Vol. IX. No. 208. 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



115 



feeding and looking after the birds for some little time 

 subsequent to their arrival. 



The broad conclusion that is reached after all these 

 considerations is that caution is reqtiired at every 

 stage of the work connected with the introduction of 

 new species of birds into a conntry. It appears as if 

 the risks might be minimized in the West Indies by 

 effecting interchanges between the different islands, 

 instead of obtaining importations from other parts of 

 the world, but there is no certainty in the matter. 

 Every effort should be made to ascertain what can be 

 done by the protection of already existing useful birds. 

 In gaining information concerning the feeding habits 

 of these, as well as of others that it may be proposed to 

 introduce, care should be taken that what is obtained 

 applies to normal conditions. Finally, where birds are 

 introduced, the work should be conducted in a method- 

 ical manner, in order that the best chance of survival 

 may be given, and the most reliable information may 

 be available as to the effect of their presence in their 

 new habitat. 



THE COST OF SUGAR PRODUCTION 

 IN THE UNITED STATES. 



The following is taken from an article by G. T. 

 Surface, Assistant Professor of Geography, Sheffield 

 Scientific School, Yale University, which appeared in 

 the Annals of the American Acadcmi/ of Pdlitirai 

 and Social Science, January 1910 : — 



The cost of sugar production naturally varies for differ- 

 ent years, and in different localities for the .«ame j'ear. The 

 reserve of seed-cane represents a heavy initial cost, since 

 a minimum of 3 tons per acre is required, or about one- 

 fifth of the average crop. This could be milled at less cost 

 than the ' windrowing ' for winter preservation, so at 

 present mill prices it represents an outlay of SI 2 to 

 ^16. In 1899, 3,870 farms in Louisiana, on which cane 

 was the chief source of income, reported that the 

 expenditures for labour and fertilizers amounted to 45 

 per cent, of the gross income. On the liberal estimate of 

 16 tons per acre and 84 per ton, the average cost of 

 the labour and fertihzers was ■?2880 per acre, leaving 

 S3520 to cover cost of sowing, risks, rental or interest 

 charges, repairs, horse power and profits. The risk from 

 storm losses is great, since the cane belt is in the zone of our 

 most violent coastal storms. The total loss to the sugar-cane 

 crop of Louisiana from the storm of September 20, 1909, is 

 estimated at 289 per cent. (§6.50,000) by Professor H. P. 

 Agee, of the State Experimental Station. The losses in the 

 Mississippi and Yazoo delta districts varied from 10 to 

 20 per cent., and in Texas from 11 to 25 per cent. The 

 shallow rooting of cane and the weight and the brittleness 

 of the stalk make destructive not only windstorms but 

 heavy or continued rains. 



The cost of labour has so increased during the past two 

 decades that the industry would have declined but for the 

 economies inaugurated in the different stages of production. 



From 1890 to 1900, the cc.-^t of unskilled farm labour in the 

 cane-growing States increased from 20 to 30 per cent., while 

 the price of granulated sugar declined from 6 3c. per lb. 

 (1890) to 5-3c. From 1900 to 1909 wages increased more 

 than 20 per cent., and granulated sugar declined from 

 5"3c. to -tGSc. per lb. According to the statement of con- 

 servative planters, the cost of producing raw cane sugar 

 somewhat exceeds 2ic. per lb., and under the present econ- 

 omic conditions, a reasonable profit cannot be realized unless 

 the factory price averages 2ic. to 3ic. per K). for the different 

 grades of raw sugar. The cost of factory equipment is esti- 

 mated at $250 for e?ch ton of cane which can be nulled per 

 day; that is, a factory of 2,000 tons daily capacity would cost 

 .$500,000. 



EXPERIMENTAL GARDENS IN CEYLON. 



The following details of a scheme for the provision 

 of experimental and model gardens in Ceylon, that 

 has been drawn up by the Ceylon Board of Agri- 

 culture, are given in the Tropical Agriculturist for 

 January, 1910: — 



(1) The Ceylon Board of Agricnlture is prei>ared to 

 make grants-in-aid to local Societies for the establishment 

 and maintenance of experimental gardens for the next five 

 years, commencing from July 1, 1910. 



(2) Applications for such grants-in-aid will be received 

 by the Secretary of the Board of Agriculture up to Jlarch 31, 

 1910. These applications will be considered by the Advisory 

 Committee on Model and E.xperimental Gardens. 



(3) It is proposed for the present to subsidize one 

 garden in each province. 



(4) The parent society will give in the first year an 

 initial grant not e.xceeding K.s. 1,000 for the starting of 

 a garden, and an upkeep grant not exceeding Pis. 200 per 

 annum for five years, on condition that the local Society will 

 contribute sums not less than those granted. These sums 

 may be exceeded in the case of certain provinces should funds 

 become available through failure of the scheme in others. 



(5) Gardens established under this scheme should not as 

 a rule be less than 5 acres, b\it in no case will any site less 

 than 3 acres in extent be allowed. They must be within easy 

 reach of some public road, and the sites must be approved by 

 the parent Society. 



(G) The land should either be purchased outright or 

 leased for a period of not less than five years, and bo available 

 for the sole use of the garden. 



(7) The funds contributed by the local Society for the 

 working of the garden should be deposited with the Govern- 

 ment Agent of the province, either in a lump sum annually 

 or in instalments; and the Society's grant wiU be similarly 

 deposited with the Government Agent, on intimation being 

 received of the de[)osit of the local Society's contribution. 



(t*) The garden will be under the .supervision and control 

 of the parent Society, and cultivation and experiments will 

 be conducted according to a scheme to be drawn up by the 

 Advisory Committee. 



(9) Proper accounts of all expenditure, with receipts, 

 should be kept on an approved system by the local Societies, 

 and a copy of such accounts forwarded to the parent Society 

 half-yearly. The books shall be open to the insiiection of 

 officers of the parent Society. 



(10) The local Society should be properly represented, 

 and controlled by a local board, with the Government Agent 

 of the province, or the Assistant Government Agent of the 

 District, as its Chairman. 



