Vol. IX. No. 219. 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



295 



JAMAICA: ANNUAL REPORT OX THE 

 DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, 1909-10. 



General observations by the Director of Agriculture, 

 at the commencement of this report, contain informa- 

 tion which shows that a great impjrovement in the 

 conditions surrounding the Hope Gardens has been effect- 

 ed, and that the ornamental side of the work in all the 

 gardens is being maintained. Another among the several 

 matters of interest that are mentioned in this part of the 

 report is the opening of the Farm School in January 1909, 

 when the applications for admission were so numerous that 

 a large number of intending students had to be refused, and 

 the instituticn commenced with its full complement. It is 

 pointed out that this circumstance serves as a demonstration 

 of the fact that there is a demand in Jamaica for j)ractical 

 agricultural education, and that the policy of the provision 

 of this is justified. 



The detailed reports on the Hope and Custletcn (iardens, 

 the Parade Garden, Kingston, the Hill Garden.s, Cinchona, 

 and the King's House Gardens, show that the work of the 

 upkeep of these has been energetically continued, and that 

 means of improvement have been adopted in all cases. The 

 distribution of plants from the two first-mentioned gardens 

 was 1.53,287 and 20,2.52. Meteorological statistics are given 

 for the gardens, with the e.vception of the last-mentioneil 

 one; they show that the rainfall was respectively, in order, 

 96-30, 176-69, 6961 and 189-77 inches. At each of these 

 places, more or less damage was done by the flood rains 

 near the beginning of November; fortunately this damage 

 was of such a nature that it could be repaired easily. 



The section of the report on agricultural experiments 

 shows that large demands have been received for tops of 

 the seedling canes B.208, B. 1-17 and D,625. Mention is 

 made of the success and progress of the sugar industrj- of 

 Jamaica during the year, as well as of the disorganization 

 of the rum market, chiefly on account of the increase in 

 the spirit duties in the United Kingdom. The hope is 

 expressed that the revival of the sugar industry of the 

 colony, with the aid of central factories, will increase 

 the importance of that product among its exports, .so 

 that a stable industry may exist alongside the raising of 

 the more speculative crops that at present receive the great- 

 est attention in the island. The part of the report which 

 treats of the fruit industry was reproduced in the last 

 number of the Agricultural News (p. 276), to which reference 

 is made for information concerning this. 



Among the matters of interest that appear in the report 

 of the Travelling Instructors is that of the effective check of 

 the pod rot disease of cacao by spraying: although this 

 remedy is stated not to be likely to gain the favour of 

 planters, on account of the very careful labour that is 

 required, as well as in some cases, the hilly nature of the 

 ground on which the plantations are situated. Cacao canker 

 has been checked by cutting and tarring. Other matters 

 that have received particular attention in relation to cacao 



cultivation have been drainage, the provision of wind-breaks 

 and the adoption of sanitary measures. In regard to rubber, 

 more or le.ss success has been attained generally with 

 Castilloa. The other crops that have received the more 

 special attention of the agricultural instructors have been 

 cocoa-nuts, bananas and cacao. Much useful work appears 

 to have been done in relation to prize-holdings competitions 

 and agricultural shows. 



The educational section of the report proceeds first to give 

 an interesting account of the Farm School at Hope, to which 

 reference has been made already. The usual lectures in 

 elementary science and agriculture were given to the stuednts 

 at the various training colleges, by the Lecturer in Agri- 

 cultural Science; the annual course of training in agriculture 

 was held in January, and was attended by forty-five teachers. 



The account of the work at the Stock Farm at Hope shows 

 that only negligible los.ses of stock have occurred during the 

 year. One of the most interesting matters in connexion with 

 this institution has been the efforts to devise a practical 

 method for dealing with the tick jiest in Jamaica. This 

 useful piece of work was enabled to be carried out on 

 account of the presence of Professor Xewstead in the island. 



The analytical work at the Government Laboratory, in 

 connexion with the official samples, showed that the watering 

 and skimming of milk for sale take place to a large extent in 

 Kingston. Examination of 19 .samples of so-called butter 

 sold in Kingston showed that only one was genuine, the 

 others being composed of margarine with a large percentage 

 of foreign fat. All the samjjles of lard investigated contained 

 over .50 per cent, of cotton seed oil. The legal requirements 

 in regard to the flash point of kerosene oil and turpentine 

 appear to be generally fulfilled. Investigations in respect to 

 the water-supply of Kingston demonstrated that this was 

 generally satisfactory. Experiments made to ascertain the 

 effects of Danysz virus on mungoose showed that this pro- 

 duced a fatal disease among them, and a similar result was 

 obtained in trials with rats. The provision of cultures of 

 pure yeasts to sugar estates has caused very satisfactory 

 improvement in the attenuations and yields of rum, and this 

 part of the work appears to be of particular value in connex- 

 ion wuth this industry. Finally, it is interesting to note that 

 the employment of the sugar laboratory by estates has increas- 

 ed, and is greater than it has been during the last three years. 



THE PRODUCTION OF VANILLA. 



Mr.J.li. Jack.son, F.L.S.,has forwarded a note in connex- 

 ion with the extended cultivation of vanilla that has been tak- 

 ing place, and its effect on future production. He points out 

 that, as regards Reunion, the British Consul at that place reports 

 that the overproduction of recent years has ceased. This is 

 shown by a consideration of the following figures, which give 

 the output for the last four seasons: 1906-7, 3.5,588 kilos.; 

 1907-8, 48,865 kilos.; 1908-9, 70,000 kilos.; 1909-10, 39,.500 

 kilos. Mr. Jackson states, further, that prices are .said to 

 have risen considerably, so that the average for the best qual- 

 ity is now 29s. 6d. per kilo., as against one of 18s., last year, 

 and tho.se of the other qualities have advanced in proportion. 

 The result is that, as the British Consul points out, several 

 vanilla-producing countries are limiting the output. Further 

 information is given by Mr. Jackson, as to prices, at the 

 vanilla auction in London, at the end of last July: Seychelles, 

 good long, 14s. per lb.; common split, short, 9s. 9d.; Ceylon, 

 fair to good, medium, 13s. 6(i. ; down to inferior qualities, 

 8s. 9d. to lis. per lb. 



