366 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



NOVEMBEU 13, 1909. 



ST. VIXCEXT : RF.rORT OX 77/ /t/ JIOTAXIC 

 ,STATIOX, AGRICrLTCRAL SCHOOL, STOCK FARM 

 AXD LAXD SETTLE ME XT SCHEME, AXD OF THE 

 VETERIXARY SURGEOX. 190S-U. 



The ordinary expenditure (not including that on the 

 Agricultural School), which was entirely met from local 

 funds, was £665 12s. 'Id. In addition, tlie sum of £34 3s. 8rf., 

 from the unexpended balance on ifarch 31, 1908, of the 

 Imperial Grant-in-aid of the Agricultural Department wa.s 

 devoted to special services. The receipts for the sale of 

 plants, seeds and produce amounted to £21 16.s. 6'i. 



The total number of plants distributed was 6,660 (exclu- 

 sive of various cuttings). They included 5,4 89 economic 

 plants and 1,171 plants for shade and decorative purposes. 

 An interesting table is given which shows how this distribu- 

 tion has decreased, owing to lessened demand, with the 

 increase in the area of cotton cultivation. Thus, in the 

 period 1904-5, when the area in the island that was planted 

 with cotton was small, the number of economic plants 

 distiibuted was 26,256; while, in the year under review, the 

 latter number has become a little more than one-lifth of the 

 value ju.st mentioned, in correspondence with an increase of 

 the area under cotton to 3,000 acres. 



The total estimated value of the cotton, arrowroot, cacao 

 and sugar-cane products that were exported was £67,314, 

 those of cotton and arrowroot being the highest, with £29,878 

 and £29,517, respectively. The Sea Island cotton industry 

 Las made satisfactory progress: although, owing to the receipt 

 of lower prices for the lint in 1907, a somewhat smaller area 

 was planted. The prices obtained for white cotton during 

 tlie past year varied from 15r7. to 2\d. per lb. The Marie 

 fialante type is still cultivated in Union, Canouan and 

 Mayreau, of the St. Vincent Grenadines, and obtains a price 

 ranging from 6(/. to 8(/. per tti. Of the other islets, Bequia, 

 Mustiipie, Battowia and Iklliceaux, cultivate the Sea li.land 

 variety successfully. The total export of cotton has, since 

 1903-4, become more than ten times as great as it was during 

 that period, namely 159,303 lb. The average yield of lint 

 per acre during the last four years has been 152 lb; it is 

 hoped to increase this by means of improved methods of 

 cultivation, notably liy the introduction of implemental 

 tillage. 



Of the other main industries, namely the [jniduction of 

 arrowroot and cacao, the former has received a set-back owing 

 to the low [irices which resulted from increased production, 

 and it is hoped to increase the outlet for this product liy 

 finding additional markets for it. Cacao is raised, for the 

 greater part, in scattered plots throughout the island, with 

 the result that the product from these is poor. The efforts 

 of the Agricultural Instructor are being directed toward the 

 improvement of the methods of production on the small 

 cultivation.s. 



The expenditure at the Agricultural School and Stock 

 Farm, exclusive of that on the upkeep of live stock, was 

 j£5 40 Os. 2d. The receipts from the sale of cotton, plants 

 and seeds were £26 13.v. Qd. Twenty- four names of boys 



were on the books on ^larch 31, 190S. Four completed 

 their full course of training during the year. The half- 

 yearly reports on the- examinations held in June and Decem- 

 ber indicate satisfactory progress. The prize awarded to the 

 best boy among the senior pupils of the three Agiicultural 

 School^, namely Dominica, St. Lucia and St. Vincent, was 

 again won by a St. Vincent boy Of the stock kejit i-X the 

 School, the thoroughbred stallion and the Ayrshire bull were 

 disposed of, the former on condition of its being retained for 

 service in St. Vincent for a delinite period. The receiitts for 

 sales ofanini'lsand of milk, and for services, amounted to 

 £139. The number of cane cuttings distributed was 31,000, 

 while 5,000 cuttings of iladura {G'/iricidia luaciihittt) were 

 sent out to be grown as shade for cacao. 



The report of the Agricultural Instructor gives pai ticulars 

 of the work that has been done in connexion with the land 

 settlement scheme. Improvement is indicated in the matters 

 of the provision of wind-breaks for cacao, the li.^e of 

 leguminous green dressings, the mulching of cacao and 

 general cultural methods. A fairly large pro|iorlioii of the 

 arrowroot plants that were grown were disposed of, as plant- 

 ing material, to the neighbouring estates. A good return 

 was not obtained fiom cotton, owing to heavy rains in 

 December. 



The report of the Govcrniuent Veterinary Surgeon .shows 

 that tbe amount spent in connexion with measures of precau- 

 tion against anthrax was £597 4s. ?id. Examinations of 499 

 ears of animals and 145 blood smears were made, and 3,433 

 head of stock were .-accinated with anthrax vaccine. Eight 

 tables are given, showing the number of deaths from anthrax 

 (in relation to districts, animal period.*;, the same period in 

 ditterent years, the different months of the year, and the 

 total mortality), the numbers and destinations of animals 

 exported, and the numbers of ditlbrent animals vaccinated. 



TORTOLA : UFRORT OX THE EXJ'KhlMEXT 

 ST AT I OX, IVDS-'.J. 



The expenditure on the Station proper during the period 

 was £499 4.«. ad. The receipts from sales of produce, etc., 

 amounted to £44 6s. lOrf. Several useful additions and 

 repairs to buildings have been made. 



The experiment plots were employed for investigations 

 in connexion with cotton, cacao, coti'ee, pine apple.% limes, 

 seedling canes, sweet potatos, cassava, arrowroot and tous-les- 

 mois (Ciinna ididis). The ex[)erimeiits with cotton showed 

 the value of early planting; those with seedling canes indicate 

 that B.147 should do well on low-lying land in Tortola. 



In regard to Industrie.*, that of the production of cotton 

 shows very satisfactory growth. The estimated total crop for 

 the season was 265 bales of 200 lb. each, as against an actual 

 jield of 162 bales of the same weight for last year. The 

 amount paid to peasant growers for raw cotton during tlie 

 .season closed was £1,902. During the years 1904 to 1909, 

 108,282 lb. of lint, having a value of £5,365, has been 

 shii)ped. In May 1908, the Department began to buj' limes, 

 similarly, from the peasantry, and purcliased -10,273 lb. for 

 making juice; part of this was shipi'cd raw, and part after 

 being concentrated. A favourable report on the product was 

 received from the Brokers in Londor, and it is hojjcd to 

 establish a nourishing lime industry in Tortola. At the small 

 muscovado sugar works at the Station, where sugar is 

 made from cane raised there, and from that grown by 

 neighbouring peasantry, about 50 barrels of sugar was made. 



The rainfall registereil at the Experiment Station 

 during the period was 55'41 inches, whicli is 2'23 inches 

 above the average for the eight years 1901-8.- ■ 



