Vol. VIII. Xo. 188. 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



■221 



STUDENTS' CORNER. 



JULY. 



Fie-:t Period. 

 Seasonal Notes. 



All fields on which cotton is to be grown and which are 

 not planted by the end of June should be planted as soon as 

 pos.sible, and students would do well to note the difference in 

 jield, on the average, of fields of cotton planted at an early 

 date and those planted late in the season. A sharp look-out 

 should be kept for the attacks of the cotton caterpillar, and 

 students should try and learn something^ of its life-history, 

 and the time it takes to mature after the egg is hatched, and 

 not accept the statement made by some of those who have 

 failed to be on the look-out for the first attack of this pest, 

 that ' they came during the night,' or that ' they were 

 brought by the lightning.' As soon as the caterpillar is 

 observed on the cotton plant.s, they should be dusted with 

 a mixture of Paris green anil lime at the rate of 1 lb. of 

 Paris green to 6 11). of lime. Students should carefully 

 observe the growth of the cotton plants in the fields, and 

 healthy and vigorous plants which are free from either 

 fungoid or insect pests, growing among cotton that is 

 attacked, should lie marked, and if when the bolls are mature 

 the lint is of good qualitj-, the seed from these plants should 

 be kept for planting. 



In Antigua, keep a specially careful watch for the fiower- 

 bud maggot. Note if the picking of the flaring bracts and 

 the application of nianurial fertilizers keep this pest in check. 

 Land i.s being prepared for onions ; note the method.s of 

 cultivation. When first planted, ants will carry away the 

 seed; see whether a wineglassful of kerosene to 3 gallons of 

 water sprinkled on the seed-bed during the first two or three 

 days after planting will keep these pests away. 



Young lime plants \n\\ be planted. These are not 

 always planted the same distance apart : why should this be ? 

 Why should land that is being prepared for eddos lie cross- 

 lioled. Note the quantity of manure given to this crop, the 

 subsequent growth and yield. 



At the beginning of the quarter, Indian corn will in some 

 instances be planted, and students should observe the ease 

 with which blackbirds pull up the young corn when the .soil 

 has not been well pressed down at the time of planting, and 

 their ineft'ectual attempts to pull up corn on which sufficient 

 pressure was put at that time. Students shoulil also be on 

 the look-out for individual plants of Indian corn bearing more 

 than one, long, well-filled ear, and when the corn is ripe the 

 ears from the.se should be kept for seed. This is a matter of 

 some importance, as it has been found in the United 

 States of America that the selection of seed has added 

 considerably to the yield. Note should also be taken 

 of any individual plants that have not been attacked by the 

 caterpillar, which does so much injury to Indian corn at that 

 time of the year, when the remainder of the field has to a great 

 extent been denuded of its leaves, and the seed from these 

 saved. 



Students should also note the diS'erence in yield between 

 sweet potatos grown frour cuttings obtained from potatos 

 planted for the purpose, and those grown from cuttings that 

 had been taken from other potatos grown from cuttings for 

 some time. They .should note whether in fields attacked by 

 the scarabee there are any varieties immune, and in that case, 

 they should be careful when replanting to take cuttings from 

 the varieties found to be free from the insect attack.s. 



Questions for Candidates. 



PRELIMINARY QVE.STIONS. 



(1) Why is there less rislc- of loss by drainage with 

 sulphate of ammonia than with nitrate of soda I 



(2) What is meant by propagation by ' circumpositionf 

 Which class of plant cannot be propagated by this method ? 



(3) What are the functions of leaves, and the action 

 of light upon them ? 



INTER'MEDIATE yUESTIOSS. 



(1) To what is the plasticity of clay due '. Does this 

 resume its plastic character if moistened after burning i 



(2) Why is pasture land frequently burnt '! What ett'ect 

 has this on the grasses growing thereon I 



(3) Name the principal insect pests of the sugar-cane, 

 and their treatment. 



READING COURSES EXAMINATIONS. 



It is ]jroposed to hold e.xaniinations in conne.xion 

 with the Eeading Courses for Overseers in October and 

 November as follows : — 



Preliminary EKaminations will be held on October 

 11, and on November 2. 



All students who have been taking the reading 

 courses and have registered according to the regula- 

 tions issued last 3'ear, are cautioned that if they wish 

 to sit in either of the coming examinations they 

 must notify the Agi'icidtnral Officer in the island in 

 which they reside, stating clearly which e.xamination 

 they wish to take, or if it is desired to take both, this 

 fact should be stated. 



It must be remembered that no candidate will be 

 allowed to sit in the Intermediate e.xamination who 

 has not passed the Preliminary. 



The Diploma of Harrison College, Barbados, in 

 Agricultural Science, or a certificate showing that; 

 the candidate has successfully passed the Cam- 

 bridge Local Examinations in Agriculture, will be 

 accepted as the eijuivalent of the Preliminary e.xamina- 

 tion. 



Candidates who may pass the Preliminary e.xamin- 

 tion on October 11, will be allowed to sit for the Inter- 

 mediate on November 2, provided that they have 

 previously notified the e.xaminers of their intention to 

 do so. It must be borne in mind that candidates for 

 the Intermediate e.xamination must take two crop 

 subjects, and these must be notified when they signify 

 their intention to sit for the examination. 



WEST AFRICAN OIL PALM. 



The /I'lKc Ihdktiii (Xo. i, I'JOD) contains an article on 

 the economic aspects of the oil palm cultivation industry in 

 West Africa, the information having been supplied by 

 officers in Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Gambia, and the Gold 

 Coast. It is mentioned that 'the chief factors afi:ecting the 

 habitat of the palm are a rainfall of more than 70 inches, and 

 a soil rich in humu.s, but well drained. Eegular planta- 

 tions of the palms are only occasionally met with, as among 

 the Krobos of the Gold Coast, but there is no ditticulty in 

 raising young plants. The method of tapping the palms for 

 ' wine, ' which tends to the destruction of numbers of plants, 

 is describid. At the present time, and until transport 

 facilities are improved, the .sources of supply are stated to be 

 more than adequate. 



