Vol. XV. No. 375. 



THE AGRICULTURAL XEWS, 



297 



•country, can, of course, retain their leadership for 

 a number of years against more progressive, but 

 smaller and less completely organized competitors, but 



■eventually they can ensure their position only by having 

 in their employ men who are competent to keep in 

 touch with, and themselves to advance, the subject, — • 



-and then maintenance of a laboratory staffed by such 

 men is a final insurance against eventual loss of its 

 industry by any concern.' 



The Mangoes of Cuba. 



A paper read before the American Pomological 

 Society by Mr. Wilson Popenoe in September 1915 

 ■contains rather interesting information concerning the 

 types and distribution of mangoes in Cuba. As Cuba 

 was known to possess a large number of interesting 

 races and types, it was thought worth while to devote 

 the month of July 1915 — the season during which 

 most of the mangoes ripen — to a thorough investigation 

 -of Cuban mangoes, in order to karn as much as possible 

 -concerning their relationship, productiveness and other 

 •characteristics, and to bring to light choice types which 

 might be worthy of propagation. 



The common seedling races, mango and manga, 

 ■ are pretty well distributed throughout the island. There 

 ■are a few places, however, which possess unusually 

 ■choice types and are noted for them throughout the 

 island. Chief among such places are Cienfuegos and 

 • Santiago de Cuba With the exception of the Filipino, 

 which is found around Habana and which he has never 

 seen in eastern Cuba, the writer says the best mangoes 

 ■of the island are probably grown near these two cities. 



Dealing with the different races and types the 

 mango race is said to be by far the commonest through- 

 out Cuba. It seems, in fact, to be the common race in 

 other parts of tropical America as well. The ne.xt race 

 taking them in the order considered, is the manga' 

 This race includes two distinct and widely distributed 

 types in Cuba: 'Mang-i. amarilla' is the commonest 

 form, and seems to be a general favourite. The fruits 

 of the 'Filipino' are said to be of unusually good 

 ■quality, and it is unfortunate that the trees should be 

 unproductive. 'Biscochuelo' is a very distinct type 

 and undoubtedly the best grown at Santiago de Cuba; 

 •considered from every point of view, it would seem to 

 be, in fact, the most desirable type in the island ot 

 ■Cuba. 



The need of a natural system of classification is 

 emphasized, as opposed to an artificial or arbitrary one, 

 in which mangoes are grouped according to the shape 

 ■of the fruit, or some other character of this nature. 

 Such a system, it is said, while perhaps useful, does 

 not really meet our needs, and should be avoided. 

 A system taking into consideration natural affinities of 

 varieties or types, cannot, it is claimed, fail to be of 

 great value in our study of the mango. Such a classi- 

 fication would comprise three divisions; the first and 

 broadest one is races; the second seedling types, several 

 of which may be included in one race; and the 

 third horticultural varieties, which are propagated by 

 "budding or grafting, and of which several may be 

 included in one type. 



Storm Damage in Dominica. 



Mr. Joseph Jones, Agricultural Superintendent! 

 and Curator of the Botanic Gardens Dominica, has 

 furnished this ()f5fice with particulars regarding the 

 hurricane that passed over that island on Monday 

 August 28. According to this report, from HMO to 

 7 p.m. several heavy gusts of wind passed over Roseau 

 from the north-east. These did a considerable amount 

 of damage. The centre of the storm that is, the calm 

 period, lasted for twenty-five minutes, from 7 till 

 7..3o p.m., after which the wind blew furiously from the 

 south-west. By 10 p.m. the storm was practically over. 

 During the storm period the barometer fell to'29-10. 



Mr. .Tones states that plantations in the Layou 

 valley, Imperial Road and to windward appeared to have 

 suffered most, and those in the northern and southern 

 districts less so. In many cases the crop which prom- 

 ised to be a record one is believed to be practically lost. 

 It is fortunate that during the three weeks before the 

 storm, pickings of fruit on all estates were very heavy, 

 but a large part of the ripening crop and the second 

 crop which was on the trees has disappeared. 



The rainfall in Roseau during the night was 4 90 

 inches. In the country districts the fall was much 

 heavier. Considerable damage was done to cultiva- 

 tions and roads, and several bridges were washed away 

 by the overflow of rivers. 



The death roll as far as is known to date is fifoy- 

 seven. Among the killed are 3Ir. and Mrs. William 

 Davis of Concord Estate. Mr. Davis was a well known 

 Dominica planter. 



Mr. Jones states that the Botanic Gardens has 

 suffered much more than in the hurricane of 1915. 

 Although fewer trees are down, the general injury is 

 much greater. Very few trees have escaped damage 

 completely and many are reduced to mere stumps. 



The most serious effect of the storm from the 

 point of- view of the Agricultural Department lies in 

 the fact that the cacao and lime experiment plots have 

 suffered considerably. On three of the lime plots the 

 fine well matured trees are all down, and onlv about 

 half-a-dozen will survive. It will be remembered that 

 continuous manurial experiments are being conducted 

 on these plots and this storm damage constitutes 

 a very serious disturbing factor in regard to obtainino- 

 satisfactory results. ** 



Mr. Jones in his report -adds a few remarks in 

 regard to the repair of the damage done particularly 

 in relation to lime cultivation. Where the lime trees 

 are blown over but still retain a firm root-hole of 

 the ground, a rapid rene\val by means of suckers 

 IS possible, while the old portion of the trees, will 

 under careful handling keep on producing fruit. la 

 places where the lime trees are torn up out of the soil 

 by the wind, or washed away by the flooded rivers, new 

 plantings will be necessary. 



Much sympath;y is to be felt for Dominica in it^, 

 present adversity, but there is little doubt that wjtli 

 vigorous local action the set-back will be only temporary 



