72 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS 



March 6, 1909 



EDITORIAL NOTICES. 



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 specimens for naming, should be addressed to the 

 Commissioner, Imperial Department of Agriculture, 

 Barbados. 



Ail applications for Copies of the ' Agricultural 

 News' should be addressed to the Agents, and not to 

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Local Agents: Messrs. Bo%\en & Sons, Bridge- 

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 Agents will be found on ])age 3 of the cover. 



The Agricultural News: Price Id per number, 

 post free 2d. Annual subscription payable to Agents, 

 2s. 2d. Post free, 4.s. id. 



^qriciiltiirat ^Inuii 



Vol. VIII. SATURDAY, MARl'H 6, 1909. Xo. 179. 



NOTES AND COMMENTS. 



Contents of Present Issue. 



The functions of Departments of Agriculture are 

 discu.ssed in the editorial. 



A summary of the results of experiments with 

 seedling and other varieties of sugar-cane carried out at 

 Antigua and St. Kitt's during 1907-8 will be found on 

 page 67. 



Speaking generally, the cotton yield of St. Vincent 

 for this season is expected to be somewhat low (page 

 68). Useful notes on the value and management of 

 pen-manure appear on page 69. 



The method of ' bud-grafting ' is now recognized 

 as the most up-to-date and rapid means of propagating 

 the mango. This method is described, with illustra- 

 tions, on page 70. 



Machines for drying cacao l)y artificial means 

 appear to be growing in {)opularity in the West Indies 

 <page 73). 



Attention is drawn to the interesting report 

 'Some Parasites of the Cotton Worui ' which appears 

 on pages 74-.5. 



Agricultural exports from Tobago reached a record 

 figure in 1!)()7-S (page 77 ) A successful Agricultural 

 Show was latfly held at Nevis (page 78). 



The Talipot Palm : A Correction. 



An illustration showing two specimens of the 

 interesting Talipot palm at Dominica was given in the 

 Agrlcultaral Newii of February 6 last, and, through an 

 error, it was slated that the trees in question were to 

 be seen at the Botanic Station of the island. It is 

 desired to p.iint out, however, that the palms shown in 

 the picture are growing at the St. Aroment estate of 

 Dr. H. A. Alford XichoUs, .and it may be added that 

 the photograph from which the block was prepared 

 was taken by Mr. Sfeinner, Head-master of the Dominica 

 Grammar School. 



Several fine specimens of the Talipot palm exist 



at the Doiiiiiiica Botanic Station, but none have yet 



flowered, and are not expected to do so for several 



years. 



^ I ■ 



Velvet Bean Crop. 



Very favourable reports on the results of cultivating 

 the velvet bean {Muvuna ai'ilit) for green dressing 

 purposes, and as a forage crop for cattle, corae from 

 South Africa, more particularly from llhudesia. In the 

 South African colonies the crop is stated lo have been 

 grown with great succc>s loi- some years p.i.'^t, : it has 

 gi\engo(]d lesuliseveri "ii dr\' lantU, and does nut 

 appear to suffer iioich tioiu diougliD. A light sandy 

 soil is best suited to the velvet beau, and on this it 

 grows so thickly, and forms such a large mass of vegeta- 

 tion, that all weeds are choked out. Being a leguminous 

 crop, this plant is naturally of high value for improv- 

 ing the soil. In experiments carried out at Barbados 

 in 1900, the velvet bean came second out of thirty 

 varieties of leguminous plants tested for the weight of 

 produce yielderl. In from two to three months a crop 

 of vines was produced, the weight of which amounted 

 to 12,343 lb. per acre. The velvet bean is largely 

 grown as a cover crop in orange orchards in Florida. 



— ^^^^»- ♦-^ 



Reafforestation. 



Although the increasing shortage of timber has 

 been apparent in the United Kingdom, as in other 

 countries, for many years past, the matter has attracted 

 but little attention. A noteworthy report on the subject 

 however, has just been issued by the late Royal Com- 

 mission on Coast Erosion an<l Afforestation. The 

 Commissioners point out that in the United Kingdom 

 there are about 9,000,000 acres suitable for afforesta- 

 tion, and they suggest that about, 1.50,000 acres should 

 be planted uj) annually. The leiuru obtained in course 

 of time Would be sufficient !• repay both capital and 

 accumulated interest. 



The H'r-'^ Iiiilia Committee Circular expresses 

 a hope that the above report may lead to consideration 

 of the subject of forestry in the West, Indies, and that 

 the planting of hardwood timbers on an increased scale 

 niav result. In common with many other countries, 

 the forest resources, of these islauijs have been exploited 

 too recklessly in the past, but tnis is additional reason 

 why continuous effort should be made to repair the 

 damage and prevent further destruction. The several 

 colonies would bi'uefit not only from a pecuniary, bub 

 also from a climatic point of view. 



