50ft 



THE AGRICrLTURAL KEWS. 



October 4, 1919, 



DOWN THE ISLANDS. 



ITEMS OF LOCAL INTEREST 



.-^i Lv.iA. Mr. A.J Brooks, Agricultural Superiiiten- 

 <j<H)t, in hi? notes i>t interest for the month of August, records 

 plaii-t distribution as follows ; limes, 200 ; cotl'ee (robuatij,), 

 100 : ornamental, 15 :sugar-can« cuttingu 36 ; rice seed 211). ; 

 ■vegetable seed, "1 packets. Work in the Botanic Gardens 

 consisted in laying out and planting u-p a number of orna- 

 mental beds, removing large trees, cleaning drains, mowing, 

 raieicg lawns, and repairing roads. There is promise of a 

 good cacao crop generally, a heavy liroe crop, and prospect.= of 

 s good sugar crop. A visit to the island on August 1 8, by 

 Mr H. A. Ballon, Entomologist, is noted Mr. Ballou left 

 St. Lucia on September 3. Meetings were held in connexion 

 with Agricultural Credit Societies. The rainfall recorded 

 at the Botanic Gardens, Castries, during the month totalled 

 1.3"05 inches -. at the Agricultural and Botanic Station, 

 Choiseul, the record was 16'34 inches. 



DOMIKICA. The Curator, Mr. .Jo.seph Jones, states 

 that during tlie month of August the crop reaped in the lime 

 experiment station was 149i barrels of ripe limes and 1 

 barrel cf green limes, making a total for five months of 351 

 barrels rf ripe limes and 123 barrels of green limes. Plant 

 •lUtribution during the month was as follows : limes, 6,300: 

 nicao 175 ; nutmegs, 19 : vanilla, 600 ; grafted mangoes 5: 

 iiaecellaneous. 3. In addition, 328 packets of vegetable 

 seeds were sold. The local prices for ripe limes and lime 

 products remained unchanged. Cured cacao is in demand 

 locally at 18c. per Bb. The rainfall for the njonth wns 

 9-64 inches. 



On the date of writing (September 2) the weather was 

 very threatening, the barometer falling steadily up to 3 p.m., 

 when it had reached 29-7f< In the afternoon there was 

 such a heavy downpour of rain that the streets in Uoseau 

 were well-nigh flooded. At the Botanic Gardens 276 inches 

 of rain were recorded- The lioseau Kiver overflowed its 

 banks, and inundated River Street, to such an extent as to 

 create a real menace to the inhabitants of that district. 

 The roads in the country suffered much less damage than 

 was generally anticipated. Some minor landslips have been 

 reported, together with a more important one on the Corlet 

 road. 



• MO.NTSEKKAT. The reaping of cotton from the bre«iiing 

 plots on the Experiment Stations was continued during 

 August. In the Botanic Gardens bay and lime seeds were 

 sown, and bay seedlings planted out. A great deal of time 

 was spent w watering to keep the plant.s gilive. Three 

 distillations of bay leaves were made, with an average yield 

 of 15'3 oz. of oil per 100 lb. of leaves. Plant distribution in- 

 cluded 1^ lb. peas, 1 lb. Ajowan seed, and 4 decorative 

 plants. In relation to staple crops, the acting Curator, Mr. 

 A. Gallwey, states that good weather was experienced for the 

 reaping of cotton. Up to the present very little stained cotton 

 ha.« been reaped. The severe dry weather has cau.sed a terrible 

 set-back to all crop.s. There has been a marked scarcity 

 of cotton stainers in the island during this season. A severe 

 outbreak of mealybugs, however, occurred on growing cot- 

 ton plants at Trants estate. Mr. S. C Harland, B.Sc, 

 Assistant for Cotton Itesearch, arrived in the island on 

 A'tgujt 16 for special duty in that direction. Visits were 

 made t" Trant's. Blake's Sweeny's, and Braids estates during 

 the month. The rainfall at Grove Station for the tuonth 

 auiounted to 2-28 inches, the total precipitation for the 

 yeu-r being 29'01 



.v^rl.;L:A. In consequence of dry weather during 

 August, much watering had to be done to keep the plants in 

 beds and borders in the Botanic Gardens alive. Much of 

 the labourers' time wns occupied ir. preparing boxes f >r 

 seeds and young seedling economic plants. In the Experi- 

 ment; Station, plots of Sudan grass and Kaffir corn were 

 supplied during the month. In addition, ordinary routine 

 work was carried out. The dry weather, Mr. Jackson states, 

 has made a considerable ditference in the appearance of the 

 youcg cane crop which 1.= sutfering from want of rain ia 

 practically all parts of the island, exeepti-ng possibly the 

 southern district. The cotton crop, on the whole, continues 

 to look promising. During the month the reaping of the sugar 

 crop was completed, the total amount of sugar made being 

 12,746 tons. In addition, 1,250 gallons of synip equal to 

 about 1S5 tons of muscovado sugar were made. As ragards 

 pest^, Mr. Jackson states that slight attacks of cotton 

 caterpillars were experienced in some districts during the 

 month. Investigations in connexion with the hard back 

 beetle were cominued ; also the work of destroying cotton 

 stainer host plants. In connexion with the latter, 520 

 Mahoe trees, 32 silk-cotton and 6 wild cotton trees were 

 destroyed During the month, 126 crates of onions were 

 shipped for and on beha'f of the Antigua Onion Growers' 

 Association. Plant distribution for the month included 250 

 sisal plants and 16 palms. The rainfall was 165 inches] 

 for the year 2r20 inches 



From notes forwarded in reference to the Government 

 Estate, Barbuba, for the months of .luly and August, it is 

 gathered that very dry weather prevailed, and cotton planted 

 by the peasants had been a failure. The s'ock are all ia 

 a healthy condition. 



ST. KiTTS. Mr. F. It Shepherd, Agricultural Superin- 

 tendent, writes to say that owing to th;! dry weather during 

 the past month, no planting of any kind could be done i-Q 

 the Experiment Stations The chief work was the picking 

 of cotton in the experiment plots which is now in full 

 bearing and promises good returns. In the llotanic G irdens 

 the usual routine work has been carried on, and watering 

 was necessary. Syrup making still continues on some 

 estates in the northern district where the crop has 

 been delayed oving to want of packages The young 

 cane crop and ratoons have made little progress during 

 the month, but have not suffered to any extent from 

 the dry weather ; the prospects are still good. The cotti>a 

 crop is being rapidly picked and the prospects of goo4 

 returns seem favourable. The quality of the lint is good. 

 Cotton worm made its appearance during the month but 

 was quickly checked, and no damage done. A few cotton 

 stainers were seen but have been destroyed Mr. S. C. 

 Harland visited during the month in connexion with cottoa 

 research work, and much time was occupied in visiting 

 fields of cotton in St. Kitts and Nevis. The selection 

 of cotton plants and examination of lint have received much 

 attention. The rainfall for the month was 171 inches: for 

 the year to date, 28-83 inches. 



NKVis. According to notes received from Mr. W. I, 

 Howell, Agricultural Instructor, the crops at the Experi- 

 ment Statif>n have nearly all turned out a failure oa 

 account of the dry weather The picking of cottoa 

 in the demonstration plots has commenced, but tUe 

 returns will be very poor as the trees are small and 

 suffered much during the dry weather. The cane -erflp 

 throughout the island is very much in need of rain, so much 

 80 that many of the late supplies have died out. The cotton 

 crop in the windward part of the island is doing fairly well 

 coitipared with other parts, and picking has begun in the 



