S6 



THE AGiaCULTURAL NEWS 



February 20, 1909. 



EDITORIAL NOTICES. 



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 Barbados. 



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glgrirulturiil fltiuH 



Vol. VIII. SATURDAY, FEBRUAUY 20, 1909. No. 178. 



NOTES AND COMMENTS. 



Contents of Present Issue. 



A concluding article on Mendel's theory of heredity 

 forms the editorial of the present issue. 



On page 51 are given some interesting j>articulars 

 in regard to the working of the Antigua Sugar Factory 

 daring 1908. 



The conditions of banana cultivation in the West 

 Indies are discussed on page 52, where also a few notes 

 -on tropical fruit production in Queensland will be 

 found. 



Market prices of Sea Island cotton are reported on 

 page 54. A note on cotton at Barbados in 1908, 

 together with seasonable hints to growers, etc., appear 

 ■on the same page. 



Attention is drawn to Mr. Ballou's report (pp 58-9) 

 on the insect responsible for fiower-bud dropping of 

 cotton at Antigua. 



Exports of agricultural produce from Southern 

 Nigeria have of late shown remarkable increase (page 

 59). Resin oil has given V(.iy good results at Grenada as 

 a dressing for cuts on cacao trees (page 61). 



E.xpcrimcnts in the inoculation of leguminous 

 crops with nitrogen-fixing bacteria, carried out England, 

 have not given favourable results (ji^ge 02). 



Visit of Scientists to Jamaica. 



As already mentioned in this journal, two scien- 

 tists from the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, 

 Professor R. Newstead and Dr. William Prout, C.M.G., 

 are at present in Jamaica, on a visit (which has already 

 extended over about three months) of investigation in 

 regard to certain insect pests of the island, more 

 especially those of a disease-bearing character. Pro- 

 fessor Newstead is giving particular attention to cattle 

 ticks, as well as tliose scale insects which are at present 

 threatening ciiru.s, cacao, and cocoa-nut cultivations ia 

 .Jamaica, while r)r, Prout is enquiring into the presence 

 of filaiial and lualarial diseases, in the hope of being 

 able to suggest niMimved methods of prevention. This 

 visit shoidd result in increised knowledge in i-egard to 

 many of the numerous insect pests of the West Indies, 

 from which agriculturists in particular ma) derive 

 considerable ad van t acre. 



Eucalyptu.s Trees. 



Eucalyptus trees grow readily on almost all kinds 

 of Soils and are very suitable for jilanting as wind- 

 breaks. Their timber is also valuable for a number of 

 purposes. These trees are native to Australia, but 

 have now been introduced into a number of other 

 countries, and \n California they have met with special 

 favour in view of their rapidity of growth and geneial 

 usefulness. Few eucalyptus trees are found in the 

 West Indies, and the Joaraal of the Jamaica Agri- 

 cultural Society recommends that plantings might 

 with ailvautage be made. The wood is excellent for 

 fuel, and is hard, strong and tough, so that it can be 

 used for vehicle construction, for wooden parts of agri- 

 cultural implements, for wharf piles, and for railway 

 sleepers. The trees grow well on all kinds of soils but 

 those of a swampy nature. Two of the most valuable 

 kinds of eu(^alyptus are the blue gum {Eacidyptiis 

 glnJiidu'i) and the red gum {Eacalyptasrostrata). 



Ginger from Sierra Leone. 



The great possibilities of West Africa for the 

 production of tropical agricultural crops are attr.-icring 

 more attentu:)n every year, and among the miuor 

 products worthy of note, gingei- will probably take an 

 inqioitanfc place in the near future, since it is being 

 grown in increasing amount in Sierra J.,eone, and 

 improved methods of preparation have Lately been 

 introduced, as the result of advice and assisiance 

 obtaineil from the Imperial Institute. London, ,altli<jugh 

 this improved process is yet far from being genei'ally 

 adopted b}' the cultivators of the colony. 



In 1900, ginger was shipped from Sierra Leone to 

 the extent of 1)18 tons, valued ,»t £11,578, while in the 

 following ye.ir, the exports showed an increase of 

 39 tons, and an increased value of £099. 



Samples of ginger were forwarded to London in 

 1907, some of which had been prepared by the old 

 native method, and others by the improved methods 

 lately introduced. The better prepared s|)ecimens 

 realized 04s. to Oti.s'. per cwt., as against 32.s'. Oi/. i>aid 

 for the pioduct prepaied in the ordinary way. 



