VuL. XVIII. No. 453. 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS 



277 



disease is influenced by certain conditions of climate, the 

 hotter and more humid the atmosphere, ih^ greater the 

 prevalence and eflect. 



The soil of Aiitiijua is stated to be impregnated with 

 tbe germs of tetanu.% and cases are always appearing ; but 

 most surgical cases are now render d immune by the use of 

 anti tetanus serum. The cause of a considerable variety of 

 irternal trouble in horses are parasites of a vermecious 

 character, prin'-ipally the so-cabtd long worm?. Ticks also 

 continue to reduce the effieieocy if live stock, particularly 

 cattle, ilr Goodwin states t'at tlie people have become 

 intelligently acquainted with the u.se of Cuoper's Dip, but 

 owing to a shortage of supply in th ■ island, many had to do 

 ■without, and a large number of animals suffered in conse- 

 quence. Skin disease (Leudoderuiititis) is now nrely met 

 with. On neglected lands which s'uow all kinds of rank 

 herbage, sporadic cases occur. 



Cone, rning tuberculosis the report appears to be 

 faiily satisfactoiy. Of nearly 600 cattle killed duiing ihe 

 year at, ihe Public .Market, only eighteen showed signs of it; 

 and of nearly 600 pigs only one was affected. It does not 

 follow from this, however, that, the Antigua herds are by 

 any means free from tuHerculosis in its passive form. Noth- 

 ing is said in the report about ihe health of milch cows, 

 a matter of considerable iraportaLce from a public healch 

 point of vii w. 



Amongst, pigs, the chief trouble experienced api)ei.rs to 

 have been in connexion with pira.sites of the liver and 

 intestines. No cases of hog cholera were met with. Mr. 

 Goodwin is of opinion that the island is now free of it. 



Di,soussing the live stock situation from a general 

 standpoint, the report s-iys that tlie greatly increased 

 attention given to cotton and sugarcane on accou',t of high 

 prices has caused a general neglect of the animils. Another 

 and more serious circumstance is the increasing prevalence 

 of theft. Tliis has become so serious that many good stoik 

 owners are selling their animals and turning attention to the 

 growing of crops. 



In regard to mules, the report observes that during the 

 past two jears mules have been imported at the co-it of 

 nearly £.5,000 With two >ery good jacks in Antigua and 

 one in Barbuda it would seem much more economical to 

 import two or three good class mares of the Suffolk breed 

 tyjie, so that mules of the shaft type needed by est.tes 

 could be bred locally. 



HILL RICE IN ANTIGUA. 



During the year under report, ■•■eeds of Hill or 1 'pland 

 rice were imported from Trinidad f^ir e.^iperimental trials in 

 Antigua. 



A I'lj-acre plot of this ric^ was planted on February 10. 

 On the whole, ilie germination was good, and the plants 

 flowered early in May. The plot was reaped on .July 9, and 

 41 Bb. of paddy were obtainetl. This yield was disappoint- 

 ing, as ihe geneial appearance of the plants indicated that 

 good returns might be expected. It was found, however, that 

 a number of the flowering panicles did not bear seeds, and in 

 addiiion, small birds devoured a fair proportion of the seed. 

 Further attempts to grow this rice will be made. 



As tceds were given to planters and peasants for trial, 

 it may be interesting to quote the method ailopted in 

 Trinidad by the small grower for husking rice. The paddy 

 is soaked for about twelve hours and then boiled uu'il the 

 grain swells and bursts the husk, usually one and a half 

 hours The rice is then thoroughly dried, and pounded in a 

 -motar and winnowed. (Report on the Agricultural Department, 

 Antigua, 1917-lt!.) 



SISAL IN ANTIGUA. 



The extension nf the sisal plantation which is being 

 undertaken in the windward district of Antigua has been 

 somewhat retarded in the past on account of the limited 

 amount of planting material which could be supplied locally, 

 and the difficulty e.vijerienccd oi account of limited shipping 

 facilities in obtainiog plants from Anguilla The plants 

 which were established in the d strict in question some three 

 yeais ago are now suckering freely, and in a short time there 

 will be sufficient to meet all requirements, which will 

 probably result in the area under this crop being rapidly 

 increased. 



The appearance of the young sisal plantation is, rin the 

 whole, promising. The plants have made fairly good growth 

 and are in a healthy condition. 



In the Report of the Agricultural Department, Antigua, 

 for the \ ear 191.5 1 6, sotne notes were made in connexion with 

 cultivation of sisal. In this publication the question of sisal 

 propagation, the rate of growtli, etc., are discussed. As 

 this is a new industry, these remarks may be added to, as 

 they po.'sibly will I e of interest to local planters. 



It has been stated that sisal will f^row and thrive on 

 land without any cultivation or weeding. This statement 

 may be true for certain types of lai d, but in Antigua 

 periodical weedings must bs resor ed to, or normal growth 

 cannot be expected. It is probable that sheep or other small 

 stock would help to keep down weeds, during early stages, 

 and in a;3dition, apart from lessening the cost <>f the main- 

 tenance of the plantation, the venture in itself would 

 possibly be a paying one. Every effort shouM be made to 

 keep the plants in a healthy condition, for it should be 

 remembered that large leaves are desirable, as the value of 

 fibre increaes ace rding to its length, and it is important 

 th It leaves of not less than 2 feet 6 inches to 3 feet be 

 obtained. A special knife is us d for culling the leaves, and 

 after what has be^^n sa'd in the previous paragraph, it will 

 be seen how necessary it is that they are cut as close to the 

 trunk as possible, .\fter cuiting, the side prickles, if any, 

 are rubbed oft" by tbH harvester, and in ad^lition, the end 

 spike is removed. The leaves are then male into bundles 

 (butt and point alternating) of 50 or 100. In Antigua it is 

 possible that the smaller sized bundle would be adopted as 

 it is eisier to handle. It should be remembered that cutting 

 lengthens the life of the plant. 



The crop is an exte sively bulky one, and it is possible 

 that it would pay to usf movable tramlines for carting the 

 crop from the field to the decorticating plant. 



It is not I roposed to mention any types of machines, 

 but excellent ones are n').v oa the market at mndera'e prices. 

 After cleaning, the fibre is dried on racks, and then 

 made into bales from 350 to 500 lb. 



In cmnexion with this crop it should be noticed that 



it is profitable to grow large areas of it, as an up-to-date 



machine is capable of handling large quantities of leaves. 



(Report on the .Agricultural Department, Antigua, 



1917-18.) 



Mr. A. E. Collens, the Acting Government Cheuiist 

 and Superintendint of Agriculture for the Leeward Island.^, 

 has informed 'his Department, that un,ler the (.\ntigua^ 

 Cotton (Olo^e Season) Oidinance, 1919, a Proclamation has 

 been issued decUring th<t no cotton shall 'se sown or planted 

 in that area of the Presidency commonly known as the Five 

 Islands District, from July 28 to August 10, 1919, inclusive. 



