Vol. XII. No. 285. 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEW: 



107 



underground stem portions of the cane stool. As this stage 

 of development is reached at the time the canes are nearing 

 maturity and the dry season is commencing, the etl'ect of 

 serious attack is very obvious, the cuies having the appearance 

 of dying as a result of drought. Often as many as thirty to 

 forty grubs are taken from the base of a cane stool. During 

 the present season (191213) root borer grubs have caused 

 serious loss in fields of newly planted canes, tunnelling into 

 the interior of the cane plants and eating the new shoots. 

 The subject will be cintinued in ihe succeeding issue of 

 the Ai/nculixral S^ewx. 



ANTIGUA AGRICULTURAL AND INDUS- 

 TRIAL EXHIBITION. 



It was stated in the last issue of the Agricultural 

 JS^evs, that the Antigua Agricultural and Industrial 

 Exhibition was held on February 20. A report on the 

 Exhibition has been received recently from the Super- 

 intendent of Agriculture for the Leeward Islands, and 

 this account of the proceedings is now reproduced as 

 follows: — 



The lines adopted in the organization of the undertak- 

 ing were similar to those followed in the case of the Exhibi- 

 tion for 1911. District sub committees were constituted in the 

 various parishes, and arrangements were made in each for 

 disseminating informal ion and for receiving entries. 



Despite the unpropitious character of the preceding 

 season, a large number of entries were received prior to the 

 opening of the show. The day previous to the exhibition, 

 and the morning of the exhibition itself were showery, and 

 this militated, to some extent, against exhibits being brought 

 in from the more distant parts of the island. Nevertheless 

 at the time the exhibition was opened, 1,214 exhibits had 

 been staged. 



The show was opened by His Excellency Sir H. Hesketh 

 Bell, K.C.M G., at 12 o'ckjck noon. His Excellency was 

 accompanied on the occasion by the Hon. Dr. F. Watts, 

 C.M.G , Imperial Commissioner of Agriculture, and by the 

 Hon. T. A. V. Best, Colonial Secretary. 



In the course of his remarks. His Excellency alluded to 

 the number and quality of the exhibits, and touched on 

 questions relating to agricultural progress in the island. 



Subsequently the certificates won in the recent Agricul- 

 tural Examinations were distributed to successful candidates 

 by His Excellency, after which the Commissioner of Agri- 

 culture delivered a brief address, his remarks having special 

 reference to the question of agricultural education in the 

 West Indies: and in this connexion he alluded specially to 

 the recently promulgated scheme for the establishment of 

 a University of Tropical Agriculture. 



On the whole, the character of the exhibits was decidedly 

 ligh. 



In the stock classes the horses and cattle shown were 

 ■very fair, whilst the asses were good and the mules excellent. 

 In the latter section, the fine display of locally bred mules 

 calls for special notice. The classes for small stock and 

 poultry however, were somewhat poorly represented. 



In the classes for fruits and vegetables, and for sugar- 

 canes and products, some fine exhibits were shown, and the 

 standard reached both in the number and quality of the 

 exhibits was surprisingly high in view of the past bad season. 



The class for cotton was also well represented, and 

 a large number of exhibits of high quality appeared. 



In this connexion keen competition was evoked for the 

 Challenge Cup presented to the Exhibition in 1911 by the 



British Cotton < Irowing Association. Samples of the various 

 lots of lint entered for competition have been sent to England 

 for examination and report. 



A large and diversified series of exhibits appeared in the 

 classes for plants and Mowers which called for much admira- 

 tion. Special mention must be made of the exhiliits of roses 

 in the .section for cut Howers. 



A good series of specimens was seen in the class for 

 preserves, whilst the class for miscellaneous exhibits was 

 productive of a varied display of considerable interest. 

 Under this head were included such things as handicraft 

 work, fancy w.jrk, cookery, laundry work, dairying, wood 

 carving, and amateur photography. Many excellent exhibits 

 were seen, but special mention must be made of the very 

 large and beautiful series of exhibits of fancy needlework of 

 various descriptions. 



The classes for children's exhibits were fairly well repre- 

 sented, but the display of pot plants grown by children of 

 the elementary schools was verj' disappointing. ( )n the other 

 hand, some excellent exhibits of vegetables grown in school 

 gardens appeared The Challenge ( 'up presented by the late 

 Sir C. C. Knollys for school garden produce, was this year 

 won outright by the Spring ( hardens School. 



The exhibits shown in the class for collection display of 

 estates produce were of good quality, but it is regretted 

 that greater competition was not .shown. This is probably 

 attributable, however, to the past bad season. The pri/.e in 

 this class — a handsome silver cup presented by Mr. H. E. W. 

 (irant, C. M. ('•. — was won by Fitches Creek estate. 



It is also a matter for regret that more competition was 

 not shown for the special prize presented by the Committee 

 for the best display from the stock-in-trade of a merchant. 

 This prize was won by Mr. 1!. E Potter. 



Special features of the show were the display by the 

 island of Barbuda, and the exhibit of the Imperial Depart- 

 ment of Agriculture, which in addition to a varied collection 

 of experiment station produce, showed a number ef exhibits 

 illustrating a number of special points of local and general 

 interest relating to various agricultural industries. 



The special prizes ottered by His Excellency the Governor 

 for imported stock were both won by Mr. T. E. Peters of 

 Jolly Hill estate. The award offered by the Committee, for 

 the best equippage was won by Mr. I II. Dyett. 



The day of the show had been proclaimed a public 

 holiday. Favourable weather prevailed during the proceed- 

 ings and the attendance was large. 



DEPARTMENT NEWS. 



Mr. P. T. Saunders, M.R.C.V.S., Veterinary Otiicer 

 on the Staff of the Imperial Department of Agriculture, 

 left Barbados on March 2-i, by the R.M.S. 'Thames' for 

 Trinidad, in order to attend the West Indian Conference 

 on 'J'uberculosis which is being held in that Colony. 



In the Colonial Riports — Annual, No. 749, for the 

 Leeward Islands, His Excellencj* the Governor, Sir H. Hesketh 

 Bell states that the steady improvement in the economic 

 conditions of the Leeward Islands may, he thinks, be mainly 

 ascribed to the erection of central sugar factories in Antigua, 

 to the establishment of a cotton industry in St. Kitts and 

 Nevis, to the encouragement of peasant proprietors in 

 Montserrat, and to the attraction of British capital to 

 Dominica in cinnexion with the planting of limes, c.aoao 

 and fruit. 



