316 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



SEi-TEMiiEi: 27, 1913. 



A catalogue has been received from Messrs. Merry- 

 weather and Sons, Limited, London, which describes a fire 

 hose nozzle that performs six entirely separate functions. 

 It is said to be of the greatest assistance in attacking and 

 preventing the spread of conflagrations. 



GLEANINGS. 



In spite of the dry weather, the cane crop in the northern 

 district of St. Kitta is sound and healthy, there being no signs 

 of disea.se, as there was last season. 



During August, the Agricultural Superintendent, St. 

 Lucia, directed the internal structural work in the new lime 

 factoiy. The mill was received and mounted. 



Dominica rainfall was normal during August in Itoseau, 

 but considerable damage was reported from the windward 

 side of the island owing to excessive rains. 



Bendal's and Gunthorpe'a sugar factories in Antigua 

 have closed down for the season. The latter made 7,3.50 tons 

 of sugar, not including second sugar, as against 6,200 tons 

 last year. 



An Ordinance is published in the Uganda Official 

 Gazette which provides for the protection of agricultural 

 produce. Loitering or lurking on plantations is a punish- 

 able offence. 



In Montserrat, the chief agricultural problem at present 

 is tlie ill health of the lime trees It is stated that the dry 

 weather is making the position le.ssand less hopeful. A very 

 poor crop is being obtained. 



According to the Poit-or-Sjmin Gazette (September 7, 

 191.3) considerable disappointment has been occasioned in 

 one of the school gardens in that island through the occcur 

 renceof praedial larceny. 



The condition of the crop on the small holdings in 

 Grenada gave cause for much anxiety during June and .July. 

 Since then, however, the appearance of all the crops has 

 greatly improved. This i.s most noticeable as regards the 

 corn and cane crops. 



A considerable amount of travelling was done during 

 August by tbe Agricultural Superintendent and the As.sistant 

 Agricultural Superintendent, St. Vincent. A large number 

 of estates and small holdings was visited. A trip was made 

 to the Southern Grenadines. 



The taxes on rubber exported from the Congo State 

 have been reduced. The tax on plantation rubber is nil; the 

 highest duly is put upon tree or vine rubber to the extent of 

 fiO francs per 100 kilos. (The Board of Trade Journal, July 

 17, 1913.) 



In the issue of A'a^wre for August 14, 1913, a plea is 

 put forward for a continuation of the seismological 

 observations and researches of the late Professor .Milne. The 

 most fitting monument to his memory would be the 

 continuation and development of his great work. 



A note appears in I'liu Bo'trd of Trade Journal 

 (August 7, 1913) to the eti'ect than an agreement has come 

 into force between the Java cinchona bark planters and 

 quinine manufacturers, and that an absolute ting has been 

 formed in this commodity. 



According to the Antigua Sun, a prospectus will be 

 issued shortly of Kendars (Antigua) Sugar Factory Limited, a 

 company formed for the purpose of acquiring the well-known 

 business of that name for so long carried on by the late Mr. 

 A. M. Lees' firm. TLe capital of the company is £22,500. 



Consideiable dissatisfaction has been shown in America 

 in regard to the inferior quality and bad condition of cigars 

 imported into that country from the Philippine Islands. 

 Efibrts are being made at Manila to secure more uniformity 

 and an improvement of quality. (Diplomatic and Consular 

 Re/orts No. -5089— Annual Series.) 



The best way to destroy rats in cane fields — according 

 to ihs All stru I ia7i Sityar Journal — is to expose bread with 

 dripping on it, or a split banana upon which a few drops 

 of essence of aniseed has been placed, together with the 

 poison, strychnine. In using baits jt is always necessary 

 to expose at first a little without any poison on it. 



The (rardi inra' Chronicle gives considerable attention 

 in the issue for August 23, 1913, to the newly established 

 National Dotanic Garden in the Union of South Africa. 

 For upwards of fifty years the project of a garden has been 

 under consideration, and it must be gratifying to those who 

 have worked so long and devotedly for this object, that it 

 has at last attained fulfilment. The Garden will occupy an 

 estate on Table Mountain. 



The metal barium occurs in tobacco and in other plants. 

 According to the Journal of the Chemical Society (July 1913) 

 it has beeii shown that the poi.sonous eflTect of loco-weed 

 (Astragalus sp.) on cattle, is due to the [jresence of barium. 

 Barium has been found in tobacco in amounts varying from 

 0009 per cent, to 074 per cent, (calculated as barium 

 sulphate). 



The St. Kitts /laili/ K.i/n-iss continues to publish from 

 time to time, notes agitating against the conditions of the 

 milk supply in that island. It will be remembered that a^ 

 editorial on this subject recently appeared in the A;/riciiltuial 

 iVe«'.s. This leading article has been reproduced in several 

 of the island newspapers and it is hoped that it will bo 

 found possible for the authoiitips to give sympathetic con- 

 sideration to the suggestions which were put forward in it. 



