Vol. IX. No. 222. 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



351 



type, no other spore form having as yet been ol>tained. The 

 spores are 00001 2-inch long, by 000004-inch in diameter, and 

 cylindrical in shape. They are produced very rapidly in long 

 chains, and are olive-green in the mass, the number formed 

 on a single insect being e.^tremely great. 



Various laboratory experiments, conducted with a view 

 to infecting healthy insects, have all proved successful, while 

 the control insects have not been affected, so that it has 

 been shown definitely that the fungus is an active parasite. 

 Furthermore, 100 stools of cane, badly attacked by frog- 

 hoppers, were infected with spores of the fungus from 

 a pure culture, with the result that, five days later, large 

 numbers of the insects were dead, and showed the fungus all 

 over their bodies. As a result of these experiments, Korer 

 is of the opinion that the possiliility of using this fungus for 

 controlling the insects is considerable, and attempts to 

 obtain as large quantities of it, in as pure culture as tiie 

 apparatus available will allow, are now being instituted in 

 Trinidad, with a view to starting field experiments on its 

 employm.ent for this purpo.se, on a large scale. The results 

 of these trials, and of Roier's investigations into the life- 

 history of the fungus, will be awaited with interest, and 

 should prove valuable not only in Trinidad, but in all those 

 countries where the frog-hopper is known to e.xist. 



AGRIOULTORE IN THE CAYMAN ISLANDS. 



Though the soil is shallow, and in many districts the 

 rocks protrude, the land, generally speaking, is well adopted 

 to agricultural pursuits, and in former days was made to 

 yield much more than at present. 



The Grand Cayman Branch of the Jamaica Agricultural 

 Society (founded in 1908) has done much to forward agri- 

 cultural pursuits on more modern principles, with good results. 



Guinea grass on shallow ground, and Parnassia grass on 

 swampy land, are the principal crops of the island of Grand 

 Cayman. It is impossible to state how many acres are 

 devoted to these crops, but not less than 4,000. In some 

 districts, eschalots, jiumpkin.s, corn, (Guinea corn and maize), 

 .sweet potatos, yams, cas.sava, bananas, jilantains, tomatos. 

 and other tro|)ical vegetables, are largely cultivated. Mangos, 

 avocado pears, oranges, and other fruits grow wild, little or 

 no attention being paid to their cultivation. If there were 

 any possibility of export to the Southern States, fruit would 

 undoubtedly be cultivated; but as there is no steamship 

 communication this is not possible. 



Almost every householder has his own lot of land, which 

 he either allows to grow up in bush, or cultivates for his own 

 domestic supply, or the raising of cattle ar.d horses. There 

 being no land tax, an owner can either allow his land to run 

 to waste, or cultivate it as and when he chooses. Many owners 

 refuse to work their land themselves, or sell, rent, or lease it. 

 The result is, there are many thousands of acres of land lying 

 idle. 



The following return shows the number of cattle, etc. 

 on the Island of Grand Cayman at the end of the year 

 1909 : cattle 1,619, mules 17, horses 293, asses 47. 



Pigs and goats, not being taxable, no accurate return 

 can be given, but it is probable there are over 400 pigs and 

 150 goats. At one time, sheep were largely bred in the new- 

 lands and West Hay districts, and exported abroad, but there 

 are no sheep on the island at this date. 



The Island of Grand Cayman could with ease support 

 ten times the stock now in existence if it were all cultivated. 



Beef sells in the market at 4i(i. per B)., and mutton and 

 pork at ()'/. per lb. 



In the Lesser Cayman there is little agricultural 

 interest, principally because the land is unsuitable for the 

 cultivation of ordinary products. In Cayman Brae, a small 

 area is devoted to the cultivation of Guinea grass for the 

 raising of cattle (about 100) and horses (about 20). Sutii- 

 cient yams and cassava are al.so grown to meet the local 

 demand and admit of a small export to Grand Cayman. The 

 rest of the island of Cayman Brae, and the whole of the 

 island of Little Cayman, are devoted to cocoa-nut culture. 

 The cocoa-nuts are exported, and fetched in 1909, £4 

 a thousand. The actual crop varies little from year to year 

 (aliiiut 2,000,000) though prices vary. In a dry season the 

 cocoa-nuts are small and do not fetch the full prices. There 

 is an export duty of Is. per thousand. 



Formerly, cocoa-nuts were largely grown in Grand Cayman, 

 but a disease attacking the trees, they [iractically all died, and 

 at this date they are probably not more than 2,000 cocoa-nut 

 trees on the island. The disease spread, and continued, 

 through the general apathy of the population to stop it. 



Sisal grows wild throughout the Dependency, but no 

 attempt to turn it to use was made until two j'ears ago, 

 when a few small plantations in Grand Cayman were laid 

 out. A sample of fibre produced from plants growing wild, 

 and ha^d cleanc<l, was submitted for report, and estimated 

 at the value of 6^,c. per lb. The industry, if taken up by 

 the people, would prove profitable, as it is easily grown and 

 will thrive on waste land. 



Such vegetables as cabbages, turnips, carrots, cucumbers, 

 lettuces, and radishes grow easily, especially in the winter 

 months. 



Previous to 1838 (the days of slavery), and for a few 

 years afterwards, many useful and valuable products were 

 obtained from the land, such as ground nuts and ginger. An 

 effort is Ijeing made to re-establish the cultivation of the 

 ground nut, and ginger will probably follow. {Colonial 

 Rejiorts — .Miscellaneou.s, Xo. 73.) 



CACAO IN ECUADOR. 



It is shown, in Diplomatir and Consular Reports, No. 

 15G0 Annual Series, that the amount of cacao exported from 

 that Republic in 1909 was 70,2S7,004 tt., of a value of 

 £1,757,175. This was nearly equal to the quantity exported 

 in 1908; it was smaller on account of the failure of the crop 

 in certain districts. As cacao is the principal export of 

 Ecuador, the lower prices that were obtained in 1909 are 

 a matter of special concern. The lessening of the value of 

 this jiroduct in the market has arisen from the smaller crops 

 that were obtained, in 1907, in several parts of the world. 

 The consequent rise in prices caused the demand to be 

 lowered, and although these have naturally fallen, subse- 

 quently, they have not yet acted in the direction of reviving 

 the demand. These circumstances are assisted by the existence 

 of stocks in Europe and the United States, which originated 

 in the large crops that were obtained in 190S and 1909. The 

 experience of Ecuador is naturally that of all other cacao- 

 producing countries. 



In the report to which reference is made, it is stated 

 that a new company has been fornied, in London, for the 

 purpose of developing the Tenguel cacao and rubber estate, 

 which is said to be of vast extent and capability, and that 

 other large investments of British capital will be made 

 shortly. 



