238 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



July 29, 1905. 



RAINFALL RETURNS. 



the 



Antigua. 



A report has been received from Mr. A. J. Jordan, 



Curator of the Botanic Station at Antigua, on the 

 effect of the recent drought on the station, of which the 

 following is a brief summary : — 



The rainfall returns show that the rainfall iov the year 

 ended March 31 last was only 32-94 inches. This was but 

 sliglitl}' over half the previous year's rainfall and 20'03 inches 

 below the average for the last five years. The rainfall for 

 the period November 1, 190-i, to March 31, 190-5, was 

 12'2.5 inches, as compared with the average for the s:.me 

 period over five years of 18'76 inches. 



It would appear that the most fatal period occurred after 

 the showers in ilay last when the trees started into full 

 growth. The exhaustion thus caused resulted in many of 

 the more advanced trees dying back oi- drying completel}'. 



' The prolonged period of dry weather is having 

 a marked efl'ect upon the specimen plants at the Botanic 

 Station. The result has been a struggle between the 

 trees and shrubs in which the strung-rooted trees have 

 demonstrated their ability to e.xist at the exjiense of their 

 ■weaker neighbours.' 



As the result many ornamental plants at the station have 

 been lost. It maj' also be mentioned that the trees planted 

 along the public roads, in connexion with the Arbor Day 

 celebrations of the past three years, have died. 



During the last month, however, the anxiety has been 

 partially relieved by showers. At the station 2-20 inches 

 jwll from July 1 lo 11, 



British Guiana. 



In his Annua! Report the Govornmont Botanist 

 of Bi'itish Guiana makes the following observations on 

 the rainfall at the Botanic (Jardens during the year 

 1904-5 :— 



The total rainfall for the year at the Botanic Gardens 

 was So'fio inches, which is 18'6S inches below that of last 

 year, and 7-09 inches below the average for the last twenty- 

 six years. 



The amount of rain recorded for the month of .January 

 at the Botanic Gardens was 10'5G inches. February was 

 unusually dry with only 2-63 inches, but March and April 

 •were exceptionally wet, with a rainfall exceeding 12 inches 

 for each month. The rainfall during the normally wet 

 months of May, June, and July, which constitute the longer 

 rainy season of the year, was much below the average. 



With August a long jjeriod of dry weather set in which 

 la-stcd until nearly the end of the third week in Decendier. 

 Not one ir.ch of rain fell on any one day during the months 

 of August, October, and November: in September 272 inches 

 ■were reccrded. On December 20, this long period of very 

 drj' weather came to an end and was followed by ten days' 

 heavy down-pour which was fairly universal throughout the 

 colony. l)uring this period 11 '90 inches fell in one week 

 at the Botanic Gardens. 



HOME-GROWN FOOD-STUFFS FOR STOCK. 



The Experiment Station Bcaml (January 1905) 

 contains the following review of a paper on ' Feeding 

 Horses and Mules on homo-grown Food-stuffs' by 

 C ]\I. Conner in the Florida Statiov Bullrtiv, l.i, 

 pp. 115-20. The food-stuffs referred to in this paper 

 being sweet potatos, cassava, and cane syrup, the 

 results are of particular interest to stock-owners in the 

 West Indies: — 



The value of sweet potatos, cassava, and of cane syrup 

 as a partial substitute for corn in a ration for horses and 

 mules was studied. 



In the test with sweet potatos two pairs of horses and 

 two of mules, doing hard A\ork, were used, one animal of 

 each pair being fed corn, hay, and sweet potatos in about 

 the proportion of G lb. of corn, 17 Dj. of hay, and 15 lb. of 

 sweet potatos per 1,000 Iti. live weight, the other animal in 

 each case receiving corn and hay only in about the proportion 

 of 10 lb. of corn and 15 tt). of hay per 1,000 lb. After six 

 weeks the rations were reversed. The hay used was beggar 

 weed of good quality. There was little variation in the 

 weight of the animals, e.xcept that in two cases there was 

 some increase when sweet potatos were fed. In general, the 

 sweet jiotato ration was the cheaper. 



' The most important fact hrouj;ht out in this 

 experiment is that sweet potatos may be substituted for at 

 least one-half of the corn ration, this substitution being at 

 the rate of 3 Bj. of sweet potatos for 1 1). of coi-n. This 

 being the case, an acre of sweet potatos, yielding 150 bushels, 

 is equal to a yield of 50 bushels of corn, so far as feeding the 

 work stock is concerned. We do not think that a horse at 

 hard work would do well on an all sweet potato ration from 

 the fact that the bulk would be too great for the capacity of 

 the stomach. . . We have fed one mule for three month'i on 

 sweet potatos, cassava, and haj- with good results. He was 

 used for light work about the lot, such as hauling feed, 

 bedding, etc' 



Using one pair each of the mules and horses included 

 in the previous test, the value of cassava was studied, one 

 animal of each pair being fed cassava with corn and beggar 

 weed hay for six weeks, and the others com and hay. The 

 average amount of cassava eaten was irregular and in 

 general smaller than in the case of sweet potatos. ' The 

 animals maintained their weight throughout the experiment, 

 which may go to show that ca.ssava is more conceutiated 

 than the sweet potatos. . . . Cassava may be used in about 

 the same ratio as sweet potatos, but is not so palatable to 

 the animal.' 



At the close of the cassava test one of the mules wa.s 

 fed for six weeks a ration of corn and low-grade ca)ie syrup, 

 and another the regular corn ration. Tlie amount of 

 hay eaten was not recorded, but the author states that it 

 was about the .same as in the previous tests. Hmall gains 

 were made on both rations. ' Both mules remained in good 

 condition during this experiment in spite of the fact that 

 the}' were doing hard ploughing throughout the entire time.' 



The author states that syrup has been further tested in 

 a preliminary way at the station and ' that it is relished by 

 all farm animals. In feeding the syrnj) was given at night 

 and morning and a larger corn ration given at noon. . . 

 Syruii may be fed to the work stock, provided it is mixed 

 with chopped hay or something to give it bulk.' As regards 

 native hay for draft horses and mules, the author -notes that 

 considerable prejudice is felt regarding it. In his experience 

 it has Iteen used exclusively for two years and he has never 

 had any cause to regret its use. 



