422 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



Decembei; 3(1, 1916. 



HT. VINCENT: REPORT ON THE AGRICULTU- 

 RAL DEPARTMENT, iui.-,^ii:. 



This report, which is longer than those of previous years, 

 is a record of a large amount of work of a valuable and 

 diversified character. The .section dealing with the Botanic 

 Gardens contains information in re.spect of certain improve- 

 ments that have been ettected, including the erection of 

 a memorial temple and fountain to the memory of the late 

 Hon. J. G. W. Hazell. A circular lily pond has also been 

 constructed, in which a fine collection of tropical lilies, 

 presented by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, has been 

 planted. Work in the nur.series during the year was con- 

 siderable, and a large number of plants of a varied character, 

 chieriy cacao plants, onion and lime seedlings, together with 

 various provision crop cuttings, were distributed. 



The work of cotton selection has been continued, prin- 

 cipally in relation to selection for resistance to disease and 

 for desirable lint characters. There has been some revision 

 in the methods employed, and the work is now con<lucted on 

 a sound scientific basis. Interesting breeding experiments 

 with cotton, of a special character, were carried out by the 

 As.sistant Agricultural Sujierintendent, the results of which 

 have also appeared in the ]\'est Indian Bulletin. 



Extensive operations and e.^cperiments were made during 

 the year in connexion with the cotton stainer: by the Agri- 

 cultural Superintendent in respect of native food-plants and 

 the feeding habits of this pest; by the Assistant Superintendent 

 in conjunction with the officers of the Imperial Department 

 of Agriculture, in regard to the part the stainer plays 

 as a carrier of internal boll rot disease. A considerable 

 amount of other entomological work was done by the 

 Assistant Superintendent during the year, notably that on 

 the egg-parasites of TrichograhDiia lainntu/u. Included in 

 the present publication are reports by the Entomologist and 

 ilycologi.st of the Imperial Department of Agriculture on 

 the subject of their visit to study the condition of cacao 

 in St. Vincent in January 191(5. In this report the view is 

 held that permanent infestitions of thrips are always 

 associated with unhealthy states of the cacao tree. This 

 report also brings out the fact that the successful cultivation 

 of cacao in St. Vincent depends largely upon preventing loss 

 of water from the soil by means of overhead shade. 



Useful work is being done to improve the native types 

 of Indian corn. The work of corn improvement is developing 

 along the following lines: (1) the production of a uniform 

 yellow corn; (2) to increase the size of grain and the amount 

 of grain per ear. Much attention has been given to the 

 biology and control of the pests attacking this crop. 

 A considerable amount of experimental work is recorded with 

 peas and beans, the area under which crops it is the aim of 

 the Department to extend. 



Concerning progress in the cliief industries, it is reported 

 that the season was unfavourable for cotton on account of 

 excessive rainfall and di-scase. The actual area planted was 

 low, as was also the yield of lint per acre. The total crop 



reaped was the lowest of any for nine years. Now that the 

 cotton stainer problem has been taken in hand and effectively 

 dealt with, better results may be looked for in future seasons, 

 though the weather is the ultimate determining factor of crop 

 yield. 



The condition of the starch industry, as far as the 

 statistics .show, was more satisfactory. As regards sugar cane, 

 a large increase in output is recorded. This was to be 

 anticipated, as is a further large increase next year. As 

 regards progress in the minor industries, there has been 

 an extension of the area under ground nuts, coco-nuts, and 

 peas. 



An account is given in the report of the Anderson 

 Oil Expeller, also of the Government granary and corn-drying 

 arrangements. The co-operative buying of corn on a similar 

 plan to that employed in the case of cotton is important. The 

 Agricultural Credit Societies establi.shed in this island, 

 appear to remain in a satisfactory position. 



As regards weather, it has been stated in connexion with 

 the remarks on cotton, that the season was a very wet one. 

 The rainfall recorded at the Botanic Gardens was 122"-1 

 inches, which amount is 16 36 inches above the mean of the 

 past twenty-two years. At the Experiment Station nearby, 

 but at a lower elevation, the precipitation amounted to 102-15 

 inches, which exceeded the mean of fifteen years by 942 

 inches. 



Appended to the main body of the publication is the 

 report of the Government A'eterinary Surgeon. No cases of 

 anthrax were recorded during the year. There were two cases 

 of tetanus diagnosed, and two of tuberculo.sis in the abattoir; 

 one of these latter was a cow that had been supplying milk 

 for sale to the public. During the year, 721 animals valued 

 at £3,-57 1 were exported. These figures do not represent the 

 entire stock exports of the Colony, as sheep, goats and pigs 

 are admitted at Trinidad without a veterinary certificate, and 

 so are not recorded. 



CEYLON. REPORT ON THE DEPARTMENT 

 OF AGRICULTURE FOR 101.',. 



In order to eflfect a reduction in the size of this publica- 

 tion extracts or summaries from the reports of the Divisional 

 Officers of the Department have been embodied in the 

 Director's administration report. 



Attention is given first to coco-nuts. There are about 

 1,000,000 acres under this crop in Ceylon and the area 

 steadily grows. On many estates, light ploughing is 

 systematically practised. The coco-nut industry suffered 

 during the year owing to the fall in price of copra. Manurial 

 experiments have been in progre.ss, and the results of these 

 are given separately in another article in this' issue of the 

 Ai/ricuUural News. 



In regard to tea, the year 191-") was the most prosperous 

 year that the Ceylon tea industry has experienced, due to 

 a well distributed rainfall and high prices. Manurial experi- 

 ments have been conducted, also experiments to determine 

 the effect of rubber shade. The loss of crop, due to the 

 shade of rubber trees and competition with the rubber roots, 

 is clearly demonstrated. 



Concerning rubber itself, the exports of this product 

 showed an increase of over 40 per cent, and an excess of 

 3!S per cent, on the quantity and value exported the previous 

 year. As regards this crop, therefore, the year was very satisfac- 

 tory. Concerning experimental work with rubber, tapping 

 experiments and manurial experiments have been in progress. 

 It would appear that manuring does not have much effect 

 ui)on increasing the girth of the trees, while the average 



