242 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



August 8, 1908. 



the subject, contains full and practical details in regard 

 to the selection, rearing, and feeding of poultry and the 

 treatment of diseases, exactly suited to West Indian 

 conditions. 



The number of breeds of poultry is legion, and 

 since the great majority of these originated in temper- 

 ate climates, where they naturally Hourish best, 

 a considi'rable amoinit of discrimination is necessary to 

 select those breeds which shall be most satisfactory in 

 the tropics. 'I'hr different varieties may bo divided 

 into (1) table breeils, (2) laying breeds, and (3) ' general 

 purpose ' fowls. For table purposes the Indian Game, 

 the Dorking, and the English Game stand pre-eminent 

 among breeds, being large and Heshy, and with meat of 

 excellent cpialit}-. At shows of table poultry in Eng- 

 kind, the chiuf prizes are usually awarded to birds 

 ■which are the product of a cross between the Diukin" 

 and one of the Game breeds. In Jamaica the Indian 

 Game is a favourite bird among pen-keepers, and it is 

 pointed out by Mr. Barclay that it is more suitable to 

 the climate than any other breed of t.ible bird. The 

 Dorking is suitable for dry localities in the West Indies 

 where there is plenty of shade and a goed run, but the 

 birds have not been so successful in Jamaica as the 

 Game bree<ls. The hens of the three breeds mentioned 

 are all poor lasers but goo<l sitters. 



As laying breeds the Leghorns and Minureas are 

 undoubtedly the best, and the former is prijbablv the 

 most profitable variety of hen that can be keut in the 

 West Indies. It is hard\-, active, a good forager, and 

 possesses the record fer nuujber of eggs hu'd by any 

 breed. The Leghorn, too, appears to tlirive equally well 

 both in wet and exposed localili<'S, and also in hot as 

 in dry districts, in confinement and at large. Jlinorcas 

 are also excellent layers of large eggs. They thrive in 

 warm sheltered places and give very profitable returns, 

 but will not stand ex[)osure so well .ms the Lec/homs. 

 The Buff Orpington is a n(j| her lireed pessessiue- food 

 laying properties, and the birds have l.-itelv <;aine(l 

 much in favour in the West Indies. 



Of the genera! purpose or all-round' breeds of 

 fowls, the best known and nuist .satisfactorv are the 

 Plymouth llock, the BulV Drpinoton. and rho 

 Wyandotte. The Hulf Orpington is an excellent table 

 fowl, and, as mentioned above, yields a good ninnber of 

 eggs. The Plymouth Hock and Wy.-uidot te origini- 

 ated in the United States, where they were produced 

 by crossing heavy Asiatic table breeds with the 

 smaller laying brec(is, .and b\ c-irefid selection of the 

 most suital)le among the offspring. Thev ;ire good 



general utility fowls, the hens are satisfactory layers, 

 good sitters, and make excellent mothers. 



The most economical method of feeding hens is 

 a subject deserving a good deal of consideration. In 

 the West In<bes the birds are fed almost entirely on 

 maize, which is cheap and abundant, and provided the 

 hens get plenty of liberty, anfl are not fed too heavily, 

 this sid)stance is fairly satisfactory. Like most West 

 Indian grown poultry foods (rice, Guinea corn, vams, 

 swi'ct potatos, tannias), however, maize possesses an 

 excess of starch, and is deficient in nitrogenous (or 

 flesh-forming) constituents. A common result of feed- 

 ing loo much maize or other siaicliy food is that the 

 birds become over-fat and numbers die from apople.xy 

 or other diseases, brought on by this condition. Bv 

 the addition of a cettain propoition of pigeon or other 

 peas, cocoa-imt, or me.at scraps, to the maize, the 

 provision of the necessary uitrngenous constituents is 

 ensured, and such a ccunplcte or ' balanced ' food meets 

 all the reipiirements of the anim.-d organism. Soft 

 food such a« a mixture of various meals, should be 

 give^n to fowLs in the mnrnin-. and hard food, as 

 a mixture of corn and pigeon -[)e.is (the latter roughly 

 ground or broki'ii ), be fed in the evening. The propor- 

 tion of corn to peas should be two parts of the former 

 to one of the latter. 



SUGAR INDUSTRY. 



Sugar Industry in the Hawaiian Islands. 



The Sugar Planters' Association of Hawaii reports 

 thai tile l!)07 sugar crop of the Hawaiian Islands 

 amounted to 44-0,017 short tons (1 short ton = 2,000 lb.), 

 which is the largest on record. Of this ipiantitv the 

 island of Hawaii prodm-ed 14:!,S91 tons. O.diu 11!). 273 

 tons, .M.iui 104 772 tons, and Kauai 72,0.S1 tons. 



'I'lic exiioits of raw .sugar ia 1907 show a large iiicrea.se 

 lintli ill i|iiaiitity and value over the sliijiments of 1906. In 

 1900 thu total i|uaiitity exj)oite(l was .SI8.10S tons, valucil 

 at £4,768, 1() I, wlicreas, ii'i 1907, the raw .sugar exports from 

 Hawaii icadR'il the total of .•ii59,0;{9 tons, valued at 

 .i:5,;!7L',000, an in<-rcase of 40,9:{1 tons in .luantity and 

 i:()0.'5,f<."!y in value. With tlie exception of a small (piantity 

 dealt with in mills on the. islands, the whole of the sugar 

 lii-oilucL'd is .shipped to San Francisco for rutining. 



'J'hc ox](i:)rts of letined sugar from Hawaii .sliow a decline 

 (hiring la.st year. In 1 90G the value of the retined sugar 

 exported amounted to .£:i:K),9i'."), hut in 1907 it aroiniea t<> 

 .£166,.")99. 



The sugar indii.stry has developed very rapidly in the 

 Hawaiian Islands during the |)ast twenty five years. In 



