YoL. IV. No. 9i. 



THE AGEICULTURAL NEWS. 



365 



AGRICULTURAL SHOW. 



letter 



to till. 



tVoiii the 

 Imperial 



Virgin Islands. 



The following is a copy of a 

 Commissioner of the Virgin Islands 

 Commissioner of Agriculture IVn- the West Inches, dated 

 October 19, 190-5, in reference to the Agricultural 

 Show held at Tortola on September 13 last: — 



I am glad to be able to forward to you a report of the 

 Agricultural Show which was quite a success ; inuoh more 

 interest seems to hn.ve been taken in it than in previous 

 years. 



The stock was not .piite up to tlie mark, but the sheep 

 showed a decided im[ir(5vement, due to the distribution of 

 the young rams from the Experiment Station. 



A very considerable number of goats (2,500) are 

 shipped annually to the iJanish West Indies, and a consider- 

 able demand has recently arisen for goat skins, I think it 

 would be advisable to do something to imiirovc the breed. 



I hope it will be possible to do something a little later 

 for the cattle, as many of them are so small and inbred that 

 they are not able to compete with those exported from 

 Porto Rico. 



I am glad to report that there seems to be much more 

 interest shown by tlie people in cotton. I expect the coming 

 crop v\ill show a substantial increase. There were several 

 applications for loans at too late a date. 1 understand, 

 however, that these applicants are preparing land for next year. 

 The great difficulty is to make peciple understand that it is 

 important to grow their cotton only from Sea Island seed 

 and not from the seed of the cotton wliich has been growing 

 wild since 1860-70. 



!Many of the people lead very isolated lives. We have 

 no newspapers to give them information. I think if the 

 report of the show and proposed Cotton Circular were 

 printed, the circulation of them would greatly increase tlic 

 people's interest in agricultural matters. 



i;o>imittee's report. 



An Agricultural Show, under the auspices of the 

 Imperial Department of Agriculture for the West Indies, 

 was held at the Experiment Station, Tortola, Yiro'in Islands, 

 on September 1.3, 190.5. Special efforts had been made 

 to interest the inhabitants of the islands. Six meetings to 

 explain the objects of the show were held in the town and 

 country districts of Tortola, and the other islands of the 

 group were visited. His Honour the Commissioner of the 

 Virgin Islands kindly presided at the meeting in lload Town, 

 and the Agricultural Instructor attended the meetings and 

 gave valuable advice and information. The rules were 

 explained, the prize list read, and questions invited, to give 

 the people a thorough understanding of the exhibition. 

 These meetings were all well attended and much appreciated. 

 We found the people anxious for information, and we think 

 the meetings did a great deal in securing their confidence, 

 and encouraged them to give the show unprecedented 

 snpi'ort. 



There were 750 exhibits out of 800 entries. The stock 

 were arranged in the station yard. I! urn, vinegar, sugar, 

 starches, meals, preserves, minor products, lace and fancy 

 work, etc., were shown on the upper story of the cotton 

 factory, and the fruits and vegetables were displayed on 

 the ground floor and in the sugar factory. Industrial 

 products and poultry also occupied some space in the latter 

 building. The exhibits, though displayed to the best 

 ■advantage, were somewhat crowded through lack of space. 



The number of entries in the class for stock was satisfac- 

 tory, but the quality of the animals was not what it might have 

 been. The sheep were an exception, showing a decided improve- 

 ment on previous shows. There were very few exhibits in 

 sugar, but a very large number in starches and meals, which 

 is inqiortant as indicating a possible industry. Gentlemen 

 fi'oni outside the Virgin Islands expressed pleasure at both 

 the quantity and quality of the fruit shown. It is a matter 

 for regret that there were so few entries in cotton (for which 

 special prizes were offered), and that the exhibits were, with 

 one or two exceptions, i_>f somewhat inferior quality. The 

 judges did not deem any exhibit of cotton from Anegada 

 worthy of first prize. A Diploma of !Merit was awarded 

 to Mr. .1. B. Fiomney, of Belmont, Tortola, for a fine sample 

 of cacao ; the other exhibits in tliis class were not very 

 satisfactory ; sutiicient care had not been taken in the curing. 

 The Industrial Section contained some very good exhibits. 

 The lace work was excellent. The Tyre hats were very 

 creditable, being light, comfortable, and of good appearance. 

 It should be possible to dispose of these outside the island.s 

 if made in sufficient quantities. The exhibits in all the 

 classes, taken as a whole, were satisfactory in quality and an 

 advance upon prexious years, and the quantity far surpassed 

 all expectations. 



The attendance was exceedingly pleasing, all the rooms 

 and the station yard being crowded all the daj- with people, 

 who appreciated highly this effort on their Ijehalf. We were 

 also honoured with the presence of many larlies and gentle- 

 men from the neighbouring Danish islands. 



At the close of the exhibition the prizes were distributed 

 by his Honour the Commissioner, to whom the Committee 

 asked to bo allowed to present their best thanks for the 

 interest he lias taken in the show. The Committee also 

 wi.sh to thank heartily the Agricultural Instructor, 

 Mr. W. C. I'ishlock, for the interest he is taking in 

 furtherance of the agriculture of the Virgin Islands and for 

 undertaking the exceptionally heavy labours in preparing 

 for and conducting this exhibition, which the Counnittee 

 feel they have every reason to consider a great success. 

 AVe also beg to tender our warmest thanks to the Rev. 

 C. R. Trace for the valualsle assistance he rendered, and to 

 the ladies and gentlemen who acted as judges. Most of all, 

 our thanks are due to the Hon. Sir Daniel Morris, Imperial 

 Commissioner of Agriculture for the West Indies, whose 

 grant for prizes made the exhibition possible. 



EDUCATIONAL 



Teaching Agricultural Science in Jamaica. 



The following note is extracted from the Annual 

 lleport of the Schools Gommissioii in .Jamaica : — 



Apart from the special attention given to this matter 

 at the Jamaica College, we have continued our efforts to 

 promote instruction at other endowed schools in the sciences 

 preparatory to a course in scientific agriculture. In some 

 instances it has been practicable to establish suitable 

 laboratory fittings, and further eftbrts in this direction will be 

 encouraoed. We have directed the attention of all secondary 

 schools in the island to the scholarships offered at the 

 Government Laboratory, and to the opportunities afforded 

 there for attending lectures in agricultural science and for 

 receiving practical instruction at the Experiment Statioa, 



