Vol. X. No. 230. 



THE AGRICULTUKAL NEWS 



55 



EFFORTS OX THE BOTANIC STATION, AiHU 

 CULTURAL INSTRUCTION AND EXPERIMENT 

 PLOTS, GRENADA Hm-l'K 



At the oonimencement of this report, the various 

 important changes that have taken place in the Grenada 

 Agricultural Department, during the season under review, are 

 signalized. The chief of these has been the organization of 

 an Agricultural Board, which directs the activity of the local 

 Department of Agriculture, in consultation with the Imperial 

 Commissioner of Agriculture. Another change was the 

 appointment of Mr. G. G. Auchinleck, B.Sc, as Superintend- 

 ent of Agriculture, in place of Mr. K. D. Anstead, B.A., who 

 has resigned to take up agricultural work under the United 

 Planters' Association of Southern India. 



The gardens have been placed under the care of the 

 Agricultural Instructor, who has carried out work in them 

 having for its object the imptrovement of their appearance 

 and the better exhibition of the interesting plants that they 

 contain. 



The rainfall at Richmond Hill, which is situated between 

 the dry southern belt and the moist central and northern 

 uplands of Grenada, was, during 1909, 80'.5-l: inches; this is 

 higher than the average for the past nineteen year.-, which is 

 78'48 inches; it also exceeds that of any year since 1901, with 

 the e.x;ception of 1906, when it was 8.3'27 inches. The range 

 of the precipitation over the Island is illustrated by the fact 

 that, during 1909-10, it was 37'56 inches at Point Saline in 

 the Parish of St. George, and 178' l-"> inches at, Relvidere in 

 St. John's. 



Although a large stock of plants for distribution is not 

 kept at the station, these are raised as they are rec[uired, and 

 an examination of the list on page 5 of the report will show 

 that this distribution takes no small place in the work of the 

 station. Plants are both sent otit free, and sold, and there is 

 a fair demand for them; this tends to show that a condition 

 of greater diversification of crops in Grenada should be ob- 

 tained in the future. 



Experiment plots are maintained for the purpose of 

 conducting trials with food crops such as yams, sweet potatoes, 

 Guinea corn, maize and ground nuts as well as with green 

 dressings. 



A portion of the report that is of pjarticular concern is 

 an account of the prize-holdings competitions, which have 

 been enabled to he held through the interest of several of 

 those who are engaged in agricultural pursuits in the island. 

 Substantial prizes are offered for good work on the holdings, 

 and useful progress appears to have been made, for the 

 greater part. 



As far as the general agricultural conditions in Grenada 

 are concerned, a record crop of cacao has been obtained, and 

 the plants are fairly healthy in most districts; although 

 a certain amount of damage from pests continues to be 

 suffered. The chief danger appears to be from the spread of 

 the mealy bug, with the associated black blight. Other 

 pests are thrips, beetles and certain fungi, wliich however are 

 kept in check. What has been said about cacao cannot. 



unfortunately, be repeated in regard to spices and kola, as 

 low prices are lieing obtained for these, on account of the 

 small demand. Special attention is drawn in the report to 

 the necessity for the extension of the cultivation of ground 

 provisions, and it is pointed out that Sea Island cotton would 

 be very likely to do well in certain parts of the island. 



Carriacou receives attention in the report, and interest- 

 ing notes are given in relation to the agricultural conditions 

 in that island, as well as to the work that has been done 

 already in the direction of the amelioration of these. 



A section of the report gives the proposals of a Com- 

 mittee of the Board of Agriculture for a scheme of experi- 

 mentation in connexion with black blight. This has been 

 .submitted to the Imperial Commissioner of Agriculture, and 

 returned by him, with suggestions for a systematic course of 

 experiments with this important pest. 



The usual report on agricultural instruction is included. 

 This shows that the ordinary work of the Agricultural 

 Instructor, which is carried out particularly in relation to the 

 interests of the peasantry, has been continued. It also refers 

 to the fact that the duties of this officer have been made to 

 include the charge of the Botanic Garden, as has been stated 

 already. An interesting feature of the report is the indi- 

 cation that the existence of the prize-holdings competitions 

 assists materially toward increasing the efficiency of the work 

 done by this Officer in country districts. 



DEPARTMENT NEWS. 



The Imperial Cominissioner of Agriculture, accom- 

 panied by Mr. A. G. Howell, Chiei Clerk, returned to 

 Barbados on February .5, 1911, by the 8 S. ' Sobo ', from 

 Antigua, after a visit to that Presidency to confer with 

 His Excellency the Governor of the Leeward Islands 

 on official matters. 



Mr. F. W. South, B.A., Mycologi.st on the Staff of 

 the Imperial Depanmeiit of Agriculture, returned to 

 Barbados on February 9, by the R.M.S. ' Magdalena ', 

 from Grenada, where he had been making investigations 

 in regard to the fungus diseases of crops in that island. 



Rice in British Guiana. 



The last fortnightly report of Messrs. Sandbach, 

 Parker & Co., of Georgetown, on the rice industry of 

 British Guiana, dated February 6, 1911, gives informa- 

 tion as follows: — 



The weather during the fortnight has been very wet 

 and mills have been almost at a standstill. 



The local demand continues good, and with light deliv- 

 eries of rice to town as a consequence of the wet weather, we 

 look for a firm market. 



Shipments to the West Indian Islands during the fort, 

 night amount to 1,050 bags. 



We quote to-day, f.o.b. Demerara, for good export 

 quality : — 



Nominally, 21s. M. to 23s. Qd. per bag of 180 lb. grogs. 



2 Is. 6d to 22s. 6d. 



164 



