68 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



Februaey 26, 191(5. 



ST. KITTS- NEVIS: REPORT ON THE AGRI- 

 CULTURAL DEPARTMENT, KlJrl'>. 



The weather in St. Kitts during the early and middle 

 montLs of 1911 was generally unfavourable for plant growth, 

 hence some difficulty was experienced in maintaining a good 

 appearance of the Gardens at the Botanic Station. 



The section of the report dealing with work in the 

 nurseries shows that there has been very limited demand for 

 economic plants such as cacao or limes. The total number 

 of plants distributed during the year was 216, and consisted 

 chiefiy of palms and ornamental plants. 



The economic plot experiments with provision crops, 

 situated at La Guerite, consisted in varietal trials of sweet 

 potatoes, yams, cassava, peanuts and tobacco, peas and beans; 

 ■while manurial trials were made with pine-apples and Indian 

 corn. While the above constitutes useful work, the most 

 valuable lines of activity have been with cotton. The manurial 

 experiments appear to show that the addition of fertilizers to 

 cotton plots, under conditions obtaining at La Guerite at least. 

 does not tend to remunerative results, the average returns 

 from all the plots having been about the same as that 

 from the no-manure plots. The results of the cotton selection 

 experiments, which form an especially important part of the 

 work with cotton, so far as the island is concerned, are very 

 encouraging, as is evidenced by the increasing local demand 

 for the selected seed; they point to the fact that the danger 

 of importing cotton seed from other islands for planting 

 purposes has been recognized by the cotton growers. 



Work connected with insect pests and plant diseases was 

 conducted chiefly by the scientific officers of the Imperial 

 Department in regard to sugar-cane and cotton, the principal 

 pests concerned being the ginb of the brown liard back 

 \Lachnoilerna palniclis), the sugar-cane root borer (Eroph- 

 thalrnus esuruns), and the cotton worm (Alabama tiiyillacta). 

 A new pest in the shape of the common hou.se cockroach 

 (Periplaneta auftrnlasiae) was found attacking young cotton 

 plants during the season under review. 



Progress in the chief industries depends very largely 

 upon the climatic conditions. Bearing in mind that 1914-1.^) 

 •was a period of low rainfall, it is not surprising that the 

 cane crop was below the average, and hence also the exports 

 of sugar, the latter being only 9,946 tons, of which 4,132 

 ■were grey crystals, and 3,!S14 tons muscovado. In regard to 

 cotton, the p.ast season was regarded as periiaps not cpiite so 

 unfavourable. The war delayed sales and shipuK'nt, and 

 prices were at one time low. I'.ut through the guarantee by 

 the Fine Spinners and Doublers Association of a minimum 

 price, stability has been given to the industry. 



A new arrangement during the year was the (establish- 

 ment of a chemical laboratory and the appointment of 

 a Chemical Assistixnt who conducts analytical work locally 

 under the general supervision of the Government Chemist 

 and Su))crintendent of Agriculture in Antigua. A report 

 appears concerning science teaching at the Grammar School, 



which shows that a satisfactory standard continues to be 

 maintained. 



The publication under review includes a report by the 

 Agricultural Instructor, Nevis. Experiments with cotton 

 and provision crops continue to be carried on at the Experi- 

 ment .Station, as also work in connexion with cotton 

 .selection. Progress in the minor industries included impor- 

 tant manurial experiments with coco-nut palms conducted 

 at the coco-nut plantation at Pinneys estate, under the 

 supervision of the Agricultural Department. Detailed 

 results in connexion with these experiments have already 

 been published in the Ayrinclfural News (Vol. XIV, p. 398). 



THIN ID A I) AND TOBAGO: REPORT ON THE 

 DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, I'JU-lo. 



This report contains a large amount of interesting 

 information from which the following facts have been 

 abstracted for th(,' benefit of our readers. 



In regard to the agricultural exports from Trinidad 

 during the year under review, the highest figures yet 

 recorded are given for cacao. The value of the year's ship- 

 ments amounted to £1,469,893. The prices obtained were 

 satisfactory. The chief market for Trinidad cacao is the 

 llnited States; France comes next, and the United Kingdom 

 third; Canada comes .sixth on the list and Germany fifth. 

 With a favourable season for canes and very little injury 

 from froghoppers, the exports of sugar increased from 32,6.5.") 

 tons to 48,087 tons. Towards the latter end of 1914, prices 

 rose considerably owing to the war, and the part of the crop 

 not sold before August benefited from the higher prices. In 

 connexion with the exports of the Colony, special attention 

 may be drawn to the large quantity of hides and skins that 

 have been shipped. Their value amounted to£1.5,742. Turning 

 to imports of leather it is stated that their total value, dressed 

 and undressed and manufactured, was ,£14,990. These figures 

 readily suggest the possibility of an opening of some promise 

 for a new industry in leather making, and a boot factory. It 

 is thought possible also, that Trinidad should produce all the 

 starch it consumes instead of importing it from the neigh- 

 bouring islands. In the matter of coco-nuts there was 

 a falling off in the exports due to the previous dry season 

 which aft'ected the yield. The total value of the coco-nut 

 products exported was £87,323. 



Activity was continued in regard to agricultural educa- 

 tion, which included work in connexion with the cacao prize 

 competition, higher agricultural education, agricultural school 

 shows, the home reading course, and agricultural pupil scheme. 



Among the new industries that have been started are 

 bamboo growing for paper making, and the production of 

 cassava meal. For the former 1,000 acres of land have been 

 .selected for the pdrpose of growing bamboos. 



In the botanical department much useful work 

 has been carried on at the St. Clair nurseries. Butlded 

 cacao appears on the distribution list this year for the 

 first time, and 366 plants sent out is a .satisfactory 

 beginning. The distribution of Kobusta coffee again shows 

 a large increase, and we may regard this as a revival of 

 interest in coffee cultivation. The distribution of over 

 8,000 lime plants indicates that the high prices of lime 

 products are having a beneficial infiuence on this industry. 

 The total distribution from the nurseries of over 72,000 

 plants of all kinds, is nearly double that of last year. 



