168 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



Mat 31, 1919. 



EDITORIAL f<'/^:^V3i\^ NOTICES. 



?^VJ 



Head Office 



Barbados. 



Letters and matter for publication, as well as all 

 -specimens for naming, should be addressed to the 

 Commissioner, Imperial Department of Agriculture, 

 Barbados. 



All applications for copies oi the 'Agricultural 

 News' and other Departmental publications, should be 

 addressed to the Agents, and not to the Department. 



The complete list of Agents will be found on 

 .page 4 of the cover. 



Imperial Commissioner of Sir Francis Watts, K.C.M.G. 



Agriculture for the West Indies D.Sc, F.I.C., F.C.S. 

 SCIENTIFIC STAFF. 



Scientific Assistant and 



Assistant Editor 

 Mntomologist 

 Mycologist 

 Assistaid for Cotton Research 



fW. R. Dunlop.* 

 tRev. C. H. Branch, B.A. 

 H. A. Ballou, M.Sc. 

 W. Nowell, D.I.C, 

 S. C. Harland, B.Sc.+ 



CLEETCAL STAFF. 



Chief Clerk 



Clerical AssistatUs 



Typist 

 Aiiistant Typist 



Assistant for Publications 



A. G. Howell. 



L. A. Corbin. 



P. Taylor.* 



K. R. C. Foster. 

 Miss B. Robinson. 

 Miss W. Ellis. 



A. B. Price, Fell. Journ. Inst. 



*Seconded for Military Service. 



^Provided by the Imperial Department of ScienliHc and 

 Industrial Research. 



gj^griculiural |}iviu^ 



Vol. XVin SATURDAY, MAY 31, 1919. No. 446. 



NOTES AND COMMENTS. 



Index to the 'Agricultural News'. 



With this numbrr of the Agricultural News is 

 published, as a supplement, the Index to Volume XVII. 

 This may be bnund in the usual manner with numbers 

 410 to 435, of which Volume XVTT is comprised. 



The Index should provi- useful for purposes of 

 reference on all matters relating to tropical agriculture, 

 but especially will it be of value as a guide to concise 

 information on insect pests and fungus diseases of 

 tropical cultivated plants. 



Subscribers to the Agricultural Nurs are advised 

 to bind the volumes, because only in this way can a 

 periodical serve for future reference — a function of 

 importance. Although much of merely ephemeral 

 interest is contained in the issues of this Journal, yet 

 articles often appear of sufficient value to be kept for 

 , future reference with regard ti questions affecting 

 tropical agricultun' in general, and more especially with 

 regard to the problems that are presented under Westi 

 Indian conditions. 



Contents of Present Issue. 



The editorial emphasizes the advisability of 

 paying attenli(jn to results of past work so as to secure 

 the reliability of future attainments. 



Insect Notes, on page 170, contain an interesting 

 account of the periodic migrations and depredations of 

 the cotton worm. 



On page 174, under Plant Diseases, will be found 

 the first portion of a reijcrt on the froghopper pest and 

 disease of sugar-cane, by the Mycologist on tht; staff of 

 the Imperial Department of Agriculture. 



An article on the possibilities of camphor cultiva- 

 tion in the West Indies appears on page 173. 



Abnormal Raintall in St. Kitts- 



Mr. F. R. Shepherd, Agricultural Superintendent, 

 St. Kitts. has forwarded some notes with regard to the 

 heavy rains which fell in that island during the last 

 week of April, and the damage caused by them. 



He says that the rainfall was very heavy from 

 Molineux estate all along the northern end of the 

 island, 19 4 inches having been registered from the 

 20ih to the oOth of the month. The damage both to 

 estate roads and fields was very considerable; roads 

 that were in good driving order no longer exist in 

 some places, having been washed out to a great depth. 

 On some estates the fields have been broken up, and 

 much of the surface soil carried away. On one estate 

 about 4 acres of cane ready to be reaped were washed 

 away, the water making a clean breach right through 

 a tield of canes which was estimated as likely to yield 

 about 0.5 tons per acre. On account of the damage 

 done to the roads, all communication with several 

 estates in the northern part of the island was complete- 

 ly interrupted for about a week. The public roads, 

 however, were speedily repaired, and tratlic has been 

 resumed. The Basseterre factory stopped work and 

 sent their hands out to assist in the repairs. 



In contrast to the damage occasioned in the 

 northern part of St. Kitts, the Valley district around 

 Basseterre has been greatly benefited by the heavy 

 rain, the young cane crop being enabled thus to make 

 a good start. 



Plants Poisonous to Stock in Antigua. 



A copy of a pamphlet lecently published by Mr. 

 If. (joodwin, M.K.C.V.S., Government Inspector of 

 Animals in Antigua, has been received at this Office. 

 The authoi' states that the pamphlet has been 

 published with a view towards assisting owners of 

 stock to deal immediately with suspected cases of 

 vegetable poisoniijg, seeing that in some instances 

 neglect in observing the symptoms", or delay in seeking 

 professional advice may lead to loss of the animals. 



