Vol. XIII. Xo. 310. 



TBE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



ANTIGUA: REPORT ON THE BOTANIC STA- 

 TION AND EXPERIMENT PLOTS, 101. .'-J-:. 



This report records another year of dry weather, the 

 precipitation during IDl'l having been, with the exception of 

 that of 1903, the lowest since 1S75. The unfavourable 

 climatic conditions rendered necessary a considerable amount 

 of extra work and attention, both in the Botanic Gardens and 

 on the Experimental plots. As regards the Gardens, dry 

 weather has fully demonstrated the fact that succulents form 

 the most suitable class of vegetable growth in Antigua: this 

 circumstance has now for several years been responsible for 

 the collei'tion of a large number of aloes and similar xero- 

 phytes, and it may be stated that the Antigua (iiirdens now 

 possess a collection of drought-resisting plants which is 

 probably second to none in the \\'est Indie.=. 



EXPEKI.MENT.S WITH I'ROVI.«IOX i UOI'S AND COTTON. 



The work in the nurseries, as measured by the number 

 of economic plants distributed, has increased during the 

 year under review, the number sent out being some 22,000 

 more than in the previous year. They consisted principally 

 of sugar cane cutting.s, lime plants, coco-nut, Eucalyptus 

 seedlings, sweet potato cuttings and onion plants and seeds. 

 The plot experiments for the most part, have been intimately 

 connected with the colony's minor industries, being con- 

 ducted with provision crops and cotton.. Reference should 

 be made here, in passing, to the extensive' experimentation in 

 the Leeward Islands with varieties of sugar-cane: the results 

 of this work are dealt with in a separate report just issued 

 by the Imperial Department of Agriculture As regards the 

 trials with provision crops, attention may be called to the 

 result that no advantage accrues from planting sweet potatoes 

 from setts-; that continuous cultivation does not sensibly 

 alter the prussic acid content of cassava varieties; that satis- 

 factory yields cannot generally speaking be expected with 

 tanci:is in Antigua, though with yams the reverse is the case. 

 Further, in connexion with sweet potatos, experiments have 

 indicated that useful results can probably be obtained from 

 selection based on the weight of roots of individual plants. 

 ■\Vork along this line, it is understood, is now being carried on. 



The routine selection work with cotton has been con- 

 tinued during the year under review, but here again 

 ditticulties were experienced on account of the dry weather. 

 Germination was poor and the leaf-blister mite appeared 

 during early stages of development. The results of a large 

 amount of work with cotton is described under the section 

 headed Special Investigation AVork. The hybridization 

 results are especially interesting: it is hoped to fix a type 

 having length of lint and resistance to leaf-blister mite 

 {Eriop/ti/es ffossi/pii). An examination cf-,the table will show 

 that a great difference is exhibited in the case of one or 

 two of the crosses. The line of work under consideration 

 will be closely followed in other cotton growing islands 

 besides Antigua. For instance, in Barbados, the production 

 of a resistant type like the orie referred to above would make 



the greatest difference to the status of cotton cultivatiott 

 in that island. 



ENTO.MOLOCK.vr. IXFOEMATIOX. 



Work connected with the control of pests and diseases 

 is described under crop headings in a special section. ^ J As 

 usual root disease has .shown itself to be the principal enemy 

 of the sugar cane. Cotton has been rather severely affected 

 by leaf-blister mite and by the cotton worm. It is satis- 

 factory to report that little harm has been done by what has 

 hitherto been regarded as the most serious pest of cotton in 

 Antigua — the flower- bud maggot (Contarinia (losspj'ii). Its 

 disappearance has in all probability been occasioned ( I ) by 

 the discontinuation of cotton growing in certain districts, 

 (2) by systematic efforts to plant as early as possible. Its 

 disappearance has probably not been the result of control 

 by insect parasites as is stated in the report. Scale insects 

 continue to affect limes, and a new pest of this crop has 

 during the year come into prominence — the lime twig 

 girdler (EUiphidion mite). This latter trouble has been 

 satisfactorily dealt with by following the advice given by 

 the Entomologist on the Staff of this Department. 



IT.OGRESS IX THE IXOUSTEIES. 



Turning to the section dealing with progress in the 

 chief industries, it will be seen that the area under cotton 

 increased by 367 acres, compared with the area under this 

 crop in 1911-12. There was 1.54,430 tt>. of lint reaped, 

 which gives an average return of 197 lb. of lint per acre. 

 The total value of the lint shipped was between 

 £10,000 and £11,000. On the whole it may be said 

 that the cotton season under review was a very satisfac- 

 tory one. The sugar-cane yields were limited through 

 root disease and dry weather The total quantity of .sugar 

 exported from the island for the year was 11,690 tons made 

 up of 7,503 tons of 9G° crystals and 4,187 tons of muscovado. 

 This shows an improvement on the output for 191 1-12, but 

 it is still over 1,000 tons below the exports for 1907 and 1908. 



COCO-XUTS. 



In regard to progress in the minor industries the interest 

 in coco-nut cultivation has been maintained as is shown by 

 the fact that during the year 3,739 plants were distributed. 

 This material is sufficient to plant 78 acres. The question 

 is raised in the report as to whether it might not be possible 

 to irrigate some of the coast land with salt water by means of 

 wind power. But the most interesting of the matter incor- 

 porated in the section on coco-nuts is the results of measuring 

 husked and unhusked nuts from Antigua, Dominica and 

 Nevis. The figures illustrate in a striking manner the great 

 differences in size which exist between the unhusked Antigua 

 coconuts and those grown in other places. They also indicate 

 how deceptive appearances may be, since measurement showed 

 that although the average difference between six unhusked 

 Antigua and Dominica nuts was as much as 238 inches in 

 favour of the latter, the husked Antigua nuts were 0'04 

 inches larger than the others. 



After presenting information concerning the developing 

 onion indu.stry, the report concludes with official matters of 

 more local than general interest. A very successful Agricul- 

 tural Show was held during 1913, and considerable amount 

 of work of a satisfactory nature was done in regard to the 

 Heading Course Examinations conducted by this Department. 

 The Cadet System continues to progress .satisfactorily in 

 Antigua. '■ ^ 



