Vor,. Vn. No. 159. 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



173 



AXTKrlW: REPORTS OX liOTAXIC STATJOX 

 EX PER HI EXT PLOTS, AX I) AORICULTP RAL 



EnrvA Tiox, luoo-;. 



Katlier more than half this report is of a general nature, 

 being eomprisetl of a historical account of the LJotanic 

 +Station, of the experimental work carried out at Antigua, 

 the development of the various agricultural industries, and 

 the progress made A^'ith agricultural education in the island, 

 during the years 189<S-iy07, with the assistance of the 

 Imperial Department of Agriculture. The report is well 

 illustrated with [ihotographic rejiroductions. 



The first Botanic Station at Antigua was established at 

 Clare Hall in 1889. In 1894, however, the Station was 

 transferred to Victoria Park, St. John's, and when the 

 Imperial Department of Agriculture was organized in 1898. 

 the Antigua Botanic Station in common with others in the 

 West Indies came under its control. At the same time, 

 Dr. Francis Watts, C.M.G., (till now Government Analytical 

 ■Chemist at Antigua) was appointed Agricultural Chemist for 

 the Leeward Islands colony. In 1902, Dr. Watts became 

 Superintendent of Agriculture for the Leeward Islands. The 

 present Curator of the Antigua Botanic Station, Mr. J. .Jack- 

 son, was appointed in 1905. 



The most important and .successful efibrts of the Imper- 

 ial Department of Agriculture in Antigua have been those 

 connected with tlie sugar-cane experiments, and the introduc- 

 tion of the Sea Island cotton industry. A series of sugar- 

 cane experiments was started in Antigua in 18S9, by the 

 local Government. Nine year.s later, on the establishment of 

 the Imperial Department, experiments on a much more 

 extensive scale were instituted, and have since been carried 

 on under practical estate conditions, in .several parts of the 

 island. The value of these varietal tests and manurial trials 

 is fully appreciated by the planting community of the island, 

 and great interest is shown in the annually published rejiorts 

 on the work done. 



The Sea Island cotton industry of Antigua dates from 

 1903-1, when an area of about .500 acres was planted, and the 

 exports of lint amounted to nearly 28,000 ffi. 



The increasing interest taken in the cultivation is indica- 

 ted by the fact that the .shipments of lint were practically 

 doubled each succeeding year from 1903-4- to 1906-7. In the 

 la.st named year l)etween 1,800 and 1,900 acres were jilanted 

 with cotton. The season was uniiropitious, but o\er 180,000 fc. 

 of lint were exjiorted. Conditions are not so encouraging at 

 the present for increase in the cotton area, but it is hoped 

 that the depression is only temporary. 



At the two Experiment Stations at Scott's Hill and 

 Skerrett's, experimental work in connexion with the cultiva- 

 tion of such cro})s as sweet potatos, yams, cassava, maize, 

 broom corn, and lemon grass, has been in progress for some 

 years, with the result that considerable information of local 

 value has been obtained. The experiments dealing with 

 various points in relation to cotton cultivation are especially 

 worthy of mention. .t . • * 



Other means by which the Imperial Department Jias 

 endeavoured to assist the various agricultural interests of 

 Antigua have been the provision of stud animals for the 

 purpose of improving tlie local breeds of stock, the arrange- 

 ment of periodical visits to differ,ent districts by the Curator 

 of the Ijotanic Station for the jjurpose of giving advice and 

 demonstrations to planters and shiall cultivator.s, the provision 

 of facilities for agricultural education, and the regular hold- 

 ing of Agricultural Shows. l^i|ter the encouragement it has 

 received, agricultural teaching* and school garden work in 

 connexion with elementary schcfols have reached a high stage 

 of development in Antigua. Practically all the .schools of 

 the island jjossess garden plot.s, and all elementary school 

 teachers are no\\- re(|uired to be proficient in the elements of 

 scientific agriculture, and to teach the subject in their .schools. 

 In order to give the same facilities for instruction to the 

 children of the middle and upper cla.sses of the island, an 

 Agricultural and Science Master (Mr. A. H. Kirby, B. A.) 

 was appointed by the Imperial Department of Agriculture 

 and primarily attached to the Antigua Grammar School 

 in 1903. 



Coming to the work of the year under review, it is 

 seen that the sum expended in connexion with the Botanic 

 Station and Experiment plots amounted to £527 2.s. M. ; the 

 total receipts for the year were £232 lO.s-. >id., the receipts 

 for the sale of plants, etc., being £18 ll.s. 



During the year 2,880 plants were distributed from the 

 Botanic Station, in addition to a large number of cuttings 

 and seeds of economic plants. 



The rainfall in 1906-7 was 58-92 inches. This was 

 23-82 inches in excess of the previous year, and 7-39 ini-hes 

 inore than the average for the five years preceding. 



The usual experiments with various food crops, cotton, 

 green dressings, citrus fruits, etc., were continued at Scott's 

 Hill and Skerrett's. The work done in this way is of a very- 

 practical nature. 



The work of the Agricultural and Science Master ,dso 

 followed in general the lines adopted in the previous years, 

 at the Antigua CJranuuar School and at the Girls' High 

 School. A series of lectures was given to the students at the 

 Female Training College, and a further course of lectures to 

 teachers in elementary .schools. 



DEPARTMENT NEWS. 



With the approval oftheRiglit Honourable the 

 .Secretary of State for the Colonies, the Imperial 

 Commissioner of Agriculture will proceed to the Uniteil 

 Kingdom on duty leave on June 2 next. It is propcsed 

 that Sir Daniel Morris will attend the Sea Island Cotton 

 Conference to be held undor the auspices of the British 

 Cotton-growing Association at Manchester from August; 

 5 to Avigust II, and devote attention to other matters 

 in which the W^est Indies may be interest('<l. 



Mr. 'W. N. Sands, Agricultural Superintendent of 

 St. Vincent, left for England by the R.M.S. ' Atrato ' 

 on May 19 last, on vacation leave of absence. 



Mr. Geo. F. Branch, Agricultural Instructor ab 

 Grenada, returned from England by the R.M.S. ' Tagus' 

 on May 13 last, after six months leave of absence. 



