A FORTNIGHTLY REVIEW 



OF THE 



IMPERIAL DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE FOR THE WEST INDIES. 



Vol. IV. No. 83. 



BARBADOS, JUNE 17, 1905. 



Pkice Id. 



CONTENTS. 



'X June 1900 the Imj^erial Department of 

 Agrioiltui-e issued a Pamphlet (No. 2) 

 containing notes on ' Planting at Tobago.' 

 The notes chiefly related to the cultivation of cacao, 

 fruit trees, and yams, and were widley distributed in 



the island. The recent official visit of the Governor 

 (Sir Henry M. Jackson) to Tobago and the invitation 

 extended by him to tiie Imperial Commissioner of 

 Agriculture afforded a convenient opportunity for 

 making observations as to the progress reached in 

 establishing Botanic and Experiment Stations and in 

 estimating the general ad\ance made in extending the 

 cultivation of the staple crops of the island. 



Tobago has an area of 114 square miles (73,313 

 acres) or about four-fifths the size of Barbados. The 

 formation of the island is volcanic : its physical aspect 

 is irregular and picturesque with conical hills and 

 ridges and numerous fertile and well-watered valle^-s. 

 The population in 1901 was 18,751, or 164 to the 

 square mile. The climate is described as 'one of the 

 healthiest in the tropics.' 



In the Appendix to the Report of the Royal 

 Commission of 1897 (p. 108) it was stated that ' the 

 present condition of Tobago, in spite of its fertile soil, 

 healthy climate, and an industrious labouring popula- 

 tion, is a striking instance of what may happen to 

 other portions of the West Indies unless timely and 

 well-organized efforts are made to improve the sugar 

 industry, and (where suitable conditions exist) to start 

 new industries.' 



The productions of Tobago are of a singularly 

 diversified character. In a table of the exports of 

 Tobago for the year 1896 the total value was given 

 as £10,340. Sugar and mola.sses were exported to the 

 value of £1,983; cacao, £1,12-5; cattle, £1,465; pigs, 

 £1,327; poultry and eggs, £1,184. All produce was 



