Vol. IV. Xo. 89. 



THK AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



285 



J/OJVTSERRAT: ANNUAL REPORTS ON THE 

 nOTAXIC STATION AND EXPERIMENT PLOTS, 



lOnJrO. 



This report deals with the Botanic Station at Grove 

 ami the Olveston and Harris' Experiment Stations. The 

 expenditure during the year amounted to £.395 17s. 9(/. 

 The sum of £41 Is. bd. was realized by the sale of plants, etc. 



The report again shows an increase in the number of 

 plants (mostly economic) distributed, which was 35,377, 

 in addition to 11,439 cuttings and considerable (juantities of 

 .seed. The results of the experiments with economic plant.s 

 are stilted in detail in the report; in each case a detailed 

 Account of the expenditure incurred on the experiments is 

 given. 



The rainfall at Grove Station was 51-01 inches, at 

 Olveston GO-02 inches, at Harris' 44-18. Comparison with 

 the returns for previous years shows that the year was 

 considerably drier than usual. 



Progress has been made in the establishment of the 

 cotton industry. The area under cotton during the season 

 1904-5 was 680 acres ; the .shipments amounted to 70,000 f->. 

 of lint (valued at £3,384), as against 27,600 ft. for the 

 previous season. The cotton worm and leaf-blister mite were 

 kept in check without much difficulty by the application of 

 insecticides ; considerable trouble was, however, experienced 

 from the attacks of the ' black boll ' disease. The local 

 officers of the Deiiartment rendered valuable assistance 

 in visiting estates and reporting on the prevalence of pests. 



This report also contains a report of the work done by 

 the Local Instructor, who furnishes a list of places visited by 

 him during the year and, in addition, interesting observa- 

 tions on the prospects of various minor industries of recent 

 introduction. 



PORTO RICO: ANNUAL REPORT ON THE 

 AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION, JOO/f. 

 By D. W. May, Special Agent-in-charge. 



Considerable expenditure was incurred during the year 

 in draining the low-lying lands at the station. The tile 

 .sj'stem of drainage has been introduced with satisfactory 

 results. A system of irrigation has also been introduced. 



Efforts are being made to develop the fruit and 

 vegetable industry. Trial shipments are to be made of 

 perishable fruits and vegetables to New York. 



The stock of plants for distribution has been greatly 

 increased. Special attention has been paid to the collections 

 of bananas, yautias (tannias), cassavas, and yams. 



Various fungoid diseases have also been under investi- 

 gation. These include the tomato wilt, which appears to be 

 common in the West Indies. A note on this disease will 

 tie found in the Agricultural News (Vol. IV, p. 43). 



Attention is being paid to the propagation of improved 

 "varieties of miscellaneous tropical fruit trees. Reference is 

 made to the desirability of producing and propagating 

 improved varieties of such fruits as the guava, hog plum, 

 mango, etc. 



TRINIDAD.- ANNUAL REPORT ON THE 

 (.■OVERNMENT STOCK FARM, lOU.^-o. By C. W. 

 -Meaden, Manager. 



Jlr. Meaden is able to report a better record with the 

 herd than in the previous year. Various improvements have 

 \ieen made at Valsayn. It is suggested that the farm afc 

 lobago wdl serve as a useful sanitarium for acclimatizing 

 imported stock before they are located at the Trinidad farm. 



Two bulls were imported from Nova Scotia during the 

 year; 143 calves (mostly three-quarter and half-bred Zebus) 

 were born. These were all of good cpudity and liave not 

 suffered from any kind of sickness. 



The total sales for the year realized £882 15s. 6</. The 

 various hospitals received 117,165 imperial quarts of milk 

 from the farm (an increase of 5,657 quarts on the previous 

 year), and 1,126 It), of butter were made. 



Success is recorded in mule breeding. There are now 

 eight young mules from one to three years old, some of which 

 will be put up at the next sale, when it will be possible to 

 judge as to the profits from mule raising. 



Favourable results have continued from pig breeding, 

 especially with the Tamworth breed. This breed has, in 

 consequence, been spread throughout the colony, and good 

 accounts have been received of their progress. 



The^ sales of poultry realized .$136-50, yielding a profit 

 of $34-50. The best results have been obtained with 

 Plymouth Rocks. Belgian hares have also done well, and 

 good results have followed crossing with common selected 

 rabbits, increasing the size and imiirovin" the flavour of the 

 flesh. 



BEE KEEPING IN JAMAICA. 



The following note on bee keeping in Jamaica is 

 extracted from Jamaku in 190'>, which is reviewed 

 elsewhere in this issue : — 



Bee keeping does not require much land or capital to 

 start with, nor very great exertion to obtain a mcxlerate 

 return in the climate of Jamaica. It has therefore been 

 taken u^i by jiundreds of persons of small means, sometimes 

 with insufficient skill and appliances. Consequently, Jamaica 

 honey was usually badly, wastefidly extracted, taken frora 

 discoloured combs and full of dead bees. But the general 

 spread of intelligence, and the working of the Jamaica Bee 

 Keepers' Association led to the employment of frames, 

 extractors, and other improved appliances, and to greater 

 strictness as to condition of honey shipped. In consei|uence, 

 juices were improved, and though a relapse has occurred, 

 even now are better than they were. But they are still far 

 behind those for the honeys of other countries, even when 

 the quality is the same. However, if a steady improvement 

 of quality continues, no doubt prices will follow in time. 



Bee keepers who have had experience in temperate 

 climates must bear in mind that conditions in the trof)ics 

 are very different. There is no hibernation, and there are 

 nearly always .some honey-bearing plants in blossom. 

 Consequently, workers wear out rapidly. (Queens are 

 prolific, but they also wear out more rapidly than in 

 England. In some seasons the bees have to be fed for 

 weeks, in others hardly at all. It follows that any one 

 intending to take up this industry in .Jamaica should be 

 prepared to take lessons from a practical bee keeper in the 

 island. 



Bee keeping should not be undertaken as a means of 

 livelihood, but a man with spare time, a few acres of land, 

 and £25 can soon work up to £30 a year from this source, 

 in almost any part of Jamaica. 



