1(}5 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



March 



1914. 



GLEANINGS. 



In Montserrat 3,000 lime plants were planted during 

 I'ebruary. and more seeds sown. Lime plants to the number 

 of 16,000 are on order. Two thousand more bay plants 

 ■were set out in boxes. 



The cacao crop of St. Lucia is this year likely to be 

 short. The lime trees are flowering and setting fruit, but 

 the high winds early in the month were somewhat unfavour- 

 able. The crushing of cane is in course of operation. 



Der 



Tropenpflanzer ioT February 1914 contains a his- 

 tory of the growth in size and influence of the United Fruit 

 Company, especially in relation to Costa Rica, and statistics 

 are given as to the growth of the company's holdings in land. 



'The Hoard of Trade Journal (February 19, 1914) states 

 that the exports of cacao from the Gold Coast in 1913 

 amounted to 113,007,823 ft. valued at £2,489,208, as 

 compared with 86,568,481 lb. valued at £1,642,734, in 1912. 



In Antigua, the reaping of the cane crop commenced 

 during February, and during the month the reaping of the 

 cotton crop was fairly general throughout the island. It is 

 expected that the return per acre from the cotton crop will 

 fall short of that obtained last year. 



Work in the Botanic Gardens, Dominica, during Febru- 

 ary, consisted principally in the tapping and preparation of 

 Para rubber, together with the usual transplanting and other 

 nursery work. A further series of experiments in the use of 

 dynamite for soil improvement was carried out on Government 

 land on February G. 



According to Tlie Board of Trade J<jarnal (February 19, 

 1914), the total exports of palm oil from Southern Nigeria in 

 1913 amounted to 1,661,781 cwt., as compared vpith 

 1,539,883 cwt. in 1912. The exports of palm kernels in 

 1913 amounted to 174,661 tons as against 184,625 tons in 

 the previous year. 



The Basseterre Central Sugar Factory began operations 

 on March 2. The prospects are about the same as last 

 season. In the northern district reaping has begun on the 

 muscovado estates. The young cane crop, where planted 

 early, looks well and healthy; but on fields where cotton was 

 planted previously the canes are not as yet established. 



The condition of the lime industry in Dominica 

 is reported to be satisfactory. The limes are flower- 

 ing heavily and the green lime crop is commencing. 

 The prices unpacked in Roseau are as high as 20«. per 

 "barrel. Writing at the end of February, the Curator of the 

 Botanic Gardens stated that already 975 barrels were 

 recently shipped to New York. 



As evidence of the vpay in which inseticides may be 

 misbranded, it may be pointed out that a recent Circular of 

 the LTnited States Department of Agriculture, issued 

 in connexion with the Insecticides Act of 1901, mentions that 

 a package which bore the statement, strictly pure arsenic 

 of lead containing arsenic oxide (As^O-), 1736 per cent., 

 was found, on analysis, to contain only 12'35 per cent, of 

 arsenic oxide. A fine of !?25 was inflicted. 



Increased interest is being taken in Antigua in the 

 growing of onions, and some attention has been given by 

 planters to the production of tomatoes for export, and to the 

 production of papain. Work on the extension of the onion 

 drying house has been commenced, and when completed, about 

 120 crates weekly will be handled. Labourers are being 

 trained in the matter of packing, grading, etc., and a circular 

 of hints has been issued on onion cultivation. 



The Board of Trade J,,araal (February 12, 1914) 

 contains a note on the silk market of Lyons and the world's 

 production and consumption of silk from 1890 to 1913. 

 There has been a steady increase in the annual production 

 during this period: the production in the Far East is still 

 increasing, but the European output is on the down grade. 

 The most interesting fact in regard to consumption is the 

 enormous increase in the I'nited States demand, which is at 

 present about 10,700,000 kilogs. annually, as compared 

 only 2,800,000 kilogs. in 1890. 



A copy has just been received of the Flora of Curai;ao, 

 Oruba and Bonaire by I. Boldingh. The work has been 

 published in Leiden and is the result of a second vo3'age 

 to the island of Curasao, Oruba and Bonaire following 

 a previous one to St. Eustatius, Saba and St. Martin. The 

 subject-matter is in English, and the numerous notes are, 

 from a West Indian point of view, extremely interesting. 

 The book has a list of vernacular names, several plates, 

 including maps of the three islands showing the distribution 

 of the various soil formations. 



The Report on the Operations of the Department of 

 Agriculture of the Madras Presidency, 1912 13, contains the 

 administration report of the Government Sugarcane Expert 

 (l)r. C. A. Earlier). Readers may be aware of the fact that 

 that in 1912 a sjjecial sugar cane station was started in the 

 Presidency. Previous to taking charge Dr. Barber made 

 two extended tours in Northern India. Seedlings to the 

 number of 12,000 to 15,000 were produced in 1912-13; 

 some 2,000 had been selected for further study. The 

 result of the work at this station will be watched with great 

 interest. 



The work with sugarcane varieties in Madras dealt 

 with in the report on the operations of the Department 

 of Agriculture, 1912-13, has included trials with B.147, 

 B.208, Java 247 and Red Mauritius. There are indi- 

 cations that B.147 may prove superior to Red Mauri- 

 tius. This point will be decided after further trial. 

 It is said that both Java 247 and B.147 require 

 somewhat more attention and care than Red Mauritius 

 canes. It seems that the ryots in the Delta are not 

 particularly given to bestow the necessary attention. 



