194 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



July 1, 1905. 



avaihiblo, it is likely tliat tlic necessary buildings will 

 soon be erected. 



Ill r.,ubad')s fiiniigatiiig eliambers have boon 

 built. The Trade Act lia.s been aniendod, giving the 

 Governoi-in-Exccutive Committee power to j)resciibo 

 the conditions under which alone jjlants may be 

 imported into the colony. Rides and regulations 

 have been drafted to be submitted to the Governor- 

 in-E.tecutive Committee, and these will piobably soon 

 be in active operation. 



Inquiries have been received at the Head Office 

 of the Imperial De])artmcnt of Agriculture from 

 Grenada, St. Lncia, and Mnntserrat, and it is hoped 

 that definite action will .soon be taken in the matter 

 in these colonies. 



It will thus be seen that the importance of 

 legislation for preventing the introduction of insect 

 pests has been fully appreciated, and that the 

 fumigation of imported plants is now becoming general 

 throughout the West Indies. There has been no 

 friction because public opinion had already been educa- 

 ted in its favour, and with the hearty co-operation of the 

 planting community there has now been established in 

 the West Indies an important piece of machinery for 

 the advancement of agricultural interests. 



The position at one time taken up in regard 

 to the necessity for definite action with a view 

 to keeping out undesirable insects was that there was 

 already, in some of these colonies, such an abuiidanre of 

 insect pests that the introduction of a few more could 

 have little or no effect. The folly of holding to such 

 a position will be realized by any one who reads 

 Mr. H. Maxwell-Lefroy's paper in the West 

 Tmlinn Bulletin (Vol. Ill, pp. 140-.51) containing 

 ' Suggestions for controlling the importation of 

 insect pests.' It is shown, first of all, that a large 

 proportion of the insect pests, especially scale insects, 

 known in the West Indies, have been introduced from 

 other parts of the world. Then evidence is given of 

 the danger of insects spreading from one island to 

 another. The interesting table on p. 143 shows how- 

 many of the 120 species of scale insects, known to 

 occur in the West Indies, arc to be found in each 

 island. Similarly with other pests, it is shown that 

 they are very unequally distributed, and the necessity 

 is urged for confining them within the closest possible 

 limits. 



What it is especially desired to impress upon all 

 concerned in this matter is that each island may, at 



present, be said to rejoice in the absence of certain 

 undesirable insect pests known to occur in other parts 

 of the West In<lies. It behoves such islands, therefore, 

 to do all ill their power to keej) out these insects, 

 which might, if introduced, prove a very serious 

 menace to agriculturists. The probability is that 

 these pests, in new districts, and in the ab.sence of 

 such natural enemies as have, to some extent, kept 

 them in check elsewhere, would find their new sur- 

 roundings entirely congenial, and would therefore 

 increase rapidly, and be liable to do considerable 

 damage. 



SUGAR INDUSTRY. 



Seedling Canes in St. Kitt's. 



Mr. F. R. Shepherd, Agricultural Superintendent 

 at St. Kitt's, has forwarded the following note on 

 seedling canes : — 



The folbwiiig facts with reference to the yield of a field 

 of Ciuies planted in the variety known as D. 116 have been 

 furnished me by Mr. Shelford, who is in charge of E.stridge's 

 estate in this island : — 



The field was 81 acres, part manured with pen manure, 

 and the remainder cattle staked. 



The variety of cane planted was D. IIG, at the end of 

 February 1904. The canes were reaped at the end of !May 

 190.J and gave 48, -500 gallons of juice, which yielded 2Gh 

 tons of muscovado sugar. 



The canes were tall, straight, and free from trash. 

 ^Ir. Shelford writes: 'This cane grows so well here, that 

 I think it suits this localit}', and I intend to put in all 

 I can.' 



1 am also informed by !Mr. .1. S. Somerville, the owner 

 of Cunningham's estate in this' island, that 4 acres of 

 canes planted in B. 208, gave a return of 1-j tous of mus- 

 covado suE;ar. 



Cane Farming in Trinidad. 



Brief mention was made in the hist issue of the 

 Ayrlrultv.ral Xe^cs (p. 188) of a meeting of proprietors 

 of sugar estates in Trinidad held at the \Vest India 

 Committee Rooms at which the subject of cane farm- 

 ing was discussed. The following summary of the 

 proceedings is extracted from the Port-of-Sjmln 

 Gazette: — 



Considerable discussion took place with regard to 

 farmers' canes, and the price at which tlitse should in 

 future be bought, so as to allow of fanners obtaining full 

 value for their caues whether markets fluctuate or not. It 

 was ultimately decided that the sliding scale should be 

 adopted and tried as from next crop. An agreement was 

 then and there drawn up and signed by the jiroprietors. 

 Briefly its provisions are these : — 



1. The agreement to be in force for one year, and then 

 renewed for another and subsequent year. 



