Vol. XVI. No. 388. 



THE AGRICULTUKAL NEWS. 



NOTES ON PLANTS IN THE ST. VINCENT 



BOTANIC GARDENS. 



Each year the Report on the Agricultural Department ot' 

 St. Vincent contains interesting observations on plants estab- 

 lished, or newly introduced into this Garden. During 191.5- 1 6, 

 a, new rose garden was formed in a portion of the nutmeg 

 grove, which was cleared for the purpose. The roses planted 

 consisted of tho.se which had been found to thrive fairly well 

 under local conditions. There were several good roses whose 

 names were not known, but araonj; the named varieties were 

 the following: — 



Mamam Cochet Waban 



Souvenir de la ilalmaison York and Lancaster 

 Snow Flake Devoniensis 



Chanipion of the World Prince Rupert 



Bertha Clavrl La Martinique 



Souvenir d'un Ami ^[adame Cammille 



Catherine Mermet • >[arie Guillot. 



The Bride Xiphetos. 



Monthly Marie van Houte 



Ruben Ktoile de Lyons 



La France Paul Neyron 



A few years ago there was introduced from Trinidad 

 the Nicaragua cacao shade tree or 'Madura' {Gliricidia niacu- 

 lata). This proved to be a most useful introduction. It is 

 now distributed throughout the Colony, and besides its use as 

 a shade tree for cacao, it is e-ictensively employed for wind- 

 breaks, hedges, fence and pen posts. The tree grows readily from 

 cuttings of all sizes, and is rapidly supplanting other native 

 trees used for similar purposes. Being a leguminous tree, it 

 enriches in nitrogen the soil in which it grows so that plants 

 in adjoining lands do not suffer. The prunings also make an 

 excellent mulch for arrowroot and other crops. 



The result of grafting the terracotta Bougainvillaea ( Bou- 

 yainiiillaea specta/jilix, var. laterita) on the C'>mmou Bou- 

 gai HI- iLlaeii glabra, var. Sanderi'ina, has proved a success in 

 that the species grew and flowered much better and was far 

 less affected by wet weather than when grown on its own roots. 



The silver3--leaved juniiier (Jmnperus pachyphloci) 

 continued to thrive; one of the plants is already 4 feet in 

 height. 



During investigations connected with the local flora, the 

 Agricultural Superintendent discovered ' a white-ilowered 

 variety of the Easter Blossom' (Securidaai Lmnarckii). 

 Enquires were nnde of different botanical authorities, but 

 this furm does not appear to have been previously noted. 

 The plant is likely to be an interesting and useful acquisition 

 to the Gardens. It was propagated by means of cuttings. 



In a recent issue of this .Journal, the interesting old tree, 

 the only specimen known, — Spachci pciforatix,-- showed signs 

 of decay, and it is unlikely that it will survive many years; 

 fortunately a limited number of young plants have been 

 raised, one of which was planted out in the Gardens. 



■The flowering and fruiting of the Cow tree [Brosimum 

 yalactodendron) has to be recorded. This tree yields a milk 

 ■which is commonly used as an article of food in South 

 America. The milk is obtained by making incisions in the 

 trunk. It is stated in the Treasury of Botany that, unlike 

 many other vegetable milks, it is perfectly whole.some and 

 ■very nourishing, possessing an agreeable taste, like that of 

 sweet cream, and a p'easant balsamic odour; its only unpleas- 

 ant cjuality being a slight amount of stickiness. 



Abnormal Rainfall in St. Vincent.— His Honour 



the Administrator of St. Vincent has furnished this Office 

 with an interesting chart, prepared by Mr. "W. N. Sand.", 

 Agricultural Superintendent, .showing the annual rainfall at 

 the Botanic Gardens in St. Vincent for the last twenty-three 

 years. His Honour points out that the totil rainfall in 1916, 

 namely 137'6.3 inche.s. was by far the hiahest recorded during 

 that period, being 31 •2") inches, or 293 per cent, in excess of 

 the annual average of 106 38 inches for the preceding twen- 

 ty-two years. It is expected that this chart will be published 

 iu the next annual report on the St. Vincent Department 

 of Agriculture. 



Further Work against the Cotton Stainer 



in St. Vincent. — Mr. W. N. Sands's campaign against the 

 cotton stainer in St. Vincent bj' means of the eradication of 

 the food-plants of this pest, chiefly John Bull and silk-cotton 

 trees, continues with unabated vigour. Up to -January 31 

 a total of 11, .566 John Bull trees, and 1,1+8 silk-cotton trees, 

 in addition to thousands of seedlings had been destroyed. 

 As previously pointed out in other references to this 

 work, gangs of men under special inspectors have been 

 enrolled, and the discovery and felling of these large trees 

 call for much energy and perseverance. I'p to .January 31, 

 the expenditure was £232 16?., which total includes claims 

 for damage to property amounting to .i40 5s. 6d. 



The eft'ect of the above work, which appears to be making 

 good progress and, we hope, nearing completion, will no doubt 

 be seen in the improved condition and more satisfactory 

 yields from the cotton crop next to be planted. 



Poisonous Lobsters. — The book dealing with the 

 history of Xevis, referred to in a note in our last issue, 

 contains an interesting reference to the poisonous character of 

 certain lobsters. According to the writer, the Rev. Smith, 

 the lobsters that are found on the western or leeward side 

 of the island were in his day regarded as very fine eating, 

 whereas those taken on the easiern or windward side were 

 found to be poisonous. This was attributed to some 

 unwholesome kind of food on the windward side, and was 

 imagined to be something containmg a virus. The poi.soa 

 is stated to have worked stron jly, producing violent vomiting 

 and other painful and dangerous effects. 



DEPARTMENT NEWS. 



Information has been received by cable to the 

 effect that the Itnpenal Commissioner of Agriculture 

 arrived in Jamaica on February 2-1, As stated in the 

 previous issue of this Journal, Sir Francis Watts left 

 for Jamaica on February 19; he is expected to return 

 to Barbados some time in April. 



The scaracity i.)f potash has stimulated enquiries in 

 Queensland concerning the potash content of certain trees, 

 small plants and shurbs. According to the Queensiand 

 Agricultural Journal, the ash of 'Blood-wood' contains .552 

 per cent, of potash, while that of 'Red gum' contains 417. 

 The ash of pine-apple plants contains 1502; banana plants 

 38'84; si-sal hemp 8'00; cane tops 649; and cane trash 4-90 

 per cent. 



