Vol. X, No. 232. 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



87 



A letter from Mr. J. Stewart McCall, the Director of 

 Agriculture, was read, giving a very satisfactory report on 

 the Karonga district, and stating that this district is one of 

 the most promising cotton centres in the I'rotectorate. The 

 M'langi native cotton crop during the past season has also 

 done well and is expected to show a considerable increase 

 next year, and large increases are taking place in the other 

 districts. Mr. McCall concluded that the past season had 

 been a great success, and the native cotton now in sight 

 amounts to fully 600 tons of seed-cotton, as compared with 

 2.50 tons last j'ear, and 130 tons the previous year. 



The report was considered most satisfactory, and it was 

 decided that a small ginnery- should be sent out immediately 

 for erection in the Karonga district. Owing to the difficulty 

 of transport the bales at this ginnery will have to be about 

 60 to 70 B). in weight, and will afterwards be pressed at Port 

 Herald. 



RHODESIA. Satisfaction was expressed that the difficul- 

 ties with regard to the site at Kafue Bridge had apparently 

 been overcome, and that the Association's Manager was 

 proceeding with the erection of the ginnery. 



uirANDA. It was reported that a cable had been received 

 from the General Manager of the British East Africa Cor 

 poration stating that he had purchased a satisfactory quantity 

 of cotton during December. 



It was also reported that there was a large number of 

 bales of Uganda cotton in stock in Liverjiool, and it is hoped 

 that spinners will take the opportunity of bu3'ing this cotton. 



JAMAICA. AND THE CANADIAN 

 EXHIBITIONS. 



The report by the representative of the Government of 

 Jamaica at the Exhibition of last year at Toronto, Mr. E J. 

 Wortley, has been published recently; it may be found as 

 a supplement to the Jamaica Gazette dated December 22, 

 1910. 



After giving a short description of the West Indian 

 court, 800 square feet of which (or twice as much as the 

 area required by any other West Indian island) was taken up 

 by Jamaica, the report goes on to record the fact that much 

 interest was shown in the growing specimens of economic 

 plants that were sent for exhibition. Among these were full- 

 sized specimens of sugar-cane, of vanilla with pods, and of 

 coffee with ripe berries, as well as young trees of orange, 

 mango and banana 



Dealing with the export trade of .Jamaica to Canada, it 

 is stated that this has undergone a considerable increase dur- 

 ing the last ten or fifteen years, and that there are indica- 

 tions that this may be enlarged with profit, in the near 

 future. There appears to be the fear, in some quarters, that 

 Jamaica products are likely not to prove true to .sample. 

 This is generally unwarranted, and there is often heard, on the 

 other hand, the expression of the greatest satisfaction with 

 the quality of the exports sent from the island. It is point- 

 ed out, in this connexion, that the existence of the former 

 opinion indicates that the greatest care should be taken in 

 the preparation and the packing and marking of produce for 

 Canada. 



Cacao from Jamaica is meeting with a fair demand, and 

 now competes, with some succes.s, with other kinds that were 

 once thought to be superior. Enquiries elicited the informa- 

 tion that care in regard to the preparation of a uniform 

 product, and the standardization of this under definite names, 

 would do much to increase the trade. The amount of 

 Jamaica coffee consumed in Canada is comparatively small, 



and there appears to be little knowledge of the existence of 

 the Blue ilountain coffee. Some prejudice exists against 

 this, on account of the mixed nature of some of the ship- 

 ments that are received There seems to be a likelihood of 

 an increase in the trade, on account of the high present 

 prices of Rio and Santos coffee. 



Jamaica rum is largely imported into Canada from the 

 United Kingdom, instead of directly, and there is evidence that 

 much of the product sold is adulterated. A revision is being 

 made of the laws affecting the sale of food in Canada, and it 

 would appear to be a useful procedure at a time like the 

 present to draw attention to the conditions under which 

 Jamaica rum is sold in that country. A good and sustained 

 demand for Jamaica sugars exists, the popularity of some 

 marks lieing particularly great. It is thought that a steady 

 enquiry might be created for the cheaper brands of Jamaica 

 cigars. As regards those of high quality, only small quanti- 

 ties have been put on the market; these have to compete with 

 Havana cigars, which are already popular. A sample of 

 Jamaica leaf tobacco received a very favourable report from 

 an expert to whom it was submitted. 



It was not possible to make a good show of fruit, on 

 account of the season of the year. From a general point of 

 view, the .Jamaica orange is not as popular as the fruit from 

 California, mainly because the latter possesses an attractive 

 skin, and is packed carefully with a regard for uniformitj'; 

 the flavour of the Jamaica product is, however, considered to 

 be superior. In connexion with this matter, the suggestions 

 are made that all oranges exported before the end of Septem- 

 ber .should be marked 'Jamaica Earlies', and that the fruit 

 should never be shipped in barrels. The mangoes sent to the 

 Exhibition arrived in good condition. Bananas, as is well 

 known, are steadily growing in popularity in Canada. 



Particulars are given further, of Jippi-jappa hats, honey 

 and beeswax, and preserves. With due care as to the 

 particular requirements, there should be a fair demand for 

 these. 



The awards gained by Jamaica included: gold medals by 

 the Government of Jamaica, the Hanover Agricultural Society, 

 and by fifteen firms of exporters; silver medals by six firms 

 and by the W^omen's Self-help Society; bronze medals by 

 fourteen firms and private exhibitors; and a diploma by the 

 Government Reformatory. 



The report concludes by drawing attention to the work 

 done in other West Indian islands by permanent exhibition 

 committees, and with suggestions for the formation of 

 a local committee with functions similar to those of the 

 former, so that a permanent exhibit might be brought 

 together in Kingston, for general instruction, and to serve as 

 a basis for exhibitions abroad. 



It may be mentioned that references to the West 

 Indies and British Guiana, in relation to the Canadian 

 Exhibitions held last year, may be found in the Agricultural 

 News, Vols. IX, pp. 209, 2.51, 291, 319, 343 and 412; X, 

 p. 69. 



DEPARTMENT NEWS. 



The Imperial Connmissioner of Agriculture left 

 Barbados for St. Lucia on March 14, 19II, by the 

 8.S. ' Guiana ', for the purpose of conferring with His 

 Honour the Administrator on official business, relating 

 more particularly to the reorganization of the Agri- 

 cultural Department, consequent on the recent changes. 

 Dr. Watts is expected to return to Barbados by the 

 S.S. ' Korona ', on the 18th instant. 



