ToL. VIII. No. 192. 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



285 



STUDENTS' CORNER. 



SEPTEMBER. 



FinsT Pei;ioi). 



Seasonal Notes. 



The young cotton crop has now reached the stage at 

 which it is well established, and regular weeding should be 

 done in order to relieve it from the competition of other 

 plants, to prevent undue loss of water from the soil by trans- 

 piration from them, and to form a du^^t" mulch which will 

 conserve the soil moisture. The two last considerations are 

 especially important in places where the rainfall is small. 

 A careful watch should be kept for signs that pests are 

 present, especially in regard to the cotton worm, the leaf- 

 blister mite and, in some places, grasshoppers ; these are the 

 ones that are most likely to be present at this time. Read 

 the editorial in the current issue of the Ar/rirultural JVen's, 

 and look up the references made in it, as far as possible, with 

 the special object of gaining information as to the damage 

 done by each pest, and the remedial measures to be employed 

 for it. Keep a close lookout for flaring bracts and dropped 

 ilower-buds, and examine buds from time to time for the 

 grub of the flower-bud maggot. If signs of its presence are 

 found, the matter should be immediately reported to ime of 

 the local nfticers of the Department. 



Continue to make observations on plants which are being 

 grown for green dressings. Note shrmld be made of any 

 pests attacking them, and the nature and extent of the 

 damage done. If caterpillars are troublesome, try experiments 

 on small areas with Paris green and lime, in the proportion 

 of 1 part of the poison to 20 parts of the lime, paying atten- 

 tion to the effect on the leaves. Why is .such a mixture used 

 against caterpillars or grasshoppers, but not against scale 

 insects and cotton stainers .' 



Where onions are grown the seed -will now be sown. 

 This will be best done in nurseries, containing well manured 

 soil in order that vigorous plants may be obtained Ants 

 are likely to carry away the seed ; to prevent this, add 

 two or three teaspoonfuls of kerosene to a watering 

 can nearly full of water, keep the mixture well .shaken, 

 and sprinkle the plot with it. If this is done every 

 time that ants appear in any number, few seeds will be 

 lost. The seedlings may be planted out when they have 

 three or four leaves, in holes about 6 inches apart : a time of 

 wet weather should be chosen for this, if possible : otherwise, 

 unless tlie soil is already moist, artificial watering -will be 

 necessary if anything like a good stand is to be obtained. 

 ■Onions thrive best in fairly light soils containing some clay, 

 and manured with natural nitrogenous manures. 



Where heavy rains have fallen cacao and lime plants 

 will show a tendency to form ' suckers ' : that is young, sappy 

 branches on the older parts of the stem. As the growth of 

 these entails a serious strain on the vitality of the plant, 

 they should be S3'stematically removed as soon as they appear. 

 On cacao trees the parasite mistletoe ('Captain I'ois' of some 

 islands) will be likely to appear. Search for this, prior to 

 removal, has to be conducted carefully on account of the 

 fact that the trees are very leafy at this time of the year. 

 The moist atmosphere which obtains at present is very 



favourable to the growth of fungi. These are most generally 

 fimnd on the pods, and, in some cases where serious damage 

 is being done, are often an"' indication of adverse soil 

 conditions. 



Questions for Candidates. 



PEELIMINAKY QUESTIONS. 



(1) Does a vegetable mulch, or surface cultivation, 

 better conserve soil moisture 1 . 



(2) What measures would you adopt to deal with an 

 outbreak of (a) leaf-blister mite,'\b) black scale ? 



(.3) In what ways may a soil which has become exhausted 

 be re.stored to fertility ? 



INTERMEDIATE QUE.STI0NS. 



(1) Give a short account of a method of curing cacao. 



(2) What cultivation should be given to ratoon canes ? 

 State at what stages of growth the operation should be 

 performed, and how deep in the soil the tools should 

 penetrate. 



(3) What is Paris green ? What qualitie.s should it 

 possess, and how is it prepared for use with cotton '. Compare 

 Paris green with London purple. 



TRINIDAD, ANTIGUA AND ST. KITTS 



AT THE CANADIAN NATIONAL 



EXHIBITION, 1909. 



Information has been received as to tiie nature of 

 the exliibits that have been sent from Trinidad, 

 Antigua, and St. Kitts to the Canadian National 

 Exhibition, Toronto, to be held from August 30 to 

 September 13, 1909. Particulars of those sent from 

 Barbados were given in No. IS9 of the current volume 

 of the Agricultural Xt^w><, p. 233. 



The exhibits from Trinidad include samples in the raw 

 (where possible), and manufactured, of the following : — 

 cacao and cacao products : sugar and molasses ; rum, bitters, 

 and liqueurs : cocoa-nuts and cocoa-nut jsroducts ; rublser and 

 gums ; coffee : native woods ; fibres and fibre products (in- 

 cluding bamboo, cocoa-nut, .sisal, and mega.ss); native pottery ; 

 preserves, condiments, .spices, etc.; apiary products ; miscella- 

 neous agricultural products : miscellaneous manufactured 

 products ; mineral products : fruit and vegetables ; press 

 exhibits ; advertising exhibits ; guide books ; maps, etc. In 

 addition, a pamphlet containing particulars of the exhibits 

 and descriptions of the photographs sent has been furnished 

 by the Permanent Exhibition Committee for distribution. 



The Acting Chairman of the Permanent Exhibition 

 Committee Antigua (Mr. R. A. Tempany, B. Sc), states 

 that 1 2.5 exhibits, all commercial in character, together with 

 a quantity of decorative material, were sent forward on 

 Augu.st 4. This was followed on August 17, by a further 

 shipment consisting of peri.shable produce and additional 

 decorative material. The exhibits were accompanied by 

 a pamphlet for distribution, prepared and printed in Antigua 

 and containing a description of that island and of its resources. 



In regard to the products sent from St. Kitts, the. 

 Honorary Secretary of the Permanent Exhibition Com- 

 mittee in that island (Air. V. 1\. Shepherd) states that the total 

 number of exhibits is 100. These comprise samples of sugar, 

 molasses, rum, cotton lint, seed-cotton, cotton .seed, cotton 

 seed cake, cotton seed meal, cotton seed oil, starches, meals, 

 ground nuts, and native preserves of various kinds. Views of 

 the island and decorative material were also .sent. The latter 

 included a sugar-cane plant, and a pine-apple plant in fruit 

 each growing in a tub. 



