Vol. VII. No. 1.51. 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



39 



THE COTTON WORM IN OLDEN DAYS. 



From a chaptei in the 'XHUiral History of the 

 Island of Barbados', a book written bv the Revd. Griffii h 

 Hughes, Rector of St. Lucys parish, and pubiislied in 

 1750, it is evident that cotton was fjrown in the island 

 in those da3's, and also that planters of the eighteenth 

 century found the cotton worm as destructive a pest 

 as it still proves to-da}'. In reference to this question, 

 Mr. Hughes wrote: — 



The cotton wool (of wbicli in the ilast Indies they make 

 their finest calico) is too well known to want a further 

 description. Yet it would not be amiss here to observe, 

 that as the inhabitants of the warmest climates want clothing, 

 espatially in the wet seasons of the year, indulgent Providence 

 has sufficiently supplied the want of wool, here denied to the 

 sheep, by causing a vegetable to bear the finest wool in the 

 world. ' 



However, the certainty of gathering a good crop of this 

 kind is very precarious, since we may almost literally .say of 

 this shrub, that in the morning it is green and flourisheth, 

 and almost in the same evening it decays and withers; for 

 when the worms begin to prey ujion a whole field of cotton 

 trees, though they are at first scarce perceptible to the naked 

 eye, yet in three days they will grow to a considerable bigness, 

 and so devouring in that short time, they will reduce the most 

 verdant field, thickly and beautifully clothed with leaves and 

 fiowers, into almost as desolate and naked a condition as 

 trees are in the month of December in England, leaving 

 often not a whole leaf remaining. By this means, especially 

 if they come late in the year, they greatly prejudice, if not 

 entirely destroy, the ensuing crop, and sometimes the very 

 young trees are by this means killed. 



These worms are of three sorts, all of the caterjiillar 

 kind and distinguished by the names of the 'black backs,' 

 the ' streaked backs ' and the ' fire worm.' The last is of 

 a russet colour, and the smallest in size, I ait it is the most 

 destructive. When they grow to their destined Ijulk, they spin 

 and enwrap themselves in a bag or web, like silk-worms, in the 

 few remaining leaves or any other covering. After a few days' 

 rest in this, their Aurelia state, they turn into dark-coloured 

 rnoth.s, and fly away. 



These worms are observed most generally to make tlieir 

 appearance after sultry weather, especially if it thunders and 

 lightens, as the weather is then more than ordinary sultry. 



RICE CROP IN BRITISH GUIANA. 



Reporting on the present season's crop of rice in 

 British Guiana, the Denierara Argo><)/ estimates that 

 it will reach at least 300,000 bags, this being .50,000 

 bags over and above the amount consumed in the 

 colony. 



The f|uestion of export, therefore, becomes a very 

 important one to the rice producers of f'ritish Duiana. 

 Realizing this fact, one of the largest milling firms in the 

 colony recently submitted samples of rice, grown on the 

 banks of the Essecpiebo, to leading houses in the English and 

 German markets, and the reports received are by no means 

 discouraging. 



The report on Demerara's rice, received from England, 

 was to the effect that it was ' bold, handsome, well grown, and 

 well separated, its only defect being in preparation, since it 

 showed signs of fermentation.' The samples for the German 

 market were submitted to merchants in Hamljurg, where the 



largest rice mills in the world are situated. The report 

 received from Hamburg conunented on the inferior prepara- 

 tion of the grain which renders the product in its present 

 state unsuitable for the English market, but the report 

 added : ' we have seldom seeji rice of such good grain, and 

 if properly prepared, it should be worth a very good price.' 



It is not at present easy "to state exactly what are the 

 particular defects of preparation of British Guiana rice, l.nit 

 improved methods however, will no doulit be brought into 

 operation with further experience. In the meantime it may 

 be noted, that the favourable mention of the (ptality of 

 Demerara rice, contained in the above reports, is sure 

 evidence of the po.ssibilities which the future holds for the 

 industry in the colony. 



In connexion with the question of rice cultivation, the 

 Aiyusi/ refers to the rapid development of the industry in the 

 American States of Louisiana and Texas. In these countries 

 the paddy fields are described as rising in natural tiers on 

 either side of the rivers and creeks, and irrigation is cheaply 

 and efiectively carried out by means of a series of pumps, 

 raising the water from tier to tier as the land rises. It is 

 thought that this system could with advantage be brought 

 into working in Demerara, along the banks of the rivers and 

 creeks, and also at considerably less cost than in Louisiana, 

 or Texas. In those States, as a result of the adoption of this 

 system, one man is able to do all the work necessary for the 

 cultivation of 100 acres. , Irrigation operations would 

 necessarily be simpler, and less expensive in Demerara than 

 in the American states, on account of the unvarying low level 

 of land through which the principal rivers flow. 



The possibilities of export in this line fully warrant the 

 expense of irrigation operations. At [jresent, most of the' 

 rice entering the English market comes from India and 

 Rangoon, but both these sources of supply are rendered more 

 or less unreliable on account of the occurrence of occasional 

 drought. By the adoption of a thorough system of irriga- 

 tion the question of drought would be reduced to a negligible 

 ipiantity in British Ouiana. 



In conclusion, the Aiynsi/ quotes the remark of a promi- 

 nent rice miller in the colony, who states : ' I have no hesita- 

 tion in saj'ing that, provided we can guarantee the quality of 

 the rice, there is no reason why there should not be scope 

 foi- an annual export trade from British Guiana of over 

 •200,000 to 300,000 bags of rice.' 



CROWN LANDS IN TRINIDAD. 



The Warden of Naparima Ward Union, Trinidad, 

 makes the following reference in his latest Anniud 

 Report, to the sale of Crown lands in his district of 

 the island, and the disabilities put upon settlers by the 

 suspension of traffic on the roads just at the crop 

 time : — 



The .sale of Crown lands is steadily on the increase. 

 This year, 2,786 acres were sold [in the Naparima Ward 

 Union] against 2,701 last year, and 932 the year before. 

 It is true the increase is not very much, but it would have 

 been much greater if traffic on the roads had not been sus- 

 pended. This annual stoppage is very discouraging to 

 settlers. It takes place just at the time their provisions are 

 ready for market, and this suspension means that all their 

 perishable produce is lost to them, which is a serious throw- 

 back to men just starting the cultivation of a plot of land, 

 and dependent on what they get from it for their subsistence. 



Of these 2,786 acres of land sold, there were only one lot of 

 ■50, two lots of 40 acres, and all the other lots were under 

 25 acres 



