168 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



June 3, 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 Aiji'iU.'^: ilcssrs. Bowen & Sons, Bridge- 

 town, Barba('los. London Agents: Messrs. Dulau & 

 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 8 of the cover. 



The Agricultural JSfeivs : Price Id. per number, 

 post free lid. Annual subscription jmyable to Agents, 

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



^griciittiirat |]eiu!j 



Vol. IV. 



SATURDAY, JUNE 3, 190.5. 



No. 82. 



NOTES AND COMMENTS. 



Contents of Present Issue. 



The editorial in the present issue discusses certain 

 points of piactical interest to cacao planters, briefly 

 reviewing some of the efforts that have been made to 

 improve the health and productiveness of cacao trees. 



In the notes on the sugar industry references are 

 made to signs of revival in J.-iuiaica and the Leeward 

 Islands. Excellent results obtained with .some Demerara 

 seedlings in Hawaii are recorded on p. 1(52. 



The article on 'Garden schools in foreign lands' on 

 p. l(jT is likely to be read with interest. Every effort 

 is being made throughout the West Indies to encourage 

 the establishment of school gardens in connexion with 

 elementary schools. 



Interesting insect notes of local interest will be 

 found on p. 170 ; these include references to the 

 peculiar structure of some bees' nests, and to the u.ses 

 of salt for the protection of grain against weevils. 



On p. 173 there is published a detailed report by 

 Mr. Lewton-Brain on a visit to the St. Vincent Agri- 

 cultural School. Reference is made also on p. I(j7 to 

 the useful work that is accomplished at this school. 



Interesting information in regard to the growth 

 and marketing of Broom Corn is published on p. 174. 

 It would appear that ^\hile, under normal conditions, 

 a profitable business is scarcely likely to be established 

 between the West Indies and the United States, 

 Canada offers a market for this product which might 

 prove profitable. 



Grape Fruit from Dominica. 



An interesting experiment has recently been 

 ma.de in shipping grape fruit from the Botanic Station 

 at Dominica to the Covent Garden market. The four 

 boxes shipped were sold for £3 G.s. The shipping 

 expenses and freight amounted to lO.s. 4*/., and the 

 sale charges to 6s. lOd. It will therefore be seen that 

 the experiment was very satisfactory from a financial 

 point of view. 



It should further be stated that the four crates 

 wore the produce of four trees. The latter were budded 

 in 1S99 and bore fruits in 1902 and 1903. The profits 

 mentioned above are particularly' satisfactory when it is 

 considered that the trees are less than six years old. 



-^ 



St. Lucia Agricultural Experiments Committee. 



As was announced in the Agricultural N'eu-s 

 (Vol. IV, p. 91), at a meeting of the St. Lucia Agri- 

 cultural Society held on February 22 last, a committee 

 was, upon the suggestion of the Imperial Commissioner 

 of Agriculture, appointed to confer with him with the 

 object of promoting the sugar, cacao, fruit, and other 

 industries of the island. 



The following is a list of the gentlemen who 

 have signified their willingness to serve on the 

 Agricultural Experiments Committee : — 



The Hon. E. duBoulay, the Hon. Granville 

 Ponsonby, Messrs. S. Melville, E. G. Bennett, K.C., 

 Hugh Hunter, C. R. Kennaway, R. G. McHugh, 

 George Barnard, and the Agricultural Superintendent. 

 Mr. G. S. Hudson, the Agricultural Instructor, is acting 

 as Secretary of this Committee. 



West Indian Bulletin. 



The first number of Volume VI of the West 

 Indian Bulletin, issued to-da}', contains a further 

 instalment of the papers read at the West Indian 

 Agricultural Conference of 190.5. 



Useful information is given to show the present 

 jjosition of the cane-fiirming industry in British 

 Guiana and Trinidad. This important subject was 

 dealt with at some length at the Conference, as it was 

 felt that some efforts were needed to put the industry 

 on a satisfactory footing, more especi;dly in Trinidad. 

 Other papers in connexion with the sugar industry deal 

 with the principal fungoid and insect pests of the 

 sugar-cane, with the field treatment of cane tops for 

 planting purposes, and with the establishment of 

 a central factory at Antigua. Dr. Francis Watts also 

 contributes a paper of a technical character dealing 

 with the ' Polaiimetric determination of sucrose.' 



The remaining pages of the number are devoted 

 to the cacao industry. It was the general opinion 

 that a very useful discussion took place at the 

 Conference in this connexion, and it will be found that 

 a large amount of practical information in regard to 

 efforts to improve the health and productiveness of 

 cacao trees has been brought together. 



It may also be mentioned that the index and 

 title page for binding Volume V of the Went Indian 

 Bulletin is also issued to-day. 



