Vol XI. No. 258. 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



89 



Agiicultural Teachioff and Hygiene in Grenada 

 Elementary Schools. 



The Keport on the Primary .Schools, Grenada, for 

 1910-11, published in the Gn '■eminent Gazette for 

 January lo, 1912, states that good results were obtained 

 in many schools in the theoretical teaching of subjects 

 connected with agriculture. Little use is made, how-, 

 ever, of school gardens, in connexion with this work, but 

 it is expecteil that the fact that in a few cases bonuses . 

 were criven for school plots, as a result of the examin- ■ 

 ations of 1911, will stimulate teachers and managers 

 in the re-establishment of the gardens. It is evident 

 that teaching of this kind cannot pos.sess useful results 

 unless it is accompanied by proper demonstrations, and 

 pj-actical work with plants on the part of the pupils. 



A favourable report is given on the teaching in 

 sanitation and hygiene, and good results have been 

 obtained in the subject.'?, even by lower division schools, 

 although it forms no, part in their curriculum. 



T^he St. Vincent Arrowroot Growers' and 

 • Exporters' Association. 



'rhe report of this Association for the period end- 

 ing December 31, 1911,' was presented at its first 

 annual general meeting, held in Kingstown on Jan- 

 uary 24, 1912. The formation and objects of this 

 Association have been dealt with already in the Agri- 

 cultural Nc'vs, Vols. IX, p. 2S.-): X, pp. 9 and 220. 



In regard to advertising, it had been decided that, 

 as funds to be collected under the Arrowroot (New 

 Maiket Fitnd) Ordinance would not beaVailable until 

 Dtcember 1910, this should coinmence in January 1911, 

 and meauwhile inforriiation was to be collected in con- 

 nexion with the matter. His Honour the Administrator 

 ])laced at the disposal of the Coniiiiiitee useful informa- 

 tion in regard to the exploitation of arrowroot in 

 Canada; the assistance was also obtained of Mr. A. E. 

 Aspinall, Secretary of the West India Committee, and 

 of Mr. AS. Dunant, of New Ycrk. By thi's means, 

 the Association has been placed in communication with 

 several countries, and samples of arrowroot, together' 

 with advertising matter, including the Guide Book to 

 St Vincent, written by the Hon. Mrs-. Murray, have 

 been distributed in 'Europe and the United States. 

 Efforts have also been made for the expansion of trade 

 in the West Indies, and in addition to the work done 

 through commercial firms in Canada, there was the 

 placing of advertisements in journals and handbooks 

 circulating in that country, one of these being The West 

 fndies in Canada, published by this Department. 

 Aiiother. niore detailed effort consisted in the provision 

 of an exhibit, with accompanying copies of illustrated 

 booklets, at the National Exhibition in Toronto. In 

 the report, a list of firms in Canada and the United 

 States, who may be interested in arrowroot, is inserted 

 provisionally. ''^ 



Among general matters, it is shown that there is 

 at present no tendency to over-production of St. Vjncent 

 arrowroot. The success gained already has caused the 



Association to urge strongly that the Ordinance men- 

 tioned above be renewed for two years, reckoning from 

 December 1, 1912. Finall}-, grateful appreciation is 

 expressed of the interest that the Administrator, the 

 Hon. C. Gideon Murray, has shown in the formation of 

 the Association, as well as of the assistance that has 

 been afforded by His Honour. 



A New So-called Ground Niat. 



The Agricultural News, ^'ol. IX, p. 3-40, contained 

 an account of the Bambarra ground nut, which is 

 known botanically as Voandzi-ia suhterranea. It is 

 announced by the Bidletin of tlie Imperial Institute, 

 from information given in Der Tropenpflanzer 1911, 

 p. 273, that another plant has been discovered, in 

 Togoland, which is similar to this plant and to the 

 ground nut, in that it ripens its fruits below ground. It 

 occurs in three forms yielding seeds of different colours, 

 and is called by the natives in Togoland Kandela, and 

 by those in Dahomey Doi. It has been named Ker- 

 stingieila geocarpa, and has been already described 

 from Dahomey under the name Voandzeia Poissoni. 

 The seeds are about jj-ihch long and nearly J-inch 

 broad, and are stated to possess a pleasant flavour. So 

 fir, the plant has only been seen in cultivation. 



Legislation Against Noxious Weeds in Grenada. 



The Grenada (rt)'er;i?nen< Gazette for J iinueiry 3, 

 1912, publishes the draft of a Bill for an Ordinance 

 that mav be cited as the Noxious Weeds Ordinance, 

 1912. 



Under the regulations of this (Ordinance, noxious 

 weeds on land have to be removed by the persons 

 responsible in respect of the land, and further, such 

 persons are bound to report the occurrence of noxious 

 weeds to a .Tustice of the Peace, Magistrate or Inspec- 

 tor under the Ordinance, or at the nearest Police Sta- 

 tion, or direct to the Superintendent of Agriculture. 



The Ordinance gives power to inspectors to enter 

 upon any land, whether it is enclosed or not, for the pur- 

 pose of ascertaining if any noxious weeds exist thereon. 

 If such plants are found, notice is given to the person 

 responsible, reijuiring him to clear the land within 

 a time specified in the notice. The Ordinance, further, 

 provides for penalties for disobedience and for the 

 removal by inspectors of neglected weeds, at the expense 

 of the delinquents. 



For the- interpretation of the Ordinance, the term 

 Noxious Weeds is intended to include any plant whick 

 the Governor may, from time to time, with the consent 

 of the Legislative Council, signified by resolution to 

 that effect, declare by Order published in the Gazette 

 10 be a noxious weed, either throughout the whole col- 

 ony or in one or more districts or portions of districts 

 thereof. 



