396 



THE AGRICULTUnAL NEWS. 



Dkcembkr 14, iSlb. 



Although 8(>ain was probably the first country oh Ihis 

 Mediterranean to produce cane sugar after its introductibli 

 from the East, it seems now probable that the culture bf 

 sugar-cane on the Spanish mainland will cease entirelV 

 before many years, the crop having fallen from 16, 17G tons ib 

 1912, to 4,584 tons in 1917. (The iMuhiana Planter October 

 19, 1918.) 



GLEANINGS. 



Abnormally heavy rains were experienced in Tortola 

 -daring the first ten days in November, the rainfall amounting 

 to 13 07 inches. The heaviest fall of over 4 inches in about 

 six hours occurred on November 9. Following a rainy 

 October, this amount of r.iin has caused considerable damage 

 to the roads all over the island. 



The way in which cement is used as a poison for rats is as 

 follows : Take a roasted or boiled potato; crush it, and mix 

 with the cement — about one-third the mixture must be 

 cement — roll the mixture into balls, and 'place them in the 

 field, (The Journal of the Jamaica Ai^riadtural Soiittv, 

 August 1918.) 



Tlte Times iot October 21, 1918, reports that its Jamaica 

 correspondent telegraphs that the Government of the island is 

 considering the question of the settlement of natives who 

 have served in the West Indies Regiment oh their return from 

 the war. Plans are being discussed for the establishment 

 of communal farms. The Government is to assist to develop 

 the farms, and to market the produce. After expenses are 

 ■l^iiuottd, the balance is to go to the men. 



I'robably the largest butter manufacturing concern in 

 tlie world is the Noith-l'oast Co-operative Company, Ltd., 

 Byron Bay, New South Wales. Th« quantity of butter 

 manufactured for the half-year ended April 30, 1918, was 

 10,6:;7,-'>43 It)., the average price received being \Q\d. per ft). 

 The company also deals largely in hogs, having treated ]!),H1.S 

 carcasses during the same half-year. 



A note on citrus cultivation in Surinam, which appears in 

 the Journal of the Royal Society of. -iris, (.)ciober 2, 1919. 

 btates that a yield of 1,000 fruit per adult tree is not excep- 

 tional. The average yield per tree may be placed at 500 

 fruit. Estimating the .'-ale price at \il., per orange, an acre 

 of sixty-five trees, with an average of 500 fruit per tree, would 

 bring in about £40; from this must be subiniotcd the cost 

 of cultivation, placed at about £4. 



It is understood that Iclegrams have been addressed 

 to all Wc.-?t Indian Colonial Governments by the Secretary 

 of State for the Colonies, ftating that the ( iovernment 

 has decided to appf.int a Committee to consider the 

 probable effect of the ■■hipping position after the war on 

 British tradf in the West Indie:, and on intercolonial commu- 

 oication, and to report (n measures to be taken to maintain 

 adequate communicati'.n between the Colonies, and to pro- 

 vide increased port or other facililios for shipping. The 

 Colonial Governncnis are invited to send rcprpsentation'; u^ 

 the Committee. 



The quickest way to rid land of Johnson grass (So>i;/iu>n 

 hahpenst) is to overgraze with sheep, meanwhile irrig'atibjf 

 frequently. The most effective way, as well as the raosl 

 economical way, is the frequent cultivation of a crop such as 

 corn, followed by another crop demantling much tillage, such 

 as cotton. The method demanding lea,st labour and outlay of 

 cash, is dry fallow in summer followed by grain crops 

 (The v^v/rr/w^vV^Aj/w/ /e<r-//v/, July 1918.) 



The Khodtiia Agricultural louriiaL August 1918, slates 

 that cultivated varieties of cowpeas very frequently fail tt) 

 thrive in that country owing to attacks of the stem bor«r 

 although cases are reported of excellent crops being produced. 

 The native cowpeas, on the otiier hand, seem highly resistytnt 

 to those pests. Of tbe^e native beans there are several distiqpt 

 strains, and these are now being e.xperimented with ^"^ th^ 

 Agricultural Experiment Station, Salisbury. 



The Egyptia-H Horticultural Review, Octpber 1918 

 states that by adding carbonate of sod* to the water in 

 which out tiowers are placed, in the proportion of a tea- 

 spoonful to a pint, it is possible to lengthen the life of the 

 (lowers. Tbe action of the cbemical tends to ipcrease the 

 power of absorption in the cells of the plaqt. A weak s ilution 

 of camphor and water will have a similar effect. To keep 

 the water sweet and clean it is an excellent practice to add 

 a small lump of charcoal to eich vase. 



The Jiidiaii Trade Journal, August 9, 1918, states that 

 the work on sugar-cane on the part of the Department of 

 Agriculture, Bengal, has shown satisfactory progress. Out 

 of fifty-one varieties selected for tests, forty one have 

 been eliminated. The tests which are applied! are ."ucar 

 content and fitness for local conditions, which vary greatly 

 throughout the Presidency. Two exotic canes have prcived 

 successful, and three local varieties the most popular. The 

 exotic canes give the best yield, but are inclined to deteiior- 

 ate. There is an increasing demand for sugar c^qe cutiintfs 

 from the Ooveinment farms. 



The UWkly Jhilletiii, Department of Trade and ('om- 

 iiierce, Canada, October 21, 1918, in an article on copra 

 production in the South Sea Islands, says that copra, beioK 

 the chief article of production and of export of the South 

 Pacific Islands, plays the foremost part in their commercial 

 and material prosperity. It is stated that the approximate 

 average export of copra from the South Pacific before tbe 

 war was between 70,000 to 80,000 tons per annum. 



In the report on the Agricnltural Department, St. Lucia 

 1917-18. it is stated that there his been rapid extension of 

 cultivation in some of the districts where agricultural credit 

 societies have been established. In other districts, where 

 cultivated areas lacked care and attention, the peasants are 

 endeavouring to improve their small holdings under the 

 instruction of the Agricultural Instructors of the Depart- 

 ment, and by the Judicious usp of money loaned to them for 

 tbe pur[ioHe. 



