A FORTNIGHTLY REVIEW 



or THB 



IMPERIAL DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE FOR THE WEST INDIES. 



Vol. XII. No. 300. 



BARBADOS. OCTOBER 2-5. 1913. 



Peice Id. 



CONTENTS. 



Paoe. 



Page. 



The Supply of Corn for the West Indies. 



.Y far the most imiiortant crop in tlie world, 

 (from the point of vie\v of yield, is the potato 

 {crop, of which the annual production is .about 

 15G millions of tons. Coming below this prodigious 

 figure it may be noted, is the world's annual yield of 

 sugar-cane, which amounts to something like 80 

 millions of tons. The world's production of Indian 

 corn, however, approaches much nearer to that of 

 potatoes, whilst it considerably e.xceeds the output of 

 wheat. It is approximately K'.:^ millioris of tons. Of 



this enormous quantity of grain. North America pro- 

 duces 78 per cent., Europe 15 per cent, leaving 

 only 7 per cent, for the other continents which, it is 

 significant to observe, are to a large extent situated in 

 the Tropics. Exactly what part of the 7 per cent, the 

 West Indies are responsible for, it is difficult, practically 

 impossible, to say; for, such small areas as are put under 

 this crop we find cultivated ])rincipally as a catch-crop 

 for immediate estate consumption. 



The part taken by the West Indies is at any rate 

 infinitesimally small, and quite inadequate to meet the 

 local demand which is principally supplied, as is well 

 known, by the United States. 



In the near future it is at least clearly evident 

 that better and more intensive methods will have to 

 be employed in the Wust Indies, and probably there 

 will have to be an extension of area, for — to return to 

 the statistics — although North America produces 78 

 per cent, of the world's crop, and supplies 2(i per cent, 

 of the amount needed by foreign countries — including 

 the West Indies — that must buy, it is only just over 

 2 i)er cent of the United States' prodigious production 

 that is exported, and this has fallen in five years to its 

 present low position from over 9 per cent. Such a decrease 

 in exportation indicates that home consumption ia 

 the United States will soon equal production. In fact, 

 during the past three years corn has been imported on 

 the Pacific coast. The consumer's increased demand 

 will raise the prices, and it may be predicted that the 

 NVest Indies will not be likely to escape from the effects 

 of it unless they make the necessary provisions to 

 meet it. 



Reference has Just been made to foreign countries 

 — including the West Indies— which must buy. But 

 the statement is too general. The West Indies have 



