Vol. XIV. No. 350. 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS 



311 



arc making good progress. The statement is made that at 

 one estate cacao was nol so badlj attacked by thrips as it 

 was four months ago, thai spraying >n this cacao is still in 



progress. Reference i texion with thrips should be made 



to Insect Notes published in this issue of the Agricultural 

 .V. i ut. 



A considerable amount "i visiting ami inspecting of 

 growing crops was done in the Windward districts, and the 

 Assistant Agricultural Superintended visited Bequia for the 

 purpose of distributing seed corn to i small growers, whose 

 crops had been destroyed by the army worm. Anothero >j< I 

 was i" -tut a -mall corn demonstration plot. 



The kiln drier for corn installed at the Government 

 Cotton Ginnery was to be started in September, ami the 

 purchase ••! corn on a profit sharing basis will he commenced. 

 The weather during the month was wet, 13"78 inches having 

 been recorded at the Botanic Station. 



A- regards work in the Botanic Gardens, n is of interest 

 to record that the Victoria Regia seedlings germinated in 

 the basin fur aquatic plants. A supply of 'millions' bred 



in the basin was sent t > of the island estates. This basin 



will afford a useful breeding ground from which millions can 

 be regularly distributed. 



ST. lucia. A communication from Mr. Brooks furnishes 

 the information that work in the Experiment Stations has 

 included the distribution and transplanting of lime plants, 

 the planting of coco-nuts, and various estate improvements 

 includingthe laying out of new roads. Observations relating 

 to staple crops show that in the case of cacao, picking was 

 in progress and that the crop is normal. The lime crop was 

 in full swing and the return also normal. The cane crop was 

 making good growth, from tin Government lime juice 

 factory Pi casks of concentrated juice were shipped during 

 the month. 



The following is a list of the plants distributed from the 

 Agricultural Department's nurseries during August: limes, 

 1,300; cacao, 50; oranges, budded, «'>: nutmegs 27; decorative, 

 I I. This gives a total of 4, .'597. 



The rainfall at the Agricultural and Botanic Station was 

 T'^ - - inches, while at the Botanic Gardens it was 21*20. 



In a separate communication received from Mr. Brooks 

 it is learnt that a proclamation has been issued forbidding 

 the importation of citrus plants from the United States on 

 i ounl ol the existence of citrus canker in that country. 



domink \. Mr. Joseph .lone, informs this Office that 

 it is to be feared that many estate- ■ rffered considerably from 

 the recent storm. Considerable quantities of immature fruit 

 were Mown down and it is anticipated that the present year's 

 crop will be lower than usual. These remarks however are 

 only provisional : an accurate estimation will not be possible 

 until a tour of the island is completed by the Agricultural 

 Officers. Later advices tend to show that the damage done 

 was less than at first anticipated. 



Dr. Tempany visited the island from August •_'! to '.'7. 

 devoting his time to chemical problems. 



In the lime and cacao experiment stations as well as in 

 the Gardens much of the work during August consisted in 

 the clearing away of refuse and in efforts to prepare the 

 damage done. In the nurseries work connected with the 

 raising of plants was carried on a- usual and an event of some 

 interest was the despatch of a wardian case of grafted mango 



plants to the Agricultural Department in British Mast Africa. 



The rainfall for the month of August was 147 t inches. 



MONTSERRAT. Several interesting items are contained 

 in the August communication sent by Mr. Robson. The 

 value of spraying ground nuts with Bordeaux mixture has 

 again been demonstrated and the yield of this crop has Keen 



excellent. It is stated that thirty row s oi Carum 



the ajowan plant, recentlj introduced, are growing well and 



that the plants are beginning to dower. 



The reaping ol cotton began about the middl 



month and the crop promises to he at least up to the i 



So far it has been a g Mime year and satisfactorj crops 



are 5 telded bj the healthj fields. 



No less than 290 ft of onion seed was received during 

 the month and this was distributed amongst L50 gi 

 Two meetings were held in connexion with the Onion 

 Growers' Association, of which the Curator is Honorary 

 Secretary. Rules have been passed, printed, and will be 

 circulated to growers. Applications for membership must he 

 received by October 31. A meeting of the Association 

 was held on September I, when it was decided that all 

 onions must be plaited and have been dried for at least 

 days before delivery. From this it would appeal 

 cultivation is to occupy an important position in the 

 agriculture of Montserraf in the future. 



Mr. Robson makes reference to experimental work with 

 cotton which has included a continuation of his obser. 

 ci racerning stainers. 



ANTIGUA. Mr. .1 . .lack-on saw- the cane crop sttH 



continues to look promising, [f good weather continues it is 

 expected that a record crop will be made m L916. Last 

 crop, 8,390tons of crystals were made at Gunthorpes and 

 1,283 tons at Bendals. Of cotton 80,000 lb. was shipped as 

 last season's crop 



The work of planting trees around Wallings reservoir 

 has been completed. 



Several mertings of agricultural interest were held 

 during August: these included a meeting of the Board if 

 Management of the Onion Growers' Association and two 

 meetings of the Agricultural Society. 



In the experiment stations the cultivation of sugar-cane 

 variety plots has been begun and Agave plots at Oolebrooks 

 prepared. A corn meal maker has been erected. 



In a letter from I >r. Tempany it is understood that at 

 a meeting ofVthe Agricultural Society he read a paper on tin 

 subject of co-operative insurance in West Indian agriculture. 

 The paper was published in the issue of the Antigua Sun for 

 September < "> , and appears to have attracted some attention 

 locally. An abstract of this paper will appear indue course 

 in the Agricultural News. 



ST. kitts. According to Mr. V. R. Shepherd, tin- 

 present condition of the sugar-cane crop is very satisfactorj 

 and there is every prospect that the returns per acre will be 

 greater than they have been in recent years. The cotton crop 

 has suffered from too much rain causing the plants to run to 

 wood at the expense of the boll. The trees are. however, 

 very healthy. During August, picking commenced in the 

 earlier planted fields. Appended to Mr. Shepherd's observa 

 tions is a summary of a chemical work conducted by 

 Mr. Waterland. This has included manurial valuation of 

 white ash from the central factory: determination of 

 carbonaceous matter and moisture iii black ash from the 

 central factory; analysis of three samples of milk from the 

 police and six samples from other sources: preparation of soil 

 samples and estimation of organic carbon in .soils togethei 

 with determinations of soil shrinkages. 



NEVIS. According to Mr. W. Howell, the cane crop 

 continues to make good progress. The cotton in exposed 

 situations was badly damaged by the recent storm. Work in 

 the Experiment Station has consisted principally in tending 

 cotton and bean demonstration plots, and in the distribution 

 of plants. 



