Vol. XII. No. 29 1. 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



251 



.ST. KITTS-NEVIS: REPORT UiY THE BOTANIC 

 STATION, 1011-12. 



During the year 191112, the climatic conditions of the 

 Leeward Islnnds as a whole — with the exception, perliaps, 

 of Uominica — were characterized by rather meagre receipts 

 of rainfall. In St. Kitts it would appear from the Report 

 on the Botanic Station, that, owing to the prolonged drought, 

 it was hardly possible to do more than keep by constant 

 watering the existing plants and trees, in the garden.s, alive. 



In that section of the publication which deals with plot 

 experiments at the Botanic and Experiment Stations, it is 

 stated that the following crops were under experiment 

 during the jear: sweet potatoes and other provision crops, 

 ground nut,'--, pineapples, green dressings, tobacco, cotton, 

 Guinea corn, onions, Indian corn, and, to a larger extent 

 than those just mentioned, varieties of sugar-cane.* In 

 connexion with the trials of provision crops the work was 

 supplemented by the distribution of a large number of 

 cuttingSj seedlings and seeds. 



CJTTON EXPERIMENT.S. 



The most interesting experiments, and tho.«!e, perhaps, 

 of greatest economic importance, were the ones conducted 

 with cotton. Good results were obtained from the hybrid 

 cotton seeds (Barbados Sea Island cotton x St. Eustatius). 

 The trees were vigorou.", producing a large number of bolls, 

 with lint of good character, strong, regular, fine and lustrous, 

 with an average length of 45 mm. This experiment, which 

 has so far been very successful, will be carried on during 

 future seasons. Satisfactory trials were made with Thorn- 

 ton's hybrid cotton. In regard to manurial experiments 

 with cotton, the results of the year under review, together 

 with those of former ones, indicate that the addition of 

 artificial manures under the conditions existing at La Guerite 

 (the Experiment Station) has not been attended with remu- 

 nerative returns. 



The special selection work with cotton, started four 

 years ago, has been continued on the same lines. The 

 practical results of the selection work with cotton in 

 general is reported on as being most encouraging, since 

 the cotton growers appear now to realize that the returns 

 from this selected seed are such as to warrant their 

 planting, in many instances, the entire crop from it. 



GENEK.\L l-ltOOEESh. 



The next section in the report, Notes on Economic 

 Plant.s, refers to the small area, but satisfactory condition of 

 cultivations of cacao, rubber and limes. In regard to 

 progress in the chief industries, the subject dealt with next, 

 a prediction is made of the advantages which were thought, 

 at the time of writing, would afcrue from the establishment 

 of the St. Kitts Central Sugar Factory. The results 

 obtained by this factory during- the current year have amply 

 satished these expectations. 



The publication continues with an account of the cotton 

 industry at Anguilla. Here, as in St. Kitts, the industry 

 has suffered through drought and the attacks of insect pests, 

 particularly from the cotton worm and from 'black bugs'. 

 Mr. Carter liey, the chief cotton grower in the island and 

 the owner of the Central Cotton Ginnery, remarks upon the 

 fact that this latter pest is extremely difficult to control. 



Following upon an account of satisfactory progress as 

 regards agricultural instruction at the Grammar School, 

 the publication ends with the report of the Agricultural 

 Instructor, Nevis. In this, as in the other .sections of the 

 publication, there is evidence to show a continuance of that 

 useful activitj' which characterizes the Agricultural Depart- 

 ment of the Presidency of St. Kitts-Nevis. 



♦ The results of the St. Kitts siii;iii--cane experiments 

 together with these conducted in Antigua have been recently 

 issued as a separate report. 



ilONTSERRAT: REPORT ON THE ROTANIG 



STATION, 1011-12. 



This report reviews the work and progress of the 

 Agricultural Department, Montserrat, for the year 1911-12. 

 The work in the nurseries and that in connexion with the 

 distribution of plants has included observations on variou."? 

 trees of interest, amongst which observations may be 

 mentioned the fact that Encitb/ptus rovnuta and E. rudis 

 have made satisfactory growth. A fair amount of work is 

 recorded in regard to plant distribution. This latter line of 

 activity is marked by the large number of lime seedlings and 

 sweet potato cuttings sent out during the year under review, 



COTTOM EXPERIMENTS. 



The plot experiments with cotton, which occupy so impor- 

 tant a position in the routine of the Department, have included 

 interesting trials with immune cotton from the Sea Islands 

 of South Carolina, and with Egyptian Sakellarides — a type 

 which shows a considerable amount of adaptability to 

 conditions obtaining in Montserrat. Work on hybrid cottons 

 is still in progress. 



I'ESTS .\ND DISEA.SES. 



The experiments with limes, next discussed, concern 

 principally the problem of the so-called root disease 

 that has of late years threatened the stability of the lime 

 industry. It may be mentioned that this problem has been, 

 and is receiving the close attention of the scientific ofHeers 

 on the Staff of the Imperial Department of Agriculture. 



The section in the report which deals more particularly 

 with fungus and insect pests refers to successful remedial 

 measures for the corn ear worm, and considerable anxiety is 

 expressed in regard to the prevalence of cotton stainers. 

 During the current year, unfortunately, circumstances have 

 not tended to allay this anxiety. 



GENERAL PROGRESS. 



The succeeding sections on progress in the chief 

 industries indicate the growing popularity of cotton as 

 a staple crop in Montserrat, the area under cultivation for 

 the year under review, being greater than that of any other 

 since the introduction of the crop ten years ago. Much of the 

 success attendant on the cotton industry would seem to 

 be directly attributable to the activities of the Curator in 

 charge of the Botanic Station. 



The report concludes with an account of the progress 

 in the minor industries, which include the production 

 of ]Mpaiii and bay oil, and the facts presented appear to 

 .show that these industries may in time attain to a considerable 

 degree of importance. 



