Vol. Vll. No. 1.5(i. 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



117 



GROUND NUT EXPERIMENTS IN 

 DOMINICA. 



Experiments with three varieties of ground nuts 

 (' Di.Kie Giant ', ' Tennessee Red ', and ' Africans ') were 

 commenced at the Dominica Ag)-icultural School about 

 a year ago. Seed of the two first-named varieties was 

 obtained from the United States by the Imperial 

 Commissioner, since these two kinds were reported to be 

 of special excellence. 



All three varieties appear tojiave done well in the 

 e.xperiments so far carried out, and the nuts were 

 unattacked by any pest. The soil on which the trials 

 were carried out was of a very light and sandy nature. 



The nuts produced sold very readily on the local 

 market, but it appears that smaller nuts are preferred 

 to those of larger size. 



Mr. A. J. Brooks, Officer-in-charge of the Agri- 

 cultural School (who has prepared and forwarded to the 

 Imperial Commissioner of Agriculture, the repoi-t deal- 

 ing with the e.xperiments given below), state.s^his belief 

 that ground nuts shoulil t(.)rm a remunerative ciop in 

 Dominica. It is ho|)ed to cany out further and nKjre 

 conclusive trials with the seveial varieties of nuts 

 during the coming sea.son. Tlio loliowing is Mr. Brooks' 

 report : — 



' llIXIE (llANT ' VAUIETY. 



Two and a half jiouuds nf feed nuts were received 

 frniii the Head Office in May. These were sown o;i Septem- 

 lier "I, in rows Ih feet apart hnth waj's. 



The plants grew well and commenced to tlower on 

 October 3, twenty-nine days after sowing. 



Three weeding^ were given. The plants ripened dti' and 

 the nuts were reaiied on .Tanuaiy 15, 6]- lb. of cured luits 

 lieing obtained. The area being so small it was .scarcely 

 possible to estimate the yield per acre. The object chiefly 

 .sought in this trial was to .see if this variety would thrive in 

 Dominica and to raise fls mucli seed as possible so that a plot 

 fufiiciently large could Ije town the ne.xt season to estimate 

 the return per acre, etc. 



The results of this first trial were therefore very satisfac- 

 tory, the nuts obtained being of a good quality and the 

 yield also good. The eioji took a little ovei' four months to 

 mature. 



' TENNESSEK HEIl' VARIETY. 



Only 3 oz. of seed was reeeiveil, this being too small 

 a quantity to estimate the yield per acre. The object sought 

 was the same as with the former v^u■icty. 



Sowing took place on August (i, the distance of plantiiig 

 being "2 feet each way. 



Being so few, special care was taken of the iilants of this 

 variety, the jdot being irrigated when necessary and the 

 branches carefully pegged down to assist the formation of 

 nuts. The plants thrived will, ninking good vines ami 

 ja'oducing numerous flowers. 



Reaping took place on 1 )ecemlier 28, and the yield was 

 e.xtremely good, 1 lb. 3 oz. of cured nuts being ottained. 



' AEEICAN ■ \A1METY. 



Twenty pounds rif seed nut.^ of the '.\fi'ican' variety 

 were obtained from Rarbados earl;, in the year. 



Sowing took place in May, two seeds being sown in each 

 hole, 1 inch deep and 1 foot ;ipiol in the rows, and 1.', feet 

 apart between the rows. The ;ii' i planted was ^ acre in 

 e.xtent. 



The plants grew w ell and soon covered the ground ; they 

 conunenced to flower thirteen days after sowing. This was 

 rather premature and caused no doubt by the excessive 

 drought e.xperienced at the time. 



The plot was mulched with a light covering of small 

 leaves such as bamboo, which readily fell between the plants, 

 thus protecting the roots. Irrigation was necessary every 

 alternate day for three weeks. Three weedings were given. 



Reajiing took jdace on November 4, the crop having 

 taken six months to mature. 



Four hundred and forty-three pounds of cured nuts were 

 obtained from this plot, this being at the rate of 3,569 D). per 

 acre. This was an exceiitionally good yield ami the nuts .sold 

 readily at 4'/. per Itj. in the local market. 



SCHOOL GARDENS IN THE WEST 



INDIES. 



The accompanying extracts from the reporc pre- 

 sented by the Education Section at the late Agricultural 

 Conference, dealing with school gardens in the West 

 Indies, their ]i!o\'isioii ;iud edueation.al value, are 

 rc]jrintcd as foiining a supplement to the editorial 

 article on tiie subjecl. that appeared in tlie last issue 

 (d' the Aijriciilfinyd Nems : — 



The provision and use of .school gardens have been 

 general, and, on the whole, the progress has been fairly 

 satisfactory. \\'here the progress has been less satisfactory, 

 it has been in part due to the difficulty of obtaining land, as in 

 Rarbados, or to the cost of preparing it, as in Rriti.sh Guiana ; 

 but more to the smallncss of the grant allowed to elementary 

 teachers for agriculture. 



There is no indication that teacheis are now unwilling 

 to teach the subject in any of the colonies. Rut in some, as 

 in Rarbados, it pays them better to teach other subjects. 

 Where real success has been attained, as in Trinidad, it has 

 been due to the liberal scale on which grants have been 

 allowed for teaching the subject. 



Where it is impo.s.sible to obtain land for school gardens, 

 the children in nuxny schools cultivate ])lants in pots and 

 boxes at school and at home. 



An interesting account has been given of the model 

 gardens which have been established in Rritish Guiana— two 

 in Georgetown and three in the country districts. The.se 

 appear to be excellent centres for teaching the children and 

 others in their neighbourhood, and we specially connnend 

 a practice which there obtains, of giving to four selected boys 

 the opportunity of continuing their agricultural education by- 

 apprenticeship to the scientific instructor of the (Jovernraeiit. 



In the snr-iller colonies, it is felt that one of the greate.st 

 wants is that of suitable direction to teachers and children 

 and the people generally, by means of frequent visits of 

 cpialihod Agricultural Instructors. 



v\ll the representatives on the Conuuittee wish to 

 enijjhasize the vast ii]iportance of this subject of education 

 in agriculture to the welfare of every colony, and all bear 

 testimony to the marke 1 advance, not only in the knowledge of, 

 but in general interest in, agricultural matters. This is true 

 not only of children, but of parents and others generally. 

 The opposition of parents, the indifference of teachers, and 

 the igncn-ant attitude assumed by .some that scientific instruc- 

 tion wa; not needed have pas.sed away, and considering the 

 difKculties such as these, combined with the smallness of the 

 financial grants, the Comniitteo consider the past satisfac- 

 tory and the future full of hope. 



