^§h. ^^'• 



No. 



■ J- II''. 



il9. 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



157 



t..,ee,q . DOWN THE ISLANDS. 



,, ITEMS OF LOCAL INTEREST. 



!'T>05irxic.4. Aoi;or<liiig to notes forwarded by the 

 Curator, during the month of April f^S.") plants were distri- 

 buted, and 3y2 packets of vegetable seeds, 3 barrels of pigeon 

 peas, and 1)0 barrels of horse beans were sold. Rainfall for 

 the month was r86 inches. 



MONTSEKEAT. Mr. W. Robson, ('arator, writes to say 

 that plant distribution during the month of April comprised 

 the following: Bay plants, 1,380; potato cuttings, 700; jiigeon 

 peas, 5A lb.; black eye peas, 16 packet>; corn cobs, 26; papaw 

 seeds, '6h oz. Work in the Kxperiment and Botanic Station 

 was of a routine nature, ^insisting chiefly of reaping opera- 

 tions. Owing to the breakdown of the still at tlie begin- 

 ning of the month, the distillation of bay leaves has been 

 .suspended. 



The cotton planted at the beginning of March is suft'er- 

 ing from lack of rain, particularly on the leeward side of the 

 island. Very little cottnn has been planted since the middle of 

 March, and about half the area remains to be put in. Estates 

 have increased their acreage so far as labour permitted. 

 Over 400 bales of cotton of last seasons crop reniain to 

 be shipped. The planting of areas in limes is practically 

 at a stand.still, and the area in plant canes will probably be 

 below that of last season. All estates complain of shortage 

 of labour, which is stated to be chiefly due to labourers plant 

 ing cotton in their own interests. Foodstuffs still remain very 

 scarce. At a general meeting of the Agricultural Society 

 it was unanimously agreed to recommend that the (iovern- 

 ment proceed with the Cotton Stainer Ordinance for the 

 destruction of the host plants of this pest. The appointment 

 of an Assistant Curator has been arranged for as from 

 July 1. < )nly light showers fell during the month. The 

 rainfall recorded at Grove Station was 2'2-5 inches. The total 

 rainfall for the year to date is 1519 inches. 



.-vNTiGUA. Plant distribution during the month of 

 April was as follows: Pandanus, 1,301; lime plants, 500; 

 coco-nuts, 341; eucalyptus, 165; onion plants, 100; decorative 

 61; cotton seed, 4201ft); miscellaneous seeds, 2 packets. 

 ^Ir. T- .Jackson, the Curator, states that the scarcity of water 

 at the Botanic Station is seriously handicapping the work 

 in the nurseries. Early in the month fairly good showers 

 were e.xperienced in some parts of the island. Advantage 

 was taken of this by many to plant provision and other 

 crops; but' at the time of writing rain was required through- 

 out the island. On the whole, the onion crop is almost 

 a complete failure; apparently only one-fourth of the returns 

 obtained last year will be harvested this year. This is 

 attributed to the severe drought e.xperienced during the last 

 three months, which was followed by severe attacks of thrips. 

 The conditions of the young cane crop improved somewhat 

 during the month. Preparations are being made to plant 

 cotton. The returns per acre for last year are decidedly 

 jwor; the amount of cotton reaped to date by Antigua and 

 Barbuda was appro.ximately 49,000 tti. Three hundred and 

 forty crates of onions were shipped by the Antigua Onion 

 Grower's Association. The rainfall for the month was 364 

 inches; for the year to date, 8 26 inches. 



ST. KiTTs. In his notes for the month of April the 

 Agricultural Superintendent, Mr. Y- lt_. Shepherd, mentions 

 plant distribution from the Experimeiit Stations as follows: 

 7,700 cassava cuttings and 1,200 sweet potato cuttings; 200 

 cuttings of ornamental plants were also distributed from the 

 Botanic Station. Owing to the dry weather, which made 

 constant watering necessary to keep the plants alive, .only 



tlie usual routine work coulii. be carried out. The cane .-rop 

 was being rapidly taken off; the returns, with a few 

 e.vceptions, were very low. The young canes were feeling 

 the effects of the dry weather, and plants recently supplied, 

 especially in the Valley district, were germinating poorly. 

 A considerable area of cotton has been planted in tlie 

 northern district where weather conditions are more favour- * 

 able, and the young plint* are doing well. In the Valley 

 district very little has as yet been planted, but with the '■ 

 advent of rains a large acreage will be put in. Whorever 

 possible, sweet potatoes, cassava, and corn have been planted. 

 At the end of April 58G.S04Ib. of lint cotton was awaiting 

 shipment at St. Kitts-Xevis. The rainfall for the month 

 was 1 '07 i:iches, for the year to date, 9'81 inches. 



AGRICULTURE IN BARBADOS. 



Although the rainfall has been in some districts below, 

 the average, the weather during the past month was more 

 favourable than during April 1917. It will be remembered 

 that the last two weeks of April 1917, were the drie.st and 

 dustiest for the whole year. 



The total rainfall for the four months of this year in the 

 hilly parishes is about 13 inches, while in the low lying 

 parishes it is just under 7' inches. 



t)n .some black soil estates the crops have been completed. 

 The season has been practically perfect for grinding, bu: the 

 yield has been under last year's mark 



We have noted that this year's crop will be shorter than 

 last year's or that reaped in 1916. We are aware that weather 

 conditions have had a good deal to do with this, but we 

 cannot refrain from sounding a warning note, as on more 

 than one previous occasion, in connexion with the treatment 

 of the soil. We are of opinion that our soil, in spite of 

 the tillage and manuring which it receives, needs further 

 help. There should be rotation of crops, and a period of rest 

 for every field, if we would keep up a high standard of 

 fertility. 



Once more, the rotation of crops would afford excellent 

 opportunity for green manuring. Hardly any of this is done 

 at the present time, but it is acknowledged by scientific 

 agriculturists that this is a most effective means of feeding 

 the soil with those constituents which it requires. It is also 

 an inexpensive process. .Many a light sandy soil which needs 

 humus would be restored to a healthy condition by the 

 ploughing in of green crops. 



Where recent showers have fallen in sufficient quantity, 

 the young crops have immediately responded. It is mar 

 vellous to see how quickly the blades of grass shoot up from 

 the earth after a rain. The young canes in the hilly districts 

 are, we think, in a more satisfactory condition than they 

 were at the corresponding period last year. 



The ratoons are bunching well, and a few fortunate 

 planters have been able to put in the first application of 

 artificial manure to some fields. A limited supply of nitrate 

 of soda is daily expected, and arrangements are being made 

 to obtain the sulphate of ammonia required for the coming 

 season. 



The supply of ground provisions has naturally grown 

 scarce. There are very few fields of mature potatoes left, 

 and many planters are anxious not to continue selling until 

 they have been able to plant. They have to be very careful 

 lest they run out of slips. 



With the recent rains some planting of corn and potatoes 

 has been done, but only to a limited extent, for on many, 

 estates it has not been possible to prepare the land. (The 

 Barbados A^ncitltiiral Ncporf-'i; May 4, 1918.) 



