Vol. XI. No. 261. 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



139 



■weeds that might harbour nematode?, (c) Making heavy 

 applications of fertilizer, especially those containing potash, 

 except where the soil already contains this in abundance. 

 This treatment often reduces nematode injury greatly, 

 (d) Flooding the land for a period of some \yeeks. (e) \Yhere 

 rain is not likely to interfere, ploughing and allowing the soil 

 to dry out for several months, (f) Preventing, by the use of 

 embankments, ditches, etc., the washing of soil from infested 

 fields to the field which is free from the pest. The introduction 

 of the pest by tools, wagons, farm aniiiialSj etc., should be 

 avoided. The trap crop methods, and the u.s^'of various chemi- 

 cals, have not proved practical as tested by the writer. The 

 former needs, perhaps, further trial. 



(9) The ideal procedure is to develop non susceptible 

 strains of plants, so that the expense and trouble of e.xtermin- 

 ating the pest may be avoided Such strains may be obtained 

 by the selection of more resistant plants, or by crossing with 

 resistant strains, followed by the careful selection and breed- 

 ing of the progeny. 



Further attention to this subject will be given in the 

 ne.xt number of the Agricultural News. 



EXPORT TRADE OF UGANDA, 1910-11. 



The great expansion of the export trade i.s [ihenomenal, 

 an increase of £130,675 on domestic produce being recorded. 

 The amount of the increase in domestic exports over the 

 previous year exceeds the value of the total exports of the 

 Protectorate of five years ago. The articles chiefly responsi- 

 ble for the increase are cotton, chillies, ivory, hides, cotton 

 seed, and ground nuts. The figures would have been still 

 further increased had not transport been seriously affected 

 by an unfortunate outbreak of rinderpest along the main 

 routes from the cotton fields. Large quantities of produce 

 remained in the outlying districts towards the end of the 

 year, which could not be moved. A railway is, however, in 

 course of construction between Jinja and Namasagali, and 

 additional steamers and lighters are lieing placed on Lake 

 Kioga, which will effectively deal with all the produce from 

 the fertile Bukedi District. 



FOOD, DRINK AND T0B.\cco. The increase under this 

 head was £13,918. The quantity of chillies exported was 

 nearly double that of the previous year and ground nuts 

 show a satisfactory increase. 



i!.\w M\TF.Ei.\Ls, t N5iANUFACTur,ED. The increase 

 under this head was £115,791. The greatest expansion in 

 the export trade is shown under this class and is largely due 

 to the increase in cotton export, the value of which — ginned, 

 ucginned, and seed — increased from £60,445 in 1909-10 to 

 £Ui8,620 in 1910-11. The approximate quantity of lint 

 cotton exported during the year under review was 2,740 tons, 

 a.s compared with 1,158 tons in 1909-10. Hides show 

 a decrease in quantity, but an increase in value. The 

 decrease is due to the outbreak of rinderpest and conse- 

 quent prohibition of the export of hides. A slight decrease 

 is shown in the value of wild rubber exported, owing to the 

 trees and vines being rested for a few months during the 

 year. Plantation rubber is now being exported, and extensive 

 planting of rubber trees of different varieties is being carried 

 out. 



RAW MATERIALS, M ANUFACTURFii. The increa.se under 

 this head was £966. The exports of cotton seed and sesame 

 oil show an improvement, and a still further extension of 

 these industries is anticipated. {Colonial Reports— Annn a], 

 No. 708.) 



AGRICULTURAL SHOW, MONTSERRAT, 

 1912. 



The following account has been received from the- 

 Curator of the Botanic .Station, Montserrat, ilr. W. 

 Robson: — 



The seventh agricultural show in Montserrat was held 

 in the Roman Catholic Schoolroom at Plymouth on March 6, 

 an adjoining enclosure being used for stock. 



The show, which was a great success, was promoted by- 

 the Agricultural and Commercial Society and was liberally 

 supported by the local Government and by the Imperial 

 Department of Agriculture, the latter of which gave a grant 

 of £15, and offered six diiilomas of merit, for competition. 



His Honour the Commissioner, in opening the Sbo»v 

 congratulated all concerned in its promotion. He referred 

 to the marked increase in the number of exhibits and to the 

 excellent manner in which they were arranged. He further 

 stated that it was very gratifying to find that the prejudice 

 which has hitherto inclined many of the small growers to 

 think that there is an ulterior motive in the promotion of 

 such exhibitions, was to some extent breaking down, and he 

 hoped that it would disappear altogether. The very large- 

 increase in the importation of American foodstuffs into the 

 island, in recent years, suggested to His Honour, that the 

 small grower was neglecting his provision ground, and he 

 strongly urged that greater attention be given to local food 

 crops, generally. 



The total number of exhibits was 890, compared with- 

 370 at the show held in 1911. There was a very marked 

 increase in the number and quality of the exhibits in the 

 classes for stock, sugar products, minor products including 

 starches and meals, and preserves. Vegetables were fairly 

 well represented, but the quality of the samples, on the whole, 

 was not as good as that in last year, owing no doubt to the 

 prolonged drought previous to the show. The classes for 

 fruit and cotton were poorly represented, probably chiefly 

 because of the time of 3-ear at which the show was held. 



The marked increase in the stock exhibited was one of 

 the most pleasing features of the show. The number of 

 animals entered for competition in 1911 was 40; at the 

 recent show tiiere were 120 entries. The principal sections 

 were colt or filly under two years, 9; horse over 14 hands, 4; 

 horse under 14 hands, 7; bull, 7; milch cow, 15; heifer, 11-,. 

 mule, 4; donkey, 14; pigs, 9; sheep, 16; and goats, 23. 



A special prize given by His Excellency Sir Bickham Sweet- 

 Escott, Governor of the Leeward Islands, for the best collec- 

 tion of estates produce, brought forth three competitors, the 

 prize going to the Olveston Estate of the Montserrat Co., Ltd. 



Of two prizes given by His Honour the Commissiner for 

 the most satisfactory piece of joiners' work, the first was 

 awarded to two well finished mahogany chairs, made from 

 a tree felled in Montserrat. 



Competition was also very keen for prizes offered by 

 Mrs. Davidson-Houston for drawn-thread work, many excel- 

 lent samples being shown. 



The six Diplomas offered by the Imperial Department of 

 Agriculture were awarded for samples of seed-cotton, cotton 

 lint, an imported Canadian sheep and boar, a cow, a piece of 

 furniture and drawn-thread work. 



An interesting function just previous to the closing of 

 the show was the distribution of the prizes by Mrs. Davidson^ 

 Houston. 



The attendance at the show was the largest on record, 

 and the gate money nearly double that of any previous year. 



There is ample evidence that the show as an institution 

 is appealing to all classes of the people, and it is anticipated 

 that it will be an annual event for some years to come. 



