Vol. XIV. No. 356. 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



10 



The introduction to this papei deals with the circum- 

 mces which appeal to justify experiments with sponge 

 cultivation around certain islands like Antigua, Barbuda and 

 the Grenadines, where the conditions are seemingly suitable. 

 The chief circumstance lies in the financial success that lias 

 attended the rearing of sponges from cuttings in (he Caicos 

 [slands, near Jamaica, together with the results of earlier 

 experiments in Florida. 



Preliminarj to describing the method referred to above, an 

 :ount is given ol the nature of the living sponge, also the 

 isites of a commercial sponge, and the difl >ups 



at present on the market, with special reference to the West 

 [ndies. A note is included on the native sponges of the 

 I er Antilles. This indici material for planting 



must be imported. Although sponges are to a remarkable 

 i stent creatures oi environment and tend, when imported, to 

 approach the native sponges in quality, there is evidence 



which indicates that this may not occur in selected localities 



in the Lesser Antilles. 



The method of propagating spoi ges from cuttings is 

 briefly described with reference to the following points: seed 

 sponges, cuttings, attachments, planting, rale of growth, 

 harvest!) . . and marketing. The information is based 



principally on work done in Florida, but certain new 

 economies effected in the I laicos are alluded to. 



The financial aspects of the industry in Florida and 

 the Caicos are discussed. It is shown that if the correct 

 environment is obtained, the industry is a very remunerative 



• •ne. 



Following the information relative to sponges are notes 



ther shallow-water fisheries which might be developed. 



These include lobster canning, the raising of pearl oysters and 

 turtles, the collection of sea-eggs, edible oysters, conch shells, 



-. a cucumbers (for beche-de-nien. 



s o me of these industries have been already established 

 in certain restricted areas, and might be greatly extended. In 

 the creeks around the ( laicos Islands some of these industries 

 are profitably combined with the rearing of sponges. 



In conclusion, it is believed that there are good 

 prospects betore efforts to utilize the shallow-water resources 

 of the Lesser Antilles. The economic importance of such 

 a line of development is obvious. 



In connexion with the above, a letter received from 

 Messrs. Knight a t !o., of Barbados, is of interest. This states 

 that Mediterranean sponges have for years been getting 

 dearer, and that there are indications of a shortage this 

 ion in the Florida and Bahamas supplies. Messrs. Knight 

 conclude: ' If, therefore, you have in mind the tapping of 

 any other source of supply, or contemplate establishing 



a fresh sponge fishery, it will lie well ie news to traders in 



sponges and users alike.' 



In concluding this article, it may be noted that since 

 the paper referred to above was published, the 1914-15 

 Report on the Bahamas has been received. This states 

 that a large company has been formed in Florida (alleged 

 capital ot $1,250,000) for the cultivation of sponge-- from 

 cuttings, and that the Bahamas M ohm Products Board view 

 this enterprise with alarm as it threatens their natural sponge 

 industry which is, of course, more speculative than careful 

 cultivation would be. It i- that a trial of the new 



method will be made in the Bahamas. In the meantime 

 omething might also In- done in the Lesser Antilles, for it 

 might I"- found it almost certainly would be found -that 

 sponges could be produced more cheaply off the smaller 

 islands of the Lesser Antilles than in the Keys of Florida. 



EFFECT OF EXCESSIVE RAINFALL ON 

 CROPS IN ST. LUCIA. 



The rainfall in Si Lucia, during the 

 months, has been excessive throughout the island, so 

 that a low observations concerning tie condition of the 

 staple crops may be of interest. 



The following notes on tin- subject have been 

 ed from Mr. A. .1. Brooks, Agricultural Superin- 

 tendent, St. Lucia: 



At the Botanic Gardens, Castries, 7 1 "05 inches of rain 



fell during the period, this being 30*76 inches in exd 



the fall for the same period the year previous. At Reunion 



I t'98 inches wen- re ■.led. this being 13*53 inches in excess 



of last year. 



The effect on the lime crop has been to reduce the- 

 acidity of the fruit. This was at once felt by lime 

 planters, and complaints were received from several sources 



to the effect that although the recorded number of barrels of 

 fruit exceeded the amount for the same period during the- 

 last- crop, yet the actual output of concentrated juice was 

 lower even than last year. 



The reduced acidity does not entirely account lor the 

 great differences experienced. The fruit, although possessing 

 a lower acid content, is also much coarser than usual. 

 Instead of the usual thin-skinned fruit, the rind is much 

 thicker this season, and the fruit not so spherical; it takes 

 more after the lemon, the nipple being in most cases- 

 abnormally developed for the lime. Being larger, a barrel 

 contains fewer fruits. 



At the Government Lime Juice Factory the records show 

 that this season it is taking 51 '8 barrels of fruit to produce- 

 a 42-gallon cask of concentrated juice of the usual strength, 

 i.e., 107 oz. per gallon, whereas last year it required but is ■<!. 

 barrels. 



This is a difference of 3"2 barrels and represents at the- 

 present factory prices a net monetary loss of 12s. per cask 

 of 42 gallons concentrated juice on last season's results. 

 This loss is again increased by the extra labour entailed in 

 handling, and by the additional fuel required for excessive- 

 evaporation. 



This crop in the usually dry districts of the island has 

 greatly benefited by the heavy rainfall, and it speaks well 

 for the way in which the drainage systems of the heavy 

 soils in the large and more humid valleys have been laid out 

 that no damage to the crop has been experienced. 



A fine stand of cape is to lie seen throughout the 

 island, and given a good ripening season a heavy crop should 

 be harvested. 



The cacao crop although somewhat late, ^t ill shows- 

 great promise, and no increase in 'black pod or otherfungoid 



diseases has been reported. 



The few acres of Sea Island cotton at Reunion have- 

 been entirely ruined by the continuous rains during the 

 ripening period. Cotton is by' far to., precarious a crop for- 

 the climate of St. Lucia, and it i- fortunate that the few 

 acre- ,ii tic Experiment Stations should be the only area 

 iiii.l er cotton cultivation in the island. 



The older plantations of coco nuts show no ill effects o! 

 I excessive rainfall, but in some localities the recently 

 id areas are feeling if, as is shown by the yellowish leaves- 



