 to grow vigorously in their early stages, and to yield early. 

 A few plants have also been placed out at the Experiment 

 Station, in order that their behaviour under coast conditions 

 may be closely observed. 



Pruning. In the early years of a healthy lime plantation 

 very little is needed in the way of pruning, the chief require- 

 ments being the keeping down of suckers, and the pruning 

 away of the lower branches in order to keep an open space 

 between the branches and the ground. As time goes on, more 

 pruning is required, owing to injury to the branches by wind, 

 to attacks of scale insects, and to the etlects of plant diseases. 



Young lime trees when badly pruned, which is, unfor- 

 tunately, usually the case, possess great powers of recovery, 

 and what are very bad wounds are sometimes callussed over 

 at this stage. As the trees become older, this power of' 

 ■lecovery diminishes, and unless pruning is properly done, the 

 tree cannot cover the wounds with new bark. The wood 



in the majority of instances then decays, and if the injury in 

 near the base of the trunk, the tree is doomed, althiugh 

 several years may elapse before death supervenes. 



There is urgent need of greater attention being paid to 

 pruning in plantations, in order both to lengthen the life of 

 the trees, and to put an end to the unworkmanlike proceed- 

 ings, which at present are the cause of great losses to planters. 



WEST INDIAN PRODUCTS. 



THE LONDON 



DRUGS AND SPICES ON 



MARKET. 



Mr. J. R. .Jiickson, A.L S., has forwarded the fol- 

 lowing report on the London drug and spice markets 

 for the month of March 1919; — 



There has been but little or no change in the condition 

 of the London drug and spije markets during the month 

 of March from those recorded for the previous month. Buyers 

 continue to be satisfied with small purchases sufficient to meet 

 their immediate requirements. 



At auction on tie 6th of the mouth ginger was in fair 

 supply washed rough Cochin fetching from 85s. to 90s. 

 On the 20th of the month 346 bags of Japanese were offered, 

 and 170 sold without reserve at 30s. per cwt. A week later 

 some 300 bags of Cochin were disposed of without reservtt 

 at from 34s. to 38$ for medium and small washed rough. 



SAESAPAKILLA. 



This drug was in good supply at auction on the 13th 

 when the offerings amounted to 50 bales of grey Jamaica, 

 44r of Lima Jamaica. 42 of native Jamaica, and 26 

 of Mexican. The only sales effected were 3 bales of the 

 Lima-Jamaica, which realized '2s. G<f. per Sb. for part chumpy 

 and mouldy; 3s. Qd. to 3s. Si. were the prices asked for the 

 grey Jamaica but no buyers were found. The native Ja aaica 

 was bought in at a nominal figure. 



LIME JUICE, PIMENTO, CASHEW NUTS, AREOWEOOT, CASSIA. 

 FISTULA, KOLA, CITKIC ACIDj TAM VEINDS, ANNATTO. 



Large arrivals of lime juice were reported in the 

 early part of the month, good pale raw West Indiaa 

 being quoted at 3s. per gallon. Pimento has been ia 

 abundant supply ranging from 3^d. to id. per &. Cashew 

 nuts were also in abundant supply at auction on the 

 13th of the month when 122 packages were offered,, 

 none of which found buyers. The stocks of arrowroot on 

 hand at the beginning of the month were reported to be very 

 heavy, so that a fall in price was anticipated. At auction oa 

 the 20th of the month 10 kegs of Bermuda were offered and 

 bought in at 5s. per ft)., and a week later fair manufacturing 

 St. Vincent was to be obtained at 7d. to 8d. per ft). Towards 

 the end of the month Cassia Fistula was reported to be 

 scarce and dearer, owners asking as much as 160^. for fair 

 quality pods. On the 13th of the month kola was represenred 

 by 122 packages of West Indian, 12 of which sold at lid. 

 per ft>., and one lot at Shd. Citric acid has been in small 

 demand at 4^-. Qd. per ft).; an increased demand is expected 

 shortly when an improvament '.i quality is also looked 

 for. A good, supply ci West Indian taraarinc'" wag 

 brought forward on the loth of the month by 98 packages 

 but no sales were effected. \t thes ame auction 60 pickagea 

 of Annatto seed were also offered but faikd to find buyers. 



