Vol. XIV. No. 352. 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS 





THE CYCLONIC DISTURBANCE OP 



AUGUST 10. 



It may be of interest to re :ord in this Journal the 



nature of the cyclonic disturbance that passed through the 



Windward and Leeward Island lay, LugustlO, 1915. 



By reference to the accompany ng map, which gives in 



unmatic form the general c< mditii tved to exist 



on the af tern i of August 10, the geni of events 



can be appreciated. The cyclone, which wa irea, 



apparently originated south-west Dominica and its centre 

 passed over that island. The dotted or right-hand circle 



of the diagram represent the disturbance - i after its 



formation, before it had attained a intensity. 



_\ s it . .in its westwai I ) increased. 



Luckily it ntly near to Dominica to leave 



insufficient time for anj great intensity ■ iched before 



passing over that island: otherwi : the damage inflicted 

 would have been very much greati c than it was. Travel 

 ling westward the storm was in full force by the time it 

 reached Jamaica, and apparently maintained its intensity 

 until it penetrated the Southern States of America causing 

 murk damage at Galveston on Ae coast of Florida. In 

 Louisiana it is reported that o image was done 



especially to su iries, as far west as Franklin. 



Fig. I 7. Pass vge of hi: ( !y< i.,. 



The observations made in the different West Indian islands 

 fully substantiate the nature of the disturbance as indicated in 

 the above diagram. In Dominica, at the approach ol the 

 storm north winds were experienced with a falling barometer. 

 About fi..'!(> p.m. there was a lull with the barometer at 

 29-3") inches, the lowest point t*. which it fell. This indi 

 rated the passing of the centre, \iter that the wind veered 

 to the south and blew with renewed vigour, and then 

 eventually subsided. These observations are clearly in 

 accord with the wind directions indicated by the arrows in 

 the diagram. 



In regard to observations in the other islands lying 

 north and south of Dominica, it must be pointed out "that 

 the area of a cy< [i oe is not definitely circumscribed as might 

 be thought from the diagram. The circles merely represent 

 the inner /.ones of greatest intensity. The cyclom has 

 a much greater radius of influence, which gradually dimin- 

 ishes towards the periphery. 'this ,,,-,., u for the 



weather conditio i a p distant fi 



centre as Barbado and 



In Barbados, on the morning ol the 10th, tl 



which was moderately, ligh 



thenorth.cha - aincreash inti 



and then south, from whi - for 



--.ii- hours, thus leading local obser i I that the 



-I'., this southerly wind 



representing . isiderable m into the c; 



in .i from these facts it is >-. id | thi outei 



of the disturbance p issed over Barbados. 



In St. Lucia some light damage was d 



the west-rly and south westerly wind experienced in the 

 evening ol the 10th instant, and strong southerly winds 

 occurred in St. Vincent. The condition nS Kitts were 

 much the same as in Ant igua. 



In Antigua, as would be exj ted, the wind first blew 



from the in nth, then from the north ea ngii 



ami then, as the disturbance passed over, to the south east and 

 ultimately to south, when the weather becamecalm. Bi 

 the change from northeast to south-east the I 

 reached its lowest point, namely 29*775 inches at 6-15 

 This, as would be expected, is a highei reading than that 

 registered at Dominica about the same time (29-35 inches). 

 The gradient of atmospheric pressure is naturally sli 

 on the outskirts of tin 03 :lone than in tin path entre. 



The foregoing account shmvs very plainly tie 

 tance of wind observations during the course of a cyc- 

 lone as by a comparison of these at different times and 

 pla.-es the position ami path of the centre of the dis- 

 turbance can be made out. The barometrical reelings 

 indicate the intensity of the storm and the reli 

 rate at which it may be expected to be advancing or 

 retreating. It is important that observers should 1 

 the direction of the wind and the changes that take place 

 the cyclone passes: the hour of the day should be stated in 

 the observations. The directions of the windareas important 

 as the height of the barometer in forming a clear pictu 

 the cyclone and its prog, ess. Wind observations should be 

 based on the movements of the lower clouds rather than 

 upon the indications of surface objects like weather c >cks or 

 flags. 



In regard to the East Africa Protect! rat... the year 1913- 

 1 t is characterized as one of conspicuous development in 

 nearly all branches of farming. In .March it wasestimated that 

 ever 5,000 acres were under coffee cultivation, while tl. 

 said to be large areas of land equally suitable for cultivation 

 of this crop. A coffee plant inspector was appointed from 

 Jamaica and the appointment has proved very popular a 

 the settlers. 



Changes in the G-uiana Scholarship. -A cir- 

 cular letter has been addressed by the Governmen 



to the Combined ( lourl -vith reference 1 



the regulations regarding the Colonial Scholarships. B 

 Guiana being an agricultural country, it is thought 1 

 should l.e laid down that in the case of two scholarships in 



even three years the winners must Study scientific agriculture 

 or engineering, or undergo a course of industrial train 

 son icollege or institute selected by the Government, and 

 that one scholarship only i M everv three y . should be 

 awarded for law, m . arts. It is 'also 



that no scholar be all nter as a -indent at m 



Inns of Court for call to the liar unless he has the 

 ling without encroaching on the scholarship allowai 



