162 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



June 3, 1905. 



rarely attacked by these diseases, eveiy effort shoidd 

 be made to attend to the liealth of the trees. 



In tlic case of fungoid diseases cacao planters are 

 strongly urged to adopt preventive nicasui'es. Neglec- 

 ted trees are sure to devehij) these diseases: once 

 developed, much money and trouble will have to be 

 expended to eradicate them. The preventive methods 

 are extremely simple. They consist in proper methods 

 of pruning: branches cut close to the stem, wounds 

 taiTed over, diseased parts burned, and pods and shells 

 buried. It was stated at the Conference that, as the 

 result of the adoption of these measures, one planter 

 in Trinidad expected to reap about 2.5 per cent, more 

 cacao than he wouhl otherwise have done. 



Considerable interest attached to the discussion 

 on the subject of shade for cacao. It may be that this 

 is a matter which depends entirely upon local 

 conditions. At any rate, the facts remain that Trinidad 

 planters are firmly convinced that shade trees 

 are absolutely necessar\' and indispensable in that 

 island; that in (irenada no shade is used, although 

 a higher yield is obtained; while in Dominica, 

 though no shade trees are present, wind-breaks, 

 usually of the 'pois doux' (Inga (lulcis), are planted 

 across the plantations to protect them from the \\ii!d. 

 Although it may be, as has been suggested, that this 

 difference of methods is due to difference in climatic 

 conditions, it is possible that furtlier experiments will 

 cause some modification of the somewhat strongl\--held 

 convictions on this point. It is quite evident that no 

 hard and fast rules can be laid down for the guidance 

 of planters in matters of this kind; each planter will 

 have to decide for himself the line of action most 

 likelj" to suit his special conditions. 



Another point up.iii which it is h.ipid 1m have 

 further information later on as the lesult of experi- 

 ments is in the matter of the must suitable variety for 

 these islands. Up to the present the Forastero has 

 been almost exclusively planted. This is the hardiest 

 of all the varieties, but its product is not of the highest 

 quality. The Criollo variet\' produces the best quality 

 of cacao. It is, however, unfortunately, somewhat 

 delicate, and though several attempts have been made to 

 establish regular plantations of it in the West Indies, 

 these have, in many cases, been abandoned. It was 

 suggested by the Hon. William Fawcett that the 

 Criollo might be budded on to Forastero stocks, 

 experiments in Jamaica having siiown that this can 

 successfully be done. 



The growing importance of the cacao industry in 

 the West Indies has alreadv been referred to in the 



Af/ricuU(iral Xews (Vi)\. Ill, p. 80.5). In order that 

 the progress may be maintained, cac.io ]jlanters are 

 urged to do all in their power to bring about an 

 improvement in the health and productiveness of their 

 trees. 



SUGAR INDUSTRY. 



Jamaica. 



The following is a letter from the special corres- 

 pondent in Jamaica of the Louit^iarta Planter, in 

 which reference is uiade to the revival of the sugar 

 industry : — 



The firmness of the sugar market aiul the relatively 

 high prices now being obtained for cane sugar are having 

 a healthy eftect in ."^tinuilating planters to extend the area of 

 their cultivation. Coincident with this revival of the 

 industry, certain schemes are on foot for the establishment of 

 central factories, one in Yere, and the other in St. Elizabeth. 

 The one in A'ere has already taken shaiie, the firm of De Pass 

 it Co., of J.,0'idou, in which Mr. C. E. deilercado is 

 interested, having bought Jforelands estate in Yere. Plans 

 for the buildings and machinery have been submitted, and it 

 is probable tliat the work of erecting the necessary buildings 

 will start within the next couple of months. 



In the meantime several estates, notably Denbigh and 

 Cornwall, are practically working on the central factory 

 system, and the small cultivators are being induced to 

 cultivate canes, and, to enalde them to do so, the larger 

 planters are makii'g them ca.sh advances. 



Mr. ]!. \L ilelhado, who has recently taken over the 

 Lodge estate, near Old Harbour, on lease fiom Col. Kitchener, 

 is about to erect new buildings and instal new machinery 

 witli a larger capacity. Mr. John Hudson, of Retrieve, in 

 Westmoreland, has ordered a new and powerful five-roller 

 mill of a similar pattern to the one erected at Denbigh, and 

 has also extended his acreage. Mr. Walter Farquharson has 

 ordered a tri[)le-ef5ect plant for Retreat, in the same parish. 

 There are also new developments at Phoenix, Mr. Arnold 

 (.'lodd's Hanover estate, where cane cultivation will be 

 carried out on an extensive basis. Mr. S. Clarke is jdanting 

 out 100 acres of canes at Sweet River, ^^'estmoreland, while 

 it is reported tliat the acreage on Fairfield is likely to 

 increase. 



These extensions of existing cane cultivation and the 

 developments of improved methods in manufacture are of 

 great significance, and augur well for the future of the sugar 

 industry in this island. The crop now being taken otf 

 promises to be a very good one, and in quantity is likely to 

 overtop considerably the record of the last three seasons, 

 while in value it will easily exceed all 3-ears since 1899-1900. 

 Up to last reports, 10,77i puncheons of rum had been 

 exported, which is 100 puncheons better than last year's crop, 

 while sugar exports are 1,200 tons less : but this will easily 

 be made up between how and crojvover. 



Another remarkable feature of the sugar situation is the 

 demand for small cane mills, and one dealer reports having 

 sold more of these to small settlers in the uionth of February 

 than lie had done in the six months prior to that date. 



