Vol. XVII. No. 411. 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



21 



Full details in cr>nnexion with this will be forwarded to 

 Barbados in a short time. 



The lint from cotton selections was examined during 

 the month. One plot at ."-awcolts w;is allotted, and two 

 applications for plots were received. During the month 

 3,-")08 tt). of seed-cotton were purchased hy the Antigua 

 Cotton Growers' Association. Only 2 09 inches of rain fell 

 during the month. The rainfall for the year was 39 15 

 inches, as against 6.5'03 in(^hes for last year. On the whole, 

 the weather durina the year, from an agricultural point of 

 view, has been unfavourahle. 



Appended to the above is a short report on the work of 

 agricultural instruction during the month of December 1917. 

 From this it appears that the yields obtained from the 

 cotton crop of the peasants are far below what was antici- 

 pated. The decrease, the Agricultural Instructor states, 

 is probably due to more than one reison, the chief being 

 the large number of bolls that were shed just before reach- 

 ing maturity. This, possibly, was caused by the plants 

 having received a shock by severe attacks of cotton cater- 

 pillars, followed by spells of dry, hot days Cotton stainers 

 were responsible for some amount of dumage during the 

 month, two peasants having had one-third of their crop 

 as stained cotton. Part of the onion seed purchased by 

 one of the two peasants was sown, and a fair germination 

 obtained. The seedlings were on several occasions attacked 

 by slugs. These were kept under control by hand collecting. 

 Throughout the district the crops are beginning to .show signs 

 of want of rain. 



ii.\Rr.ui>.\. The Agricultural Instructor mentions a con- 

 tinuation of the drought, reported in previous months, 

 with greater severity during December. Hot sunny days, 

 and the absence of rain have resulted in the drying up ot 

 the vegetation on the island. Cotton picking was con- 

 tinued in the Guava Field throughout the month, 

 bringing up the total amount of seed-cotton reaped to about 

 25,000 B). In cotton fields the depredations of rats continued, 

 but to a less extent than in previous months. The presence 

 of cotton stainers (Di/iderciis (indreae) was observed in this 

 district on the 30ih of the month. All work on minor agricul- 

 tural activities has had to be completely abandoned on account 

 of the very adverse weather conditions. 



December, like th) four previous months, passed away 

 without rain. This is the fifth successive month of drought 

 recorded for the year It will be noticed that the drought 

 this year hiis occurred in the months which have always been 

 considered as the wet .season in Barbuda. Only 60 parts 

 of rain fell during December, the total precipitation for the 

 year being 35'73 inches, or ]8'57 inches below that of last 

 year. 



The peasants' grounds are yielding little or no food crops, 

 and, as a result, praedial larceny is becoming very common 

 among the people. The more energetic peasants who planted 

 cotlin early are now reaping good results Up to the 

 present the peasants have supplied 1,000 Db. of seed-cotton. 

 The late planted cotton fields area complete failure. 



ST. KILTS. The Agricultural Superintendent, Mr. F. K. 

 Shepherd, re posts general routine work iu the Botanic Gardens 

 during the month of December last. There were distributed 

 3,300 cane cuttings from the experiment station, and 190 

 ornamental plants and cuttings from the Botanic Station. 

 Concerning staple crops, there was little to report beyond the 

 fact that there has been no improvement in the condition 

 of the cane crop since last month. Tlie rainfall for the 

 month was 3 92 inches, but notsufflcitnt to make any change 

 in the low stunted growth, and the prospects of the coming 

 crop are very poor. The young cane crop is being planted. 



but the gernaination must be poor, owing to lack of moisture, 

 especially where cane cuttings have been used The cotton 

 crop is practically finished, only a few fields being kept for 

 a second picking. Lands are being prepared for early planting 

 in the northern district. Cotton stainers have been very 

 plentiful in the fields kept for second picking, but so far, 

 there does not seem to be much damage from internal boll 

 rot. The rainfall for the month was .'.•92 inches: for the 

 year 3981 inches. In the northern district the rainfall 

 for the year was 5212 inches. 



In the summary of work performed at the Govern tnent 

 Laboratory during December, attached to these notes, is 

 included analysis of eighteen samples of milk from the 

 Inspector of Police. 



NEVIS. Mr. W. I. Howell reports very dry weather 

 during the month of December, in con.sequence of which 

 there is not likely to be any second picking of cotton from 

 the demonstration plot in the Experiment Station The 

 first picking is completed, giving a return of 630 ft), of seed- 

 cotton. The onion plot has been reaped, and the return 

 therefrom is expected to average about 1,000 lb. per acre. 

 Plant distribution included 12,000 sweet potato cuttings, 

 and 13 ft), of Guineacorn. 



The cane crop throughout the island is verypoor, and 

 the dry weather experienced since October has done consid- 

 erable damage to many of the fields. Preparation and plant- 

 ing for next crop are in progress, but the weather is so dry 

 that it is doubtful whether the plants will germinate. 

 Cotton throughout the island has been very greatly- 

 damaged by the dry weather. In the late planted fields 

 no less than 75 per cent, of the bolls have been shed; 

 those rem->ining are poor, and the lint not very- 

 good. In addition to the adverse weather conditions th-i 

 crop has been .severely attacked by cotton stainers, which 

 pest is more abundant this season than for some years past. 

 Consequently the percentage of sta'ned cotton is very high. 

 ( )n account of the dry weather the provision crops are 

 making little progress, and practically no planting was done 

 during the month; there probably will be a shortage in 

 March and April. The rainfall for the month was 2 09- 

 inches, and for the year 4410 inches. 



The Food Situation in Dominica.— From an 

 address delivered by His Honour the Adrainistr.itor of 

 Dominica to the Legislative Council of that island, reported 

 in the Dominica Chronicle, January 9, 1918, we quote the 

 following remarks: 'I would tike this public opportunity 

 of impressing upon the people of this Presidency the necessity 

 for economy, and the sin that is committed by wasting 

 foodstuffs at this time ..... Dominica is most fortunate 

 in posessing land which will grow almost all that is necessary 

 for the support of the population. If full advantage were 

 taken of that great fact, we should be able to endure with 

 comfort the rationing progress which is almost certain to- 

 come in the near future We have asked that our 



annual supply of flour shall be considerably less than that 

 of normal years, but we have no certainty that even that 



reduced quantity will be supplied to us In the 



year '91 6 the amount of flour consumed in this island was 

 appioximately one-half barrel to every man, woman, and 

 child. This, to those who know ttie country districts, will 

 seem — nay is, vastly more than can bs accounted for sava 

 by admitting the existence of a very gre;\t wastage somewhere. 

 That waste should cease, or there will be a very gr.ive fi, k 

 of Hour when our r^ions are allowed to us ' 



