Vol. X. No. 227. 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



better varieties of fruit and other trees. The difficultie.s in 

 connexion with them are that, like all mutation.?, they take 

 place by chance, and that it i.s hard to see immediately 

 whether any given mutation is going to be of ultimate benefit, 

 or not. 



These matters go tar towards accounting for the com- 

 plaints that arise in relation to budwood that has been 

 imported, for purposes of improvement, from other countries. 

 It may have been sent in all good faith, but there was the 

 circumstance that mutation was taking place, with the result 

 that a product was obtained ultimately, which was very 

 different from the expected one. The matter goes further. 

 It has a very important application in relation to all plants 

 that are propagated vegetatively; so that much remains to be 

 known in relation to the matter, with reference to such 

 plants, for the purpose of employing its existence for their 

 improvement. Not the least of interest among these is the 

 sugar-cane, with which up to the present the methods for 

 improvement have been chieHy those requiring the use of 

 seed. 



A summary of the matters considered is given at the end 

 of the article and is reproduced here, as follows: — 



(1) That a part of the decadence in our orchards is due 

 to a divergence,by mutation, into undesirable types. 



(2) That these mutations are not like the variations 

 caused by crossing, food-supply and environment, but are 

 fortuitous and beyond prediction. 



(3) That these mutations may be retrogressive, and may 

 in time, if not checked by intelligent pruning and bud selec- 

 tion, cause our orchards to become a heterogeneous jumble 

 of bad types. 



(4r) That they may occasionally be progressive, and if 

 such instances are discovered, and the desirable sports propa- 

 gated and studied, a wonderful improvement over our best 

 existing types may be in store for the future. 



FORTHOOMING AGRICULTURAL SHOWS. 



It is intended to hold agricultural and industrial exhilii- 

 tions in Antigua, St. Kitts and Montserrat on Thursday, 

 February 2.3, Friday, February 24, and Wednesday, February 

 15, 1911, re.spectively. The purpo.so of the following article 

 is to give some idea of the nature of these exhibitions. 



ANTIftUA AGRICULTUR.\L AND INnU.STEIAL E.XHIBITION. 



The scope of this exhibition, which is under the distin- 

 guished patronage of His Excellency the Governor, Sir E. 

 Bickham Sweet-Escott, K.C.M.G., and under the auspices of 

 the Imperial Department of Agriculture and the Agricultural 

 and Commercial Society, is larger than that of the agricultural 

 shows held in Antigua in former years. It has been now 

 extended to include such matters as daiiy produce, cookery, 

 laundry work, photography, artisan ■\\-ork and other subjects 

 that are more indirectly connected with agriculture. The 

 classes for stock include: horses, cattle, asses, mules, sheep, 

 goat.s, pigs, poultry rabbits and guinea pigs. These are followed 

 by classes which comprise bee keepers' exhibits, minor pro- 

 ducts, cotton, sugar-cane and its products, fruits and 

 vegetables, plants and flowers, preserves, school exhil>its, 

 general estate exhibits, and miscellaneous exhibits, as well as 

 those mentioned already. 



In addition to the ordinary prizes, the following special 

 prizes and challenge cups are offered for competition:— 



(1) His Excellency the Governor's Challenge Cup, to lie 

 awarded for the best collective exhibit of stock in the classes 



detailed above. This becomes the property of the exhibitor 

 winning it at three exhibitions. 



(2) A Silver Challenge Cup, pre.sented by the British 

 \Cotton Growing Association, for the best exhibit of Sea 

 Island cotton, tobe taken from a lot of not lesi? than 50 ft),, to 

 be ginned in Antigua Each lot of 50 ft), is to be sent by 

 a grower of not less than 10 acres. The cup is to be held by 

 the winner for twelve months, or until the next exhibition, 

 and will become the property of the exhibitor who wins it 

 three times. 



(3) A Challenge Cup, presented by the late Sir C. C. 

 Knollys, K.C.M.G., for school e.xhibits. The cup will become 

 the property of the school winning it three times con,secutively. 



(1) A Special Prize of £1, given by His Excellency the 

 Governor, for the best equipage (horses and carriages), in 

 four of the sections including ; pairs of carriage horses over 

 and under 14 hand.s, and single carriage horses over and under 

 14 hands, all to be judged in harness. 



(5) A Special Prize of £1, given by Lady Sweet-Escott, 

 for the best series of exhibits in the class including plants 

 and flowers. 



In addition to these, the First Prize for an exhibit of 

 agricultural products, grown by a manager on the estate 

 under his management, is a cup presented by the Colonial 

 Secretary (the Hon. H. E. W. Grant, C.M.G.). 



ST. KITTS AGRICULTURAL AND INDUSTRIAL SHOW. This 



show, which is held under the au.spices of the Imperial Depart- 

 ment of Agriculture, and which is open to exhibits from the 

 Presidency of St. Kitts-Nevis, includes classes of much the 

 same kind as those for the Antigua Exhibition, described 

 above, except that the number of sections on the industrial 

 side is much smaller. 



The value of the prizes is naturally highest in the classes 

 for stock. The prize list does not show that there is the 

 offer of any special awards, with the exception of diplomas 

 from the Imperial Department of Agriculture in the classes 

 for vacuum pan sugar and refined cotton seed oil. There is 

 no doubt, however, that the award of diplomas will be extend- 

 ed in all cases where it is considered that exhibits show 

 .special worth. 



MONTSERRAT AGRICULTURAL SHOW. The number and 

 variety of the sections embraced by this are smaller than those 

 of the exhibitions just described, although the prize list is 

 drawn up on much the same plan. The special awards include 

 prizes given by Sir E. Bickham and Lady Sweet-Escott, and 

 six diplomas granted by the Imperial Department of Agri- 

 culture, for exhiljits of exceptional merit. 



Rice in British Guiana. 



The last fortnightly report of Messrs. SandbacB, 

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

 British Guiana, dated December 24, 1910, 

 information as follows: — 



gives 



The weather during the fortnight has been hot, and 

 suitable for reaping and milling. 



Reaping of paddy is nearly finished and the end of ths 

 present month should see all cut. 



Prices have advanced sharply and we look for furthei 

 advances in the near future. 



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

 quality: — 



Nominally, 19s. M. to 20s. 9c?, per bag of 180 tt>. grosi, 

 18s. 6rf. to 19s. 6d. ,, „ 164 „ „ 



