86 



THE AGRICULTURAL .VEWS. 



ilARCH 20, 1909. 



WEST INDIAN COTTON. 



Messrs. Wolstenholme & Holland, of Liverpool, 

 write as t'ollows on JIarch 1, in reference to the sales of 

 West Indian Sea Island cotton : — 



Since oui- last fortnightly report, about 200 bales of 

 West Indian Sea Island cotton have been sold at fairl}' steady 

 price.s. The sales include about t^O bales from Nevis and 

 St. Kitt's at I2i(/. and IShd., and 10 bales from St. Vincent 

 at 15d 



Seeing that the Sea Island cotton sold tliis year to date 

 at Charle.-:ton amounts to 1G,000 bales against 8,000 last year, 

 spinners will not be eager buyers, having su[)plied their 

 wants freely before the arrival of the bulk of the West Indian 

 crop. At the same time, we do not think that consumers 

 desire to see lower prices for the cotton, and if planters 

 e.xerci.se patience, it is not likelj' there will be much difficulty 

 in disposing of the crop at about the present range of prices. 

 If, however, cotton is forced for immediate sale, it is only 

 natural that buyers would e.\pect to get very considerable 

 concessions. 



AGRICULTURAL PROGRESS AT 

 GRENADA. 



Some introductory notes to the latest report of the 

 Agricultural Superintendent at Grenada .s\unmarizes 

 the progress made iti conne.xion with the agricultural 

 industries of the island during 1907-.S. The year 

 reviewed has, it is stated, been one of marked activity 

 along many lines of improvement. 



Many of the larger estates in the islam! have established 

 cacao e.\[)eriment stations under the direct control of the 

 Agricultural l.)e[>artmciit, and two new ones were started last 

 year. As the result of the teaching given by the officeivs of 

 the Department, unsatisfactory methods of cultivation and 

 management are gradually being abandoned by cacao 

 growers. As an example, the method of applying lime to the 

 .soil may be in.stanced. Lime has a very beneficial influence 

 on the heavy clay soils of Grenada, but in the past it was 

 customary merely to heap it round the cacao trees, where it 

 rapidly caked, and did little good. The right method, i.e., 

 si)reading the lime broadcast anil lightly covering it with 

 surface soil, is now being generally adopted. 



The value of mulching the soil is now realized by nearly 

 all planters, and wherevci' material is available, large areas 

 are annually nuilched. 



More attention lui.s lately been paid to clean cultivation, 

 pnniing, and general .sanitation of cacao orchards. The 

 burial of cacao shells, so as to a.ssist in preventing the spread 

 of Diplodia and other fungus diseases has also become more 

 general. Ue.sin oil is ra|iidly displacing tar as a dressing for 

 cuts on cacao trees. 



Gordon cacao drying machines (see last number of At/ri- 

 riihnral Xcii's, page 7.i) have become very popular at Grenada; 

 five were erected in 1907 S, and five more are on order. 



Two l^rize-holdings' competitions — in St. John's and 

 (St. David's parishes — were held during the year, and it is 



hoped before long to hold a competition in each parish every 

 year. This movement has been attended with very valuable 

 results in encouraging better tillage among peasant proprietors 

 in the island. 



A popular feature of tlu' work of the Department has 

 been the agricultural meetings which have been held at 

 various centres in the islaml for the discussion of such 

 matters as are of special interest to planters and peasants. 

 These meetings were, in all cases, well attended. 



The cacao experiment stations on estates, which are 

 worked by cooperation ijf the estate owners with officers of 

 the r)e|)artnient have already been referred to. The manner 

 in which the work is conducted ensures the interest of those 

 most concerned, and when it has been continued for several 

 seasons, so as to secure cumulative and reliable results, should 

 prove most valuable. Cacao experiment plots, both at the 

 station and in country districts, are also carried on under the 

 supervi.sion of the Department. These plots serve a useful 

 ])urpose as points at which the Agricultural Instructor can 

 meet the peasants and give a<ldresses, with practical 

 demonstrations. 



Some progress has of late been made in checking 

 ' black blight ' at fJrenada. General co-operation and 

 combined effort will be necessary, however, before the 

 ' bliglit ' is lirought under anything approaching control. 



It has been demonstrated that Sea Island cotton will 

 grow successfulLjJi^-nd give g)od returns on light sandy soils 

 near the coast. 



RUBBER AT GRENADA. 



Small areas of laiul ha\e annually been planted 

 with rubber at Grenada for some years past, and there 

 is A large acreage in the mountains and on various 

 ridges which would probably be utilized in a profit- 

 able manner by planting up with Hevea or Castilloa 

 trees. The following notes on rubber growing in the 

 island appear in the report for 1907-8 of the Agri- 

 cultural Superintendent : — 



Continued interest has been taken in rubber (ilanting all 

 over the i-sland, and the majority of planters have now 

 decided to plant Ilei'ea hrasiliciixis rather than (Jasti/lod 

 (daatica. The former grows ijuickly and well, and is not 

 subject, as is Castilloa, to attack by scale insects. A large 

 consignment of seed received from Ceylon, owing to an 

 unfortunate delay in transit, showed very poor germinating 

 power, but all the .seed which could be supplied by the 

 Gardens was eagerly sought for and germinated well. 

 A large order has been again sent to Ceylon. 



The trees at jiresenr in existence in the island are 

 making rapid growth and appear in every way healthy and 

 satisfactory. 



.\t Tuilieries esUite es|iecially, wliere a large acreage of 

 rublier, consisting of lli'veji //rio^iliensia, Custlllmi e/nxticd, 

 and Fitntuiii.ia ihtstka, has been planted, all the plants are 

 doing extremely well and making remarkably rapid growth. 

 Some Hevea plants, barely three years old, are already 20 feet 

 high. 



-At the lioianic .Station during the year, three l)lots of 

 rubber have been planted out on the slope near the section 

 devoted to timber trees, ciMisisting respectively of Castilloa, 

 Hevea, and Kuntumia. The plants have made satisfactory 

 progress, and it is ho[ied that these plots may be of use f(<r 

 experimental purposes when the trees now being planted on 

 the estates are ready for tapping. 



