356 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



XiiVEMBEE 11, 1911. 



FRUITS AND FRUIT TREES. 



THE PROSPECTS OF COCOA-NUT 



GROWING IN THE VIRGIN 



ISLANDS. 



In reply to a request from the Commissioner of Agri- 

 culture, a report has been furnished by Mr. VV. C. Fishlock, 

 Agricultural Instructor, on the prospects of cocoa-nut growing 

 in the Virgin Islands. 



It is stated by Mr. Fi.shlock, first of all, that he is con- 

 vinced that there are many places in the Virgin Islands where 

 cocoa-nuts could be planted to a moderate extent, with a fair 

 pro.spect of success. In support of this opinion, attention is 

 drawn to the clusters lOf cocoa-nut palms that are found 

 growing in many parts of the islands. The trees in these 

 clusters are generally faiily healthy and free from scale insects, 

 although the latter pest auacks the palms to some extent, 

 in the Virgiu Islands. At present the trees are u.sually 

 neglected, and often badly treated, as the leaves are frequently 

 cut oiT and enjployod for the purpose of thatching huts. Under 

 such conditions, it cannot be expected that even reasonable 

 crops of nuts will be obtained. 



As far as the market for cocoa-nuts is concerned, it 

 is concluded that all the nuts available at present in the 

 islands find a ready sale for cash, at i)rices higher than 

 those obtainable if they were exported. 



It is considered that it would lie a matter of ditticulty 

 to induce small holders to plant cocoa-nuts on any reasonable 

 scale. Mr. Fishlock is, however, keejiing the matter before 

 the peasantry. He gives a quotation from a paper read recently 

 by him at a peasant meeting. In this he pointed out that the 

 existence of sandy bays, which arc not used by their owners 

 for growing any plants, at present, affords good opportunities 

 for taking up cocoa-nut cultivation. The estimate is made 

 that every cocoa-nut tree in full bearing is worth at least 4s. 

 per year to the peasant. In conclusion, after details have 

 been given as to the cidtivation and protection required by 

 the palm, particularly when it is young, attention is drawn 

 to the large market that exists for the nuts in connexion with 

 the production of oil. 



In a larger way, the conclusion is reached in the reiiort 

 that, as has been stated, it would lie dillicult to induce the 

 peasantry in the Virgin Islamls to take up cocoa nut growing 

 on any large scale, and that in the circumstances, the best 

 method of extending the productiun is for plantations to be 

 established by tho.se in possession of capital, or by those who 

 ttre capable of realizing the possibilities of adopting the 

 cultivation on <a large scale. 



THE AVOCADO PEAR IN THE 

 UNITED STATES. 



Among other matters, the fact that this fruit is in 

 season at the present time renders appropriate some refer- 

 ence to it in the Agricultural A'eirs. In making this, 

 it may be pointed out that articles dealing with 

 the avocado pear, or references to it, have appeared 

 recently in this .lournal, in Vol. IX, pp. IIG and 213, 

 and Vol. \, p. 180. In the first of these, atten- 

 tion was given to the propagation of the plant and the 

 best kinds of fruit: the second treated of methods of exporta- 

 tion; and the third dealt with the avocado in (Jolifornia, and 

 presented information in regard to its cultivation. The par- 

 ticulars in the present article are taken from the Pomona, 

 CoUefic Jiiuriml nf Eronomic Px/ianij, Vol. I, No. 3 (Septem- 

 ber 1911). Thej- have special relation to the avocado pear 

 in Florida and California, und to the characteristics that should 

 be shown by the fruit, for commercial purposes. 



In the article of which this forms an abstract, attention 

 is first drawn to the rapidly increasing interest in the avocado 

 pear that exists in those parts of the United States where it 

 is grown, as well as to the increasing demand in those por- 

 tions of the country where it cannot be produced, and where 

 a taste for the fruit has arisen. It tlien proceeds to give par- 

 ticulars of avocado-growing in Florida and California, and to 

 deal with other matters that will be mentioned later. 



I'Lonin.v. (ireater jirogress has been made in this State 

 than in California, chiefly on account of the proximity of 

 Cuba where the fruit is commonly grown. The ciiief variety 

 raised is the Trapp avocado. As regards the demand, this 

 can only be supplied, so far, in the last half of August and 

 the first half of September, so that work is being done in the 

 growing and propagation of earliir and later varieties. 

 A report from one of the firms that are interested in avocados 

 states that the fruits are packed according to size: sometimes 

 with only eighteen fruits in each case, but usually with thirty- 

 six, forty-five or forty-eight. In this instance, the fruit was 

 sent to all the eastern markets in the Ignited States and to 

 Chicago and Cincinnati. In the exjierience of this firm, bud- 

 ding has been found to be the best method of propagation: and 

 of the buds put in, ninety-five percent, are usually successful. 

 F>udded trees begin to bear in the second or third year from 

 budding, and yield heavily in the fourth year; they show 

 a tendency to be dwarfed. Another firm reports that the 

 variety next in importance to the Trapp is the Pollock. 



