108 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



Al'RIL 1, 1911. 



GLEANINGS. 



Sir Daniel Morri.s, K.C M.C!., late Imperial Commissioner 

 of Agriculture for the West Indies, delivered an address, 

 having for its subject The West Indies, before the Birming- 

 ham University, on February 8, last. 



Tlie sugar and molasses exported from Barbados, up to 

 March 4, 1911, amounted to 772 tons and 8,630 puncheons, 

 respectively. The quantities for a .similar period during last 

 year were 1 ,237 tons and 5,660 puncheons. "' 



Information received from the Curator of the Botanic 

 Station, Montserrat. shows that the total export of cotton 

 from that island, up to February 20, was 241,000 fc., and it 

 is expected that the total crop will reach 360,000 lb. 



It is announced that, at the Annual International Indus- 

 trial Exhil)ition to be held at Winnipeg in Jidy next, there 

 will be a competition open to fir.ms producing agricultural 

 motors, and that applications to enter this will be received 

 untilJune 1, 1911. 



Particulars of the exports of maize over-seas from South 

 Africa, for the last two years, arc given in the Union Gazette 

 for January 20, 191 1. They show that the amount exported 

 in 1910 was 1,760,208 bags of 200 fc. net: the quantity in 

 1909 was 1,551,187 bag.s. 



The Textile Mercm-y for February 11, 1911, states that 

 the cotton crop of Chosen (Korea) has been a comparative 

 failure, on account of excessive rains in last June, July and 

 part of August. Attempts arelieing made to obtain improved 

 yields by the introduction of American seed. 



The young sugar-cane crop in Barbados is making satis- 

 factory progres.s, and, according to the Superintendent of 

 Agriculture, may be .=aid to be one of the most forward that 

 has lieen obtained for many years. The same Officer states 

 that the attack of the root borer on the sugar-cane seems at 

 present to be stayed. 



It is stated by the Superintendent of Agriculture. 

 Grenada, that the cacao crop is generally healthy, although 

 it appears to be short. <m account of the abnormal rainy 

 season that has been experienced. The cultivation of rubber 

 in the island is being extended, and an order for about 

 20,000 seeds of Hevea will be shortly sent to Ceylon. 



Arrangements are being made for holding an exhibition 

 at Columbia, South Carolina, toward the end of the present 

 year, for the purpose of encouraging the growing of good 

 cotton. The work is being undertaken as an exten.sion of 

 the efforts toward cotton iniprovenient in the State that are 

 being made by the South Carolina Cotton Manufacturers' 

 Association. 



A report from the Agricultural Superintendent, St. A'ln- 

 cent, states that cotton-picking has been practically conclud- 

 ed in the island, and that growers aie now pulling up and 

 burning the old plants. The crop of Marie Galante ha.s 

 turned out to be shorter than usual. During February, the 

 greater part of the cotton crop of Union Island was pur- 

 chased by the Government. 



Diplomatic and Co/isular Reports, No. 4615 Annual 

 Series, dealing with the trade of Siam, shows that the export 

 of rice from Bangkok for 1909-10 was the highest on record, 

 being 952,889 tons, value £6,433,162, as compared with 

 918,367 tons, value £5.975,162, in 190,^ 9. The amount of 

 the export next in value, namely teak, was 76,081 tons; in 

 1908-9 it was 76,930 tons. 



A useful departure is being made at the Education 

 Office, Port of-Spain, Trinidad, in the form of the establish- 

 ment of a Nature Study Museum at that office. The mus- 

 eum is intended chiefly for the needs of elementary school 

 teachers, in order that they may themselves attain a better 

 knowledge of natural history, and be in a position to give 

 improved instruction to their pupils. 



It is stated in a recent number of the Bulletin of the 

 South Australian Intelli'jence De2Mrtnient that rapid pro- 

 gress is being made in South Australia, in regard to bee- 

 keeping. The amount of honey produced in 1909 was more 

 than one million pounds, and the yield has probably 

 increased since that time. Most of the honey is consumed 

 locally, but it is now being produced in quantity for export, 

 and orders have been received already from England and the 

 Continent. 



The Agricultural Bulletin of the Straits and Federated 

 Malay States, for January 1911, p. 18, makes mention of 

 a small hand-power creping and sheeting machine for use on 

 rubber estates which do not possess power factories. The 

 machine has been designed bj' a firm described as Messrs. 

 Howarth Erskine, and its purpose is to les.sen the waste 

 entailed in using a mangle for rubber preparation, as well as 

 to give a method for the making up of ordinary scrap in 

 a convenient form, and for utilizing bark scraj). 



The Trad( Revieii' of St. John\s, Newfoundland, refers to 

 the dependence of the colony on Barbados for molasses, and 

 the higher prices that this product has commanded of late 

 years, on .vccount of the smaller output from Denierara iind 

 Porto llico. It proceeds to point out that samples of molasses 

 have been sent from Brazil, as producers in that State wish to 

 enter the trade. So far, however, this has not met with entire 

 appreciation, as although the sweetening properties are good, 

 it darkens the colour, when used in tea — a matter that nat- 

 urally interfere,-; seriously with its popularity. 



In regard to the last examinations held in connexion 

 with the Courses of Jxeading of the Department, it is of 

 interest that the certificates gained liy succe.ssful candidates 

 in Grenada were distributed by His Kxcellcncy the Governor 

 of the Windward Islands, in Legislative Council, on .March 3. 

 In St. Kitts and Barbados, a similar distribution was made 

 at meetings of the Agricultural Societies, in the former case 

 by His Honour the Administrator. The Administrator of 

 St. Kitts Nevis also presented a certificate to the successful 

 candidate in Anguilla, on the occasion of a recent visit made 

 by him to the Lsland. 



