Vol. XVII JSo. 4-i3. 



THE AGRICULTURAL .. NHWs 



pinli boil worm, is a mosu seiimi.^ aftiur. and e^en if 

 - permission is refused' to land tjie cjirgo. there is 5-till 

 a menace to the cottori industry.j,.. The tlistance from 

 the anchorage to the shore, and "to growing ■ cotton 

 crops is probiibl}- not, more than the mothvS arc cap'iblf 

 •of coveritjg in their Hight ,in such ports as Piarbad.!?, 

 St. Vincent, Montserrat, and St Kitis. It is tnu> that 

 the anchorage is usuallj^ to leeward, and that orditiarilv' 

 the Hight ashore of the moths would mean tliglit 

 against the wind, but during th« whole of the rainy 

 season a southerly or westerly breeze j.s of freipient 

 occurrence, 



( 'ottou .seed, seed-cotton, and even gtimcd cotton 

 Jrom a country iu which the pink boll worm is known 

 t-o occur, should not be impi-irtcii into any cotton-grow- 

 ing country. Any packages of cargo in the hold, in 

 ■which .seed infi^sted by pink boll worm is contained, are 

 liable to be the means of carrying ashore the pupae of 

 this insect, and from these the moths may emerge and 

 .make their way to growing cottoa. 



The "juestion has been raised in Barbudo,-. as to 

 whether the legislation which -provides for tneeting 

 such an event as the present is of sufficient power. The 

 danger to ln^ ap|j)-ehended in any colony where cotton 

 is orown, and cotton seed is imported for planting or for 

 oil prorluction is so great that mosr. careful attention 

 fihould be given to the details offexisting legislation: 

 siiid if this is not adequate to make it possible to de.il 

 satisfactorily with any such condition in the cvne .1' 

 its arising, then special attention should be giv'.;i lo 

 -enacting adei|uate legislation. 



Experiments in Tea Cultivation in Ceylou. 



Tht^ results of experiments in th'e various manures 

 tm tea plants for 1914, at the Peradeniya (experiment 

 Station, are recorded in BvllHin No. ■'•/'. of the 

 Departrnent of Agriculture, Ceyjoiii. July UUS, from 

 which the following items of general ifiterest are 

 reproduced: - 



Some of the plots nob under permanent groeu 

 maiiuies began to show marked deterioration in the 

 wood and frames of the bushes, alehoiigh vields were 

 fairly maintained, ■ 



'I'lois under rubber also fell ofif' rapidly in yield 

 owing t.<» the shade of the latter, and the- tea was cut 

 out in August 19 U'l. In September 191 fi, two plots 

 were each treated with 1,000 ft. of' well-burned and 

 slaked lime, the lime, being broadcasted upon every 

 row and lightly forked in. Three plois each haii 

 ;V)0 ill. smiiiarly applied 



The permanent effect of rattle manure in one 

 nlot has al'o been most inarkol, the last application 

 biiving baon. nijule in iVferch U)08,' when ^^0 tons per 

 •acre were applied." 'l"he total actual yield from this 

 plot since 190f> is S,9h>7 21'.. or if ealeulated to •2,72-2 

 bushes pi-,r acre, 11,37!> tb„ she area only containing 

 .2].jK buslies Taking bi-yeariy']ieriods since IKO*;, 

 the cattle, lear.nre bfitig applied in 190^, a. practically 

 vonunHon.s li-e in yif.i.i :-jh'>wnTo the present lime. 



Agricultural Tractors in Trinidad. 



from an editorial note in ihei-Pratehf!}!;!^ of ll<i- 

 Ai/i-icidliiral 'Socirti/ of Triniilml and Tohiijo 

 for .SeptJember l!)l>^, ii no,. Id appear that" the use of 

 tractors fbfagrir [lurpojes i.s extending in 



'ri'inidad, Reference 1- ni.uh; to the recent importation 

 of six I heaman garden tractors, which are diesignedJor 

 work in vegetable gardens. This tractor, it is stated, 

 will cultivate any crop planted injJo.ws from I 2 inches to 

 ."> feet apjiri. [1, is'ea'sily operated and controlled, and can 

 be tinned H)iiiidin a small space. AtbAchments of gar- 

 den h'bts, culfivators, discs, etc., are provided for, and 

 these can be adjusted (or use on rows of different widths. 

 It is claimed that the Breaman tractor costs no more 

 than a first class young mule, smif that it c.",n do the 

 work of two mules. 



Besides these garden tr.ictors it is noticed that 

 a Caterpillar tractor is at work on one of the largi- 

 coco-nut estates with very satisfactory' result's, tht; work 

 performed per day being more in quantity., more effec- 

 tive, and cheaper than that hitherto accomplished by 

 teams of ;iraught oxtn. 



Many sugar plantations on the island are making 

 extensive use of mechanical implements in their 

 culti\ation. 



Effect of the Introduction of Exotic Animals 

 and Plants on Native Flora. 



In an article on Hawaiian botany, in the 

 Hawaiian Forester and Aynculturist, October 1918, 

 attention is drawn to the effect of alien agencies on 

 indigenous veget.ition. In his three visits. 1892-94. the 

 celebrated explorer. Vancouver, not only introduced 

 manr European seeds and plants into the Hawaiian 

 islands, but also landed the first goats and cattle ever 

 seen there, and the cattle were pl;iced under taboo by- 

 King Jvamehameha tor a period often years. The 

 wild goals and cattle multiplied with almost incredible 

 rapidity, .and before many years had passed, thev had 

 much damaged the Hawaiian forests. I'he pronounced 

 (lepletion of the forests in all regions to which these 

 herbivorous animals had access, the e.xtinction of nuiner- 

 ous plant species, and the conspicuous curtailment of 

 the ranges of many others may all be traced to the 

 destructive influences of wild goats and cattle running 

 at large through the mountains and waste lands. 



Similarly, thousands of .acres formerly occupied bv 

 the native vegetation is now in the pos,session of weeds 

 cosmopolitan throughout the tropics, which have dis- 

 placed the less vigoTOns indigenous forms. Th^re is 

 probably no region that manifests with greater clearness 

 than Hawaii the rapid action and far reaching inffiieiices. 

 of alien organisms upon an insular fauna and tiora. 

 The innumerable inti'oductions Vwth intentional and 

 unintention.al -oi plants and animals from many other 

 regitms have entirely changed the phyto-geographv of 

 all Hawaii save the c<im[jarativr]y in.iccrssible mountain 

 fastn<.\sses : 



To a less extent the above description of the e(i.-ets 

 ol ci>smopolitan wf eds may hi- noticed alsrt in -.he \\ . .■,[ 

 Indian islands. 



