Vol. IV. No. 79. 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



121 



Selected Tobacco Seed. 



A supply of tobacco seed of the following kinds 

 has been obtained by the Imperial Department of 

 Agriculture from the United States, viz., 'Havana seed 

 leaf,' 'First-crop Vuelta de Abajo,' and 'Connecticut 

 seed leaf A supply of this seed can be obtained, on 

 application to the Imperial Commissioner of Agri- 

 culture, free by post, at the rate of 82c. (Is. id.) per oz. 



West Indian Onion Trade. 



Samples of onions grown at the Experiment 

 Station, I'ortola, Virgin Islands, were submitted by the 

 Imperial Commissioner of Agriculture to merchants in 

 Barbados for a report and valuation. 



It is reported that onions of the description 

 submitted would be woi'th from S2-00 to $2-50 per' 

 100 lb. The reports agreed that they were too large for 

 the purposes of the small retail shopkeeper. It appears 

 that in selling small quantities of onions smaller bulbs 

 are more convenient, since they render division unneces- 

 sary'. On this account onions of the size submitted 

 would not find a ready sale. The consumer requires 

 a small onion, say, of 11 inches in diameter; also 

 a strong flavoured onion, as they are used rather for 

 seasoning food than as a vegetable. 



Another point which is regiirded by the merchants 

 as of importance is that the onions should be shipped 

 on strings, it being stated that when shipj^ed in that 

 manner, the value would be enhanced Ic. per It)., or 

 perhaps more. ' This is explained by the well-known 

 perishable nature of onions, which makes it absolutely 

 necessary to keep them hung up and aired as much as 

 jjossible whilst in store.' 



Diseases of Cocoa-nuts. 



Considerable attention has been paid in Jamaica to 

 diseases of the cocoa-nut palm, many trees having been 

 lost from one cause or another. Investigation by 

 officers of the Department of Agriculture has shown 

 that, while the immediate cause of death has been 

 some insect or fungoid pest, the trees have been 

 rendered liable to such attacks by unfavourable external 

 conditions, such as when the trees have been planted 

 in very poor or stiff clay soils, when the soil has been 

 too dry or saturated with standing water. 



It has also been proved, however, that there is 

 a specific disease ' which attacks the flower parts and 

 young nuts, sometimes spreading along the softer 

 tissue, and at length reaching the terminal bud or the 

 feeding roots.' Directions for treating this disease are 

 given in the March i.ssue of the BaUdiii of ike 

 Depariment i>f Agricaltin'e, Jamaica. 



Experiments during the last two years have shown 

 the ' most effectual remedy is to spray with Bordeaux 

 mixture at intervals of six to nine months until there 

 is no trace of the disease.' With a spray pump and 

 a long hose, the nozzle of which is carried up the tree 

 by a boy, there is no difficulty in spraying even high 

 trees. 



Conference of Cotton Growers at Barbados. 



As stated elsewhere in this issue, a very successful 

 Conference of cotton growers was held at Barbados on 

 April 14. The address given by Sir Daniel Jlorris on 

 this occasion will be found on p. 118. In the discussion 

 which followed some interesting facts were put before 

 the meeting by various cotton growers. There 

 appeared to be a general feeling that the prospects of 

 the industry were good, and that, where efforts had 

 been made to keep the cotton worm in check, and the 

 soil had been well cultivated, the results had been 

 satisfactory. In many cases the yield of seed-cotton 

 had not come up to expectation, but this was, for the 

 most part, attributed to the drought. 



Efforts are being made to obtain a careful estimate 

 of the average cost of growing 1 lb. cotton and placing 

 it on the English market. Information on this point 

 will be published later Arhen further figures are 

 available. 



It was suggested by Sir Daniel Morris that 

 a special meeting of the Society should be held later 

 to discuss the question whether cotton could be grown 

 as a catch crop with cane in Barbados on the lines 

 suggested for St. Kitt's in a letter to the editor of the 

 Afivicidtiuxd NeivH published in the last issue. This 

 is an important point which deserves careful con- 

 sideration on the part of the planters. 



Agriculture in Carriacou. 



The annual report on the Carriacou district for 

 the year ending December 31, 1904, is published in 

 the Grenada Official Gazette. The Commissioner 

 reports that the value of the foreign exports for the 

 vear was £10,03.5. ' In addition there is a considerable 

 trade between Carriacou and Grenada in poultry and 

 stock which is not included in the above return.' 



Referring to the necessity for reafforestation, 

 Mr. Whitfield Smith says 'steps are being taken to 

 plant belts of shade trees on the pasture reserves and, 

 by the free distribution of seeds and plants, to 

 encourage allottees to protect their lands in a similar 

 manner.' 



During the year o acres of land at Beausejou 

 estate have been laid out with economic plants as an 

 experiment station. The plots include 2 acres in Sea 

 Island cotton. Efforts are being made to demonstrate 

 to the peasantry the advantage of cultural operations. 

 Pure-bred fowls have been imported and distributed 

 among the peasant cultivators to improve the local 

 breeds of poultry. In a few remarks on the general 

 agricultural possibilities of Carriacou, Mr. Whitfield 

 Smith advocates the cultivation of limes as S])ecially 

 adapted to the circumstances of the island. Black 

 blight, so prevalent in Grenada and St. Vincent, is 

 practically unknown in the Grenadines, and its intro- 

 duction should be avoided by the fumigation of all 

 imported plants. 



The oyster beds having of late shown unmistak- 

 able signs of exhaustion, it has been decided to close 

 the industry for at least two years, as the only means 

 of saving the beds from total extinction. 



