40 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



Februaey 11, 1905. 



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 'Agri- 

 cultural News' should be addressed to the 

 Agents, and not to the Department. 



Local A<jeni!< : Messrs. Boweii & Sons, Bridge- 

 town, Barbados. London Agents: Messrs. Dulau & 

 Co., 37, Soho Square, W., and The West India Com- 

 mittee, 1.5, Seething Lane, E.C. A complete list of 

 Agents will be found at foot of page 81 of this volume. 



The Agricultural A^eics : Price W. per number, 

 post free Ihl. Annual subscription jiayable to Agents, 

 2s. 2d. Po'st free, Ss. Sd. 



Agricultural ^xm 



Vol. IV. SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 1905. No. 74. 



NOTES AND COMMENTS. 



Contents of Present Issue. 



The editorial in the present issue deals with the 

 question of cotton seed for planting in the West Indies 

 during 190.5. Planters are advised to plant half the 

 area proposed to be placed under cotton with local seed 

 from the best of the present Sea Island crop and the 

 other half with new Rivers' seed to be imported for 

 planters by this Department. 



An estimate of the Barbados sugar and molasses 

 crop, prepared by a Committee of the Agricultural 

 Society, is published on pp. 34-5. Following this is 

 an interesting note on the cost of manufacturing 

 raolascuit. 



Under the heading ' West Indian Fruit' on p. 3G 

 will be found notes on Seedless Limes, Date Palms in 

 Jamaica ' and on Cacao. 



The extracts from reports of local officers published 

 on p. 37 will show that the prospects of the cotton crop 

 are still bright. In most of the islands the ginneries 

 are at full work. 



An interesting article on the vanilla industry, 

 written by Mr. J. R. Jackson for the Gardenen:' 

 Chronicle is reproduced on p. 38. 



The plan of the pro))osed Colonial and Indian 

 Exhbition to be held at the Crystal Palace in 1905 

 shows the excellent position that has been allotted to 

 the West Indies (p. 39). 



Shipment of Cotton from the West Indies. 



We desire to impress upon cotton growers in the 

 West Indies the desirability of avoiding the shipment 

 of odd lots of cotton. Not only is it difficult for the 

 brokers to effect the .sale of these, but low prices are 

 likely to be the result. 



In reference to this matter, Mr. C. M. Wolsten- 

 holme, of Liverpool, writes to the Imperial Commis- 

 sioner of Agriculture as follows: — 



' You do not inform me whether my proposed 

 method for account sales would be acceptable to 

 planters. I really cannot treat 5,000 bales in separate 

 units : I notice they are beginning to ship odd bales 

 already from some of the islands.' 



Forthcoming Agricultural Shows. 



During the ne.xt few weeks a number of Agri- 

 cultural Shows will be held in the West Indies. A list, 

 with dates, of those that are being held under the 

 auspices of the Imperial Department of Agriculture 

 has already been published in the Agricultural Neivs 

 (Vol. Ill, p. 422). The first of these will be the shows 

 in the Leeward Islands, viz., at Dominica on Thursday, 

 February 23 ; at Montserrat on the following day, and 

 at Nevis on Tuesday, February 28. 



The arrangements for the show to be held at 

 St. Vincent are now well advanced, and March 9 has 

 been fixed .as the date of the show. The Agricultural 

 Show at Grenada will be held on March 16 and 17. 



It may also be mentioned that a large and 

 im])ortant show will be held iinder the auspices of the 

 Trinidad Agricultural Society at Port-of-Spain on 

 February 14, 15, 1(), 17, and 18. At the conclusion of 

 this show an auction sale of live stock, produce, and 

 other exhibits will take place. 



Several interesting insect notes appear on p. 42. 

 On the following page are notes on some fungoid 

 diseases. 



Agriculture in Cuba. 



According to the Consular Report on Cuba for 

 1903, the sugar planters have been extending their 

 plantations. The number of tons produced during the 

 last few years has been as follows: 1900-1, 635,85(3 

 tons; 1901-2, 850,181 tons; and in 1902-3, 998,878, 

 while the estimated crop for 1903-4 was 1,050,000 

 tons. 



In regard to the tobacco industry it is stated that 

 the crop of 1903, though not unusually large, was of 

 excellent quality, affordmg a good proportion of 

 wrappers. Opinions differ as to the advisability of 

 growing tobacco under shade : although the texture of 

 the leaf is improved, complaints are made that shade- 

 grown tobacco is deficient in flavour. The value of the 

 exports of tobacco and its products in 1903 amounted 

 to £5,208,464, as against £5,080,835 in the previou.s 

 year. 



Among minor products the exportation of fruit has 

 made great strides, the exports increasing in value 

 from £71,116 in 1899 to £442,700 in 1903. The 

 exports of cacao showed an increase of 5,162 cwt. over 

 those of the preceding year, and the export of cabinet 

 woods was largely increased on .account of the opening 

 up of new forests by the railway. 



