Vol. 17. No. 84. 



THK AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



205 



JAMAICA : REPORT ON THE GOVERNMENT 

 LABORATORY, IDO.'f-B : By H. H. Cousins, M A., D.Sc, 

 F.C.S., Government Analytical and Agricultural Chemist. 



The report states that tliere was a marked increase in 

 the number of sanqiles dealt with at the laboratory. This 

 increase is due to the development of the work along agri- 

 cultural lines. During the year the police commenced to 

 check the milk supply of Kingston, and samples were 

 forwarded under the Adulteration of Food and Drugs Law. 



A large number of samples of soils were received. 

 A special feature of this branch of the work of the laboratory 

 has been the examination of typical soils of the parish of 

 8t. Mary in connexion with the banana manurial experiments. 



Some 578 samples of sugar products were dealt with in 

 connexion with the Sugar Experiment Station scheme. 

 'Arrangements were made to enable any sugar estate, 

 desiring to do so, to submit weekly composite samples of 

 juices and sugar so that the working might be placed under 

 simple chemical control.' 



Fifteen agricultural students attended the special 

 educational course at the laboratory during the year. Six 

 students entered for the di[iloma examination based upon 

 a two-year course of study. The examination was conducted 

 by Professor d'Albuquerque, of Barbados, assisted by members 

 of the staff of the Imperial Department of Agriculture. 

 Three candidates obtained first-class certificates, and three 

 second-class certificates. The results are reported as being 

 considered very encouraging when all the ditticulties of the 

 case are considered. 



CULTIVATION OF COTTON AND OTHER 

 SUBSIDIARY INDUSTRIES IN BARBADOS: By 

 Edgar Beckett, Agricultural Instructor, British Guiana. 

 Geoir/eloum, lOOo. 



This is a report by Mr. Beckett on a visit to Barbados 

 in -lanuary last, for the purpose of studying the cotton and 

 other subsidiary industries. 



Visits were paid to the Govci'nment Cotton Factory, 

 jMessrs. Thome's factory, and to a number of estates where 

 cotton is being grown. Mr. Beckett goes thoroughly into 

 all details connected with growing cotton on the estates 

 visited and its preparation for the market. 



In regard to the possibility of reviving the cultivation 

 of cotton in British Guiana, he states that good Sea Island 

 cotton can undoubtedly be grown in certain districts of the 

 colony, but whether it can be produced at a profit will 

 depend upon the availability of cheap labour and upon the 

 continuance of high prices for cotton. The scarcity of labour 

 would probably prevent the planters from embarking on the 

 cultivation of cotton ; but there should be nothing to prevent 

 small farmers who had suitable soil, pro\ided they were 

 prepared to give constant attention to it. 



Mr. Beckett also reports briefly on the banana and 

 •onion industries. 



Acknowledgement is made of the assistance received 

 from the staff of the Imperial Department of Agriculture. 



BARBA.DOS AT THE COLONIAL 

 EXHIBITION. 



The West India Committee Circular is to publish 

 a series of articles by Mr. W. G. Freeman, Superin- 

 tendent of the Colonial Economic Collections at the 

 Imperial Institute, on the several exhibits in the West 

 Indian court at the Colonial and Indian Exhibition. The 

 following is a summary of Mr. Freeman's article on the 

 Barbados exhibit : — 



Barbados has sent over a wealth of exhibits, and the 

 products of the colony would have made a much more 

 effective display could the specimens sent have been 

 distributed over a court three or four times the area of that 

 which they now occupj'. The Exhibition Connnittee in 

 Barbados and the Commissioner, the Hon. Forster il. Alleyne, 

 have undouljtedly accomiilished their task very satisfactorily, 

 almost all the chief products of the colony being represented 

 by specimens which have evidently been carefully selected, 

 labelled, and packed. Nearly one-half of the total 

 number of specimens exhibited are sugar products, and 

 there is no cause for the comi)laint, too often to be 

 made against exhibitions of this kind, that everything 

 is shown but the important product of the country. The 

 various grades of crystal sugars, syrup, sugar, and muscovado, 

 the subsidiary specimens of clarified cane juice, massecuite 

 and megass, together with the fresh canes and the photo- 

 graphs of estates, the models of plantation carts with their 

 loads of hogsheads and puncheons bring home to one the 

 local conditions and the main features of the industry, and 

 indicate very clearly its possibilities and limitations. 



Tangible expression of the success which has attended 

 the revival of the important cotton industry is afforded by 

 the samples of seed-cotton, lint, and cotton seed from seven 

 estates in the island, and a good summary of the recent 

 activity in this direction is given in the Barbados hand-book. 



The new and developing banana industry was worthily 

 represented on the opening day by three magnificent bunches 

 of Barbados bananas, .shown by Messrs. William Pink 

 & Sons, of Portsmouth, which afforded irrefutable evidence 

 of the fact that Barbados can produce bananas of first-class 

 qualit}', and that they can be so packed and transported as 

 to reach this country in the best possible condition. 



Pickles and preserves are well represented by a con- 

 siderable number of s])pciniens. 



The flying fish industry is much to the fore with 

 spirit specimens of the fish, models of a fishing boat, 

 nets, and pickled fish from the factory recently opened at 

 Bridgetown. The nature and importance of the flying fish 

 industry of Barbados has never fully been realized in this 

 country, and the specimens form a very interesting exhibit. 



The court is also supplied with the current issues of 

 the West Indian Bulletin, Agricultural News, and other 

 publications of the Imperial Department of Agriculture, 

 which are available to visitors in search of further informa- 

 tion regarding recent agricultural work in the colony. 



Taken as a whole, the Barbados court aflords a good 

 idea of the natural capabilities of the colony. Sugar, on 

 which the fortunes of Barbados have been deiiendeut for the 

 last hundred years or so, appropriately occupies the 

 predominant place and gives the distinguishing character to 

 the whole court. At the same time the more important of 

 the minor industries — cotton and fruit — are well represented, 

 whilst the products of local importance, but which are not 

 likely immediately to figure in the export returns are also 

 shown. 



