Vol. XIV. No. 342. 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



1 8c 



Exports from Antigua in 1914. 



In the Leeward [slands Gu >i March 25, L91 1. 



there is published a return of produce exported from 

 intigua for the year January I to December .31, 1914, 

 with a comparative statement ot' experts for the yi ir 

 ius. From this i I is gathered that 11,431 tons of 

 crystals ai d t,01 I tons of muscovado sugar were exported 

 in 1914 as against 8,536 and Uiiaii-i- n pectively, in 

 1913, while in the case of molasses the similar figures 

 were 5,9(52 and 6,243 puncheons, respectively, or 

 i decrease of 381 puncheons in 1914. The exports 



if cotton in 1914 a nted to 77-*>l bales as 



against 766 in 1913. In regard i dons, there 



is an increase over the 1913 exports of 2,151 crates, the 

 figures being (1913) 1,406 crates, and (1914) 6,557 

 srates, respectively. There is, however, a decrease in 

 the exports of citrus products in 1914 as compared with 

 L913, 869 barrels of limes, and 287 barrels of raw and 

 57 of concentrated lime juice having been exported in 

 L913 isl 7()7 barrels of limes, and 141 barrels of 



raw and 28 of concentrated lime juiqe, in 1 !• 1 4. ( >f 

 pine-apples thi exports were 1913,371 barrels; 1914, 

 259 barrels a decrease of I I- barrels. 



Selection of Rubber Seed. 



That considerable possibilities 1 i « - before the 



selection of Efevea brasiliensis was one of the chief 

 impressions of Professor Bateson during his journey 

 through the Tropics from Australia last year, and it is 

 satisfactory to learn from the India Rubber Journal 

 that 1 >r. Cramer is giving the matter systematic 

 attention in Java. This scientists exhibit at the 



Batavia exhibition i tained an interesting series of 



selected seeds of Para rubber, and the photographs of 

 some of these in the above-mentioned Journal (for 

 March 6, 1915), show clearly the remarkable and 

 apparently constant differences that exist. It is hoped 

 by selection to obtain seedlings adapted for growing at 

 high elevations but more especially to increase the 

 yielding capacity of trees growing under ordinary 

 environments. The present tendency fepplant wide, and 

 the comparatively low price for rubber make it all- 

 important to obtain from each tree a maximum yield, 

 Bo that Dr. Cramer's work will be closely followed by all 

 those who are connected with the production of Bevea 

 libber. 



Government Aid in the Establishment of Sugar 



Factories. 



An 1 1 1 1 . i esting i til foi the West Indies is i he 



i introduction of a Bill in the Philippines 



providing a Sugar-Central Board composed of the 



Governor-General and members appointed b) him, for 



mrpose of establishing central sugar factories in 



Tli>- Louisiana PI i 

 pro < rovernmenl shall 



50 i 1 i ■■Hi. of 



the value of the sugar crops raised, and it' the croj 



not materialize, shall pay the difference out of its 



own funds. 



It also provides that il wners of sugar lands 



may const it ute a corpi I blisl i ■ 



with the further condition that no grower who shall 

 enter into a contract shall sell to am othei central 

 within the limit of sevei en years. It is proposed I i 

 utilize the gold standard fund to loan monty to the 

 corporations desiring to establish the central 



special provisions, thai not i 'e than 9 million pesos 



equal to about I.' million dollars gold, shall be in' 



This example of Government aid is parallel to 

 whal has been done iii Queensland. The Board of 

 Tradt Journal for March 18, 1915, calls attenti 

 an \ri assented to lasl Deci mber, under the provisions 

 of which owners or occupiers of cane land maj mal ■ 

 application to the Governor-in-Council for the con- 

 struction and purchase ot sugar works in their locality. 



Applicants must undertake to grow cane and to 



subscribe conjoin th ihml of the capital stock of 



the Joint Stock Company proposed to be formed for 

 the purpose specified. The Corporation of the Treas- 

 ury of Queensland may advance to approved companies 

 an amount equal to two-thirds of the required capital, 

 the shares represented 1>\ that proportion being held 

 by the trustee of the Corporation, the loan bearing 

 interestat the rate of 4 per cent, per annum, and the 

 capital cost being repaid in twenty-one years at the rate 

 of £7 12s. 4./. per cent, per annum. During the time in 

 which the loan is being liquidated, interest to ordinary 

 shareholders is limited to 4 per cent, and thereafter to 

 5 per cent, per annum. 



The above lines of action point clearly to the fact 

 that the United States and Queensland Governments 

 are alive to the future possibilities of cane cultivation 

 in the Tropics, and it is a matter for regret thai this 

 industry in the British Crown Colonies is not similarly 

 fostered. 



Sugar Samples at the New York Botanical 



Gardens. 



A note appears in the Journal of the New York 

 Botanical Garden for March 1915 to the effect that 



last year the A ican Sugar Refining Companj took 



steps to replenish and enlarge the exhibit of sugars at 

 this ( [arden. The specimens ha\ e now i iach d 

 museum and have I" en installed in their propi r places 



The series of crudi -" trs has 1 ■ d 1 



specimens of 'Jamaica musco' and 'T'orto Rico 

 centrifugal'. It is -aid thai the replaced specimens of 



'fin d' and 'coarse ' I also t hose 



of the 'i 'lib,'' , ' if are part i ulai ly 



1 ' stated t hat I he most 



he specimens h ' unino' 



' rs. 



