Vol. XVIII. No. 44^ 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



m 



'It is probable that the opposite danger should also be 

 taken into account, though I did not actually see any instanceof 

 it: namely, the damage to tilth that results from the reduction 

 of the soil to a dusty consistency by over-cultivation in very 

 dry weather. 



CLIMATIC CONDITIONS. 



'One marked advantage which the cane-growing districts 

 of Trinidad possess over those of the Northern Islands lies in 

 the humidity of the air. In the other islands lands which 

 are subject to conditions as favourable ic thi.s respect were 

 put under orchard crops when the sugar market was depressed, 

 leaviuic, with unimportant exceptions, only the drier places, 

 or those with light soils, to sugar-cane. 



'In those islands, of which Barbados may be quoted as an 

 example, the tendency to root disease is largely increased by 

 shoriage ot moisture. Hence arises the necessity for short 

 ratooniuj periods or none at all, for lotatioQ, for thorough 

 and clean cultivation, for the conservation of vegetable mulch, 

 and for the use of large quantities of pen manure. These 

 measures have not been so necessary in Trinidad, with a 

 climate more favourable to vegetative vigour, consequently, 

 (since in no industry, least of all thit of agriculiure, are 

 methods much better than circumstances enforce,) they have 

 not been practised. Favourability of climate, however, can 

 be offset by deficiencies in soil conditions, just as its defect 

 can to a considerable extent be compen.iated for by improve- 

 ments in the same. The deterioration which has become 

 evident in Trinidad, be its causes what they may, and which 

 finds its expression in' the increased prevalence of blight, has 

 now rendered necessary the resort in some degree to similar 

 measures.' 



OPENING CACAO PODS. 



In the article entitled 'Science in (Jacao Production', 

 which appeared in the Agricultural Ncivs, No. 444, reference 

 is made to the need of inventing a knife to cut open cacao 

 pods after they have been picked, in order to allow of the 

 beans being extracted by the women l.ibonrers. It is pointed 

 out that at present the cutting open of the pods is usually 

 done by men with cutlasses, and that there is danger of 

 injuring the beans by this method, as without correct judg- 

 ment a cutlass may enter the cavity, and cut through the 

 beans. 



In order to prevent this injury, the suggestion is made 

 that a form of K.nife is required which can be depended upon 

 to cut the huskot the pod without injuring the beans within. 

 This should be possible by fixing a guard on the knife or 



cutlass. 



The following comment on the p actice referred to is 

 made by a correspondent: — 



• 'This matter of employing men with cutlasses to cut open 

 cacao pods appears to be chiefly practised in Trinidad. In 

 other islands in the West Indies this task is usually done by 

 women labourers. When six or eight women are engaged 

 upon this work, a couple of them will be detached for break- 

 ing the pods open. This is accomplished by taking a pod in 

 the hand, and giving it a sharp blow upon a small stone. By 

 this means the pod is easily cracked, and it is then passed on 

 to other women for extracting the beans. The work is 

 easily and quickly done, and there is no fear of causing injury 

 to the beans. 



'The reason for the employment in Trinidad of men 

 ■with cutlasses to cut open pods, with possible injury to the 

 beans, and at a liigher rate of wages than women get, is not 

 -clear to planters in other islands, though, no doubt, there 



are sound reasons for I he local procedure. GeneraHy 

 speaking, it would appear that planters who employ women 

 get the work done cheaper, better, and quicker than those 

 who employ men; and in this case there is no injury to the 

 beans; there appears to be no need to invent a knife for the 

 special purpose of cutting open the pods.' 



It still seems a matter deserving fhrther enquiry as to 

 whether a better method of opening the cacao pods cannot be 

 devised than the rather primitive one of splitting them on at 

 stone. 



WEST INDIAN PRODUCTS. 



DRUGS AND SPICES • ON THE LONDON 

 MARKETS. 



Mr. J. K. .Jackson, A.L.S., has forwarded the fol- 

 lowing report on the London drug and spice markets 

 for the month of April 1919 :— 



The month of April, in Mincing Lane, opened with a 

 slight improvement in the bulk of material dealt with, but 

 with few alterations in prices realized. Bayers continue to 

 be content with stifficient miterial to meet their immediate 

 requirements, a position increased by the general decline of 

 many well-known products, and the anticipation of further 

 reductions in the near future. On the other hand, in some 

 instances the changes have been on an ascending scale. The 

 following are some of the principal items : — 



tUNGBR. 



This article was in greater demand than it has 

 been of late. At auction on the 16th of the month the quota- 

 tions were as follows: Cochin and Calicut 50j-. to l<is. per cwt,, 

 Sierra Leone and Japanese ec;ch 40j. to 455. At 

 the end of the month the quotations were as follows : 

 wormy washed Cochin G2j'. ^d. to 6.5i-., Calicut 65j-., African 

 .52j-. 6(i., .Japanese 40.y.,and Jamaica lloj^. to 120i-. 



PIMENTO, SARSAPAitlLL.^, CITRIC ACID, ARROWROOT, 



KOLA, LIME OIL, LIME JUICE, ANNATTO, 



AND T .MARIND.S. 



Pimento has been steady throughout the month at from 

 4r/. to iid. per lb. Sarsaparilla was in good supply at auction 

 on the 10th of the month, when the offerings were as follows : 

 Jamaica, 110 packages, of which 53 were sold at from is Ad. to 

 3j-. per ft).; Lima was represented by 35 packages, but 

 none sold; 10 packages of Mexican were also offered but found 

 no buyers. At the beginning of the montli citric acid waa. 

 easier than it had been, \s. \kd, per lb. being the price quoted 

 and maintained at the end of the month, when it was stated 

 that the price was kept up owing to the large and continuous 

 demand for export. At the bi^ginning of the month St. Vincent 

 arrowroot of M. grade had been fixed at Id. Kola was fully 

 represented at auction on the 10th of the month by 26 

 packages, only 3 of whica found buyers at from 6^. to 

 Bir/. per ft), for 1 barrel and 2 bags of Grenada. At auction 

 on the 10th lime oil was represented by 5 packages, all of 

 which were disposed of, fair West Indian distilled fetching 

 4^. lO^i/. per ft). A week later it had dropped to 4.i. ^d. to 

 4.f. 9i/. Lime juice has been obtainable throughout the 

 month at 2^-. ^d. per g.tUon, with plentiful .supplies. At 

 auction on the 10th of the month as nuny as 2."i 1 pickages of 

 Annatto seeds were offered, but none were Sold. Fair West 

 Indian tamarinds have beer, offered at 70j-. per cwt. on the 

 spot. 



