Vol. XI. No. 264. 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



18.3 



ST r INCEST. REPORTS OX THE liOTAXIC 

 STATION, AGRICULTURAL SCHOOL, LAND .•^ET 

 TLEMENT SCHEME. AND OF THE GOVERN ME XT 

 VETERINARY SURGEON, lOKi-ll. 



Some of the first matter of interest contained in tlie 

 report on the Botanic Station is concerned with the condition 

 of the garden and withijarticulars of striking plants that have 

 been introduced, or have flowered or fruited. It is stated 

 that the continued spread of scale insects was a matter for con- 

 cern; control is specially difficult because of the presence of 

 these pests in large quantities, in the forest behind the Garden, 

 up to a height of nearly 2,000 feet. In spite of the presence 

 of the chief West Indian insect and fungus parasites of scales, 

 with the possible exception of Oplnonectria cocclrda, the 

 pests are not kept under control, and special efforts in the 

 introduction of the fungus parasites from Dominica have not 

 yet brought about any useful improvement. 



It does not appear that Manihot dichotoma and 

 M. piimhyensis will be successful under the conditions of trial. 

 The trees of Hevea firasiHe/isis have flowered for several years 

 in succes.sion, but have not produced any seed. Castillon 

 elastica has shown great susceptibility to attacks by scale 

 insects and mealybug, and the plants have been removed and 

 replaced by Herea lirasiliensia. It is not considered desirable 

 under present conditions to recommend any extensive plant- 

 ing of Castilloa in St. Vincent. Other interesting jilants 

 which receive attention include the mangosteen, a S|iecies of 

 Tecoma, iiimento, and Michelia Chniiifani, the last of which 

 produces in profusion delightfully fragrant flowers; it is the 

 champak of Shelley's Indian Serenade: — 



' The champak odours fail 

 Like sweet thoughts in a dream.' 



The large attention that is given by planters to the 

 cotton and arrowroot industries pre\ents the distril.uiion of 

 plants from the station from being either large or varied, 

 the number of economic plnnts sent out during the jieriod 

 under review being 4,340; of these 4,003 were cacao, and the 

 next largest distribution— 126 — rubber: there were also 

 miscellaneous plants, as well as a certain amount of produce 

 and seeds that were sold. 



The particulars given concerning the rainfall show that 

 the amount recorded at the Botanic Station during 1910 was 

 10403 inches, which is \'2b inches below the average of the 

 past seventeen years. Particulars of the rainfall for the 

 past twelve years indicate that the ihiest months are Febru 

 ary, March and April, and the wettest June and October, 

 each of the last having an average precipitation exceeding 

 10 inches. 



In regard to exhibitions, St. Vincent was well repre 

 sented at the Canadian National Exhibition held in August 

 1910, and at the Dominion Exhil)ition at St. John, N.B., 

 in September of the same year, and a very favouralile report 

 on the exhibits was received. Following instructions from 

 the Imperial Commissioner of Agriculture, .samples of Sea 



Island seed-cotton and lint from St. Vincent have been for- 

 warded for exhibit in the Colonial Products Section of the 

 Imperial Institute. Connected with such effort, a useful 

 example that might well be followed more commonly is the 

 maintenance of a show case by the Agricultural Department, 

 at the Public Library, in which are placed from time to 

 time samples of the different products of the Colony. 



The details concerning implemental tillage given in the 

 previous report are supplemented by information bringing 

 the matter up to the date of writing. 



The notes on agricultural industries are concerned 

 mainly with cotton, and it is shown that the export of Sea 

 Island and -Marie Galante lint, during the period under 

 reifiew, was .540,339 % , valued at £41,836, as compared 

 with 394,667 lb. valued at £26,775, in 1909-10. Since 

 1903-4 the total exports from St. Vincent of these two kinds 

 of cotton have, to the date given, amounted to 2,392,884 tt). 

 having an estimated value of £160,407. During the past 

 three years, there has been a steady increase in the yield of 

 lint per acre, the amount stated being a return of 1.56 lb. 

 In this section of the report are contained interesting details 

 concerning legislation in regard to the cotton industry, 

 labour supply for cotton-growing, peasant cotton-growing, 

 selection for improvement, and pests and diseases. 



It is shown in the section dealing with the starch 

 industry that the output of arrowroot for 1910 was 

 valued at £30,089, the weight produced having beeo 

 5,302.725 ft ; the similar figures for 1909 were £31,792 

 and 5,594,498 lb. The export of cassava .starch was 

 138,112 lb. value £781, as compared with 195,166 ft. 

 value £1,009, in 1909. Samples of meal and starches have 

 been sent to Canada for examination, and arrangements were 

 made to acquire a small experimental plant for conducting 

 investigations in regard to these. The exports of cured 

 cacao showed a decrease, notwithstanding the existence of 

 a progressive annual increase in the previous five years; the 

 iliminished output was caused chiefly by an outbreak of thrips 

 in several cf the plantations: the actual export during 1910 

 was 235,236 ft , as compared with 241,294 ft. during 1909. 



The report on the Agricultural School shows that the 

 average number of boys receiving instruction during 1910-11 

 was about 19; the examiner's reports on the half yearly 

 examinations were, on the whole, sati-f:ictory. This .'ection of 

 the reports contains an account of work of collecting certain 

 new species of insects, done by the Resident Master. 



The usual information is included in the repot t on the 

 Land Settlement Scheme and Agricultural Instruction. This 

 would tend to show that the efforts of the Agricultural 

 Instructor had been .^-uccessful in bringing about imjirove- 

 ments in estate and peasant cultivation, in several of the 

 districts. 



The Veterinary Surgeon states that the number of inocu- 

 lations against anthrax during the period was 7,550, making 

 a total of 3,725 head of stock fully treated with the vaccine. 

 A short history of anthrax in St. Vincent is included, and 

 information concerning various disorders of stock is succeeded 

 by detailed statistical tables concerning the incidence of 

 anthrax in St. Vincent. 



It is placed on record that the Bulletin du Jardin Botan- 

 {ijue de Buitenzorg , Series 2, Xo 3, contains the continuation 

 of observations of Cecidomyiid and other galls on plants. 

 The first part of the work was published in the journal 

 Marcellia, Vols. VIII, 1909, to X, 1911. 



