28 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



Januaey 21, 19n. 



With reference to the tlilrJ paragraph aliove, the 

 Agricultural Instructor, Tortola, also reports that the Cotton 

 Factory was opened for the purchase of seed-cotton on 

 November 4. As the season is late in the Virgin Islands, 

 cotton has been coming in slowly; up to the time of writing, 

 seed-cutton equal to about 10 bales of 200 fi). had been 

 bought, and this appeared to be of excellent quality. 



GLEANINGS. 



During the month of December, 1910, 15,275 cane 

 cuttings, 1,500 lime plants, and 77 miscellaneous plants 

 were distributed from the Antigua Botanic Station. 



The report on the Agricultural Department of the Gold 

 Coast for 1909 shows that trials with the sugar-cane seedlings 

 B.147 and B.208 are being conducted at the Agricultural 

 Stations at Coomassie and Tamale^ 



The Agricultural Instructor, Tortola, reports that the 

 condition of the cotton crop in the Virgin Islands is good; 

 cotton stainers have done some damage, but no trouble is 

 being experienced with caterpillars. Sugar-canes and limes 

 are making fair growth. 



A report from Havana, issued in October 1910, states 

 that the total production of sugar in Cuba during the year 

 was 1,804,349 tons; the amount for 1909 was 1,513,582 tons. 

 The quantity of sugar that had been shipped from Cuba to 

 the United Kingdom by the end of September was 119,418 

 tons; that to the United States was 1,565,084 tons. 



It is announced for general information that Mr. F. 

 Cecil Laurie, of Bridgetown, Barbados, is prepared to provide 

 and pack seedling cane plants, and all fruit, root, vegetable 

 and flower plants procurable in Barliados, for export to all 

 parts of the world. Correspondence should be addressed to 

 Mr. Laurie at Dayrell's Koad, St. Michael, Barbados. 



It is reported by the Curator of the Botanic Station, 

 Montserrat, that a good cotton crop is practically assured in 

 that island; half of this had Ijeen reaped by the end of 

 November last. Good yields are being olitained, both on 

 estates and small holdings, the cotton from which has been 

 cleaned more ett'ectively than has been the case in past years. 



A report received from the Agricultural Department, 

 St. Kitts, shows that the condition of the sugar-cane crop in 

 that island is good on the whole, an improvement having 

 resulted from the rain received during December. It is stated, 

 further, that the greater part of the cotton crop has been 

 reaped, with good results, and that there is every jirospect of 

 a large output. 



The following appears among the agricultural notices in 

 the St. Lucia (lit-.Me for December 24, 1910: ' I'lanters who 

 experience any dilHculty in controlling insect pests or diseases 

 in their plantations, or in obtaining the necessary spraying 

 materials and appliances for use, are invited to communicate 

 with the Agricultural Su[)erintcndent, who will advi.se, and if 

 necessary lend a suitable .spraying machine.' 



The growth of the sugar-cane crop of Antigua during 

 last month was fair, on account of the greater rainfall; never- 

 theless, according to a report by the Curator of the Botanic 

 Station, the crop is decidedly late. The flower-bud maggot 

 of cotton appeared in some of the fields in the middle of the 

 month, and is spreading to some extent, l)ut not sufficiently 

 to prevent the assurance of a good first crop of cotton, on 

 most of the estates. 



The Agricultural Board of Grenada is making arrange- 

 ments for ensuring an early supply of lievea seed, for plant- 

 ing during this 3'ear, by placing an order with growers in 

 Ceylon before April 30, next. Planters who intend to obtain 

 seed for the coming season, through the Board, are therefore 

 requested to inform the Superintendent of Agriculture as to 

 the nimiber required by them, lief ore March 31, 1911, after 

 which date no orders can be taken. 



It is announced that a work entitled Cane Sugar, by 

 Noel Deerr, the author of Sii;/ar and tht Sugar-Cane, will be 

 issued during the present month. The volume will contain 

 over 600 pages, and will deal with the sugar-cane from an 

 agricultural and manufacturing point of view, and with the 

 analysis of sugar-house products. A chapter on the fermenta- 

 tion of molasses will be also included. The pirice of the book 

 is stated to be £1 '2s. 



According to a report by the Superintendent of Agri- 

 culture, Barbados, for December last, the condition of the 

 sugar crop is fairly good; althottgh in some districts, where 

 the rainfall has been below the average, the ratoon canes are 

 showing unsatisfactory growth, and many of them are suffer- 

 ing from root disease. Cotton is being picked as quickly as 

 labour conditions will allow: picking is being retarded to some 

 extent by slight showers. 



According to the ■/ounia/ th' St. Petersliuurg, of November 

 1 3, the cotton produced in Turkestan is to some extent dis- 

 [ilacing American cotton, not only at Moscow, but also on the 

 Petersburg and Narva markets. Everything points to an 

 increase in the suiiplies of cotton from this source, and to 

 meet this eventuality the Committee of the Moscow Bourse 

 has decided to organize at .Moscow a Central Cotton Depot, 

 at which all Turkestan cotton may be warehoused, and thence 

 distributed. (The JloardofTradeJou)nal,lL)ecemhec8, 1910.) 



Rice is by far the most important export of Indo-China, 

 as well as the chief food of its inhabitants. The total quan- 

 tity of rice and paddy of all sorts exported in 1909, as given 

 by the Customs, was 1,081,897 tons, valued at o£5,913,024; 

 nf this, 3,352 tons were re exported after tenq>nrary admissioB 

 for milling at Saig<n). The area under rice cultivation in 

 Cochin-( 'hina has increased from about 2,000,000 acres in 

 1888 to about 3,800,000 acres at the i)resent time; in Ton- 

 (juin about 2,000,000 acres are said to be under rice. 

 (From Diphnuitic and Consular Reports, No. 4596 Annual 

 Series.) 



