S9S 



THE AGEICULTUEAL NEWS. 



December 23, 1905. 



TRINIDAD: ANNUAL IlEPOllT ON THE 

 BOTANICAL DEPARTMENT, I'jo ',--,, \\y J. H. Hart, 

 F.L.S., Superintendent. 



It is reported that the nurseries have, on the wliole, 

 been able to meet the local demands for plants. The total 

 receii)ts for the sale of plants and produce during the year 

 under review amountecl to £419 8s. 31''.. vhich is the 

 highest return for several years past. 



Several of the sugar-cane seedlings raised in Trinidad are 

 now regularly cultivated on estates. There has been 

 a constant demand for plants of the various rubber trees. 

 The rubber plot at St. Clair has made excellent progress, and 

 bleeding experiments will be carried out in the coming 

 season. The demand for budded orange plants is reported 

 to be steadily on the increase. 



Timber and shade trees are grown in the nurseries for 

 distribution. There is a steady demand for the ' iladura ' 

 shade tree (Gliricidia macxdata). As regard- timber trees, 

 Honduras mahogany is being widely planted. 



Owing to the attack of ' ISoll rot,' the experiment in 

 growing cotton at St. Clair was a decided failure. 



The I'liver estate was placed under the control of the 

 Botanical Department on January IG. 1904. Careful 

 attention to pruning, tarring wounds, etc., has resulted in 

 a considerable improvement in the appearance of the cacafi 

 trees, and the yield has been an excellent one. A small 

 experiment plot will sliortly be started with the view of 

 affording an object-lesson in manuring and general treatment. 



A banana plantation has been established on the estate 

 for supjilying planters with suckers. There are reported to 

 be 3,r)()0 plants in good order. 



Cacao and cotton experiment ph.'ts were started in the 

 country districts. 



RRITISH HONDURAS.- REPORT ON THE 

 BOTANIC STATION, 190.',. I'.y E. -J. F. Campbell, 

 Superintendent. 



In British Honduras there are a Botanic Station at 

 Belize and subsidiary nurseries at Stann Creek and Corosal. 

 Owing to the absence of any period of drought during the 

 year, the plants in the Botanic Station maintained a bright, 

 fresh appearance throughout. The station is a favourite 

 resort with the people of Belize. 



At the Stann Creek nursery many rare and valuable 

 economic plants are growing, which will, in tinn.-, provide 

 abundance of seed for distribution. 



At the Corosal nursery a trial was made of Sea I>land 

 cotton, but the heavy rains injured the blossoms causing 

 them t(i fall. At the nursery attention is paid chiefly to 

 .short-period crop.s, like corn, arrowroot, ginger, etc. 



The total number of plants distributed frnm the station 

 during the year was 10,626 : this nuuiber included 6.600 

 logwood and 2,144 cacao jilants. The receipts from the sale of 

 plants for the year amounted to •'i?327'61, showing an increase 

 over the recei]'ts of the previous a ear of .*.5.5-iS0. 



HAWAII : ANNUAL REPORT ON THE AGRI- 

 CULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION, IOO4. By 

 .hired G. Smith, Special Agent in Charge. 



The various lines of investigation described in previous- 

 reports were continued. Co-operative experiments in cacao 

 and banana cultivation are being carried on. 



The Chemist of the station has been engaged in .soil 

 research work and ha.s, in addition, made analyses of a large 

 number of samples c>f forage plants. 



The principal work of the Horticulturist has been in- 

 connexion with the collection of bananas and in experiments 

 in the prcijiagation of mangos, avocado [lears, etc. 



Avocado peai's have been shipped to San Francisco with 

 satisfactory results. It is thought that the mango, also, it^ 

 destined to take a jirominent place in the American markets. 

 An exhibit of agricultural products was prepared for the 

 St. Louis Exposition. 



The Entomologist has been engaged in investigating the 

 life-history of numerous insect pests. 



Special attention is being paid to tests of grasses and 

 forage plants, seeds of which have been imjiorted from 

 various parts of the world. Information is also being 

 obtained regarding the value of indigenous fodder plants. 



A special officer is engaged in tobacco investigations. 

 The outlook for tobacco cultivation is regarded as good, 

 provided suitable land can be placed at the dispo.sal of those 

 who have .sufficient caiiital tn engage in the industry. 



JAMAICA READERS, BOOK I.- Jaimim : The 

 Educo.tioHul Siij'p/i/ Co., Iviii[/sto)i, 1005. 



The Jamaica Readers hive been specially prepared for 

 the schools in Jamaica by Colonel C4eorge Hicks, Senior 

 In.spector of Schools. 



The introduction states : ' Here is a new book. It is 

 made for little boys and girls who live in a beautiful land 

 where orange and banana and cocoa-nut trees grow, and 

 humming birds have their home. They will be jileased to 

 find in the book the names of so many things they themselves 

 have seen and have talked about and have heard others talk 

 about.' 



The last sentence is really the key note to this reader. 

 Hitherto, save for the Tropical Readers, West Indian teachers 

 have been obliged to use readers which have been written for 

 English schools. Consequently, children are often found to 

 have learned facts with regard to plants, animals, etc., as to 

 the appearance and nature of which they have been able to 

 form no real idea. 



Many of the subjects of the reading lessons in the 

 Jamaica Renders are cultivated plants, or animals, or insect.s 

 known to every child in Jamaica. Under the head of 

 'A Thousand Wonders' the stories are told, for examjjle, of 

 the introduction into Jamaica of the Guinea grass, of the 

 uses of the cocoa-nut palm, and so on. 



This little book is likely to receive a warm welcome 

 from Jamaica teachers and should certainly be known, also, 

 to elementarv school teachers throughout the West Indies. 



