Vol. IX. No. 204. 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



63 



and concluded with a .short resume of the objects of the 

 expedition. 



The Hon. F. -L" Clarke, on behalf of the visitors, 

 especially of his friends from Barbados, thanked his 

 Excellency and the people of Antigua for their cordial 

 welcome, and the great kindness and hospitality that had 

 been shown them. 



The Governor then left the meeting, and the chair was 

 tiken by Dr. Watts. Mr. F. K. Shepherd and Mr. H. A. 

 Tempanj' read memoranda in connexion with the subject 

 under discussion, which had been drawn up by the Agri- 

 cultural Societies of St. Kitts and Antigua respectively. 

 !Mr. Bovell explained the position in Barbados, and, finally, 

 pertain resolutions were passed unanimously by the conference. 

 For these, see Agrindtunil JV^eics, Vol. IX, p. 29. 



After the resolutions had been passed, the visitors were 

 entertained at a luncheon by the .\ntigua members of the 

 Conference, at which the Governor presided. In the after- 

 'noon they were taken to Friar's Hill, the property of the 

 Hon. J. J. Caraacho, to see the Santa Cruz system of sugar 

 .manufacture that is installed there, and to view the surround- 

 ing country. While at Friar's Hill, the visitors were hosiiitably 

 entertained by Mr. Harper, the manager of the.estate. 



On Thursday morning, .lanuary 13, the members were 

 taken by rail to North Sound estate, where they saw in 

 operation the various ploughs, cultivatois, etc., that are 

 used in what is known as the Louisiana system of cultivation. 



On leaving North Sound, the pan^j was taken to .Mont- 

 pelier estate, where it was met by ^Ir. A. St. Ci. Spooner. 

 At this estate, the Santa Cruz system was in full working, 

 crushing and evaporating the juice from the remains of 

 canes from which cuttings had been taken for replanting 

 the estate. From Jlontpelier the party proceeded to Parham 

 New Work whence, after inspecting the sugar factory which is 

 also based on the Santa Cruz system, they went to Parham 

 Hill, the residence of the Hon. .J. F. Foote, at which they 

 were kindly entertainel by .Mrs. Foote. In the evening, the 

 members of the expedition were entertained at dinner by 

 iis Excellency the Governor and Lady Sweet-Escott. 



On Friday, .January H. at 10 o'clock, the visitors from 

 Barbados and St. Kitts-Nevis met in conference the repre- 

 sentatives of the Antigua Agricultural and Commercial 

 Society, when the following papers were read and discu.ssed: 

 (1) 'Five years working of the Antigua Sugar Factory', by 

 Mr. L. I. Henzell. (2) 'Muscovado Sugar Making by Steam 

 Boiling', by Mr. A. St. G. Spooner. (3) 'Implemental 

 Cultivation', by Messrs. E. Moody Stuart and I. E. Dyett. 



(4) 'Systems of Agricultural Education', by Dr. F. Watts. 



(5) The Introduction of Insectivorous Birds', by Mr. G. Moody 

 ■Stuart'. 



The papers read will be published in the West Iiidiitu 

 Bulletin. 



In the afternoon, a general meeting of the Agricultural 

 and Commercial Society was held in the Council Chamber, 

 under the presidency of his Excellency the Grovernor, when 

 the subject of the root disease of the sugar-cane was discussed. 



The members of the expedition were to have left Antigua 

 by the Pickford A- Black SS. ' Sobo", on Saturday, January 1.5; 

 but owing to the non-arrival of that vessel until Jlonday, the 

 17th, they were unable to embark for their return journey 

 to Barbados until the afternoon of that day. 



In conclusion, the njembers of the expedition place on 

 record their appreciation of the great kindness and courtesy 

 extended to them by the Agricultural and Commercial 

 Society and the people of Antigua, as well as by those in 

 St. Lucia and Domioica who were good enough to receive them 

 and make their visit to those islands interesting and enjoyable. 



RICE-GROWING IN THE UNITED STATES. 



The following information is obtained from an 

 article in the Rict B<h Jounud, in which is summar- 

 ized the information given in the final report of the 

 Bureau of Statistics of the United States Department 

 of Agriculture, issued on December 20, 1909: — 



In area, Louisiana leads with 375,000 acres; Texas follows 

 with 291,000 and Arkansas comes next with 28,000: South 

 Carolina ha,s 18,000 acres, Georgia 4,200, Florida and 

 .Mississi])pi 1,000 each, and North Carolina 425 acre.s. In 

 this connexion it is worthy of note that the greatest increase 

 next year will be along the Mississijijii river and in Arkansas, 

 where considerable development is taking place. The greatest 

 increase will be in eastern Louisiana, and there are prospects of 

 considerable increase in the State of Mississippi, while Arkan- 

 sas may safely be expected, according to the well-informed, 

 to double its present acreage. There will be an increase in 

 St. Landry parish. Louisiana, but in the iiarishes of Acadia, 

 Calcasieu and ^'ermilioll, a material decrease is certain, 

 although 10,000 acres of new lan<l will be put in by the 

 United Irrigation and Rice Milling Company, which is extend- 

 ing its canals. The total acreage of rice in the Ignited States is 

 placed at 720,000 — a reduction of 1 1,000 from the preliminary 

 estimate, and an increase over that of last year of 65,000. 



In yield ]per acre, Arkansas leads with an average of 

 40 bushels; Alabama follows with 35, and Texas conie.s 

 next with 34; Louisiana is two tenths of a bushel behind 

 Texas, its production being 33'8 bushels per acre; North 

 Carolina averages 302 and Mississippi 30 bushels, while 

 South Carolina produces only 25 G bushels to the acre, on 

 an average, and Florida follows with still lower average. 



The average price per bushel of rough rice on December 1 

 was 79"4c. The price of South Carolina rice led at 91c. 

 Arkansa.s rice followed at 90c. and (ieorgia and North 

 Carolina rice came next at 87 and 85c., respectively. Florida, 

 Alabama and Mississippi rice brought 80c. and the two 

 great rice-producing states of Louisiana and Texas followed 

 in the order named; Louisiana rice brought 79, and Te.xa.s 

 rice, 78. The total farm value of the rice croji of 1909, on 

 December 1, 1909, is placed at $19,341,000. 



The Department's figures as to acreage and production 

 in Louisiana and Texas are largely based on reports received 

 from the farmers, mills and warehouses, and are generally 

 accepted as being reliable. Figures on other points are 

 doubtless correct, although the quoted prices for rice may be 

 a trifle higher than those actually paid. 



Rice in British Guiana. 



The last fortnightly report of Messrs. Sandbach, 

 Parker & Co., of Georgetown, on the rice industry of 

 British Guiana, dated February 4, 1910, gives informa- 

 tion as follows : — 



The weather during the fortnight has continued wet, 

 and as a consequence, milling has been very much interrupted. 



Prices have remained firm, and with light deliveries to 

 town, we expect price to advance. 



Shipments to the islands during the fortnight amounted 

 to 3,784 bags. 



We quote to-day, f.o.b. Demerara, for good export 

 quality : — 



Nominally 16s. Qd. to 17s. 9(f. per bag of 180 lb. gross. 

 15s. 9(«. to IBs. 9t?. „ „ ,,164 0). „ 



