84 



THE AGEICULTUaAL NEWS. 



Makch 23, 1918. 



DOWN THE ISLANDS. 



ITEMS OF LOCAL INTEREST. 



<:rena1)a. The Superintendent of Agriculture writes to 

 say that duiing the month of January and February the 

 picking of the cacao crop was continued with good results. 

 The spice crop pro-spects for the next four months are very 

 satisfactory. The sugar crop which had been started 

 will, Mr. Moore estimates be smaller than usual. A native 

 fond crops campaign for 1918 has been started, and a corn 

 drying and storing scheme submitted by the Superintendent 

 to the Government. The month of February was windy up 

 to the 18th, but calm and very rainy during the last week. 

 A somi'what severe shock of earthquake, of about 40 seconds 

 duration, was experienced at 7.10 p m. on February 2i. 



Accompanying the foregoing are reports of the Agricul- 

 tural Instructors for the month of Jaiiu;iry. Amongst 

 interesting items in these, the following are noted. Ground 

 jirovisions are fairly plentiful: large quantities of potatoes 

 are being reaped not only by the peasantry, but by estates 

 in the southern portion of St. George's parish. About 

 iixty skins (goat, sheep, and cattle) have been converted 

 into leather at the small tannery recently established at 

 Fontenoy. It is hoped that this will prove a successful minor 

 industry of the colony. An attempt has also been made to 

 ])lace the deep-sea fishing industry on a better footing, by 

 the employment of a boat equipped with both sail and motor 

 power. 



The past crop season in Carriacou was very favourable 

 and an unusually large crop of Indian corn was reaped— 

 approximately 15,000 barrels of cob corn, very nearly .50 per 

 cent, larger than that of 1916. There was a much larger 

 yield than usual in sweet potatoes, while the yield of pigeon 

 peas was satisfactory. Cotton, which -gave promising growth, 

 is being handicapped by a .strong growth of bonavist beans. 



.ST. VINCENT. The Agricultural Superintendent reports 

 the fcllov.-:::g plant distribution during the month of 

 February: cane cuttings, 1,500: ornamental plants, 14; cured 

 cacao, 50 lb. AVork in the I'.otanic Gardens was of a routine 

 nature. On some estates the destruction of cotton stalks 

 was started; pickings of good white cotton were made to the 

 end of the month. .Mr. Sands records the fact that instances 

 have occurred where tlie Howers and bolls which would have 

 produced the first pickings were shed to a large extent, and 

 second pickings, due to the absence of p!ant bugs, saved the 

 situation. During the month 400 bales of Sea Island cotton 

 were shipped to the Admiralty. The weather was favourable 

 for crops, and large areas 'if ground provisions, etc., wore 

 making good progress. The rainfall, registered at the Uotanic 

 Station, was 5-27 inches; at the Kxperimont Station, 585. 



Appended to the above are extracts from the Cotton 

 Inspectors' report for the month of IVbruary, regarding 

 agricultural conditions in Union Lsland. From these 

 there appears to have been a shortage of the cotton crop 

 during the present season. This is attributed to the follow- 

 ing causes: the eflfect of heavy r.iins which fell during the 

 planting and growing season: the presence of pests — cotton 

 stainers and leaf-blister mite; improper tillage and the 

 absence of manures; and poor condition of lands. 



From a further apjjendix it appears that work in con- 

 nexion with the destruction ol the native food-plants of the 

 cotton stainer was still in progress. 



ST. 1,1 ilA. Work in the ]-',xperiment Station during the 

 month of February included the making of farine for supply- 

 ing Castries, and the manufacture of sweet potato flour for 



disposal to bakeries. The Agricultural Superintendent, 

 Mr. A. .1. Pirookf, also reports plant distribution as follows: 

 lime plants, ICioO: oranges, budded, 8; mangoes, grafted, 5; 

 dashien plants, 3(iO; also 135 packets of vegetable seeds. 

 Regarding the staple crops the picking of cacao was continued, 

 the lime crop was slackening, while reaping operations of 

 sugar were general. Mr. Brooks further mentions the 

 erection of buildings near the Government Lmie .Juice 

 Factory to establish a Government granary and ground 

 provision depiM. The depot opened for business from 

 Monday 25th; considerable (juantities of provisions have 

 since been purchased and sold, and there is every indication 

 of the venture proving an unqualified success. The rainfall 

 recorded at the Botanic Gardens, Castries, for the month 

 totalled 5-80 inches; the record at the Agricultural and 

 l))tanic Station, Choiseul, wps 2 9G inches. 



ANTiiu'A. -Mr. T. .Jackson, the Agricultural Superin- 

 tendent, reports the following plant distribution during the 

 )iionth of February: onion plants, 10,300; miscellaneous, 

 54; and 2 packets and 10 lb. of seed. The exceptional dry 

 weather experienced retarded the growth of all staple crops. 

 The canes in some of the fields were drying up for want of 

 rain. Attempts to plant vegetable crops in some cases failed 

 for the same reason, lieaping operations were in some 

 districts almost brought to a standstill on account of the dis- 

 satisfaction of the labourers in connexion with a suggestion 

 made by planters that crops should be reaped by the ton 

 and not by the line. Only indifTerent crops of onions c.xn 

 be expected in consequence of the continued drought. 

 Thrips in some cases were attacking onion seedlings in 

 nurseries. The amount of corn nieil made at the gran.ary 

 aggregated G,381 lb. Unfortunately this work cannot bo 

 proceeded with, on account of the disintegration of the stone 

 rollers. The Antigua Cotton Growers' Association purchased 

 7,790 lb. of seed-cotton; the (juantity of cotton purchased by 

 the Association amounts now to 23,000 R. The rainfall for 

 the month, recorded at the Botanic Station, was U(jO inclies; 

 for the year, 257 inches. 



ST. iviTTS. .Mr. F. R. Shejilierd, the Agricultural Super- 

 intendent, in the items of interest forwarded for the month 

 01 February, states that 7,S75 cane plants, 167 cuttings of 

 ornamental plants, and 100 mahogany secillings were dis- 

 tributed. In addition, 24 8). of peas and 1,574 lb. of 

 selected cotton seed were sold. The usual routine work was 

 carried on in the Botanic Gardens, iluch watering bad to 

 be done until the last few days of the month when 

 185 inches of rain were registered. The reaping of the cane 

 crop was rapidly proceeded with, especially in the district 

 connected with the Basseterre Factory. The returns per 

 acre in the Valley district are low, but the sucrose content 

 is high. The condition of the young cane crop wi-s not 

 promising, but the rains referred to above, it is hoped, 

 will do a great d-al towards establishing the young plants. 

 .Ml the old cotton plants were being taken oft", .'ind in some 

 places the preparation of the land for the coming cro)) had 

 been stirted. The weather was so dry that ground provision 

 crops and corn could not be jilaoted, but an atte npt will now 

 be made to plant after the recent rains. During the month 

 o53,S24 fti. of cotton lint were purchased on behalf of the 

 .\dmiralty, and a total of 445,309 ft), of lint is awaiting .ship- 

 ment in St. Kitts- Nevis. The rainfall for the month was 

 4 30 inches; for the year, 5'3(> inches. 



viR.;iN isLANiis. Reporting for the month of .January, 

 the Curator, .Mr. W. C. Fishlock, mentions plant distribution 

 as follows: onion ])lanls, 381,900; cabbage, 30: tomato plants, 

 12; vegetable .seeds, 12 packets; cotton seed, 15 !!;■. In 

 connexion with staple crops there was little to report. 



