Vol. XV. No. 381. 



THE AGRICULTUKAL NEWS. 



3sr 



The full appreciation of the importance of soil aeration 

 would no doubt lead to the invention of special imple- 

 ments, designed with the special object of introducing 

 air into the soil. 



THE WEATHER. 



HEAVY RAINFALL IN THE 

 WEST INDIES. 



From all quarters reports arrive regarding the heivy 

 rains experienced during the end of October and the firsc 

 half of November. From St. Vincent, Mr. Sands states that 

 the phenomenal rainfall of the twenty-three days, October 21 

 to November 1 2, has been the cause of a great deal of damage 

 to lands and crops throughout St Vincent and the Grena- 

 dines. The prolonged and heavy rains were probably 

 unequalled in magnitude in the history of the Colony. The 

 total rainfall measured at the Botanic Gardens vras 36'17 

 inches. Of this 10'57 inches were recorded for the last 

 eleven days of October, and 25-60 inches for the first twelve 

 days of November. It is stated that the rainfall in other 

 parts of the island was almost as heavy as this, judging by 

 the nature of the reports of loss anil damajje which had been 

 received. 



The effect has been to cause soil washing, landslides and 

 damage to roads. It is feared that the cotton crop has 

 suffered to a grave extent, the loss of crop being put down at 

 something like .50 per cent. The arrowroot crop has also 

 suffered, while ground nuts, as might be expected, have 

 suffered seriously. Sugar-cane seems to have been affected 

 least of all. 



From Montserrat Mr. Eobson writes: 'I have to report 

 that very excessive rains have been experienced in Montserrat 

 for the month of October, ending la.-t night (October 29) in 

 a fall of 7'-J9 inches chiefly between the hours of 10 p.m. 

 and 2 a.m. The total rainfall at Grove Station for the 

 month to date is IS-tsT inches. The excessive rainfall has 

 put a somewhat different complexion on the outlook for 

 the cotton crop, and although it promises to be a fair one, 

 picking has been very seriously hampered by the wet 

 weather.' 



In the Virgin Islands as well as in St. Lucia have 

 somewhat similar conditions prevailed. The wet weather in 

 the latter island has been responsible for a good deal of black 

 pod amongst cacao. As mentioned in the article in this 

 issue on crop conditions in Barbados, the estates in that island 

 have been handicapped as regards preparation of the land by 

 the heavy falls of rain. The wet weather has also been 

 responsible for landslides of a serious nature. 



HURRICANE DAMAGE IN DOMINICA. 



The Curator of the Botanic Gardens, Dominica, has 

 submitted for the information of this Office, a copy of a report 

 by the Assistant Curator (.Mr. G. A. Jones) on his visit 

 to different parts of the island, having for its object the 

 ascertaining of the damage su.^Lained by estates and the 

 peasantry during the hurricarc of August 28 last. It 

 would appear from the Eeport that the southern end of 

 the island, which is the great lime-producing portion, 

 escaped with but slight damage. The chief loss was from 

 the heavy falling of fruit, and the insuflBciency of labour 



and facilities to deal with such an emergency, thus resulting- 

 in the rotting of many barrels of limes. The loss from, 

 this cause is akso general throughout the island. The 

 estates in the interior of the island have suffered considerably, 

 but their powers of recovery under these conditions are so- 

 great that inside of five years conditions should be once 

 more normal. According to the report, only three estates- 

 can be said to have suffered very severely, and even then 

 the losses of two are covered by insurance, while the third 

 has a considerable acreage of young limes soon coming into 

 bearing. Thus, on the whole, the damage occasioned by the 

 storm, while quite serious, would appear to be rather of 

 a temporary than of a permanent character. 



CROP CONDITIONS IN BARBADOS. 



In continuation of the statement regarding weather 

 and crop conditions existing in Barbados, referred to in the 

 last issue of this Journal, the Agricultural Reporter for 

 November 18 mentions that the weather during the precedinw. 

 fortnight, so far, has been the wettest for the year; in no- 

 part of the island was the rainfall less than 7 inches. As 

 a result of this abnormal precipitation, practically every 

 form of work was brought to a standstill, except the procuring 

 of fodder for the live-stock and the carting of Htter to keep- 

 the stock pens in habitable condition. Weather like this has 

 not been recorded for twenty years past, when the rainfall 

 for the month of November 1896, reached 33 inches. In 

 St. Andrew and St. Joseph parishes, landsides have occurred;, 

 about 6 acres of land in St. Andrew slid away, carrying with- 

 it one of the bridges on the main road of that parish. These' 

 conditions, along with a shortage of labour referred to in the 

 previous report, have been a source of much anxiety, and it 

 will require several weeks of fair weather to enable the 

 planters to make headway. 



There has been a welcome change in the weather how- 

 ever, since the 13th instant, and no time has been lost in 

 taking in hand every necessary form of work. Farm-yard 

 manure which had been buried in the cane holes is being, 

 turned out to make room for the cane plant, and planting - 

 has commenced in several districts. Most of the estates are 

 cutting their own plants either from fields of plant canes or 

 from ratoons. 



In addition to the work incident to this time of year, 

 several estates are improving their roads by widening them 

 or by making extensive repairs. This has been found 

 necessary to facilitate the carting of canes to the factories. 

 The cane crop for 1917, it is stated, has had ideal weather: 

 it only needs light rains now to keep it in a healthy condition 

 until it has quite matured. A fortnight of dry weather, it is 

 thought, would do all crops good and enable them to develop 

 under the most favourable conditions. 



The appearance of the Lisbon yam crop is all that 

 could be desired. Horn and Oriental yams are being sold 

 at .S2-40 per 100 R. and there is said to be a fair supply in 

 the market. Nut eddoes are being sold at 4c. per lb. Pota- 

 toes continue to be retailed at one cent per Bb., but the quality 

 is said to have deteriorated, not in consequerice of the 

 abnormal rainfall, but that they are being reaped before they 

 have reached maturity. 



The shipment of sugar during the fortnight ended 

 November 9 was regarded as a large one for the time of 

 year, the exports being 2,290 tons of sugar and 1,096 

 puncheons molasses. This brings the total shipment of the 

 year's crop up to .51,816 tons sugar and 89,062 puncheons 

 molasses, as compared with 27,631 tons sugar and 53,874 

 puncheons of molasses at the corresponding period of last year. 



