"8 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS 



January 6, 19 12^ 



EDITORIAL NOTICES. 



Letters and matter for publication, as well as all 

 specimens for naming, should be addressed to the 

 Commissioner, Imperial Department of Agriculture, 

 Barbados. 



All applications for Copies of the 'Agricultural 

 News' should be addressed to the Agents, and not to 

 the Department. 



Local Agents: Messrs. Bowen & Sons, Bridge- 

 town, Barbados. London Agents: Messrs. Dulau & 

 Co,, 37, Soho Square, W. A complete list of Agents 

 will be found on page .3 of the cover. 



The Agricultural News : Price Id per number, 

 post free Id. Annual subscription payable to Age-nts, 

 2s. 2d. Post free, 4s. M. 



The Use of the Prickly Pear in Making 

 Whitewash. 



The use of the' sections of the stem — commonly 

 called leaves — of prickly pear ( "2JU.n<ia spp. ) in making 

 whitewash is (requently met with in the West Indies. 



In regard to this matter, a note contained in 

 TIte Colonizer for November 1910, drawing attention 

 to a similar employment of the prickly pear in Uruguay, 

 is of some interest. It is stated that the white colour 

 of the farm buildings in that State serves for special 

 attraction, even durmg the wet season. 



The mode of employing the ' leaves ' is stated to 

 be to slice them, macerate them in water for twenty- 

 four hours, and then to add the lime and mix well. The 

 endurance of whitewash thus made forms a matter for 

 particular comment. 



31 9 ri cultural '^xm 



Vol. XI. SATURDAY. JANUARY 6, 1912. No. 253. 



NOTES AND COMMENTS. 



Contents of Present Issue. 



The editorial in the present number treats of the 

 subject of the Colour of Soils. This is dealt with largely 

 with reference to its origin, and its significance in prac- 

 tical agriculture. 



Pages 4 and 5 contain, among other matters, an 

 article giving general information concerning the aro- 

 matic grass oils. 



An interesting note on an unusual manner of 

 flowering of the papaw plant. (Carica Papaya) appears 

 on page 9. 



In this issue, the plan has been followed that was 

 adopted in regard to the first instalment of Insect Notes 

 for the year, in the last volume of the Agricultural 

 Neu\s,o( giving a summary of the information presented 

 as Insect Notes during the preceding year. A similar 

 article appeared under the heading Fungus Notes, in 

 the last issue. 



On page 11 is presented an interesting account of 

 wild rubber in the Congo. This should be read in con- 

 nexion with the description of cultivated rubbers in 

 the Congo, given on page 341 of the last volume ol the 

 Agricultural Neivs. 



The Students' Corner of this issue, on page 13, is 

 concerned with the presentation of the results obtained 

 in the recent examinations, held in connexion with the 

 Courses of Reading in practical agriculture, of this De- 

 partment. 



Trade and Agriculture of the Gold Coast. 



Colonial Reports — Annual, No. 683, contains the 

 Annual Report for 1910 on the Northern Territories of 

 the Gold Coast, from which the following particulars 

 regarding trade and agriculture are taken. 



' One must be possessed of great optimism to be 

 able to throw out hopes of much export trade from the 

 Northern Territories, at any rate for some years to 

 come. The great bar to such trade is, of course, the 

 existing lack of transport facilities.' 



As regards internal trade, this has never been 

 great, nor — as long as existing conditions continue — is 

 it likely to improve much, 't he population, at the best 

 of times barely self-supporting in foodstufifs, is at present 

 working at a disadvantage, owing to the increasing 

 calls for labour on account of building, road-making 

 and transport. The money paid out for labour is of no 

 great use to the people, who, as regards outside trade, 

 are peculiarly apathetic. As a matter of fact, it is pro- 

 bable that most of the silver and copper coinage paid 

 out is made into ornaments, whilst the cowrie is still 

 the main currency for the purchase of foodstufifs, that 

 from time to time appear in the local markets in small 

 quantities. 



At the same time, both the cola and cattle tradts 

 are undoubtedly increasing, as is shown by statistics 

 given in provincial reports. From these it is found 

 that no less than 3-5,722 cattle and 70,213 sheep and 

 goats entered the Protectorate at Wa, Bawku, and 

 Navarro during the year under review, while 3,860 

 cattle and 16,813 sheep and goats passed down coun- 

 try through Salaga alone. As regards cola, 30,526 

 loads passed out of the Protectorate to the north 

 through the same stations, a load as here quoted, being 

 reckoned at 60 It). It might be added that the cattle 

 trade is in the hands of Mo.shis, Hatisas and Fulanis, 

 none of whom are inhabitants of the country. 



'Although agriculturally- inclined, the native's 

 methods of tilling the soil are still primitive. Cultiva- 

 tion of land by the rotation of crops he thoroughly 

 understands; but, unfortunately, no system of top 

 dressing is practised. This is a great pity as in every 

 village and hamlet, particularly where cattle are kept, 

 tons of excellent manure are wa,sted yearly.' 



