Vol. XIV. Xo. 356. 



T 1 i E AC RICULTURAL X EWS, 





By way of commenting on the suggestion' of 

 Troph d /' . a note in the West India C mmittei 

 Circular points oul that the absence offr< ight facilities 

 and the heavy war rates are insuperable obstacles for 

 the present; while in normal hums the unwillingness 

 of planters to damage their trees by gathering fruit in 

 the Winter militates againsl the efforts to replace the 

 lemon by the lime. 



[n conclusion we may repeal what we have already 

 pointed in anothor issue that the recenl giftsof West 

 Indian limes to the hospitals in Ejogland and France 

 will make the nun much better known and may 



bually lead to its adoption for many purposes in 

 place of the lemon as soon as the shipping trade is 

 normal again. 



Effect of the War on Jamaica's Trade. 



Colonial Reports Annual No. 860, constitutes 

 the reporl on the Colony of Jar>aica for the year 



1!H4-1"). From this it is seen that the al rmal 



conditions consequent upon the European war have 

 ,,t\ seriously affected the Colony. Shortage of 

 shipping facilities have been the foremost factor in this 

 connexion, affecting both the export of produce and 

 the import trade. The one industry in the Colony 

 which the war has materially bi nefited is the sugar 

 industry, which has reaped the advantage dui to the 

 diminished cut put of beet sugar. The demand for 

 ■aeao has been of benefit to growers of thisproduct in 

 enhancing prices. Dye-woods also have, to a limited 



at, profited by the increased demand. Thedrought 

 in the early part of l!>14 resulted in a serious diminution 

 both in the quality and quantity of the fruit produced 

 in the banana industry. Seasonable weather, however, 

 in the latter part of the year 1914 and early in 

 1915, gives promise' of a much improved condition of 

 affairs in this respect. 



Upon the outbreak of war the small settlers were 

 urged to plant increased quantities of foodstuffs in view 

 of the expected rise in the cost of imported foods, and 



due to tins precaution, and helped by g 1 rams, there 



has been an ample supply of provisions, counteracting 

 to s ■ considerable extent the diminution of pur- 

 chasing power brought about by the effects of the war. 

 The steps taken upon the outbreak of the war and 

 later by legislation, to prevent an unwarrantable 

 increase in the price of imported food, has kept prices 

 within reasonable limits, and have satisfactorily achieved 

 the purpose. The tourists traffic to the island suffered 

 3i i iouslj . and the falling off in the number of tourists 

 was very marked. 



Notwithstanding tics..' drawbacks, the opinion is 

 expressed that (the circumstances inevitable to the 

 jonditions arising from the war having been re; 



and dealt with), there is n ted for serious anxiety as 



to the prospects for the future, i so pt as to the provision 

 ofadequate shipping facilities tor the island produce. 

 It must be mentioned, however, in regard to the tore- 

 going, that since this opinion was expressed, m August 

 last, Jamaica was visited bya severe hurricane which 

 did considerable damage to growing crops. 



Agricultural Teaching in American Schools. 



A new 1 k entiil, d Thi ' culture, 



of which th lentH.J.Waltei 



in a n cen te of Nature by I >r. E.J. Russel I 



he book is in favour of making agricultural teaching 



as local as possible, taking the whole neighbourh I 



as the laboratory and drawing abundantly on local 

 estates gardi as and foi si land, and on recognized local 

 experts foi h , id materials req 



Attention is given especially to the subject ofplanl 

 improvement, and to conservative policy in relation 



i management. Mention is made of enormous 

 losses that occur in the course of utilizing 

 manures, and this seems to be general all over the world. 

 Dr. Russell concludes Ins review by stating 'the book 

 brings home vividly to the readei the enormous part 

 played by the experiment stations in the development 

 of American agriculture. The advances made during the 

 last forty year~ would appear incredible if they were 



not accomplished facts, and the 1 b is so well written 



and so well illustrated that the student must see at, 

 once that the hope for the future lies in the close 

 co-operation of farmers and experiment station in 

 gators. Both in matter and in spirit it is entirely 

 commendable. 



Comparative Agricultural and Forestry- 

 Meteorology. 



The Experiment Station Record (Vol. XXXI, 

 No. 5), referring to recenl investigations undertaken 

 in regard to (1) influence of forest cover on the 

 temperature of the soil at different depths, (2)influenci 

 of the degree of forestation on the amount of rainfall, 

 and (3) the influence of leaf) and coniferous forest 

 growth on the temperature and humidity of the air 

 says, the more important conclusions are that forest, 

 growth exerts a decided influence on diurnal variations 

 in temperature of the air. the maximum being much 

 lower and the minimum much higher than in the all- 

 ot unforested areas. The influence on the temperature 

 of the soil, however, is comparatively small and dis- 

 appears entirely at a depth of 02 metre. Forest growth 

 appears to have considerable influence on the frequency 

 of rainfall, although little upon the amount. It appears 

 to increase the number of rain) days.and to reduce the 

 number of torrential rains. The absolute humidity is 

 higher and the relative humidity is lower In the forest 

 than in the open country on account of -the lower 

 temperature prevailing in the former. This is true to 

 a greater extent in coniferous forests than in those of 

 leafy growth.. and is most pronounced during the period 

 from April to ( Ictober, 



The Late Mr. E. T Racker. 



We have to announce with regret the death of 

 Mr. E. T Racker of Barbados. Mr. Racker has 

 associated with tin- Department in connexion with the 

 printing of this Journal since its foundation in 

 April 1902. Mr. Hacker was well known in Barbados 

 as proprietor and editor of the daily paper, the 

 Agricultu ral /•'• porter. 



