302 



THE AGKIOULTUKAL NEWS. 



SUPTKMBEK 20, 1919. 



ANTIGUA • REPORT ON THE AGRICULTU 

 RAL DEPARTMENT, 1917-18. 



This report shows that activity was continued at the 

 Botanic Station in regard to the production and distribution 

 of planting material. Amongst the principal kinds of 

 material sent out were cane plants (50,000), onion plants 

 (144,250), sisal (25 405). The distribution of coco-nut 

 plants, though showing a decrease, were suflScient to indicate 

 a continuation of interest in this iudustry. In regard to 

 plant irajiortations, a note appears on Sudan gra.ss. This 

 appears to have in Antigua the same drought-resisting 

 characters of Guinea corn to which it is closely allied. 

 Though the grass may be useful for cu'ting. it would not 

 appear on account of its habit to be of much value as a 

 pa.«tare grass 



Under the heading of plot experiments, attention is 

 given first to onions which now constitute an industry of 

 considerable importance in Antigua. Experiments conducted 

 have shown that tie germinating power of onion seeds kept 

 stored over li me was maintained. Varietal experiments 

 with onions have indicated that the growing of onions other 

 than those of the Bermuda strain is at least a risky under- 

 taking. It has also been shown that onions may be grown 

 during every month of the year provided there is a sufficient 

 supply of moisture- The usual experiments were conducted 

 with different varieties of provision crops. 



In regard to progress in the chief industries, the yields 

 of sugar cane and cotton were below the average ; never' he- 

 les.s this was counterbalanced t-) some extent by the high 

 prices that ruled for this product. In regard to the minor 

 industries, reference may be made to the increased cultivation 

 of fiisal and of Indian corn. A note on sisal cultivation in 

 Antigua appeared in a recent issue of the Agricultural News. 



The different co operative societies that exist in Antigua, 

 carried on their usual activities. The Onion Growers' 

 Aoeociatiou had a .successful year, and the Cotton Growers' 

 Association conferred great benefit upon the small growers 

 in the matter of purchasing their produce. 



The results of the sugarcane experiments are but briefly 

 referred to in this leport ; they are dealt with in detail in a 

 special report to be issued shortly 



An interesting section comprises the reproduction of a 

 review of the work of Gunthorpes and Basseterre (St. Kilts) 

 Central .Sugar Factories during 1917. In this it is staled 

 that the character of the work in tbe.se factories has beo'i 

 well maintained, and indeed .some advance has been mide. 

 Judging from Hawaiian .siandard.s. which are the highest 

 in the world, it should be fKwsible to effect still further 

 improvements. In any case, iii Antigua and St, Kitts hi^h 

 level of efliciency haa been reached. 



Considerable progre.s.i was made in regard to the Land 

 Strttlement Scheme which at its inception wan regarded by 

 the peasants with a considerable amount of 8us[)iciin. 

 After the suspicion disappeared, the people were quick lo 



take advantage of the opportunities conferred by the scheme, 

 and at the time the report was written most of the good 

 land had been taken up. 



Matters indicative of enterprise were the introduction 

 of tractors into Antigua, and also the establishment in the 

 island of a .silo. Hoth these subjects have been dealt with 

 in detail already in the Agricullural N-nvs. 



In conclusion, a perusal of this report will make it clear 

 that the Antigua ]>epartment carries on useful work along 

 many lines, and that one of the most effective lines of 

 activity is the work of the various societies operating in 

 regard to the purchase and distribution of plant produce. 

 This includes not merely the co-operative societies, but also 

 such establishments as the central sugar factories. 



DISTURBING FACTORS IN MANURIAL 

 EXPERIMENTS 



The followiug observations by Mr. Joseph Jones, 

 Agricultural Superintendent, Dominica, on the dis- 

 turbing factors encountered in cacao manurial experi- 

 ments are interesting. In Trinidad the natural yield 

 of cacao trees has been deterniuied so that the ett'ecli 

 of special treaimenc might be better understood. Mr 

 Jones says : — 



This question of natural yield of cacao trees is one that 

 would require verj* careful examination in Dominica. As is 

 well known, the climate of tliis island is only a second class 

 one for the higher types of cacao, such as the Criollo variety. 

 It is only the Calabash ■■ nd hardy strains of the Forastero 

 variety that succccl. Tue Cnuilo vaneiy, and ihe beat 

 strains of the Forastero are more prone to disease than the 

 former. Generally speaking, in cases of attacks by canker 

 {Phytopkthora faberi), many trees are usually abnormal bear- 

 ers for the longer or shorter term of their diseased existence. 

 Unless very carefully examined, it might follow that the 

 natural yield in a number of cases might be affected by the 

 abnormal bearing of a number of diseased and dying trees. 

 It is possible, unless great care is exercised, that tbe so called 

 'natural yield' of iicao trees might load t > greater errors 

 in manurial experiments than ilie general acceptance 

 for plot purjioses that all trees are average bearers. 

 It will be se»ia that thL- prevalence of canker is likely 

 to prove a disturbing element in all cacao experiments, 

 both in regard to tbe determination of the natural yield, 

 and again in the manurial experiments. 



The presence of canker would also operate in another 

 direction. In some circumstances, considerable numbers of 

 full-grown, or nejiily full grown, pods arn attacked and 

 destroyed by it. Inl'ominica the proportion of pods so 

 destroyed is always larg>r, in fact it may be said to be chiefly 

 confined to varieties which yield high grade cacao. The 

 accidental grouping of such kinds in a field devoted to plot 

 ejperimenta would introduce another disturbing element. 

 It may of course be argued that, if canker of the trees 

 produces abnormal bearing, especially in the Criollo variety, 

 and if the same canker also destroys a la'ge number of pods 

 of the same kind, that one balances the other. I'A-en if this 

 could be proved to be near ihi.' truth, it would bf difficult to 

 accept such a solution in any well-regulated experiments. 

 And there is another disease at work known as brown rot, 

 whii;b takes a toll of cAcao pods, the attacks of which may 

 be very ur equally distributed in a plantation 



Another disturbing element in cacao oxparioieats is 

 the presence of rats. In spite of efforts to keep them down, 

 they usually succeed in exacting a considerable toll. And 



