THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



Jauuaey 14, 1905. 



a position which should enable them to compete, in the 

 British market, on equal terms with all sugar-producing 

 countries. 



Sir Daniel Morris then referred to some of the 

 results of the experiments with sugar-canes throughout 

 the West Indies. In British Guiana there were at the 

 present time 18,000 acres planted in canes other than 

 Bourbon, the results of experiments having indicated 

 an increased j-ield per acre of from 12 to 20 per cent, 

 over that of the Bourbon. At Barbados the general 

 results of the seedling experiments justified the opinion 

 that the raising of seedling canes afforded special 

 promise of increasing the yield and diminishing the 

 cost of production. The area under seedling canes was 

 gradually extending. At Antigua where there were 

 about 8,000 acres under cane cultivation, the area 

 under Bourbon had been reduced to 204 acres. 

 Similarly at St. Kitt's, seedling cane.s — especially 

 B. 147 and B. 208 — occupied a much larger area than 

 the Bourbon, which was at one time so seriously 

 attacked by disease that fears were entertained that 

 some estates would have to abandon sugar-cane culti- 

 vation. 



As Trinidad was the largest cacao-jjroducing area 

 in the West Indies, it was proposed to devote special 

 attention to the circumstances of that industr}-. 

 A review of the cacao industry had recently been 

 published in the West IndiKH Bulletin (Vol. V, pp. 

 172-7), a short summary of which was to be found in 

 the Agricultural Xeiva (Vol. Ill, p. 30.5). From that 

 information it would be seen that cacao plantations 

 ■were being very considerably extended throughout the 

 West Indies. 



The first of the recent experiments in cotton grow- 

 ing was started at St. Lucia in TOGO. In the following 

 year these experiments were extended to Barbados and 

 the northern islands. The total area planted in all the 

 islands in 1902 was .500 acres. This was increased 

 in 1903 to 4,000 acres. During the year 1904 the area 

 -planted in Sea Island cotton, and now coming into 

 bearing, was 7,243 acres, and in other varieties 4,438 

 acres, making a total of 11,681 acres. Valuable assist- 

 jince had been rendered by the British Cotton-growing 

 Association in making grants of money and machinery, 

 in finding the best market for shipments of cotton, and 

 more recently in arranging for the visit to the West 

 Indies of Mr. E. Lomas Oliver. The Imperial Depart- 

 ment of Agriculture had supplied 3.5,700 lb. of seed of 

 the best variety of Sea Island cotton at cost price. 

 There were at the jwesent time in the West Indies 



fifteen well-equipped cotton ginneries in working order. 

 The prices obtained for West Indian Sea Island cotton 

 during the past season had ranged from 12*/. to 18(/. 

 per lb., the average price being 141</. per lb. It was 

 now recognized that West Indian Sea Island cotton is 

 an article in high demand, and the industry showed 

 every promise of being established on remunerative 

 lines. It was probable that the crop of Sea Island 

 cotton to be reaped from the present time to May next 

 would reach 5,000 bales of the value of £100,000. 



The success that had attended the establishmenfi 

 of the fruit trade at Jamaica had naturally suggested 

 similar efforts in the other islands. There were numer- 

 ous difficulties connected with the transport of fruit 

 from these colonies, and it would probably be some time 

 before shippers would be in a position to obtain all 

 their reijuirements. The first step that was necessary 

 was to grow the right kind of fruit and produce it in such 

 quantities and in such a condition as to meet the 

 requirements of the market. Afterwards, when the 

 trade had assumed large dimensions, the Royal Mail 

 Company might see its way to provide special steamers 

 fitted with cool chambers capable of delivering large 

 cargoes in good condition. 



Sir Daniel Morris then proceeded to review the 

 situation as regards the lime, sisal hemp, rubber, 

 tobacco, and other industries. Reference was also made 

 to Agricultural Shows, to the progress made in 

 connexion with Agiicultural Education, and to the 

 dissemination of agricultural knowledge by means of 

 official and other publications. 



MILK-POWDER FACTORY IN FRANCE. 



The U. S. Monthlij Consular Reporta for August 

 1904 contain the following note: — 



One of the many opiiortunities foi- the in\-estinent of 

 American capital in this part of France has been .seized upon 

 by certain American interests, combined with local French 

 enterprise, in the establishment of a factory for reducing milk 

 to powder. The company is known as the H. M. !Mott Smith 

 Company, or Societe tie Lait Solidifie Francaise. The factory 

 will be in operation in a few weeks and will enqiloy the 

 .Juste-Hatmaker process for evaporating and sifting milk. 

 The capacity of the factory is 2 tons of powdered milk a day, 

 which represents about .5,000 gallons of fresh milk. The 

 product is destined both for domestic and foreign con- 

 sumption. The factory is located in the midst of a very 

 important dairy district, and the chocolate manufacturers in 

 the neighbouring cities are preparing to profit by its presence. 



Accor<ling to the Experiment Station Record, it 

 is stated in the Rev. (Jen. Lait that the powder 

 prepared from whole milk at the co-operative dairy at 

 Oostcamp contained 3(J2 per cent, of water, ,507 ash, 

 2675 fat, 3286 casein, and 31"10 lactose. 



