19C 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS 



June 17, 1916. 



THE DEVELOPMENT OF DOMINICA. 



Imw? The agricultural development of Dominica during re- 

 cent years has been one of the most remarkable even's in 

 the West Indies. This has particular reference to the lime- 

 growing industry of the colony, the annual value of the 

 exports of which has risen from £11,3(>3 in 1892, to 

 £1S5,«9.5 in ipU. 



An instructive article on this subject by Dr. Watts, 

 C.M.G., Imperial Commissioner of Agriculture for the West 

 Indies, appears in the TIVx^ ImJian Bwllrl.in just issued 

 (Vol. XV, No. 3). This 

 article contains a dia- 

 gram, reproduced on this ^ 

 page, showing annual 

 exports of lime pro- 28 

 ducts during the period 27 

 referred to above. In 

 order that this curve 

 might be constructed 

 the different lime pro- 

 ducts were expressed in 

 terms of concentrated 

 juice. LTpon studying 22 

 this curve, several 

 points of interest can 

 be made out. In the ^° 

 first place it is seen 19 

 that the rise in the 

 development in the 

 indu.stry begins quite 17 

 early in the years under jg 

 consideration, and pro- 

 gresses rapidly up to 

 the year 1902. Dur- 

 ing this period the 

 general tendency of the 

 curve representing the 

 industry is already de- 

 termined; what follows 

 in later years is a con- 

 tinuation of a purpose 8 

 already determined q 

 upon in this early 

 period. Seeing that 

 several years elapse be- 

 tween the time of 

 planting lime trees and 

 the time when results * 

 appear in the form of 

 exports, it is to be con- 

 cluded that the purpose Yh 

 was determined iit some 

 period anterior to the 

 increase in ex[)orts. As some six years are required for the 

 moderate development of an average lime tree, it may be 

 assumed that Dominica determined upon its policy as a lime- 

 growing comnmnity somewhere about the year ISSO, and 

 that it has consistently followed it with the results indicated 

 in the diagram. 



The next point that strikes one is that there is a sudden 

 break in the curve after the year 1902, so that the output of 

 the year 1903 is only just about one-half of that of the 

 former year. This is explained by the drought that occurred 

 at this time, whii'h was followed by an alarming outbreak of 

 insect pests, inflicting much damage upon the trees. The 

 extent of the injuries surt'ered from tlie.se causes is well 

 brought out in the diagram. Although the industry showed 



;. 9. DIAGKAM 

 I'KO.M DO.MINir 



SHOWlNci ANNUAL 

 \, KXI'RKSSKD IN 



immediate signs of recovery, it is plainly seen that it only 

 took on a little more than its normal rate of development, 

 so that the effect of this disastrous period is felt for some 

 ten years or more. It may be said that this trying period 

 cost Dominica about five years of its progress. 



Progress wa= however resumed, and continued at about 

 the ncrmal rapid rate until the year 1910. after which, for the 

 last four years, the i-ate of increase was visibly slackened, 

 though progress has still been maintained at a very hioh 

 level. Possibly the rate of progress may be determined in 



these years by the 

 increasing difficulty ex- 

 perienced Willi regard 

 to labour supply, coup- 

 led with some increa.sed 

 expense in obtaining 

 access to new lands. It 

 is only to be expected 

 that a community 

 developing its lime 

 industry some .seven- 

 fold will fully employ 

 all its available labour, 

 and will wish, and find 

 it nece.ssary, to attract 

 workers from outside. 



A point worth remem- 

 bering is that as a con- 

 sequence of the disas- 

 trous hurricane which 

 struck Montserrat in 

 .\ngust 1899, there was 

 a marked influx of 

 labourers from ilont- 

 serrac to Dominica at 

 the close of that year; 

 'hese labourers and 

 their families were fami- 

 liar with the work of the 

 ime industry and form- 

 ed a valuab.e asset to 

 the community which 

 s;ave them shelter: there 

 is no doubt that in 

 this way the lime indu.s- 

 try secured a useful 

 impetus, which is retlect- 

 *'ed in the increased 

 5 5 2 2 2 S 2 output 



Even if allowance is 

 made for some retard- 

 ing of fresh planting 

 and expansion of lime 

 illuded to, it is to be 

 products will continue 



VALUK OF KXPOKTS OK LIME I'KODLCTS 

 TEK.MS OF CONCKNTKATETI .1U1CE.* 



estates owing to the difficulties 



expected that the output of lime 



to show considerable expansion for .seveal years to come, 



for there are large 'areas of recently planted trees which 



are steadily coming into bearing. Given a continuation of 



remunerative prices for lime products, the prosperity of 



Dominica may be expected tn increase .still further. 



The article then goes on to review the development of 

 the cacao industry, the production of which product steadily 

 advanced up to abotlt 1S98, after which period progre.ss has 

 been' slow; indeed in latter years there has been a tendency 



*Tho tigures in the left-hand margin of the diagram corres- 

 pond with tens of thousjinds of gallons of concentrated lime 



juice. 



