A FORTNIGHTLY REVIEW 



OF THE ^e^' V. 



IMPERIAL DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE FOR THE WEST INDIES. 7,1";''^ 



"Vol. XVII. No. 435. 



BARBADOS. DECEMBER 28, 1918. 



Prigs Id. 



Pagi 



Agriculture in Barbados... 4l;5 

 Autho^-yanin Pigmenta- 

 tion in Castor Bean 

 Crosses, The Inheri- 

 tance of 403 



Ajoivan Seed and Thymol 41 1 



Barliados Agricultural and 

 Industrial Exhibition... 408 



Biologia Central- Ameri- 

 cana 4II!I 



Camphor, Decreasing Sup- 

 ply of 405 



Citrus Hybridization ... 407 



Department News 4li3 



Departmental Rejioits .. 404 



Etticiency in Pro- 

 duction 4(11 



Gleanings 412 



Goa^ Society, Bar- 

 bados 4its 



:. > Pagf. 



Insect Notes: — 



Summary of Entomuloy;i- 

 cal Information during 

 1!U8 41(t 



Items of Local Interest 4i)i; 



.raiiiaic;i Imperial Associa- 

 tion 415 



Market Reports 41i; 



Notes and Comment.s ... 40H 



Pl.mt Diseases: — 



Diseases of Coco-nut 



Palms in Grenada ... 414 



Plants Poisouou.s to Stock 411 



Pop Corn 413 



Se.i Island Cotton Market 414 



Suijar-cane Manurial Experi- 

 ments, Demerara ... 4<Mi 



Suaar ' rop, Briti.-h 

 Guiana. IHIV-IM ... 40!i 



Sun Spots, Influence of 4<l'.l 



Vanilla Cr'ip of Guade- 

 loujn- Vl> 



Efficiency in Production. 



T^^r^rUE editorial in tlie previuius nuiuber ot 

 .-the Agricultural Neics contained the part 

 of the address by Sir Francis Walts, K.C.M.G., 

 delivered before the Antigua Agricultural and Com- 

 mercial Society, in whicii he dealt with efficiency 

 in production as applied to the sugar-cane industry. 

 His remarks on the same subject with regard to 

 minor crops are reproduced below: — 



In many of thu smaller islands the crop next m 

 importance to sugar-cane is cotton. The various food 

 crops are also very important, perhap.s of increas- 

 ing importance, in viow of the augmented cost of 

 imported good*. 



The high price which is now being paid for cotton 

 has led to a revival of interest in its cultivation, and it 

 is a matter for consideration whether it is worth while 

 to take those serious ettbrts, without which it seems 

 that cotton growing is not likely to succeed. It i» 

 now pretty generally admitted that community action 

 is necessary if the cultivation of Sea Island cotton is 

 to be carried on successfully. It is found that concerted 

 action is necessary in procuring the right kind of seed 

 and in maintaining its purity, and that concerted 

 action is also necessary in the matter of controllit'g 

 insect and fungus pests. 



In these circumstances it is found best in the 

 Windward and Leeward Islands to entrust the work 

 of seed production to the Government, acting through 

 the Agricultural Departments, and for the Governmenlj 

 to make regulations in respect to the control of pests 

 and diseases. 



A very important point inconne.xion with increas- 

 ed efficiency in production is this control. Considerable 

 study in this direction has been undertaken and pub- 

 lished by the specialists attached to the Staff of the 

 Imperial Department of Agriculture. Planters sJiould 

 be on the alert to detect attacks, and they will be wise 

 if they follow the directions given by those who have 

 studied the question of control of their insect or other 

 foes. 



It would seeni certain that the matter of peats 

 and diseases of cotton may best be dealt with by iatro- 

 ducing a close season, that is to say, fi.xini:; a time when 

 all old cotton plants, or indeed cotton plants of any 

 description, throughout any given districts, shall be 



