Tor,. VII. No. 1.54. 



THE AGRICULTUEAL NEWS 



93 



^Z7 





^^^:^ 



■DOMIXJCA : UEPORT 0.\ JSOTAXIC STATJ(>.\\ 

 AGRICULTURAL SCHOOL, AXD EXLLRIM EXT 

 PLOTS, 19011-7. 



This report, the imerest of which i.s increiised by the 

 inclusion of twelve phntograiihie ilkistrations, ojieus with an 

 account of the estaljlishnient and subsequent history of the 

 Dominica Botanic Station. From this it ai)pears that Botanic 

 Gardens were established on the presei^t .site in 1891. Tlic 

 present Curator, Mr. -Joseph Jones, was appointed in lS9i!. 

 The efforts made by the luqierial Department of Agri- 

 culture to develop the agriealturiU industries and advance 

 the agricultural interests of Dominica are also described in 

 the report. Since 1898 the Imperial Department has main- 

 tained the Botanic Station liy means of an annual grant. 

 The Dominica Agricultural School was started in 1900, and 

 this also has been kept up by the Department. Lectures and 

 ■demonstrations on the principles of agricultiu'c have been 

 given to head teachers in the elementary schools of Dominica 

 by officers of the Department, in order to fit these masters to 

 give agricultural instruction to the pupils of their schools, 

 and to undertake the management of school gardens. 



The work which the Dominica Botanic Station has been 

 ■enabled to carry out as a centre for the growth and distriljiu- 

 tion of economic plants has irndciubtedly been of the greatest 

 value to the planting community of the'island. The average 

 number of plants distributed from the (itirdens each year from 

 1902 to 190G was .5.5,726, with a total of 283,631 for the 

 ■whole period. These consisted chieily' of limes and cacao. 

 Large numbers of rubber seeds and plants have also been 

 supplied from the station. An im|)ortant branch of work, 

 too, has been the raising and propagation,' by budding methods, 

 of citrus fruits and mangos. More" recentlj', interesting 

 experiments in grafting cacao have been made at the statinn. 

 Useful exiioriments in connexion with the mannrial recpiire- 

 luents of cacao have also been in progress in Dominica during 

 the past few years, under the direction of the Imperial 

 Department of Agriculture. ! 



The organization and institution of' agricultural .shows, 

 establishment of Permanent Exhibition Committees, and 

 the introduction of improved cacao driers — which have also 

 proved useful in drying citrate of lime— may bo mentioned 

 as other means by which the Imperial Department has 

 endeavoured to assist the agricultural industries of Dominica. 

 With reference to the work of the 'year under review, 

 it is .stated that the total expenditure in'connexion with the 

 Botanic Station amounted to £779 l7.«. .5'/., while the 

 receipts from the sale of plants and produce amounted to 

 ^252 ■'!.<. 11'./. The number of plants distributed <luring 

 1906-7 is the largest recorded in any ye^r since the station 

 ■was started, the total number being 83, .50.5. This represents 

 an increase of nearly 18,000 over the iSrevious year, which 

 is mainlv due to the enormous demand* for cacao and lime 

 plants. .'' 



The experiments with spineless limes and grafted cacao 

 at pre-ent in progress at the station, and 'of which details are 



the 



given in the report, are of especial interest. In connexion 

 with the lime experiment^, results are tabulated, showing the 

 relative percentage of juic.% and of acid in the juice, of the 

 spineless lime, as compared with the ordinary variety. 

 Interesting results havS been obtaine<I in the mannrial 

 experiments with limes af^t. Aroment 



xVs regards the Agridlltural School, work has progressed 

 satisfactorily during' thes year. The expenditure on the 

 school during 1906-7 w^as=5£590, while £26 lix. were received 

 from the sale of plants, houey, etc. Apart from the school 

 lessons, the boys receive piiactical instruction out of doors in 

 general cultural operations, and budding, grafting, pruning, 

 etc. arc also taught. 



VIRdlX ISLANDS: AXXUAL REPORT OX THE 

 EXI'ERIMEXT STATIOX, 19013-7. 



An account of the e.s|ablishment of the Tortola Experi- 

 ment Station in 1900, under the auspices of the Imperial 

 Department of Agriculture, ajipears at the commencement of 

 the report. The Department f)urchased an old sugar estate, 

 on which considerable improvements have been made, build- 

 ings erected, a well sunk, etc. About 46 acres of this estate 

 were afterwards let out to small holders, and about 14 acres 

 reserved for the station proper. Many improvements have 

 Vieen effected on the site ; roads have been laid out, a well 

 sunk, and an aermotor erected for pumping water. The 

 station has since been l^id out in plots of 1 acre, and 

 planted with various crops, such as seedling canes, limes, 

 pine-apples, cacao, coffee, etc., for experimental purposes. 



The report also contains a summary of the efforts made 

 by the Imperial Department, during the past ten years, to 

 improve the condition of the agricultural industries of the 

 Virgin Islands. During this period the cotton industry has 

 been re-introduced, and the cultivation of this crop has been 

 of special benefit in Virgin f'iorda and Anegada, where little 

 else can be grown. Further,' the suitability of certain districts 

 of Tortola for the cultivation of cacao has +)een demonstrated, 

 and some plots have been planted with this crop, and improve- 

 ment has been effected in the local breeds of stock by the 

 introduction of animals of superior type, such as members of 

 the woiilless breed of sheep, and Toggenliurg goats. 



The work of the Agricultural Instructor, both at the 

 Experiment Station and by means of visits to outlying 

 districts for the purpose of giving information and aclvice 

 has been of value to the agriculturists of the ^'irgin Islands. 



The total expeuditurcr on the Experiment Station 

 during 1906-7 was £609 l^.Wd. The receipts from the sales 

 of produce, amounts paid in towards the purchase of land, 

 etc., amounted to £47 I7-s. '7'7. The figures given in rela- 

 tion to the cotton industry sliow that an estimated profit of 

 £125 U.S. Zd. was made during the year under review. 

 Experiments made at the station seem to indicate that Jlay 

 and .Tune are the best month's for planting cotton in Tortola. 



The value of the cotton and seed shipped from the 

 Virgin Islands in the 1907 season is estimated at £400^ an 

 increase of £135 on the sUipments of the previous year. 

 As mentioned in a recent number of the Aijrii'nltur<il Xetv^; 

 (Vol. VI, p 395), samples of cacao produced in Tortola 

 were at the end of 1906 submitted to dealers in London. 

 From the report received it >vould appear that cacao of good 

 quality can be grown in the island. 



The seven reproductinns of photographs \\ ith w hich the 

 report is illustrated will as.sist in giving *ome idea of the w.irk: 

 that has been done at the station. 



