YoL. VI r. No. 149. 



THE AGRICULTUltAL NEWS. 



1.5 



ARBOR DAY IN ANTIGUA. 



The Hun. Francis Watts, D.Sc, C.M.G., has 

 forwarded a report from whicli it appears that Arbor 

 Day was observed in Antigua in the usual manner 

 on November 9 last. 



In St. .John's parish various in.stitutions took part in the 

 ceremony, more especially the elementary schools. Dr. Watt's 

 delivered a brief address on the history and objects of the 

 Arbor Day movement in Antigua, to a gathering in the 

 Victoria Park, at the conclusion of which liis Excellency the 

 Governor i)lanted a walnut tree near the liand-stand. The 

 Governor also made a short .speech 



The elementary schools of the p.arish planted twenty 

 mahogany trees in the Elementary School Avenue, leading to 

 the Camp and Hospital, while the Hospital Staff also planted 

 sixteen mahogany trees on the road to the Hospital from 

 North Sound Road. Ten .Jamaica shade trees {l'it/ici-o/o'iiii//i 

 Sninan) were also planted in the Hospital grounds. 



It may be mentioned, too, that sixteen date palms were 

 planted by the Kevd. C. E. Romig at Potters Village. 



Similar activity was evident in other parishes, notably 

 in All Saints,' where, previous to the planting of fourteen 

 trees, the National Anthem was sung and an address delivered 

 by the Vicar. 



Several estate owners observed Arbor Day by planting- 

 trees on their own estates, e.g., Mr. Edghill of Vernons' 

 estate in St. Peters, ilr. Dyett of Fitches Creek in St. 

 (JJeorge's, and Miss Johnstone at Cades Bay in St. Mary's. 



Altogether 241 trees were planted in Antigua on this 

 occasion, the chief kinds being mahogany, cabbage palms, 

 eucalyptus, mango, Jamaica shade trees, and date palms. 



Dr. Francis Watts was Chairman of the Central 

 Committee appointed to oiganize the celebrations. 



JIPPI-JAPPA HAT INDUSTRY IN 

 JAMAICA. 



Several references have alread}' been made in the 

 Ayrlcaltaml X/'trs (Vol. IV, p. -.MS, Vol. V, p. 233) to 

 the manufacture of jippi-jappa hats in Jamaica, an 

 industry which, if properly developed, would afford 

 employment to hirgc numbers of women and children, 

 since a considerable and increasing demand exists for 

 the hats, which form a good and cheap SLibstitute for 

 the more expensive ' Panama.' 



An article on this .subject occurs in the October uunibcr 

 of the .hinriutl of the Jai.uu-iit Aijrii-altural Sociift;/, where it 

 is stated that practical steps have lately been taken to 

 promote the industry, and to spread a knowledge of the best 

 methods of manufacture. With this idea several of the 

 Branch Agricultural Societies have held classes, where girls 

 liave been trained in hat plaiting by an instructress. Messrs. 

 Kerr A Co. started a hat factory at ilontego Bay, which, 

 unfortunately, does not appear to have .succeeded very well. 

 Better results, however, have followed the institution of 

 a factory at Kingston. 



It is stated that there is always a demand f(jr these hats 

 by merchants for export abroad, and at such a price as will 

 pay people to make them, provided good material is used, 

 and the hats are well made. 



The jippi-jappa plant (Carludoinca J(iiiiai<viisi-i), known 

 sometimes as the ' Broom Thatch ', is closely related to the 

 Panama hat plant (C. jialinata). It does not belong to the 

 palm family, although it is veiy palmdike in appearance. 



The plant is stated to be one that would grdw freely in 



the warm, humid districts of Jamaica, \>\\t \\\> to the present 

 it appears to have been restricted to a limited district of the 

 island, along the watersheds of the Pedro River and Wag 

 Water. It grows well among rocks, and where there i.s 

 plenty of rain, and does especially well along the banks of 

 little streams, where it might with advantage be planted out 

 so as to ensure a good supjily of the raw material. 



IXORA MAOROTHYRSA. 



Mr. J. Jaelcson, Curator of the Botanic Station, 

 Antigua, writing to mention the fact that a specimen of 

 Ixora /;(r(cro^/;!/rs«, introduced duiing the year I904-.5, 

 recently flowered for the first time at the Botanic 

 Station, gives the following particulars with reference 

 to the plant: — 



I.rora macfothipsd, belongs to the natural order 

 Rubiaceae, an order in which many economic, and some 

 valualjle decorative plants are included. 



The Ixoras are natives of the East. They are found in 

 India, China, Malaya, etc., the habitat of /. innrruthi/rxa 

 being Sumatra. 



In Antigua, I have seen I.vord coiri/ii/n, which is found 

 in many gardens, and /. //ricrot/ii/rsa, of which there is fmt 

 one small plant in the Botanic Station. 



The ilowei's of /. in'icrothyr^a are borne in handsome 

 terminal corymbs, the colour being a deep red, becoming 

 tinged with crimson as the flower gets older. The leaves of 

 this plant are of a desi) green, and attain a length of from 

 8 to 10 inches. It is a flowering shruh winch is wortliy of 

 cultivation 



Ixoras can be projjagated by inserting short jointed 

 cuttings in .sandy soil. They ijuickly root if kept shai:le<l for 

 a time. 



RUBBER IN ANGOLA. 



Some interesting particulars with regard to rubber 

 production in the Portuguese colony of Angola 

 (S. \V. Africa) are given in a recent British Con-oalar 

 Report. 



At pie.scnt the great bulk of the rubber produced in the 

 colony is root rubber, and is obtained from the rhizomes of 

 two plants, C'ai-podiiiKS rliylorliixa and CnrjiO/linus i/ntiw'/is, 

 the former of these being much the more important. Both 

 of these grow wild in sandy soil, and the former is reported 

 as being distributed over vast inland areas, extending both 

 northward and eastward. The collection and preparation of 

 this root rubber is carried on almost solely by the natives. 

 The cpiality of the produce, after removal of extraneous nrattei-, 

 is stated to be very good. 



Europeans are now, ho-vever, taking up the rubber 

 industr}', the Ceara variety {Mnnihot GIii-.IdvH) being the one 

 chiefly cultivated and giving the best results. The average 

 yield of rubber per tree per annum is 2 lb., and this, it is 

 stated, commands a price of 5.s\ Qd. per ft). The trees begin- 

 to yield rubber when about five years old. 



Landolphia rubber \ines also occur largely in Angola, 

 but these are reported to take twenty years to matui'e. 

 Experimental cultivation is about to be made with Para, 

 rubber {Hevea hrasilienxis) and Lagos rubber (Funtumia 

 elastica), but fo: this purpose plants will have to be imported. 

 Endeavours are being made to introduce systematic cultiva- 

 tion and to create a valuable industry, and the services of an 

 expert botanist from Kew Gardens have been secured, who lias 

 been making extensive researches as to the rubber resources 

 of the colony, and will shortly issue a report. 



