Vol. IX. No. 202. 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



27 



This seems to be an eft'ectual method. Arsenate of lead 

 may be used as a spray for this jiest, in case spraj'ing is 

 adopted as a remedial measure. 



In the Experiment Station Record {ov November 1909, 

 p. .561, it is mentioned that Bransolis iUh.mia occurred in 

 1906 in such numbers in the Panama Canal Zone as to 

 defoliate the cocoa-nut trees on the Isthmus and necessitate 

 their being cut down. The caterpillars feed at night and 

 remain in the nest during the day. The practice of cutting 

 down the nests is said to be an easier method of control than 

 spraying with arsenate of lead. A dipterous parasite is 

 said to help in its control. 



In a recent number of the Journal of Economic Ento- 

 tiioloi/y, Vol. II, 1909, p. 220, an article on insects affecting 

 the cocoa-nut trees in the Society Islands mentions .several 

 pests which occur in the West Indies, as well as certain ones 

 ■which do not. The Bourlion scale is mentioned as the most 

 severe pest, while Glover'.s scale {Mi/tilaapiK yloi'eri) is often 

 abundant on the bases of the older leaves, where it is not 

 supposed to cause much injury to the trees. It is also said 

 to be heavily parasitized. Mytilaxpis ff/orcri is not recorded 

 on palms in the West Indies. It is a near relative of Mi/til- 

 aspis ciirico/a, and these two species have been found on 

 citrus plants. 



Two other scale insects are reported as being abundant 

 on the cocoa-nut, one of them being held more or less in 

 -check by a small hj'menopterous parasite. Two beetles are 

 recorded, also, which bore into the base of the leaves. One of 

 these (Sji/wnojihorus o/jsrurits) is related to the weevil borer of 

 the cane (.S'. se)-iccus, Fig. 3); and the other (Uilandra talinilen- 

 sis is similar to our C. ijranaria (Fig. 1) — a small insect 

 which lives on stored corn and other grain. 



In the Society Islands, the leaves of the cocoa-nut are 

 attacked by the larva of a small moth, which often occurs 

 in large numbers, eating away the lower surface of the 

 leaf, which dies as a result. Another small moth may prove 

 to be a serious "pest on account of the larval habit of eating 

 the male flower-buds, as soon as the spathe opens. The flow- 

 ers are often also attacked by two small beetles which feed 

 upon the pollen. In some instances, practically all the pollen 

 in the spike is destroyed. 



THE COURSES OF READING IN 

 ST. KITTS. 



A communication from the Honorary Secretary of the 

 St. Kitts Agricultural and Commercial Society (Mr. F. K. 

 Shepherd) states that, at the meeting of that Society held on 

 December 7, 1909, Mr. G. G. Auchinleok, B.Sc, read 

 a short account of the work that has been done in that 

 island in connexion with the courses of reading of the 

 Imperial Department of Agriculture, at the same time offer- 

 ing advice as regards the help that might be given to 

 candidates by the managers in charge of the estates on 

 which they worked. Mr. Auchinleck congratulated St. 

 Kitts on the success that had been attained so far, in the 

 examinations of the Department, by the candidates from 

 that island, but hoped, at the same time, that the number of 

 these would be greatly increased in the future. 



On the conclusion of Mr. Auchinleck s paper, the follow- 

 ing resolution was passed unanimously by the meeting: — ■ 



'That this meeting of the St. Kitts Agricultural and 

 Commercial Society desires to congratulate Mr. G. G. Auchin- 

 leck, B.Sc, Science Ma.ster at the Grammar School, on his 

 promotion to a wider sphere of work, and to record its 

 appreciation of the manner in which Mr. Auchinleck has 

 identified himself with the agricultural interests of the 

 community during his terra of office here.' 



AGRICULTURE IN ELEMENTARY 



SCHOOLS, TRINIDAD. 



The following extracts showing the progress that 

 is being made in the teaching of practical agriculture, 

 together with nature study, in the Trinidad elementary 

 schools, are taken from the Annual Report of the 

 Inspector of Schools of that colon)', for I90S-9: — 



Practical agriculture is now taught in nearly all boys' or 

 mixed schools of the colony. Omitting nineteen purely girls' 

 .schools, three infant schools and nine others whose head 

 teachers, being women, naturally attract a preponderance of 

 girls among the pupils, of the remaining 219 schools that 

 weie examined during the year, only eleven did not present 

 this subject. There were therefore 210 schools examined 

 in agriculture, as against 203 in 1907-8; of these, sixty-three 

 obtained the highest award 'Very Good' — the number for the 

 year before being sixty-seven. Thus, while there was a slight 

 increase in the number of schools examined, there was 

 apparently a little falling ofif as regards results. Here again, 

 I would point out that the standard of efficiency is being 

 gradually raised, ilere gardening, as generally understood 

 in the colony, is good enough in its way, but we must have 

 a higher aim in our schools. To know under what conditions 

 to .sow, plant and reai) vegetables for consunii)tion is 

 important (and the annual local shows prove that a fair 

 proportion of teachers are doing remarkably well in this 

 direction), but for educational purposes it does not suffice; 

 there is much more to be done, and it is being done by many 

 earnest teachers. In several schools, pupils are allowed to 

 conduct simple experiments in plant culture; compost heaps 

 are formed, nursery work is carried on. In some that I have 

 in mind, seed germination is taught in the best possible way 

 by means of a bean or grain of corn in a glass or bottle of 

 water, which if kept on a shelf or table in the schoolroom, 

 where it can be always under observation, forms a continuous 

 object-les.son. Then there is the kindred subject of nature 

 study, which must form a part of agricultural teaching. It 

 oiiens up a wide but most interesting field that the intelli- 

 gent teacher will not fail to turn to account. With the 

 services of the Agricultural Instructors now added to this 

 Department, I trust to be able, in my next report, to show 

 a real advance. 



Successful local shows were held during the month of 

 November 1908, and in January and February of 1909, at 

 Princes Town, Port-of-Spain, Arinia, San Fernando and 

 Scarborough, but, unfortunately, those at the first and last 

 named places were sadly marred by unpropitious weather. 

 The exhibits at the various centres were, with one exception, 

 more numerous and of better quality than in the previous 

 year. The exception was at San Fernando, where the falling 

 off in respect of both quantity and quality was somewhat 

 marked, though probably the change of date at short notice 

 may be in a measure accountable for it. Before each of the 

 Trinidad shows, the principal school gardens near the respect- 

 ive centres were inspected by Mr. Adam Collens, of the 

 Education Office, who has had some training in agricultural 

 work. At all the shows, the display of flowering annuals was 

 most disappointing, and it is really a pity that more effort 

 is not made in this direction. The surroundings of m3,ny of 

 our schools leave much to be desired, and the cultivation of 

 flowers, whether in pots or beds, would not only help io 

 brighten the scene, but would set an example which would 

 doubtless be followed in due time by the peasantry in , the 

 neighbourhood. ■ 



