Vol. IV. No. 92. 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



331 



ST. LUCIA.- AXXUAL REPORTS ON THE 

 BOTANIC STATION, AGRICULTURAL SCHOOL, 

 AND EXPERIMENT PLOTS, 1904-5. 



Botanic Station. — The total expenditure on tbe Botanic 

 Station and the Expeiiment Plots in the country districts 

 was £761 7s. 1</. The sum of £58 17s. 2-/. was derived 

 from the sale of plants, etc. 



The rainfall for the year 1904 was 77-72 inches. This 

 is 9-12 inches below last year's return, and less than the 

 average for fifteen years by 17-65 inches. 



Various improvements have been cfiected in the 

 appearance of the station by the addition of many interesting 

 plants. Residents and visitors continue to find the station 

 an attractive resort. 



Economic plants are distributed from the Botanic 

 Station and also from the Agricultural School and the 

 Riviere Doree station, and it is satisfactory to observe that 

 the total number (34,995) of plants distributed by the 

 Department shows considerable increase over last year's 

 distribution. 



Taking into consideration the various changes in the 

 staff during the year and the dry season, the report on the 

 ■work done at the station appears to be satisfactory. 



Ayrii'ultural School. — The total expenditure on the 

 school amounted to £718 5s. \\d. 



The average number of boys at the school was twenty. 

 Progress has been maintained in the indoor work. The 

 marks obtained by the boys at the two half-yearly 

 examinations were, on the whole, satisfactory. The boys are 

 reported to have taken an interest in their gardens, where 

 •excellent vegetables are produced. 



In connexion with the e.xperiment plots at the school 

 interest attaches to the experiments in cotton growing. It is 

 shown that, i;i a normal season, good results can be obtained 

 with Sea Island cotton. Full details are given as to the 

 experiment with this variety and the local Upland variety. 

 Other experiments with economic plants were carried out, 

 and the statement of the results is of considerable interest. 



The live stock at the school include woolle.ss sheep, 

 Belgian hares, and bees. Special attention is devoted to 

 instruction in bee keeping. 



Experiment Plots. — Mr. Hudson reports on the cacao 

 experiment plots at Soufriere, Dennery, and Roseau, and the 

 cotton plots at Micoud, Dennery, Vieuxfort, Gros Islet, 

 Soufriere, Riviere Doree, and Castries. 



It is gratifying to observe that several estates are 

 now carrying on their own experiments and are following 

 those methods whose value has been so well demonstrated in 

 the Department's plots. Cotton experiments were continued 

 at eight different points scattered over the island. 



The remarks of !Mr. Hudson in reference to various 

 matters connected with the cultivation of cacao and cotton, 

 as well as of pine-apples, limes, vanilla, etc., are full of 

 interest. The observations should be of considerable value 

 in directing attention to some of the more pressing problems 

 that need to be solved at the present time. 



HORSE BEAN AS GREEN DRESSING. 



Seeds of a leguminous plant known as the horse 

 bean (Canavalia en.'iiformi-s), received from Mr. John 

 Belling, B.Sc, Agricultural and Science Master at 

 St. Kitt's, were recently forwarded for trial at the 

 various West Indian Botanic Stations. The following 

 notes on the growth of this plant at Grenada have 

 been received from ilr, R. D. Anstead, B.A., the 

 Agricultural Superintendent :— 



On June 19, fifty-two seeds were sown 5 feet by 5 feet. 

 These germinated well and made bushy plants, which grew 

 very rapidly, and by the middle of August were 2 feet high 

 with a spread of about 4 feet, and bearing a number of 

 shortly stalked, pink flowers, in long racemes. These were 

 followed by an abundance of broad pods, 9 inches to 1 foot 

 long. On the 7th. of the presort month, the plot was turned 

 in as a green dressing for corn, and is being compared with 

 woolly pyrol. 



The plant appears to be well suited to this climate, 

 a very quick grower, and it was entirely unattacked by any 

 pests. Four plants have been preserved for seed, and I shall 

 have the honour of informing you when it is ripe. 



It may be mentioned that this plant was one 

 of thirty leguminous plants grown under simihir 

 conditions in Barbailos in 1900. In this experiment, 

 the results of which are given in the Report on 

 Agricultural Work for 1900, the horse bean came out 

 seventh on the list, giving a total weight of 8,010 lb, 

 (vines and roots) per acre. The analysis shows that 

 this was made up as follows: — 



DEPARTMENT NEWS. 



The Imperial Commissioner of Agriculture will 

 leave Barbados on Monday, October 23, in S. S. 

 ' Serrana ' on a visit to Grenada and St. Vincent. It is 

 expected that Sir Daniel Morris will return to 

 Barbados in S. S. ' Orinoco ' on Sunday, October 29. 



Mr. Thomas Thornton, A.R.C.S., Travelling 

 Inspector in connexion with Cotton Investigations, left 

 Barbados in S. S. ' Sibun ' on Monday, October 9, for 

 Antigua. Mr. Thornton will probably sjDend some time 

 in the Leeward Islands visiting the cotton fields and 

 assisting the planters in increasing the value of the 

 industry by skilful methods of cultivation and prompt 

 attention to insect and other pests. 



The Secretary of State for the Colonies has 

 appointed Mr. C. Somers Taylor, B.A., of Emmanuel 

 College, Cambridge, Assistant Chemist at the Govern- 

 ment Laboratory under the Island Professor of 

 Chemistry, in connexion with Sugar-cane Experiments 

 at Barbados, in succession to Mr. R. D. Anstead, B.A. 



