Vol. XIV. No. 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS 



317 



DOMINICA: REPORT ON THE AGRICUL'/V 

 RA1. DEPARTMENT, 1914 to. 



The first section in this reporl provides information <m 

 plants in the Botanic Gardens, inch i interesting class 



of native plants employed for the p irpose of stupefying fish. 

 3Jhe fruits of the tree known as Bois Bambarra (Diospyro* 

 Ebi natta, Retz.) are amongst those used for this purpose. This 

 interesting tree has only recently been identified in Dominica 

 to which island it is believed to bi i ous. 



Thf section which follows the above concerns work in 

 thi' nurseries and the importation and distribution of plants. 

 The total number of plants sent oul during the year was 

 67,042, of which 65,170 were limes. Plant importations 

 have included six varieties of selected manj India 



and some ds of the Queensland nut [Afacadamia terni 



folia) from Trinidad. At the Botanic and Experiment 

 Station the plot experiments have consisted in trials with 

 different green dressings including two species of indigo. 

 Th'' subject of green dressings is one of importance to planters. 



As regard the notes published on economic plants at 

 the Station, consideration is given first to Castilloa 



bei < stilloa is ag eported aa tin uited for 



cultivation in Dominica. The results of examinati E 



i rubber in London have been favourable, and there is 

 no doubt that certain districts of the island are naturally 

 capable of producing good trees. In this section consider- 

 ation is also given to the question of budding limes on hardy 

 stocks. Practical success has I in this n 



and plants will soon be available for distribution. This 

 question of budded limes is important in connexion with the 

 prevalence of root disease in certain districts, since the root 

 system of the hardy stock may lie expected to offer greater 

 resistance to infection than the more susceptible roots of the 

 seedling limes. 



Coming to the subject of diseases in particular, attention 

 may be called to the useful report which appears by the 

 Mycologist of thi- Department. In this the nature and 

 methods of control of lime root diseases are adequately 

 outlined 



Progress in the chief industries receive- attention on 



pages 17-22 of the report. The lime crop for 1914 was 

 somewhat less than in 1913 but its value was £187,031, or 



£44,369l ! than in the previous year. In view of the 



fact that high prices may not continue in future years, the 

 importance of increasing the yield per acre is wisely in 

 upon. This can be effected bj man ring, bj the avoidance 

 of overcrowding, and by giving greater attention to the 



questh F drainage. In a general way another ca oi 



serious loss in the lime industry is the lack of , rdination 



between the work in the field audi; the factory. Greater 

 all-round efficiency i- required in the work oi producing, 

 handling and preparing the crop for market. It is urged 

 especially that more care should be devoted to the pn 



tion of concentrated juice of high quality. 



During the year under reviev^ there was a relatively 

 large output of raw lime juice du - principally to Army and 

 Navy requirements. The export ol green limes to New 



York again constituted i a 



In regard to the caci top, the shipmei I'M I 



again showed a reducti n those of tic previous \< 



the exports of i increased. The number of nuts 



exported in L914 wa 9 npared with 31 



1910. The minor produ ts -hipped fr the colony included 



oranges, bay leaves and I b ml 



hardwood. These are i ■ >00. 



Efforts in connexion with gei ^cultural progi 



deal with technicalities in th of lime produi 



With the unusually high price reached - c lime 



juice it became necessary during the yen to reconsidei the 

 point of economical con .,. [t is mai Ii nt that 



the planter who o d say 12 to 1 at ordinary times 



would stand to los< nsiderable sums of money if he 



continued to concentrate to the same degree when com 



trated juice is selling at 640 or over per pipe. I 



this information are notes on the feedi I muriil I 



of lime trees, which I Ireadj been published in the 



Agricultural News. In connexion with the pi , a of 



lime products, it should be mentioned that the Agricultural 

 Department is prepared to test lime juice for private 

 individuals at a moderate charge Thoi »h <ken 



advantage of to the fullest extent, planters an gin 



more samples than they used to. 



The main body of the publication concludes with an 

 account of efforts to extend interest in agricultural matters, 

 and with a. section devoted to details of administration and 



meteorological ret urns 



Appended to the general report just reviewi I two 



others dealing, respectively, with manurial experiments and 

 agricultural education in Dominica. The report on manurial 

 experiments consists of two parts: thait dealing with cacao, 

 and that having reference to limes. The cacao experiments 

 constitute a continuation of the scheme described in previous 

 reports and again indicate the great value of manuring, 



eS] tally with organic mat ter 



The second part dealing with mai leriments 



conducted in limes is new. The creation in 1913 of a lime 

 experiment station was a matter of verj considerable impor- 

 tance: this station will he of great service in solving problems 

 connected with the lime plant for which, hitherto, no proper 

 facilities have existed in the Lesser Antilles. The result- already 

 attained are of much interest, but in view of the short time 

 this Station has been in existence, they cannot be regarded as 

 conclusive. The results indicate that in lime cultivation 

 manuring is distinctly remunerative. 



As in former years , satisfactory standard is being 

 maintained with reference to agricultural education. The 

 report on this subjeel b.a jard to the training of pupils at 

 the Botanic and Experiment Stations. A large amount of 

 useful field work is done by these pupils, and class teaching 

 is done once a week, on Saturdays. A written examination 

 for these pupils is conducted twice during the year by the 

 Imperial Department of Agriculture. Educational efforts 

 have also included instruction to small holders, which in the 

 past have proved so successful. Encouragement is given at 

 the Botanic Station to those who an- ii ition to take up 



the Courses of Reading and Examination in Practical 

 Agriculture conducted annually by the Imperial Department. 

 Several successful candidates have entered from Dominica in 

 recent years and it is hoped that full advantage will be 

 taken of this means of -ell advancement in the future. 



In conclusion it will lie evident that the report under 

 review contains a large amount of information of great 



interest and value to the planting c mnity not only of 



Dominica but also of tropical colonies generally. 



