Vol,. YII. No. 155 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



103 



COTTON EXPORTS FROM 

 BARBADOS. 



The Journal of the Jamaica Aofricnltural Society 

 for Jannar}' last thus comments on tihe cotton industry 

 of Barbados, and the vahie of the lint shipments, as 

 compared with the chief exports from Jamaica: — 



From October 1, 1906, to Septi-mber 30, 1907, -ivhich 

 is the cottoa yei\r, the total quantity of cotton shipped from 

 Barbados (the produce of the 5,000 acres estimated to be 

 under this crop) was 1,796 bales, containing 852,408 lb. of 

 lint, -wliich, together with the cotton seed shipped, brought 

 the total value of the cotton industry of Barbados to £76,876. 

 The average price of the cotton works out at l.v. M. per lb. 

 That total is almost as much as the value of our [Jamaica] 

 coflee exports ; it is more th.an the total value of our orange 

 exports for 1906-7, over a half more than the value of our 

 export.s of cocoa-nnts, and a great deal more than the value of 

 our cacao exports fur the last three jears. In fact, we have 

 in .Tamaica only six items of export, which amount to more 

 than the value of the cotton shipments from liarbados, viz : 

 coftee, bananas, pimento, sugar, rum, and logwood. We have 

 dry districts in Jamaica as large as the whole of liarbados : 

 these districts are well peopled, and cotton-growing should 

 make an idea! cultivation for the inhabitants. 



AGRICULTURE IN ST. LUCIA. 



The recently issued AhviauI Repurf (1906-7) on 

 the colony of St. Lucia gives figm-e.s \>diich indicate 

 considerable progress in the cacao industr}' of the 

 island (hiring the last decade. Lime CLdtivation also 

 shows signs of promise, while a start has been made 

 with lubber and cotton. The exports of sugar show 

 a considerable adv.anco coivipared with past years. The 

 following ]particulars are taken from the i-eport • — 



There was a marked increase in the sugar crop o\cr 

 1905. The usine sugar exported was 5,4-tl tons, of 

 a declared value of £51,689, as compared' with .3,721 tons, of 

 the declared value of £37,210, in the preceding year. 



Diu'iug the past ten years there has been a considerable 

 fluctuation in the cacao crop. In 1897, calculating at 200 lb. 

 to the bag, -1,768 bag.s were exported. In 1900 the exports 

 ro,-;e to 6, ■190 bags, but in the following year fell to 3,285 

 bags. In 1902 the exports reached 7,52-1 I jag.s, and in 1905, 

 9,468, the highest record. The average for the five years 

 from 1897 to 1901 was 4,865 bags,, and the average 

 for the next five year.s, from 1902 to 1906, was 8,045 bags. 

 It will be seen, therefore, from these figures, that the cacao 

 industry has been nearly doubleil during the past ten years ; 

 but the progress of the industry has nevertheless been very 

 slow considering the quality of lanil suitable for cacao in the 

 po.ssession of large and small proprietors. The attention 

 directed this year to impinvements in the methods of cultiva 

 tion will have good and wide-spread results, especially among 

 the peasant growers, as time goes on ; while the great rise 

 that has recently taken place in the price ()f cacao will be the 

 strongest inducement to planters to extend their cultivation. 



The lime industry made great strides and ajppeared for 

 thi' first time as an export produce. Five hundred and 

 ssventy-one packages of limes and 12 i)ackages of lime juice 

 were shipped. The cultivation is being extended. Forty 

 thousand lime iilants were distril)Uted by the Agrirultnral 

 Department during the year. 



Rubber also ffir the first time appeared as an article of 

 export, a small quantity from trees of the CastiUoa elust/'ra 



having lieeii shipped. This industry has not, however, been 

 started to any extent, and must be regarded as being still in 

 an experimental stage. 



The culti\'ation of Sea Island cotton has not yet been 

 taken up. Some few years ago, at the instance of the 

 Imperial Deiiartment of Agriculture, an effort was made to 

 induce loeal growers to start the industry, but the trial was 

 made in a lukewarm manner and proved a failure, wdnch has 

 since exercised a discoiu-aging effect on any further attempts. 

 Owing, however, to the successful results that have been 

 obtained in the neighbouring colonies, the desire to make 

 another trial is manifesting itself, and it is hoped that this 

 industry will soon again be started. There are large areas of 

 cleared land, apparently well adapted for the cultivation, 

 that arc available for enter[)rise in this direction. 



AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS OF 

 COLOMBIA. 



From the account of the agricultural industries of 

 Colombia, as given in a British Consular Report 

 just issued, it is seen that coffee and bananas are the 

 cliief products of the republic. The coffee output had 

 diminished of late years, but is again increasing. The 

 export for 1907 is put at SOO.OOO bags, the greater part 

 of w hich went to the United States. The beans of 

 this Bogota coffee, as it is known, are of an especially 

 htrge size. Coffee production seems to be extending, 

 and plantations devoted to the growth of this crop are 

 receiving more care and attention than w.is formerly 

 the case. 



Bananas are st.Lted to be largely cultivateil in all tin- 

 districts suitable fm- this crop. The export trade, which has 

 largeh' developed, connnenced about fifteen years ago. Since 

 then the niethoils of cultivation have been greatly improved, 

 and now the fruit commands the highest price on the New 

 ^ ork mai'ket. In 1905 the number of bunches shipped from 

 Santa ^larta reached 863,750. The number increased to 

 1,397,388 bunches in 1906, wdiile iqi to the end of August 

 1907, the bunches of bananas exported had already reached 

 1,315,715. It is expeeteil that during 1908 the export will 

 reach at least 2,500,000, and as a large area suitable for 

 cultivation is now being opened uji, a still further increase 

 may be expected. 



Minor agricultural [iroducts of Colombia are cacao, 

 tobacco, and cotton. A few districts only of the country are 

 suitaWe for cacao cultivation and the whole of the crop 

 produced is consumed at home. Tobacco, cigars, and cigar- 

 ettes are producel for home consumption and a .small quanti- 

 ty of tobacco is also exported to Germany. Efforts are being 

 made to increase the area of cotton grown, and the climate and 

 .soil of certain ilistriets sec-m specially suitable for this produc- 

 tion. 



Rubber may iirobably form an important article of 

 produce from C-olondiia. At present a certain amount of wild 

 rubber is collected, and with the expenditure of capital, it is 

 believed that a good trade in this product will be developed. 

 ( )ne or two rubber plantations are being made chiefly of 

 Ceara rubber {.Vaiiihot (t/t./d/'H). 



Divi-divi (the curveil poils of the <J(i<'salpiniit rurinrkt, 

 used for tanning)and also vegetable ivory, the fruit of Phytek- 

 /i/iiix iiKirronnpn, are exported in small quantities to 

 fJermany. Other vegetable exports are tolu, balsam, 

 ipecacuanha, and (]uinine. 



Panama hats form the only manuhictured article export- 

 ed from Colombia. 



