388 



mE AOKICULTUKAL NEWb. 



Dkckau(KE 13, 1919. 



DOWN THE ISLANDS. 



ITEMS OF LOCAL INTEREST. 



' " Dominica. Work in the Experiment Stations during 

 ' the luuQth of November was of a general routine character. 

 The crop in the lime experiment station during the month 

 of October was 303 barrels, and in November 325 barrels, 

 making a total for eight months of 1,253 barrels of fruit. 

 From the cacao experiment station, there were shipped to 

 London 16 bags of cacao, also 2 bag? of kola nuts and one 

 barrel of nutmejis. Plant distribution during November 

 comprised : limes 13,325 : cacao, 350 ; vanilla, 100 ; budded 

 citrus, 58 ; miscellaneous, 193. In addition, 234 packets of 

 v^etable seeds were sold. In regard to staple crops, Mr. 

 Joseph Jones, the Curator, states that the lime crop on the 

 south leeward coast, which is the area of greatest production, 

 reached in maximum during November, instead of as usual 

 ia July or August. He expre.sses the opinion that the laie- 

 nees of the crop is due to the drought experienced during tlie 

 first six months of the year. The lof-al prices for ripe limes 

 and their products remained unchanged. The cacao crop 

 is reported to be promising. Sea e insects are reported to be 

 on ihe increase in several districts. Mr. A. Keys, the newly 

 appointed Afsistint Curaior. arrived in Dominica on 

 October 1. The weather during November was normal. 

 The rainf-11 for October was 7-50 inches 



Nevi.s. Mr. VV. I Howell, Agricultural In.structor, 

 writes to say that the crop? at iIk Esperiment Station had 

 very nmch improved during the month of October, on 

 account of the good >ains, xnd that conditions at the station 

 on the whole were better Phn.t distribution from the 

 station during the month included 20,370 sweet potato 

 cuttings, 15 Bi. onion seed, and 3218). Paris green. The 

 cane crop throughout the island made very rapid growth 

 during the month in coni-equence of the fine rains. Prepa- 

 ration for next crop is in progress and a, good acreage will 

 be put under cu'tivation. The cotton crop also has taken 

 on a very vigorous new growth, and a good second picking 

 is anticipated : fields that were practically killed out by the 

 dry wefaiher are now looking green, and blossoming freely. 

 Cotton' worms attacked many of the fields, but tliey were 

 poisoned, and not much damage was done. As usual there 

 is a shortage of lime, and should there be a .serious attack, 

 is likely that a great deal of damage will be done. Leaf- 

 blister mite is seen in many of the fields, and cotton stainers 

 appeared in small numbers in a few places. The growers were 

 advised to collect the stainers at once. A large acreage 

 was plantad in sweet potatoes and Indian corn during the 

 month ; the germination on the whole is good. The rain- 

 fall for the month was SCI inches ; for the year to date, 

 26- 18 inches. 



Attached to the foregoing i.^ a report of the Agricultural 

 iDSlnictor, Xevi.K. for the cjuarter ending September .'iO, 1 9 1 i). 

 From this it is gathered that the severe dry weather which 

 continued during the, whole of the fjuarter under review, 

 did a great deal of liarm to the wops at the e.xperimeiit 

 station. In regard to the demonstration plots, very poor 

 returns are expected. The pldts of .selected cotton grew 



very badly, and the plants are making very poor progress. 

 Cotton stainers made their appearance during the quarter 

 but these were promptly collected in kerosene oil and water. 

 The sugar c«ne crop throughout the island is reported a.s 

 poor. The crop is late, and has made very slow progress, 

 with the possible result of no return, should the dry weather 

 continue much longer. On account of the dry weather, 

 practically no p anting of provision crops was done during 

 theri'iarter : the small acreage growing is in bad condition, 

 and a great shortage is anticipated. 



VIRGIN islands. According to notes forwarded by the 

 acting Curator of the Experiment Station, Tortola, Mr. E. 

 .Maduro, for the months of September and October, 1,000 

 potato cuttings were distributed during September, and 33 

 ornamental plants in October. The general condition of 

 things at the Experiment Station is said to be more satis- 

 factory than in previous months. Progress can be .seen, 

 especially in the upkeep of the various plots. The cjco-nut 

 demonstration plots are looking remirkably well, and some 

 of the trees are blossoming. No insect pest have been observ- 

 ed at the Experiment Station, nor have any been ri;ported by 

 the peasantry. The rainfull in September was 7 50 inches 

 and in October 4'62 inches. 



AGRICULTURE IN BARBADOS 



The following is taken from the Birbados A^^rii-ultiiral 

 Rifoiter for November 29, 1919. 



The rainfall for November hii been a very nriderate 

 one, and, with the exception of the downpour on the 10th 

 referred to in our last report, there has been no rain of any 

 thing like an inch since the fourth day of the month. In the 

 centre of the island the total for the month is under 3 

 inches ; in the south it is under 2.V inches ; and, if the 

 heavy rain on the 10th instant were excluded, the total in 

 some of the hilly parishes would not be much in advance of 

 that recorded in either the centre or south of the island. 

 At the present time all the seaboards are very drv, and the 

 situation on the .St. Philip's coast would have been very 

 trying but for the downpour of the lOih. This rain has 

 materially improved the crops in this part of the island, and 

 on a recent tour in this district we were surprised to find 

 how fair ■was the promi.se of the plant canes. 



In spue, however, of the new rainfall during this month 

 vegetation has preserved its greenness, and one aw,tits with 

 hope a favourable December, This is due to the satisfactory 

 distribution of the showers which have fallen. The longest 

 spell of showerless days was between the 4th and the 14th, 

 and it was during the days immediately preceding the latter 

 date that the hottest weather f^r the month was e.tperienced. 

 There was a change of temperate on the 15th instant, and 

 .since that dale there have been spells of fairly cool weather 

 with light but frequent showers. The showers on the 25th 

 instant «ere followed by a mistiness which gave one the 

 impression that the atmosphere was charged with millions 

 of dust particles. 



This is the :hird November in succession during which 

 the r linfall has been below the average, and of the three, 

 November 1917 was the most trying. 



As far as the black soil is concerned, the tillage for the 

 young cpip.s ii being rapidly pushed to completi m, hut there 

 is still .^ome drainiiii; and forking to be done The fields in 

 which tillage has been completed look well, anl are very 

 (■lean. On most red soil estates more labour could with 

 advantage be emjiloyed. In this part of the island there is 

 still a goo'i deal nf clearing up to le dune, while in the 



