ToL. XII. Xo. 301. 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



363 



TORTOLA : REPORT ON THE EXPI:RIMENT 

 -STATION, nn >■].!. 



From the outsider's point of view, the most interesting 

 information contained in this report is that dealing with plot 

 experiments with the staple crops and tlie account given of 

 progress in the chief industries. The section dealing with 

 plot experiments is divided into two parts: that concerning 

 trials with permanent crops, and a second dealing witli experi- 

 ments with annual ones. As regards perniiinent crop 

 experiments, the report shows that cod'ee (Cofea liherica) 

 and pine-apples are well suited to conditions obtaining 

 in Tortola. The trials with ditt'erent varieties of sugar- 

 cane should prove useful to peasant cultivators. It would 

 appear from the results that have been obtained tliat 

 Sealy Seedling and B.109 are well suited to the locality 

 in which they were tried. 



Among the annual crops, cotton receives considerable 

 attention. The weather conditions during the year under 

 review were very unfavourable for this crop, and ditticulties 

 ■were experienced in regard to its establishment. The heavy 

 receipt of rain in October stimulated rapid growth, but 

 insect pests multiplied at an equally rapid rate, and there 

 was a serious attack of cotton worms (Alolama arc/illacea) 

 in many districts. In order to enable the peasant growers 

 to deal with this pest, considerable quantities of Paris green 

 were given away free of charge. 



Referring more particularly to progiress in the chief 

 industries, it is important to note that the value of the lint 

 shipped during 1913 shows a rather large decrease compared 

 with the value for 1912. This decrease, it .seems, has only 

 once before been exceeded or even equalled, namely, during 

 the year 1909-10. As regards progress in the minor indus- 

 tries. It is observed that considerable success is accompanying 

 efforts to develop minor cultivations like the bay oil industry, 

 coconut planting, and particularly lime cultivation. The 

 number of barrels of lime sent in to the experiment station 

 mill considerably exceeded that recorded for 1911. The 

 report does not hold out hopes as regards success attending 

 the shipment of fresh limes to New York: it is believed that 

 it will pay the grower in the Virgin Islands better to give 

 attention chiefly to the production of concentrated lime juice 

 and lime oil. 



The usual interesting list of exports from the A'irgin 

 Islands is included in this report, and a comparison of the 

 1912 figures with those for the previous year shows that the 

 value of the exports had by the end of. 1912 fallen 20 per 

 cent. Only in the case of one commodity — fish — has any 

 appreciable increase taken place. 



At the end of the report will be found a useful appreci- 

 ation of the value of Government aid in agricultural affairs 

 in the Virgin Islands, in which Presidency, jt will be remem- 

 bered, the buying, ginning, and sale of the locally grown 

 cotton are entirely in the hands of the Government Agricul- 

 tural Department. 



.ST. CROIX. REPORT* ON THE AGRICULTURAf^ 

 DEFARTMEXr FOR lut-l. 



This report contains a large amount of work which 

 is of considerable interest, particularly since the conditions 

 obtaining in St. Croix (D.W.I.) closely resemble, as may be 

 expected, those of Antigua; hence it is that similar experiences 

 and ditKcullies have been met with. 



The report comprises an account of the results obtained 

 in manurial and variety experiments with the sugarcane, 

 a description of trials with Sea Island, .Sakeliarides and 

 other varieties of cotton, together with sections dealing with 

 provision and other subsidiary crops. A large amount of 

 space is devoted to the subject of insect pests, and to the 

 question concerning the introduction of motor ploughing 

 into the Colony. These last two sections of the report will 

 not be dealt with further in this review, but will be treated 

 separately on other pages of this journal. 



The manurial experiments with the sugarcane have 

 not yielded results as conclu.sive as might be hoped for. 

 Ditliculties were experienced in regard to the prevalence of 

 disease in patches in the field, and also in connexion with an 

 unevenness of fertility of the soil in which the canes were 

 grown. In the summary of results concerning the manurial 

 experiments, the St. Croix planter is not advised to u.se 

 artificial manures for plant canes, except in special cases. 

 In St. Croix, as in Antigua, the limiting factor in cine 

 production is the rainfall. To assist in reducing the 

 ill effects of a low precipitation, deep cultivation and the 

 application of heavy doses of pen manure are strongly 

 advocated. 



As regards the tests with varieties, the following canes 

 are, as a result of the experiments, recommended for cautious 

 trial on est-ites: B.6360, B.lSiU, R.G4.50, B.6292 and 

 B. 17.53. In connexion with the trials with seedling canes 

 raised in St. (jroix, considerable progress is being made, and 

 several promising varieties have been produced (e.g. S. C 

 12-11); but the general principle deduced from the trials 

 is that no rigid system of selection of seedling canes should 

 be adopted the first year, but that nearly all the seedlings 

 should be saved for a second year's trial. 



The experiments with cotton comprise, perhaps, the 

 most interesting subjejt-matter in the report. With Sea 

 Island cotton, success has followed selection work with 

 Cameron 106, a strain numbered 125 being remarkable in 

 that it is a late bearer, remarkably vigorou.s, and decidedly 

 resistant to leaf-blister mite. After trials had been made 

 with Sakeliarides in 1911-12, an attempt was made to cross 

 Sakeliarides with Sea Island cotton, and so far as the work 

 of the first crossing goes, the result has been eminently suc- 

 cessful, the yield being, in one case, nearly 3,000 H). of -seed- 

 cotton per acre. One plant produced 307 ripe bolls weigh- 

 ing 2i tt). of seed-cotton. 



In considering the introduction of this hybrid on to 

 estates, it has to be borne in mind that the seeds from 

 the hybrid will not, in all probability, breed true. This 

 will necessitate fresh cro.ss-pollination each year — a circum- 

 stance which is obviously open to several objections, amongst 

 which are the cost of, and risk involved in raising, the seeds, 

 and the dependence upon an exceptionally heavy yield to 

 counterbalance the lower value per ft), of the hybrid lint 

 compared with the much higher price oflJ'ered for fine Sea 

 Island cotton. The problem is therefore one which demands 

 the most careful consideration of both the planters and the 

 Agricultural Department. 



* Advance copy in MSS. forwarded for review. Tlio 

 Report has nut yet been published. 



