152 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



May 20, 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 Ajiiits: ilessis. Boweu & Sons, Bridge- 

 town, Barbados. London Agents: Messrs. Diilaii & 

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

 mittee, 15, Seething Lane, E.C. A complete list of 

 Agents will be found at foot of page 3 of the cover. 



The Agricultural jS^eus : Price 1(?. per number, 

 post free Ik?. Annual subscription payable to Agents, 

 2s. 2d. Po"st free, 3.s. Sd. 



^griciittiiral ^leiii) 



Vol. IV. SATURDAY, MAY 20, 1905. Xo. 81. 



Onion Seed for 1905. 



With reference to the note that appeared on this 

 subject in the Agricultitml Xeic>< (Vol. IV, p. 5(J) 

 orders have been received for supplies of seed from 

 Tenerife ariKjunting in all to 44G lb. This is sufficient 

 for planting about 100 acres. The largest (piantity of 

 seed has been ordered for Antigua (2251 lb.): ilcmt- 

 serrat comes next with 90 lb. : then Barbados and the 

 Windward Island.s, 10k ft>. ; St. Kitt's-Nevis, 25 It).; 

 and Trinidad and Tobago, 15 lb. It will soon be time 

 for the land to be selected and carefully prepared and 

 for the seed beds (which should be close to a good 

 supply of water) to be ready for planting. The seed 

 shiiuld arrive not later than the beginning of August 

 next. 



NOTES AND COMMENTS. 



Contents of Present Issue. 



It is pro))Osed shortly to erect a Cott(jn oil factory 

 at Barbados. The benefits likely to accrue from this 

 are discussed in the editorial. 



Interesting notes in connexion with the sugar 

 industry will be found on pp. 146-7 : these include 

 a statement of the results of experiments in Cuba with 

 seedling canes from Barbados and Demerai-a, and 

 also a report on experiments at Barbados. 



On p. 149 is published a report on the fisheries of 

 Antigua, in which various suggestions for the improve- 

 ment of the fishing industry are made. The need for 

 instruction as to proper methods is urged. 



Important information in regard to cotton will be 

 found on pp. 150-1. The special requirements, in order 

 to make the industry a complete success, are clearly 

 set forth for the benefit of all growers. It will be 

 seen that the estimated value of the exports of 

 cotton from the West Indies during the quarter ended 

 March 31 last was nearly £20.000. 



The statement published on p. 157, with reference 

 to pig rearing in Trinidad, shows that pigs can be kept 

 very profitably in the West Indies when advantage is 

 taken of local-gnjwn food. 



A special article on ' Agiicultural Efforts at 

 Grenada' appears on p. 158. Elsewhere in this issue 

 reference is made to the appointment of a Stiper- 

 intendent of Agriculture, and to the vacancy for an 

 Agricultural Instructor. 



Seed of English Potatos. 



In Older to continue the experiments started some 

 years ago in growing English potatos in the West 

 Indies, the Imperial Department of Agriculture is 

 making arrangements to import seed-potatos of the 

 ' Bliss Triumph ' variety for planting early in Septem- 

 ber next. The potatos would then have time to grow 

 before the setting in of the dry season and they would 

 be the first new potatos to come into the market in 

 New York or London. There is also a fair local 

 demand for new English potatos. 



Tho.se who are desirous of obtaining seed-potatos 

 for delivery in September next are requested to com- 

 municate as early as possible with the local officers of 

 the De})artment. 



The cost of the seed-potatos (which are cpiite 

 distinct from ordinary potatos and command a higher 

 price) will range from 83 to S4 per barrel according to 

 the market value at the time of shipment. 



Exports of Dominica. 



An otfiei.-il statement of the exports of Dominica 

 during tlie year 1904 shows that the most valuable 

 product of the island is c;icao, the exports of which 

 amounted to 9.8S0 cwt., of the value of £21,325. The 

 total value of the lime products was £28,980, made up 

 as follows: concentrated lime juice (83,727 gallons), 

 £17,792; raw lime juice (234,972 gallons), £0,853; 

 fresh liiues, £2.857 ; lime oil, £1.160: pickled limes, 

 £324. 



Other fruit exjjorts were: bananas, £189: cocoa- 

 nuts, £452 ; mangos, £218 ; oranges, £615 ; pine-apples, 

 £25. There were also exported small quantities of 

 tamarinds, orange oil, Cassia Fisiidu, divi-divi, etc. 



Reference might also be made to the export of bay 

 leaves and bay oil. Of the former 246 bales were 

 exported, having a value of £1.107, while 24 gallons of 

 bay oil, valued at £00, were akso exported. Whale oil 

 (in transit) was shipped to the extent of 63,474 gallons, 

 worth £5,290. 



Refined sulphur also appears on the list of exports, 

 the shi))ments during 1904 amounting to 47 tons of 

 the value of £207. Large quantities of wood were also 

 shipped. 



f 



