Vot. XVIII. Nij. 459. 



THE AORIOULTURAL N¥M8. 



or less absent to a far greater extent in other places. In 

 pointing out tha primitive character of the factory e<iuip- 

 ment in these French islands, Dr. Browne recognizes the 

 effect that has been pro luced iu the past by "tha great 

 natural catastrophes like volcanic eruptions and hurricanes 

 which have from time to time afflicted the island-. 



In regard to the plantations themselves, a very serious 

 amount of damage is occasioned by root disease and by 

 moth and root borers. These losses, though directly due 

 to pests and diseases, re indirectly the "result of poor 

 agricultural practice. With a view to improving matters 

 Mr. Dash, the Director of the Experiment Station, has 

 advised the planters of Guadeloupe to discontinue the 

 cultivation of third ratoons, and before replanting with cane 

 10 turn their fi"lds for a year into forage and other rotation 

 crops. 



The sugar produced by the primitive methods of these 

 Frsnch islands is naturally of poor quality. This, however, 

 has not caused much concern, for the principal product of 

 the islands during the past year or two has been rum. This 

 spirit has recently been selling in France at 9 francs a litre. 

 So high a price caused such activity among the colonial 

 distilleries that .some of them were paying as much as 6 

 francs a gallon for molasses. 



Dr. Browne concludes his interesting article by referrin» 

 to the enterprise that is Hoing shown by one or two propri- 

 etors who are being provided with machinery of the latest 

 French type. If this enterprise, which at present is excep 

 tional, becomes more general. Dr. Browne believes that there 

 is every prospect of as much prosperity in these French 

 islands as in the neighbouring ones belonging to the United 

 Stat-es and fireat Britain. 



.371 



Sugar and Tobacco Prospects in Nigeria.— 

 The West Indian sugar-cane, which was introduced io 

 191i into the Northern Provinces of Nigeria, is now cultivat- 

 ed over a wide area, but it is necessary to modify the opinion 

 which was formed at first, as to the probability of its entirely 

 ousting the indigenous cane of the country. The cane 

 of Nigeria is primarily grown for chewing, and the 

 tough woody cortex of the West Indian cane renders it le.-s 

 acceptable for this purpose. Two small privately owned 

 sugar mills are at present working in Zaria province, but the 

 native is .slow to purchase the sugar for his own use at the 

 current price, and the demand from the European residents 

 is small. 



Experiments in growing Virginian tobacco, which were 

 started at Ilorin in 1915, have progressed. For leaf of the 

 1917 crop, grown under the supervision of the Agricultural 

 Department, the natives received lOd. and Sd. per ft»., respec- 

 tively, for 6rst and second quality. A great development of 

 tobacco growing in Ilorin province is predicted in the near 

 future. The crop brings a relatively high price, and for that 

 reason will bear the cost of transport over long distances. 



Sisal does well at Ilorin, but the cultivation of this plant 

 for fibre involves the establishment of large plantations and 

 central factories. For this, European enterprise will be 

 needed, but is not yet in sight. 



The trade in decorticated ground nuts, which centres 

 around Kano, continues to develop, and the output last season 

 was estimated at 80,000 tons. The prices of cattle, hides, 

 and skins have all risen in recent years, and have helped to 

 increase the wealth and prosperity of the country, which wil! 

 be a growing market for British manufactured goods in the 

 future. 



FLOUR FACTORY IN BRITISH GUIANA. 



A lieu factory wa.. recently open^id in I ternerara 

 by til.- Governor, on which occasion Professor Harris, .q 

 the Director of Science and Agriculture, made a f^w 

 remarks as to the origin of the scheme. A full report 

 was published in the Port-of -Spain Gazette for 

 November .5, llUft. 



Professor Harrison said that during the war there ha* 

 been a threatened scarcity of foodstuffs, and the positioih 

 becoming gradually worse towards the end of 1 9 1 (5 at the- 

 annual session of the Combined Court in November 

 1916. on the motion of the Hon. P. N. IJrowne, K.C, the 

 Officer Adminis'ering the Rovernment was asked to appoint 

 a Committee to enquire into and report upon the feasibility 

 of local manufacture, from the vegetable products of the 

 colony of substitutes for or adjuncts to wheat-flour and other 

 imported cereal foodstuffs in commercial quantities for 

 consumption in the colony and for export, special attention 

 being directed towards the possibility of largely increasinif 

 the local output of the raw materials, and of the financial 

 aspects of the manufactore and marketing of the resultant 

 products. 



The Committee, after very full and careful consideration 

 reported favourably on the prospcsal to erect and equip 

 a factory for the preparation of flour from local foodstuffs. 

 The Committee considered that a sum of approximately 

 ir|.">,000 would suffice for the equipment of a flour .substitutes 

 factory, and recommended that their proposal I e considered 

 by a committee to consist largely of business men. For this 

 purpose the Governor appointed the Flour Factory 

 Advisory Committee The Committee reported under 

 date of June IS, 1917, that it was unanimously in 

 favour of money being provided for the erection ia 

 Georgetown of a building and suitable machinery for ilie 

 purpose of converting rice, maize, guinea corn and similar 

 products into flour for use in the preparation of bread,. 

 cakes, etc. The Committee was unable to furnish any 

 estimate of cost, and the suggestion of the Flour Substitutes 

 Committee that a subsidy of -SI. 5, 000 should be placed at 

 the disposal of a small board of management was put 

 before the Combined Court and adopted. 



The Board at once started inquiries in the United 

 States <.f America, but few results had accrued from these 

 inquiries. The item of $1.5,000 was revoted on the 191f< 

 Estimates. 



Early in 191.^, the Board got in touch with the Kalviti 

 Engineering Company of New Vork, who quoted S12.200 

 as the price in Ne»v York of machinery necessarj' for 

 drying, milling and bolting rice and maize" to flonr. The 

 Board, after careful consideration, arrived at the conclusion 

 that the erection of a rice and maiz? flour factory was & 

 matter of some urgency, and advised the Government that 

 the tender shou'd be at once accepted. This was done bv 

 cable on March li, 1918, but no part of the machiner'y 

 reaehed Georgetown until October 1,1918. The Combinwi 

 Court on November "29, 1918, decided that a sum of 

 S16,-500 should be granted in addition to the original 

 grant of .?! 5,000, so that the factory should be con- 

 structed and equipped. The cost of the erection of tht» 

 factory in round figures to date has been -$28,790 or say 

 §2,700 less than tbe orii^inl estimate. 



The factor)' is designed to dry 100 bags of rou^li r;.-i- 

 or corn, and to mil! t'O bags of ISO ft. of rice "r corn rt.mr 

 per day of ninn hours 



Professor Harri'oc th°n asked HLs Kxcellency to dccl .re- 

 the factory (jfen. 



