312 



THE AGKICULTURAL NEWS 



October 1, 1910. 



EDITORIAL NOTICES. 



Letters and matter for publication, as well as all 

 apecimens for naming, should be addressed to the 

 Commissioner, Imperial Department of Agriculture, 



Barbados. 



All applications for Copies of the ' Agricultural 

 News ' should be addressed to the Agents, and not to 

 the Department. 



Local Agents: Messrs. Bowen & Sons, Bridge- 

 town, Barbados. London Agents : Messrs. Dulau & 

 Co., 37, Soho Square, W. A complete list of Agents 

 will be found on page 3 of the cover. 



The Agricultural News: Price Id. per number, 

 post free 2d. Annual subscription payable to Agents, 

 2s. 2d. Post free, 4s. id. 



^Igricultural |lnuj 



J 



Creasote for Preservinaf Gate Posts. 



An account of ex]jei'imi'nts which are being con- 

 ducted in Antigua for the purpose of investigating the 

 usefulness of creasote in preserving wooden posts, has 

 been received from Mr. T. Jackson. Curator of the 

 Botanic Station. 



This shows that, in December 190.5, four pitch 

 pine gate posts were erected at one of the experiment 

 stations, in each of which two holes were drilled, one of 

 these being au the top of the post, and covered; the 

 other was at about 18 inches from the ground level, and 

 bored at an angle of about 70^ The holes were from 

 1.5 to 18 inches deep, and had a diameter of f-inch. 

 When the posts were jjlanted, the holes were tilled 

 with creasote, and have been kept tilled almost con- 

 tinually since the time of erection. 



It is of interest that these posts are still in a per- 

 fectly sound condition. In order to add to the value 

 of the experiment, exactly similar posts were erected 

 in February 1909, but did not receive any kind of 

 treatment. It will be interesting to compare the 

 durability of these, in future years, with that shown 

 by the treated posts planted in 190-5. 



Vol. IX. SATURDAY. OCTOBER 1, 1910. No. 220. 



NOTES AND COMMENTS. 



Contents of Present Issue. 



The subject of the editorial in the present number 

 is The Use of Electricity in Agi-iculture. It shows that 

 the employment of electricity in agricultural operations 

 and production is increasing quickly in extent. 



On pace 307. an interesting article appears on the 

 production of seedling canes in Java, a comparison 

 being given of the conditions in that country, in 

 relation to agriculture, with those in the West Indies. 



An abstract of an interesting .irticle that has 

 appeared recently on the improvement of cacao by 

 selection is given on page 308. 



On the same page, and on the next one, details as 

 to the cultivation of rice are presented. 



The article on the tapping of Para rubber trees, 

 which was connuenced in the last issue, is concluded 

 on page 311. 



The Insect Notes, on page 314, deal with three 

 matters that are of present interest. 



The second of the articles on some diseases of rub- 

 ber trees, which are being given under the heading of 

 Fungus Notes, is presented on page 318. 



Agriculture in the Northern Territories of the 

 Gold Coast. 



An interesting account of the trade, agriculture 

 and industries of the northern territories of the Gold 

 Coast is given in CoLoniai Reports — Annual, No. 639. 

 According to this, the principal articles of export are 

 live stock, shea butter (from Butyrospermuin Par/di), 

 dried fish, and genenxl native produce, including maize, 

 yams and fowls. The largest export of live stock is to 

 Ashanti, and this trade is increasing, under the encour- 

 agement of the Commi.ssioners. 



The staple industry of the Protectorate is agri- 

 culture; but the natives, so far, have only cultivated 

 products such as cotton, maize, Guinea corn, yams, 

 gi-ound nuts and fibres, to supply the local demand. 

 Efforts are being made to induce them to grow such 

 products for export. Cotton is regarded as being the 

 most imp(jit,int of these, and during the year under 

 report, theBriti-h Cotton (Growing Association sent out 

 an expert to investigate the possibilities of this crop. In 

 the result, a favourable report has been received on 

 Gonja and Daboya cotton, and the opinion is expressed 

 that American varieties could be raised successfully. 



For the purpose of instructing the natives in cot- 

 ton-growing, and to make trials of other products that 

 may be raised for export, an ngricultural station was 

 opened at Tamale, in June 1909. It was the intention 

 shortlv to place this in the charge of the late manager 

 of the British Cotton Growing Association's stations at 

 Labolabo. This a.ssociation is encouraging the growing 

 of cotton, by natives, by deciding to buy all that is 

 brought in by them, in accordance with an agreement 

 made with the Government. 



Attempts are being made, by teaching the natives 

 the principle of selection in breeding, to effect an 

 improvement in the local breed of cattle. 



