Vol. XVI. No. 388. 



THE AGRICCJLTURAL NEWS. 



95 



WEST INDIAN PRODUCTS. 



DRUGS AND SPICES IN THE LONDON 

 MARKET. 



Mr. J. R. Jack.son, A L.S., has forwarded the fol- 

 iowing report on the London drug and spice market, 

 for the niunth of February ]!I17: — 



There has been but little or no change in the condition 

 of business, either in extent or variety, in the London 

 Produce Markets since our last report for the concluding 

 month of the 3'ear 1916. The holiday season always has 

 a depressing after effect on business activities, and taken in 

 conjunction with the war time depression, our report for the 

 iirst mouth of the year 1917 will necessarily be brief. 



GINGER. 



\t the first spice auction on .January ^. ginger was 

 represented by 30f bags of plump limed Japanese, all of 

 which were bought in at 42s. (vi. to 4.5s. per cwt. 



S.\R.SAPAEILLA. 



This drug was well represented at austion on the 11th 

 of the month by ■_'2 bales of grey Jamaica, 2.5 of Mexican, 

 6 of Honduras, and b of native Jamaica. Ten bales only of 

 the grey Jamaica found buyers, S of which sold at l.s. lOrf. 

 per H). for fair fibrous: 20 hiaies of the Mexican were disposed 

 of privately: for the remaining -5. Is. per tt>. was asked but 

 not obtained: the 6 packaiies of Honduras fetched l.<. per H). 

 for sea-damaged: 2 bales of native Jamaica fetched Is. per B).: 

 the remaining 3 bales remained unsold. 



CITRIC ACID, LIME OIL, CASHEW NDTS, CANELLA ALBA, 

 ANS.\TTO SEED, KOLA, AND ARROWROOT. 



At the beginning of the month citric acid had a.ssuraed 

 a firmer tone at 2s. Id. per lb., increasing a week 

 later to 2s. 7W, at which price it stood at the 

 close of the month. There has also been good supplies of 

 lime oil, the quotations for which at the beginning of the 

 month were — for hand-pre.ssed i3s, to 13s. 6rf., and for 

 distilled 8s. 6d. to 9.«.: at the close of the month hand-pre-sed 

 West Indian realized 14s. per lb , while 9s. wa.s still being 

 obtained for distilled. At the drug auction on the 11th of 

 the month, the large con.«ignment of 50 packages of Cashew 

 nuts were ottered, but none was sold. Ten packages of 

 Canella alba bark were also offered at this sale but failed to 

 find a buyer, the whole consignment being held at 7.5s. per 

 cwt. for fair pale ([uill. It was noted at the time that the 

 bark had been scarce in the market for some time past, 

 and that sales had been inade by druggists at prices varying 

 from 7.5s- to S0«. per cwt. At the same sale Annatto .seed 

 was also in good supply, as many as 43 pac-kages being offered 

 but no buyers were found. A good deal of interest centred 

 around the large supply of kola, which amounted to 200 

 packages, only 8 of which, h'jwever, found buyers, fair 

 bright West Indian halves fetching orf. to 5hd. per lb, and 

 dull and part moaldy 4'/. per R). Toward the end of the 

 month it was reported that some .sales bad been etiected 

 - of St. Vincent arrowroot, at Z^d. per B). 



CONTROL OF TICKS IN THE 

 WEST INDIES. 



The spraying or dipping of cattle for the control of 

 ticks has become general in Antigua. 



There exist in the island at the present moment one 

 large spraying machine and one dipping tank. The former 

 appliance is erected at Tomlinsons estate: the latter at 

 Bendals. 



The length of the dipping tank is 60 feet, with a 

 maximum depth of 6 fee: and a width of 3 feet: the whole 

 is constructed of concrete. 



It is anticipated that another large spraying machine or 

 tank will be erected on Gambles estate in the near future. 



It has been found that the regular spraying or dipping 

 of cattle not only free'* the animals and pastures from ticks, 

 but materially improves the health of the beasts subjectixl 

 to such treatment. 



The spraying solution used is Cooper's Cattle Dip. 

 (Report on the Agricultural Department, Antigua, 1915-16.) 



REAFFORESTATION IN ANTIGUA. 



It is stited i'l the Iteporton the Agricultural Depart- 

 ment, Antigua, for 191.5-16, that during the year under review 

 about -50 acres of tiie catchment area of Waitings reservoir 

 was planted with forest trees. 



Seeds of such trees as M'lhogany {Swietenia Mahajuni), 

 Walnut (Andira inei mis), Mango {Mangifera indica), Spanish 

 Ash {Inyii Inurhii), Tamarinvl iTan"rindu.i indices), Circ;i3- 

 sian Bead {Adenantherd pavQnina), Jamaica Shade Tree 

 {Pilliecolohiuiii Saiium), etc., were collected and stored in 

 chircoal until good weather for planting was experienced. 



It will be observed that the seeds collected were nearly 

 all seeds of large trees suitable for planting at stake. 



The operation of planting was simple, the land being 

 mostly covered with coarse grass and other drawf herbage. 

 Small areas about 1 foot square were in the first instance 

 cleared with the hoe. Shallow holes were then mide with 

 a fork, and from three to five seeds planted in each. The 

 distance between each lot of seeds was 8 feet. 



The seeds germinated well, and if no untoward 

 circumstance occurs, this work should in a few years' time 

 influence the quantity of water flowing into Walling.s during 

 periods of drought. 



The method adojitcd for re:itforesting this area was 

 simple and efficient. Should similar work be contemplated 

 in other places, it might be said that the success of such 

 a venture depends to a very considerable extent on the type 

 of seed chosen for planting. It is almost needless to say 

 that the work should be commenced at the beginning of the 

 rainy season, so that the young plant-; will be suffi'nently 

 advanced to stand the effects of the dry .seis(m when it 

 supervenes It might also be added that this method is 

 much cheaper than transplanting young trees. 



The reafforestation plots planted some thirteen years ago 

 by the .\gricultural Department have mide good growth. 

 The trees in the plot situated to the north of the Bj'anic 

 Station have made rau';h better growth thin those planted ia 

 the plot by the Camp. The latter although containing poor 

 shallow soil, demonstrates clearly that certain trees will grow 

 in such situations. 



