24-2 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS, 



August 9, 1919. 



hive found the cane supplied for grinding to carry a 

 large amount of top and roots; also there is always a 

 fair proportion of unripe cane, due largely to the Fac- 

 tory having to start operations early — i.e., in February. 

 Then again, there is always a certain amount of 'stand- 

 over' cane, which estates having their own small 

 factories have been unable to grind thmnsulves. 

 Another cause is connected with stale cane. In 

 Antigua, Monday is a holiday, so that cane tor supply- 

 ing the Central Factory i>n Monday and Tuesday is 

 possibly cut on Thursday and Friday. This causes 

 much deterioration. 



The views of the St. Kitts (Basseterre) Central 

 Factory Staff, which have recently been supplied, are 

 equally directed against the estates. Decline in 

 sucrose content is partly ca.ised by late planting with 

 inferior cuttings. Estates are said to be unwilling to 

 sacrifice tor planting, good canes which they can sell to 

 the Factory. Inferior cane plants require a large 

 »umber of supplies, and as this supplying is carried on 

 to thi' end of June, many of the supplies are five or six 

 months younger than the original plants. Tois leads 

 to a great deterioration of the i nice. In this connex- 

 ion the establishment of estate nurserie.s is advocited. 

 The opinion is expressed that late planting is the 

 result of the practice of growing cotton as a catch crop 

 which largely tends to throw the system of cane plant- 

 ing for Central Factory supply, out of gear. The 

 St. Kitts Factory Staff is of opinion that the canes arc 

 cut no worse now than they were in the early days of 

 the Factory. 



In summing up the position, it is only fair to 

 bear in mind that the evidence of the planters has not 

 been taken in this discussion. But while the planter 

 may be able to show that the decline in sucrose is due 

 to reasons other than those stated above, it is more 

 probable that he can do little more than furnish 

 excuses. Questions of labour ditficulty may be cited. 

 In Antigua we know there have been labour troubles> 

 and this may furnish explanations for some of the 

 complaints put forward by the Antigua Factory. The 

 new custom on estates of keeping Monday as a 

 holiday is very unreasonable, and it is hoped that 

 the .system of giving bonuses to those who are willing 

 to work may gradually cause this custom to disappear. 



While considctring the subject of this article from 

 the planters' p')int of view, it might be mentioned that 

 someone has suggested that the increased efificiency 

 of the mill work in the central factories has resulted 



in lower purity of juice, especially in Antigua where 

 the rind of the cane is so thick. Another suggestion 

 is that the cultivation of the woody Uha cane on the 

 Factory estates in Antigua, has tended to lower the 

 average sucrose content of the canes ground at the 

 Factory. 



It is clear that the whole subject is one that 

 should be dealt with in conference by planters and 

 factory authorities. This could hs conducted in a 

 perfectly friendly spirit for it is in the interests of all 

 concerned that any falling off in efficiency shall be 

 remedied. Xo doubt the matter has by now received 

 the consideration of the Agricultural Societies immedi- 

 ately concerned. Ihformation, however, does not 

 indicate that) very grea'', efforts are being mad 3 by 

 estates to deal with the matter in Antigua. If this is 

 true, it is to be regietted, for it must be clear to every- 

 one, that the decline in sucrose content of canes at the 

 Central Factories raises a big and important question: 

 and that is — .Should cane be paid for according to 

 sucrose content, instead of by weight ! 



INTRODUCTION OF TEE SUGAR-CANE 

 INTO THE WEST INDIES. 



Ihe following article which was published in the 

 Agriciiltural Neics, Vol. VI, p. 115, is reproduced, in 

 view of its interest, for the benefit of the present)- 

 day readers of this Journal : — 



In the Agriailtiiral Ne?t's (Vol. VI, p. .35) reference ia 

 made to the history of the sugar-cane in the West Indies-, and 

 it was pointed out that the native home of the sugar-cane 

 should probably be looked for in the East and the Pacific 

 Islands, and that there is every probability that the sugar- 

 cane was brought to the West Indies in or about 1520 by 

 Columbus. 



Washington Irving in his 'Life and Voyages of Christo- 

 pber Columbus', (London : George I'.ell it Sons, 1890), 

 makes no mention of the sugar-cane beini^ found upon th« 

 islands discovered during the first voyage, but it is on record 

 that in titling out for his second voyage in 1493, Columbus 

 made arrangements so that 'Grain, .seeds of various plants, 

 vines, st(i;ar-can-:.s, j^rafts and saplings were embarked 



together with a great (juantity of merchandise 



calculated for trafficking willi the natives. . .' 



In about the middle of December 14'.),'!, the founding 

 of the city of Isabella (in Ilispanioli) with the planting of 

 orchards and gardens, led to the emptying of nio.st of the 

 ships, for it is stated that 'the ships having discharged their 

 cargoes, it was necessary to send the greater part of thenv 

 back to Spain.' Twelve of the ships were sent home early ia 

 1494, and by these ships CoUimbus sent despatches to 

 Spain describing 'the quick fecundity of the soil, evinced in 

 the luxuriant growtli of the sux'nr-cam; and of various 

 grains sttid vegetables /'foi/x/if from Europe'; and on 

 March 119,1494, ho found on return to Isabella from an 

 expedition into the interior, that 'the plants and fruits of 

 the Old World which he was endeavouring to introduce 



