Vol. XV. No. 378. 



THE AGKICULTURAL NEWS. 



343 



JAMAICA: REPORT ON THE DEPARTMENT 

 OF AGRICULTURE, lOlo-lH. 



In the last issue of the A:/ricullural News a note 

 Appeared containing references to some of the general 

 observations contained in this report, more particularly in 

 connexion with the suggested partial substitution of sugar- 

 cane for banana cultivation in the Colony. The present 

 review will be used to bring forward some of the special 

 information likely to interest our readers. 



Concerning diseases of animals and plants, it is stated 

 that no animal has re-acted to the tuberculin test during the 

 past four years, and the Government herd at Hope Station 

 may therefore be regarded as quite free from any taint of 

 tuberculosis. Tick fever cases were few and slight, and the 

 dipping tank has been in regular use, the results of which 

 are described as having been truly remarkable. It is said 

 that as soon as the cattle get accu.stomed to the tank, they 

 learn to take care of themselves and the work of dipping 

 becomes easy and quick. The liquid used consists of ar-senite 

 of soda (80 per cent.) 2 lb., paranaph 3 B). per 100 gallons 

 costing Is. 5rf. on a basis of war prices. 



In regard to plant diseases, there was an unfortunate 

 outbreak of Panama disease of bananas in Portland, where 

 the disease has been present for a long time. The disease 

 has not been found in any new parish during the year. 



In regard to the work in the Public Gardens and 

 Nurseries, some remarks appear concerning grape-fruit 

 seedlings. It is sometimes stated that grape-fruit do not 

 come true from seed. There is evidence in this report to the 

 contrary. Quite recently a grower of these fruits in one of 

 the western parishes voluntarily informed the Department 

 that of 500 seedlings obtained from Hope Gardens in 190I-'2, 

 only one tree is not true to type. 



The distribution of plants during the last three years 

 from the nursery shows a distinct increase. During the 

 year under review over 20,000 cacao seedlings, 6, .500 citrus, 

 and 64,000 cane cuttings were sent out as against 7,liOO, 

 581, and 24,000, respectively, for the previous year. 



An interesting fact recorded is that a banana seed was 

 obtained at the Hope Gardens from one of the varieties of 

 bananas sent from Kew, and etibrts are being made to raise 

 a seedling. The seed appeared to be fully developed, but it 

 is well known that the seeds of Musae are very slow in 

 germination, and it is pointed out- that it will take some 

 time before the success or failure of this attempt to obtain 

 a seedling banana is determined. '■ ■ 



Piegarding coco-nuts, the exports of nuts for the year 

 were 2 million less than in 1914, when a record of 29 million 

 nuts was established. 



The sugarcane experiments conducted by the .Jamaica 

 Department of Agriculture receive attention in the report 

 of the Superintendent of field experiments. It is believed 

 that the new Jamaica varieties promise well and that there 

 are two really good canes in the series J.70, J.71, .J. 72, J. 73, 

 J.74. The fact that these canes are very similar in appear- 

 ance is mentioned, but the two best canes are not. White 



Transparent is still regarded the best cane, however, in 

 .Jamaica; and it is the one which is recommended with 

 confidence to meet most of the planter's demands. A.s 

 regards the manuring of the sugarcane, emphasis is laid 

 upon the importance ot supplying the soil with humus. 

 Experiments are to be modified with a view to increasing the 

 area of the plot. Information presented concerning the 

 manurial work is not very definite in this report. 



An experiment designed to show the effect of artificial 

 manures on coco-nuts was arrested by dry weather. 



Further on in the report a statement appears to the 

 effect that the cultivation of si.sal is proving satisfactory. 

 Only one weeding a year has been found necessary, and the 

 only other operation in respect of this crop was the renewal 

 of young suckers of which there were but few, and the 

 supplying of the established acreage, wherever grown plants 

 were available for that purpose. A nunsery has been estab- 

 lished at the Stud Farn\, Lititz, with bulblets of both sisal 

 and henequen received from the Hope Gardens. 



While Cauto cotton has yielded moderately well in 

 the experiment station, all trials with Sea Island cotton have 

 proved unsuccessful. 



Concerning agricultural education, it is reported that 

 the agricultural work of the Farm School, Hope, is now one 

 of the most efficient and well organized branches ot the work 

 of that institution. 



In the Government laboratory a considerable portion of 

 the work has to do with official analyses in connexion with 

 public health, etc. The agricultural investigation concerned 

 soils and subsoils, fertilizers, cane juices, feeding stuffs, tan- 

 ning materials, arsenical cattle dips, and insecticides. Fur- 

 ther determinations of the tannin content of mangrove barks 

 were made, and in many of the samples there was over 25 

 per cent, tannin. The determination of the percentage of 

 fat in twenty-one samples of fermented and unfermented 

 cacao, supplied by leading planters and merchants, resulted in 

 the average of 45'8 per cent., the maximum being 49'4 and 

 the minimum 41'1; only one sample contained less than 44 

 per cent. It is of interest to note that the preparation of 

 thymol powder has been discontinued, as the price of this sub- 

 stance has become prohibitive. There was distributed 2,103 oz. 

 of this antiseptic during the year. This is of interest in 

 connexion with the suggestion by the Imperial Department 

 of Agriculture that ajowan plants which yield thymol might 

 be u-sefully grown in the West Indies. That this plant 

 (Carum copticaiit) is suited to the conditions of soil and 

 climate is .shown by the successful production of seed in 

 Grenada and St. Lucia. In Jamaica there is no doubt much 

 spare land in the hills that might usefully support this wild 

 plant, and yield a product which would be of iiumediate 

 value in a colony like Jamaica with its important stock- 

 raising industry. 



DEPARTMENT NEWS. 



Mr. Abdul Rahim Khan, State Technical Scholar, 

 Unitei Provinces, India, arrived in Harbados from 

 England on October 17. Arrangements have been 

 made with the Department through the India Office 

 to enable Mr. Khan to study .sugar cultivation and 

 manufacture in the West Indian islands under the 

 direction of the Imperial Commissioner of Agriculture. 

 Mr. Khan has spent the past three years studying 

 sugar techique and the manufacture of machinerj in 

 Glasgow. After two weeks in Barbados, he proceeds 

 to Antigua for three months. Mr. Khaa expects to 

 remain in the West Indies until next May. 



