Vol. XIV. No. 346 



TilK AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



145 



DOWN THE ISLANDS. 



ITEMS OF LOCAL INTEREST. 



gren uxa.Fi by Mr. J. I \l » 



;i made 

 during 



I i ! irdens. Thoui 



about 14,000 coco-nut plants . h for distribution, 



and i large numberof mango and orange stock for budding 

 are developing in a satisfactory manner. It is staled 

 that there is likely to be an lemand in Grenada 



for grafted and budded planl < varieties of oranges 



and efforts are being made to i I tin-, 



demand. Several new plants ha ntrod d into the 



colony recently, including Robust - and Ixora 



maa othyrsa, a decorative plant from St. Lucia. 



As i be experiment plots, it is recorded that 



continuity has been partly broken in the manurial trials owing 



to the impossibilit] ol proci ; pi ash. It has also been 



necessary to substitute cotton seed meal for dried bl 1, is 



enquiries for the latter have been unsuccessful. In connes 



with demonstration plots, mention is made of the kind 

 co-operation of Mr. C. P. Thomas of Garriacou, who has 

 placed an acre of land free of charge at the disposal of the 

 Department for the purpose of growing corn, peas, Lean-, 



yams, etc., with tl bject of trying to encourage the better 



cultivation of these crops by the peasantry at Carriacou. 



Work has been started on the plot, and the Department is 

 fortunate in having the assistance of Mr. Thomas in 

 supervising it. 



st. VINCENT. There has been considerable activity, 

 Writes Mr. W. X. Sands, on estates and lands of small 

 owners in connexion with the preparation and planting of 



i. corn, coconuts, beans and peas. The export of 

 stock, especially to St. Lucia, increased considerably and 

 a good market was found. All indications point to the fact 

 that the Colony's crops during the coming season will be more 

 diversified than in recent years. During June, the agricul- 

 tural staff found it necessary to devote considerable time 

 to investigations in regard to pests and diseases of corn and 

 beans. There were several outbreaks, but in some cases 

 these were not severe. 



3T. LUCIA. With a view to increasing the number of 

 visits to the Botanic Gardens, the Department in this island 

 is taking the necessary measures to construct two new 

 driving entrances. On the estates the following observations 

 are recorded relating to staple crops in June: cacao was 

 flowering but somewhat late in certain localities; the lime 

 crop was just coming in while the reaping of sugar had 

 finished. The lime juice factory opened on May 29 and one 

 cask of concentrated juice was made during June. The 

 Agricultural Superintendent, Mr. A. J. Brooks, ha- made 



.I visits during the month, including one in com 

 with the corn ear worm, and the -''"lid to the school at 



Laborie for the purpose of stlmula ■ rden work. The 



rainfall during the mouth at the Bot u Lc Station at Castries 

 was 21*15 inches, while at Reunion it was only 8'42 inches. 

 During the month 9,550 lime plant- were distributed. 



dominii \. Mr. Joseph Ji n ent i - mmunication 



1 heavy shipments i i limes v. le 



during Jum t ■ \ ■■ ioi . imoun i 6,621 barrels. The 



local prici en limes was 1 2s. per barrel, which 



■ 8s. when the mi mth closed The d fi >i 



lit ced to ln.<. per barn 



to 1*. 4rf. pet gallon Tl i tble quotatio for i 



the end of the month was £21 per pipe. 

 Educational and in n work has carried 



during the month. Tic irly 



pupils, the I 

 tions i root disea rhe plants 



m i follows: 



limes 10,955 li itrus, 107 



19; shade i i-ees, 160; n 11.771. 



mo\ rsERRAi fher' ippears to b an infc resting: 

 varietj ol crops und pi riment station at 



present moment. Mr, Robson, the Curatot the plot of 



pine-apples promises to gi*. i interesting result-, and that both 



local ami imported varieties of Lima leans are pi lising. 



Furthermore it is stated that the fleshy-podded and white 



bean appear as vigorot asthi I ins. The weather 



has been satisfactorj for planting cotton, but tble 



has been caused by the cotton worm, partly perhaps 

 it has appeared exceptionally early this year. Dm 

 the month of June. 20 crates of pine-apples were shipped 

 for trial to < lanada. These are stated to ha i xcellent 



examples of the Moi en The rainfall at the Botanic 



Station was I • 43 inches: high winds prevailed during the Iattei 

 half of the month. 



win. i \. The general routine work carried on at the 

 stations, and at the gardens, occupied the greater part of the 

 Curator's time during June. It is mentioned that the- 

 granary was working during the month and that a lecture 

 was given to students by the Curator. In the fields the 

 young cane crops continued to look promising, and in a numbei 

 of cases nursery beds have been prepared on estates for onion 

 seed. This is a point of some importance, for they have- 

 seldom or never been prepared SO early in previous years. In 

 regard to Indian corn it should be mentioned that the plot at 

 fitches ( 'reek estate was reaped, but the yield obtained was 

 poor. 



ST. kitts. The ( lentral Sugar Factory ceasedf 

 grinding on June 19 with an output of about (j,10t> 

 tons of sugar. This represents the crop from about 

 two-thirds the acreage of the island. The young cane- 

 for next year's crop has much improved. With a con 

 tinuance of present weather the prospects for next season 

 are very promising. Mr. F. R. Shepherd, who is responsible 

 for these observations, further mentions that the young cotton 

 is all that can be desired, the growth being remarkably 

 uniform and vigorous, with a conspicuous absence of rogues- 

 or weak plants. The entire crop has been planted from local 

 seed, none having been imported. Although worms whene 

 they have occurred have been easily controlled, some damage 

 has been done to the \ < mng ci >i ti m on one estate by cockroaches, 

 but the use of poison bait will doubtless keep this pest under 

 control. The poison bait at present being tried consists or 

 Paris green, cotton seed meal and molasses. 



NEVIS. The young cane- throughout the island during 

 June suffered verj much from want of rain, and in some plai 

 they are badly damaged. In spite of the dry weather, which 



is exceptional in the island- this year, the young cotton in 

 ie places looks well ami will doubt less improve. Provision 

 crop- throughout the island are doing fairly well butthej 

 reported to be in want ol rain. Much of the work .it i 

 periment statioi concerned the production of planting material: 

 for instance, during the month 1,000 sweet potato cuttings, 1 lb. 



of Lima beans, and •_'•_'.**» lb. of selected cotton seed Wei 



distributed. The rainfall for the month was 2 - 52 inchi 

 which is very low compared with that n ceil id in the othei 



