Vol. XV. No. 365. 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



U^i 



MOXTSEEEAT. Mr. W. Robson, Curator, informs us that 

 the work at Grove Experiment Stati-^n has consisted chiefly in 

 the transplanting of lime plants, tlie erection of a nursery 

 shelter for raising bay seedlings, and the preparation of plots 

 for future crops. Two distillations of bay leaves were made, 

 which did not show much improvement in oil yield, which has 

 been low since December. Arrangements have been made 

 to repeat the cotton manurial experiments at Dagenham. 



A portion of the cotton crop was planted towards the 

 end of March. With rain, April will see the bulk of the 

 crop put in. Practically all the estates have taken 

 seeds of the closely bred H9 cotton seed for planting 

 a seed field. Arrangements have been made to plant a seed 

 supply field of both the new Douglas (St. Kitts cotton) and 

 H 9 (the local type) in case the former does not prove satis- 

 factory on further trial. There has been little demand for 

 seed from small planters. The lime cultivation generally 

 shows great improvement, presumably as the result of last 

 season's rain. 



Mr. Robson was away during the middle of March 

 attending the Cotton Conference in St. Kitts. Work in 

 connexion with the Montserrat Onion Growers' Association 

 is stated to be proceeding smoothly; 380 crates and 60 

 barrels of onions have been shipped, and a further number 

 of 112 crates were ready to go to Barbados at the time of 

 writing. The large total of 370 B). of onion seed has been 

 ordered for next season's planting. The rainfall at Grove 

 Station during March was 3-68 inches. 



ANTIGUA. In his observations on matters of agricul- 

 tural interest for March, Mr. T. Jackson, the Curator, states 

 that the stand of young canes is not as good as that of last 

 year; the crop now being reaped however, is quite satisfac- 

 tory. Work at the Experiment Station has consisted in 

 supplying the various cane variety e.\perimental plots situated 

 on different estates. 



A very successful Maize Show and 'At Home' of the 

 Ag'icultural Society was held during the month. There 

 were 105 exhibits sent in, and approximately 200 people 

 attended the 'At Home'. As regards the Onion Growers' 

 Association, the number of crates of onions .shipped for the 

 month was 3,432, and for the season 4,505. The Superin- 

 tendent of Agriculture for the Leeward Islands and Mr. Jack- 

 son were absent one week from the island attending the 

 Cotton Conference in St. Kitts. 



Good weather for the reaping of the cane crop continues. 

 Departmental work of importance contemplated is the reaping 

 of the variety and manurial experiment plots. 



ST. KITTS. Mr. F. R. Shepherd states that the following 

 were distributed from the Experiment Station during March: 

 yams, 948 ft., eddoes 100ft., .selected cotton seed 1,438ft., 

 white velvet beans 421 ft. and 300 cane cuttings. 



As regards the staple crops, the reaping of the cane crop 

 is rapidly progressing. The Basseterre factory is working at 

 high pressure, and the returns are excellent. The yield per acre 

 on the estates is in harmony with the estimate made, and one 

 estate has reaped an average of 29-5 tons of cane per acre from 

 plants andratoons. The young cane crop is growing rapidly, 

 and the plants are strong and healthy. As regards cotton, on 

 one estate in the northern district about 20 acres has already 

 been planted. There is every prospect of an increase in the 

 acreage planted this season. A considerable amount of the 

 time of the Agricultural Superintendent this month was 

 spent in making arrangements in connexion with the Cotton 

 Conference held in this island. 



The reaping of the sugarcane experiments has begun and 

 large returns are reported from Buckleys estate, where four of 

 the varieties averaged over 60 tons of cane per acre, and th& 

 average of eighteen varieties was 50 tons. By an oversight 

 in the issue of the Agricultural N'eu's for February 26, we- 

 stated in these notes that Mr. F R. Shepherd had been 

 elected President of the Agricultural Society. Mr. E. J. Shel- 

 ford was the gentleman elected. 



The rainfall for the month of March at the Botanic 

 Gardens was 3'31 inches. 



VIEGIN ISLANDS. In his notes on items of local interest 

 during February, Mr. W. Fishlock states that cotton continues 

 to come in. It is estimated that the total crop for the year 

 will be about 105 bales of 200 ft. each. Onions have also begua 

 to come in. The crop is estimated at about 150 crates of 

 50ft. each. The Curator visited Virgin Gorda in the early 

 days of the month. The total fall of rain for February at 

 the Station was 2-89 inches. 



EXPORTS OF SEA ISLAND COTTON 



FROM THE WEST INDIES. 



The following table gives the quantity and esti- 

 mated value of Sea Island cotton exported from the 

 West Indie.s to Manchester for the quarter ended 

 December 31, 1915:— 



97,160 



5,999 



SEA ISLAND COTTON MARKET. 



The Report of Messrs. Henry W. Frost & Co., 

 on Sea Island cotton in the Southern States, fot 

 the week ending March 18, 1916, is as follows: — 



ISLANDS. There spr"ng up a demand the early part of 

 the week for the entire offerings of Fine to Fully Fine at 29c. 

 to 30c., resulting in sales of about 150 bales, the buying 

 being on account of the Southern and Northern Mills. 



There is now left unsold of this crop only 60 bales. 

 Fully Fine to Extra Fine held at 31c. and one crop lot of 

 Extra Fine 32 bales held at 33c. 



We quote, viz.: 



Extra Fine 30c. = 19|d to 20d c.i.f. & 5 per cent. 



Fully Fine 29c. = 19rf. „ „ „ „ 



Fine 2gc. = 18id. „ „ „ „ 



Fine off in class 27c. = 18d „ „ „ „ 



This report alsi> shows that the total exports of 

 Sea Island cottoij from. the United States to Liverpool 

 and Manchester up to March 11, were 658 and 44S^ 

 bales, respectively. 



