Vol. XIV. No. 348 



tiik ACKicri/rritAL xkws, 



281 



doves; herons, egrets and ibis: and hawks and kites. 

 These schedules, as we have remarked "ill serve a verj 

 useful purpose in placing on record a complete lisl "I 

 tin birds of Trinidad. 



Progress in the Cane Sugar Industry. 



Discussing the progress in tin cam sugar industrj 

 of the world as evidenced by the marvellous progress of 

 industry of Cuba through the adoption ol bhe 

 most modern sugar factories, th Louisiana Planter 

 (July 3, 1915) avails of the opportupity to refer to bhe 

 lated system of sugar man uf;i ;ture which obtained 

 in Barbados more than two hundred years ago, and 

 which is still maintained there a1 the present time, 

 namel} , the utilization of v\ indmil! power as the motive 

 power in grinding sugar-cane, and the open kettle 

 system in the boiling house; and i udeavours to explain 

 why here in the Wesl Indies, nol very far apart, there 

 should stand to-day twomethods of manufacture, one 

 involving the highest scientific r si arch and attainment 

 in every directoin, and the other following the old 

 lout ine of centuries ago. 



It is pointed oui that the conditions incident to 

 the growth and manufacture of sugar-cane in the island 

 of Barbados are such that while the industry carried on 

 elsewhere in a similar manner generally tailed and 



d away, in Barbados bhej have withstood all the 

 innovations of modern progress because of their 

 favourable climate, and of their large, intelligent, and 

 available negro population. With reasonably fertile 

 soils and a favourable climate, the Barbadians 

 have been able to survive up to the present time, 

 although continuing in their old methods of sugar 

 production. Elsewhere those who have held on to the 

 old methods have been driven from the field by actual 

 necessity. That necessity is said to be gradually 

 reaching Barbados, and it is shown that sugar houses 

 that have developed advanced ideas, concentrating the 

 work of several sugar houses and one ownership in the 

 besi available sugar house and there utilizing modern 

 machinery and turning out yellow crystals instead of 

 the old-fashioned soft open kettle sugars, have done 

 better than their neighbours who are following in the 

 bracks of their fathers. 



Concluding, it is mentioned that there has been 

 a move for the bettermenl of sugar housework in 

 Barbados, and there is everj reason to believe that 

 after 200 years of successful sugai manufacture Bar- 

 bados will come to the front with its modern sugar 

 ies and perhaps within the nexl decade one or 

 two largv establishments may make the entire sugar 

 crop of Barbados with less human labour and at a far 

 less cost than now, the diminish in human labour 



and in transportation being brought about by the 

 introduction of mechanical devices of the labour-saving 

 order. 



The History and Functions of Botanic 



Gardens. 



At the Twenty-fifth Anniversary Celebration of 

 the Missouri Botanical Garden (October 15, 1914-) 



Mr. A. W Id il. M \ K ]..s read a verj inter sting 

 paper ha\ ing the above title. 



At 1 1" !>• ginn ol the paper it is pointed out 

 that travel in search lor spices and drugs was the real 

 origin and foundation of botanic gardens, though oi 

 course in recent times their timet ii m >me 



great lv exti tided. 



ifter crediting thi Chinese wibh the distinction 

 of being then of 1 he idea oi botanic card, 



the author goes on to give an historical account of 

 (deck. Roman and later Italian horticultural establish- 

 ments, and then oi he earlier gardens in England. 

 Ven interesting information is given concerning the 

 far tamed Chelsea Physic Garden and bhe development 

 of the Royal Gardens, Kew, of which bhe author is 

 Assistant I >irector. 



Turning to bhe < Monies, Mr. Hill points oui 

 that the earliest tropical botanic gardens appears 

 to have been founded in the Wesl Indies at St. 

 Vincent, in ITiid. The Indian and Ceylon gardens- 

 are dealt with at some length as well as the less 

 I topical establishments in South Africa and Australia. 

 In America the author pays tribute to bhe Botanic 

 Garden of Harvard University with its wonderful 

 Arboretum. 'With the Arnold Arboretum situated 

 close at hand, Harvard has become a Mecca for 

 botanists all the world over.' 



In considering the functions of Botanic Gardens, 

 it is shown that there has been a gradual change from 

 the purely medicinal garden to one designed to provide 

 a synoptical illustration of the whole vegetable king- 

 dom. In recent times the well-known Botanic Gardens 

 have developed into centres for the study of botany 

 particularly systematic botany. Kew occupies a unique 

 position in this respect, its establishment having 

 specialists in many different branches whose systematic 

 and economic work has done a vast amount to develop 

 the botanical resources of the British Empire. 



St. Lucia Leaflets. 



Mention is made on another page, of the fact that 

 the St. Lucia Agricultural Department under Mr. A. J. 

 Brooks has been issuing leaflets on agricultural matters 

 of local importance. Copies of the first two of these 

 have been received. No. 1 is entitled The Donkey 

 as a Transport Animal for St. Lucia, and in the opening 

 paragraph it is stated that not sufficient use is made or 

 this animal in a mountainous island like St. Lucia, 

 especially for the transport of agricultural produce to 

 and from the coastal villages. The economical nature ol 

 the donkey is briefly described, and it is stated that 

 inmost of the other West Indian islands this animal 

 finds increasing use as a beast of draft and burden. The 

 capacity of bhe donkej is dealt with, and it is finally 

 pointed out that the initial cost of these animals is 

 much below that of anj other beast of burden and it- 

 soon repaj - the capital outlay. 



The second leaflet is longer and deals with the 

 cultivation and uses of the ground nut. The Bubject 

 of cultivation IS treated in a practical manner and 

 should serve a useful purpose in stimulating the 

 cultivation of ground nuts amongst bhe small holders oi 

 St, Lucia. 



