Vol. XV. No. 364. 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS 



125 



VEGETABLE GROWING FOR CANADIAN 

 MARKETS. 



Mr. T. Jackson in his Annual Iteport on the Experiment 

 Station, Antigua, states that the view has been held for some 

 time, that a considerable opening existed in Canada for the 

 marketing of vegetables grown in the West Indian islands 

 during the winter months. In order to test the possibilities 

 involved, a series of somewhat extensive small scale commer- 

 cial experiments was conducted during the year by the 

 Agricultural Department in cooperation with planters. Seeds 

 of various vegetables were procured and distributed to 

 persons concerned, and subsequently the produce was packed 

 at the Botanic Station and shipped through the Department. 

 The vegetables experimented with, were as follows: tomatoes, 

 pumpkins, English potatoes, sweet potatoes, musk and water 

 melons, cabbages, egg plant, squash and string beans. 



The outbreak of war with the -subsequent high freight 

 rates, handicapped the work to some extent. 



The results obtained in respect of the vegetables 

 are detailed below. 



TOMATOES. The tomatoes sent forward arrived at their 

 destination in poor condition and had to be destroyed. • It 

 would seem that with our present knowledge of packing, etc., 

 these cannot be sent on a long voyage with any degree of 

 confidence. The tomatoes were packed in onion crates, and 

 it would seem that when sent forward in such packages, the 

 danger of bruising is great. The orthodox tomato box will 

 for future trials be used. 



puMi'Kixs. It would seem that puinpkins can be 

 shipped North in the winter months with a fair amount of 

 confidence. Eight barrels of these were shipped, and the 

 price obtained in Canada worked out at approximately Id. 

 per B). At this figure the growing of pumpkins would be 

 profitable. 



These vegetables were sent up in well ventilated barrels 

 packed tightly in straw. On the steamer they received no 

 special attention, being sent forward as general cargo. 



ENGLISH POTATOES. Ten barrels of these were sent to 

 Halifax during the month of February. They were not 

 packed under the supervision of the Agricultural Depart- 

 ment, but the work was done on an estate. They arrived 

 at their destination in a slack condition, and it was stated 

 that they were much too small for the requirements of that 

 market, and were sold at a very poor price, 16s. SJ. being the 

 gross amount received. When commenting on this shipment, 

 the agents said that had the potatoes 'been twice that size 

 at that time of the year we could have got all kinds of prices 

 for them.' 



SWEET POTATOES. One trial barrel of these vegetables 

 was sent North during the latter end of March. They arrived 

 at their destination in good order, and £1 Is. id. was 

 obtained for them. This figure repre.sents a gross return of 

 approximately Ihd. per lb., a price which undoubtedly would 

 prove remunerative under normal conditions. These potatoes 

 were packed tightly in well ventilated" barrels. 



MUSK AND WATER MELONS. A small barrel of melons, 

 packed in straw and shipped in cold storage, was sold at the 

 rate of •2A'/. per B), This price indicates that at least a small 

 lucrative "trade might be started in connexion with these. 



CABBAGES. The cabbages which were sent to Canada 

 arrived in a somewhat unsatisfactory condition. It would 

 seem that these vegetables should not be packed for 

 shipment until some forty-eight hours after reaping. The 

 lot under discussion were evidently damp when packed, which 

 accounted for their condition on arrival. 



MISCELLANEOUS. In addition to the above, small 

 shipments were made of squash, egg plant and string beans. 

 The squash and the string beans arrived decayed, and the 

 egg plant fruits were sold for Ihd. per ft). 



In connexion with tljese experiments, it may be said 

 that a considerable amount of valuable experience has been 

 obtained which will be useful in the future. There is little 

 doubt that with care a lucrative industry could be built up 

 between Canada and some of tlie West Indian itilands with 

 the shipment of vegetables during the winter months. 

 Before this assumes large proportions, however, fairly numer- 

 ous experimental .shipments will have to bi made, and 

 a proportion of these will almost certainly be failures. 



ONIONS. The export of onions from Antigu i., as our read- 

 ers will be aware, is a well established trade in Antigua. 

 Most of these vegetables are shipped to New York rather 

 than to Canada. These onions, which are graded, take the 

 market just before the Bermuda crop comes in, and so 

 secure good prices. 



Pasturing Pigs on Rape. — A lengthy note con- 

 cerning this subject appears in the E.rpervment Station, 

 Record, Vol. XXXIV, No. 2. It is stated that a 4-acre 

 plot of rape, soy beans and sweet clover pastured an equiva- 

 lent of sixty days by thirty spring pigs produced, deducting 

 grains made by corn, 1,804 ft), of pork. It was observed 

 that the pigs preferred the bean forage and that the rape 

 was next in palatability. Mr. T. .Tackson has written from 

 Antigua to point out that rape can be grown in that Colony 

 and might be used as a forage crop in the raising of pigs in 

 accordance with Dr. Watts' scheme already- referred to on 

 different occasions in this Journal. 



An even more suggestive announcement in connexion 

 with the same matter is to be found in the Monthly Bxdletin 

 OT Agricidtiirul Intellu/ejice iind Plant Diseases for Septem- 

 ber 191-0. After clover, according to these experiments, 

 which were extensive, rape may be considered to rank next 

 as forage for pigs. It is stated that it should not be pastured 

 until it is from 1 2 to 15 mches high. With a moderate 

 maize supplement 1 acre will feed fifteen to twenty pigs. 

 Experiments at various stations in North America give rape 

 a feeding value of about $20 per acre. At the Missouri 

 Station, 1 acre of rape and oats pastured ten pigs for 107 

 days. For each pound increase of live- weight 3' 28 ft), of 

 maize were required, and the pork accredited to forage was 

 3087 B).— a return of S22-84 per acre. 



The final general memorandum on the indigo crop ijf 

 1915-1(), based upon reports received from provinces containing 

 practically the whole area under indigo in British India has 

 been issued by the Department of Statistics, India, and forms 

 the subject of a short article in the Chemical Trade Journal 

 of January 29. The total area (314,300 acres) is 112 per 

 cent, in excess of the finally revised value of last year (148,400 

 acres). The total yield of dye is estimated at 39,900 cwt., 

 as against 25,200 cwt., or an increa.se of 58 per cent. The 

 average output per acre works out at 14 ft)., as against 19 fe, 

 in the preceding year. The increase in area is due to high 

 prices of indigo due to the war, which range from 2.«. Sd. in 

 1913. The .season, on the whole, has not been favourable to 

 the crop, except in .Madras. In some places poor crops were 

 obtained owing to a scarcity of trustworthy seed at the sowing 

 time Data are given showing the quantities of natural and 

 synthetic indigo imported into the United Kingdom in the last 

 five years (iVr^wrtf, February 10, 1916) 



