Vol XVII. No. 435. 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



407 



Regarding this, the opinioa is expressed that normal 

 returns will be obtained. During the month severe attacks 

 of cotton caterpillars were experienced, which completely 

 defoliated the plants in some parts of the island. The 

 flower-bud maggot of cotton was also noticed during the 

 month. The amount of seed-cotton purchased during the 

 month was 9,553 fti.; the quantity purchased to date is 

 17,439 Db. During the month Sir Francis Watts addressed 

 a meeting of the Agricultural and Commercial Society, also 

 a meeting of the Antigua Cotton Growers' Association. The 

 rainfall recorded at the Station for the month was 717 

 inches-; for the year 3S'48. 



In a brief report on agricultural instruction, attacks 

 of cotton caterpillars on the holdings visited by the Agri- 

 cultural Instructor during the month are recorded. These 

 were being kept in check by repeated dustings of Paris 

 green and lime, or London purple and lime. Dusting with 

 ashes has also been tried by the peasants, but although the 

 worms are killed the ashes do not adhere to the leaves. This 

 cannot, therefore, take the place of Paris green. 



ST. KiiTS. During the month of November 87 B). of 

 peas of various kinds were distributed from the Botanic 

 Station, where work of a routine nature was carried on 

 Regarding staple crops, Mr. F. R Shepherd, the Agricultural 

 Superintendent, states that the cine crop throughout the 

 island has considerably improved during the past month, and 

 if the rains continue, the prospects for the coming season 

 will be decidedly better. The canes look green, vigorous, and 

 healthy, and in the northern district the returns will be above 

 the average of the past two seasons. A few of the musco- 

 vado estates are reaping their 'stand over' canes, and making 

 syrup, which is fetching a good price. It seems likely that 

 these estates will go in for syrup making to a large extent 

 in the coming season. The young cane crop is being 

 planted, and the germination appears to be good. The 

 old cotton plants are being rapidly turned in on the 

 estates in the northern district; the close .season takes 

 effect on December 15. The yield per acre has been 

 above the average for this district. In the valley district 

 picking still continues, but the heavy rains have caused 

 much loss of bolls, and the great prevalence of the cotton 

 stainer will render the second picking of little value. Visits 

 were paid during the month to the estates round the island in 

 connexion wi'h sugar cane experiments, and the campaign 

 against the native food-plants of the cotton stainer. All own- 

 ers of estates have agreed to destroy these plants growing on 

 or about their properties, and the Ordinance will soon be in 

 general operation. The total rainfall for the month was 

 9-87 inches; for the year to date, 4465 inches. 



DOMINICA. The Curator, Mr. .Joseph Jones, writes to 

 gay that the crop reaped from the lime experiment station 

 during the month of November was 103 barrels, making a 

 total to date of 797 barrels of limes. Plant distribution dur- 

 ing the month was as follows: lime plants, 2,775: budded 

 citrus, 48; grafted mango, 4; nutmeg, 2; miscellaneous plants, 

 16. In addition, 3,500 shade tree cuttings, and 800 cane 

 cuttings were sent out, and 235 packets of vegetable seeds 

 sold. The local market price for fresh raw lime juice has 

 fallen from Sd. to 6d- per gallon, and ihat for ripe limes from 

 4.f. to 3.f. 6(f. per barrel. Mr. C. A- Gomez was appointed to 

 act as Assistant Curator, and took up his duties on November 

 28. Dry weather prevailed during the month, the rainfall 

 recorded being 3-36 inches. 



MOXTSEER.AT. In items of interest for the month of 

 November, Mr. W. Robson states that the rainfall con 

 tinned to be satisfactory for the development of crops 

 in the Experiment Station. Considerable trouble has been 



experienced with the caterpillar (ProJeiiia sp.) on the 

 ajowan plot. Plant distribution included: lime plants, 

 3,250; biy plants, 1,580; cane cuttings, 340; sweet potato 

 cuttings, 800; cassava cuttings, 100; various beans, 22 pack- 

 ets. The second crop of cotton in the Station is turning out 

 fairly well. Samples of seed-cotton were selected for further 

 inquiry into the question of the suppression of lint length 

 in second crop pickinus. Generally the weather has been 

 favourable for the development of the second crop of cotton, 

 and the ultimate result from the crop will probably be up 

 to the average of previous years. Of the 1918 crop, 859 

 bales have been delivered to the Government. Attacks of 

 cotton worm have been particularly severe on the second 

 growth, and on large areas the plants have been completely 

 defoliated. An experiment is being conducted on one estate 

 as to the advantage of pulling out alternate rows of cotton 

 when the second growth is abnormally vigorous. On cer- 

 tain areas, and in many cases where there was a prospect of 

 good second pickings, cotton stainers have become unduly 

 numerous, and in thi.s respect— taking the island as a whole 

 — are perhaps a month ahead of the time of their occurrence 

 in previous years. The destruction ^of mahoe trees was pro- 

 ceeded with A large rrop ^of limes is developing on the 

 areas which produced a poor |crop earlier in the season. 

 The rainfall reaistered at Grove Station during the month 

 was 5 20 inches, and was well distributed; the total rain- 

 fall for the year to date is 50'37 inches. 



NEVIS. The Agricultural Instructor, Mr. W. I. Howell, 

 writes to say that during the month of November the plots in 

 the Experiment Stations have all been kept in good order. 

 Cotton plots have snfTered much on account of the heavy rains, 

 which caused boll dropping and black bolls. The sugar-cane 

 crop throughout the island has very much improved since the 

 rains. All the fields have made very good growth, and a fairly 

 good crop is expected. Preparation for next season's 

 crop is in progress, and planting has begun in some places. 

 Syrup for local consumption was made on small estates. The 

 continuous rains, coupled with the very severe attack of cotton 

 stainers, have shattered all hopes of anything like an average 

 second picking anywhere: poor yields were obtained from all 

 the late fields. An Act providing for a close season, and one 

 providing for the destruction of native food-plants of the 

 cotton stainer were recently passed, and will soon be put into 

 operation. The provision crops are all doing well, and a good 

 crop of yams and sweet potatoes is espected. The quantity 

 of new crop cotton purchased for the Imperial Government 

 up to the end of November is 413 bales, 377 of which were 

 from cotton grown in Xevis. The rainfall recorded for the 

 month was 109S inches; for the year to date the record is 

 51 70 inches. 



Citrus Hybridization. — The fournal of IL-ndity, 

 October 1918, states that in the spring of 1914 exten- 

 sive hybridization of citrus fruits was begun at Riverside, 

 California. Crosses have been made between the varieties 

 of orange, lemon, pomelo, and mandarines (tangerines), besides 

 a few crosses of berganiot orange. These crosses are partly 

 within botanical species, for instance, between Valencia 

 orange and the Mediterranean Sweet orange; many, however, 

 are between ditlerent species as between the Dancy tan- 

 gerine and the Marsh pomelo. Some of these cros,ses have 

 already proved to be of considerable interest, and there will 

 doubtless be produced in the future varieties [wssessing one 

 or all of the desirable characteristics of hardiness, productive- 

 ness, and flavour, which may render them of great commercial 

 importance- 



