244 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



July :i9, 1916. 



DOWN THE ISLANDS. 



ITEMS OF LOCAL INTEREST. 



GEESADA. Mr. J. C. Moore'.s report for -lune states 

 that the condition of the cacao was good, while limes were 

 .satisfactory, on the whole, and more planting was just 

 beginning. A report on the financial condition of the 

 Grenada Land Settlement, prepared by the Agricultural 

 Instructor, shows results that are very satisfactory in com- 

 parison with those of last year. The Superintendent of 

 Agriculture gave lectures at public meetings of the Agricul- 

 tural Society during the month. As regards the distribution 

 of plants, it is stated these were as follows: limes 200, 

 coco-nuts 7, grafted mangoes 4, miscellaneous 51, together 

 with .50 lb. of horse beans. The rainfall for the month at 

 Richmond Hill was 7 '13 inches. 



ST. VINCENT. According to Mr. W. N. Sands's notes for 

 the month of .June, work iu the Experiment Station included 

 the planting of selected corn and two varieties of cane 

 (B.208 and B. 0450), as well as ground nuts, beans, American 

 corn seed raised locally, and eight varieties of green dre.ssing 

 received from the Imperial Department of Agriculture. Work 

 in the Botanic Gardens included the grafting of mangoes 

 and the sowing of cacao in pots. The weather during the 

 month was favourable, and 12-24 inches of rain was recorded 

 at the Botanic Station. Good progress was made with cotton 

 planting throughout the island and the seed sown has ger- 

 minated well. At Bequia and Mustique, young lime trees 

 are making good growth. Two small plots of Lima beans 

 at Bequia gave very fair returns last season, and an extension 

 of planting is anticipated. Shipments of sugar and molasses 

 during the month were made to Canada. Jlr. Sands adds 

 additional notes in connexion with special efforts by the 

 Agricultural (Mcers. Meetings of planters were addressed 

 and six visits were paid to the Government Ginnery to 

 advise on technical matters. It is stated as a fact of interest 

 that the 'millions' fish sent from the Botanic Gardens last 

 year to Bequia have become well established in the swamps 

 at the northern end of that district. The As.sistant Agricul- 

 tural Superintendent has paid .several visits to estates in the 

 Windward district of the i.sland. As regards the work 

 performed by the Cotton Inspector, it is stated that this 

 officer visited cotton districts in connexion with the destruc- 

 tion of the native food plants of the cotton stainer. He 

 also visited Canouan and Union Island, where he advised 

 growers concsrning the use of good seed for planting. 



ST. LUUIA. It is stated by Mr. A. .1. Brooks that the 

 cane crop has been completed at Reunion and that attention 

 has been given to the planting of lime.s, and to the budding of 

 limes and oranges. Duiiiig ilay. cacao was flowering freely, 

 while limes were Howering and fruiting. It is stated that 

 large are-is are being cleared for further planting of limes. As 

 regards the lime juice factor}', the extension of the building 

 continues and the vats have arrived from Demerara. The 

 crop was expected to be in full .swing during .luly and August. 

 There is a steady extension of the area under sugar-cane. 

 Meetings were held in connexion with agricultural banks. 

 A special etibrt of the Agricultural Superintendent consisted 

 in a journey made with the t'olonial Engineer over the new 

 road running inland from Micoudto Soufriere, for the purpose 

 of gaining information as to the agricultural value of the 

 land suitable for settlement opened ujjby this road. The best 

 lands run from the Micoud end of the road, for a distance of 

 from 10 tfi 11 miles. 



DOMINICA. In Mr. Joseph Jones's items of local interest 

 for June, it is noted that a considerable amount of grafting, 

 budding and cultivation work was done in the nurseries at 

 the Botanic Gardens. At the lime experiment station, 

 operations consisted of spraying, weeding, cutlassing, manur- 

 ing, and picking and recording the present crop. Similar 

 work was done in the cacao experiment station. Plant 

 distribution from the nurseries consisted of lime.s, 4,900; 

 shade trees, 600; miscellaneous, 106: total 5,606. In regard 

 to the condition of the staple crops, it is stated that the lime 

 crop for 1916 is promising, and by now should be coming in. 

 There was a good second flowering observable during the 

 last few days of June. One or two forward contracts for 

 citrate of lime have been made at favourable prices. Special 

 efforts have included a meeting held in the Government School 

 at La Plaine, at which the possibilities of establishing an 

 Agricultural Credit Society in the district were considered. 

 A report on the subject will be prepared in due course for the 

 information of the Government. With regard to agricultural 

 instruction, thirteen applications have been received from 

 candidates for admittance as agricultural pupils, and an 

 examination of agricidtural pupils and the selection of 

 candidates were contemplated. The rainfall for the month 

 at Roseau was 4'82 inches. This is considerably below the 

 average for June; otherwise weather conditions were normal 



MONTsKuuAT. Mr. W. Robson Writes to say that a dry 

 month again hampered the work in the experiment station. 

 It has also had a very prejudical effect on the island's cotton 

 crop, particularly in the early-planted fields. Much boll 

 shedding was reported from the Windward district. On the 

 fields planted in May, the bad effect is not so apparent, and the 

 absence of high winds has told much in the crop's favour. 

 The sales for last season's crop ranged from 17(f. to 18'/ — 

 a considerable portion at the latter figure. In regard to 

 the lime crop, Mr. Robson states that the fruit on the trees 

 resulting from the March flowering will be very small if rains 

 do not come at once. The dry weather has tended to en- 

 courage the prevalence of pests and diseases. Two new typea 

 of maize were received from the Montserrat Company, 

 obtained by them from an Experiment Station in Mexico. 

 A trial is Iseing made with thr St. Kitts No. 342 type of 

 cotton. 



ANTitan. Koutine work has included the reaping of 

 the variety and manurial experimental cane plots, and the 

 planting of various plots of cotton and provision crops. 

 A large number of sweet potato cuttings were distributed 

 during the month. As regards the condition of the staple 

 crops, Mr. T Jackson states that in certain parts the young 

 cane crop is beginning to feel the effects of dry weather. 

 It is stated not to be serious, and the appearance will soon 

 disappear after tlie receipt of good rains. The reaping of 

 last year's cane crop was still being continued at the 

 end of June. Small areas of cotton have been planted, and 

 special work has included the selection of cotton seed of 

 pedigree strain tor planting purposes. During the month 

 a meeting of the Board of .Management of the Antigua 

 ('otton (irowers' .\ssociation was held. At the (iovernment 

 laboratory, three lectures were given to junior officers 

 attached to the Agricultural Department. 



ST. KITTS. According to Mr. Y. R. Shepherd, the prin- 

 cipal work in the experiment station during June consisted in 

 the pla.iting of various plots of provision crops. As in 

 Montserrat and Antigua, sain St. Kitts the weather was very 

 dry during the month at the Botanic (hardens. In the 

 country, the weather appears to h ive been more favourable, 

 especially for the reaping of the crop. Some nf the valley 



