Vol. XIII. No. 313. 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



135 



TRINIDAD: ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT ON 

 THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, VJlJ. 



This publication is principally ■oinposed of details of 

 administration and financial statements. In the letter of 

 transmittal, reference is made first to the Botanical Depart- 

 ment, the vote for the maintenance of which has been reduced 

 owing to the introduction of a bettei system of oiganization. 

 The work carried on at the Government Farm and at 

 St. Augustine estate is biietly reviewed: this information is 

 followed by a section on agricultuial education which is of 

 some general interest. Sevenl officers of the Department 

 take a share in education work. The home reading courses 

 are now oondui-ted by the Assistant Director. The student 

 apprentices at the gardens at St. Clair and Tob.ig'i, and at the 

 Govermont Farm and lliver estate, work under the direction 

 of the officers in charge. The recent formati'in of district 

 branches of the Agi iculiural Society enables field doniunstra- 

 tions and short addresses to be given by officers of the 

 department. The course in highei- agricultural education 

 connected with the two colleges has been continued at the 

 Laboratory, and with continued suc^-ess. 



ASSAM: REPORT ON THE AGRICULTURAL 

 DEPARTMENT, FOR THE YEAR ENDED JUNE 

 101-3. 



The niijst interesting feature jf this report from the 

 West Indian point of view will probably be the variety tests 

 ■with sugarcane. The year's results for plant canes far 

 surpass any hitherto obtained. One plot of B. 1-1:7 yielded 

 practically 4 tons of total sugar per acre. The results 

 obtained this year fully justify the adoption of the following 

 rotation: first year, plant canes (500 maunds of pen manure); 

 second year, ratoon canes (20 maunds of (jil cake); third year, 

 paddy; fourth year, green manure (cowpeas) and fallow. 



The results emphasized the remarkable effects on the 

 soil of green manuring in conjunction with liming. 



The report provides informatii^n on a large number of 

 different matters concerning the work of the department^ 

 including education, aid to the public in combating 

 outbreaks of insect pests and fungus diseases, sericulture, 

 agricultural shows and exhibitions, and imprrjvement of live 

 stock. The last section of the report contains what is perhajis 

 the most interesting suggestion in the entire publication: it 

 is that the Director of Agriculture should also be appointed 

 registrar of the co-operative credit societies. 



UGANDA PROTECTORATE: ANNUAL REPORT 

 ON THE BOTANICAL, FORESTRY AND SCIEN- 

 TIFIC DEPARTMENTS, FOR THE YEAR ENDING 

 MARCH 1913. 



In the last issue of the Agricultural News an article 

 was published on the utilization in the Federated Malay States 

 of grasses for paper making. This report contains some 

 information on the same subject, with particiilar reference to 

 Elephant grass {Pennuetum, 2'>urpureum.) Two bundles were 

 ■forwarded to the Imperial Institute for the purpose of 

 •ascertaining their suitability for paper making. The samples 



consisted of two bundles of yellow bamboo-like stems measur- 

 ing to 11 feet in length, with a diameter at the Ijase of aliout 

 1 inch The air-di^ied stems wei^e examined and figure.-i 

 showing the percentage of unbleached pulp expressed, 

 moisture on drying, a,sh, etc, together with the length of 

 ultimate fibres (which aveiage about O'OS inch) aie given in 

 the report. 



On account of the light and liulky nature of the grass, it 

 is very unlikely that the stems could be profitable shipped to 

 Europe for paper making, as they would probably only realize 

 aliout the same price as Esparta grass of average quality, 

 namely £3 17s. %d. per ton. If, however, the stems were 

 converted into pulp in Uganda by tieatment with caustic soda, 

 it is possible that a remunerative industry might be carried on. 



The report contains a large amount of information on 

 forestry matters, including ruliber;also on entomological and 

 mycological matters, of which any interesting details will 

 receive attention in a future issue of the A'jricultitral Neios. 



'.■OLD COAST: /REPORT ON THE AGRICULTU- 

 RAL DEPARTMENT, 191 Si. 



As is well known, the principal agricultural industry oa 

 the Gold Coast is cacao. In spite of the enormous growth of 

 the industiy, there appears to be considerable danger that its 

 prosperity may be checked through neglect or inability on the 

 part of the natives to maintain the plantations in a cleanly and 

 healthy condition. The Director comments on the necessity 

 for legislation. 



\\Tierea.s the .-^tate of the rubl)er industry i.s .somewhat 

 depressed, considerable hopes are entertained for a bright 

 future in regard to cotton growing. The exports of cotton 

 during the year under review were fully double those of the 

 previous year. The area is rapidly extending in the northern 

 territories. 



A u.seful line of activity in the Department's work would 

 seem to be the organization of agricultural shows. One of 

 these held during the year received over .5,000 exhibits, and 

 practically every chief in the di.strict attended the show in 

 person accompanied by a large concourse of their people. 



Appended to the Director's report are the reports of the 

 entomologist and the travelling inspector, and of officers in 

 charge of the various agricultural stations. 



SIERRA LEONE: REPORT ON THE AGRICUL- 

 TURAL DEPARTMENT, 1912. 



The section in this report dealing with cotton states that 

 trials with West Indian Sea Island cotton and Cambodia from 

 South India were made. The Sea Island cotton grew well 

 and withstood the heavy showers of rain. The plants flowered 

 well and produced large bolls, but when the cotton was 

 Iieginning to appear in November, the crop was badly attacked 

 by the cotton stainer bug {Di/iderois superstitiosus). 



A large number of lime seedlings are in the nur.sery 

 garden. It is intended to make a lime plantation to see 

 whether lime cultivation can be conducted on commercial lines 

 in Seirra Leone, similar to what is being done in the West 

 Indies. It is stated that limes survive and grow luxuriantly 

 in Sierra Leone, and with a little attention large fruits can be 

 obtained well filled with juice. 



Other crops experimented with by the department were 

 maize, castor oil plants, ginger, yams, ground nuts, rices, coffee 

 and cacao. Government cacao plantations have been estab- 

 bi.shedat Kennemia and Mano. 



The report concludes with an account of the work of the 

 veterinary officer, and a report on the crops of the Protectorate 

 during the year under review. 



