7oL. XVI. No. 387. 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



55 



MANURING 



BRITISH 



OF CACAO 

 GUIANA. 

 It is stated in the Demerara Daily Argosy (Janu- 

 ary 20) that the sole objection to the use of heavy 

 mulching for cacao is the expense, four years' mulching 

 costing !?GU per acre. As a matter of fact it is not the 

 expense but the low i-eturn that is the trouble in 

 British Guiana Sixty-six dollars per acre for four years 

 is SKi'oO per acre annually, which compares very favour- 

 ably with S19-20 per acre per annum in Dominica, 

 where mulching has been shown to be remunerative. 

 But in Dominica, the average annual gain in cured cacao 

 by mulching is U2titb. compared with 124 lb. in British 

 Guiana. There are two important points to be con- 

 sidered in connexion with the value of mulching in 

 these experiments: (a) the fact that a dressing every 

 other year might produce as good a result as an annual 

 dressing, and (b) the fact that apart from actual gain 

 in yield, the trees are improved in health and vigour 

 of growth. The following is the account of the British 

 Guiana results, referred to above: — 



The sole objeclion to the u.se of heavy mulchings is the 

 expense, four years' mulchings co-stmg •§66 per acre. The 

 value of the excess of cacao at the price of 12ic. per lb. of 

 cured cacao obtained during seven years if taken at the lowest 

 indicated return — 520 R).— is 81 00 less than the cost of 

 the mulching; whilst at the highest indicated rate of increase 



894 It). — it is in round figures 646 in excess of the cost of 



mulching. 



The total cost of the four manurings with phosphates and 

 potash was .§16 per acre. The lowest indicated excess yield 

 during seven years was 472 lb., the maximum 992 ft). The 

 minimum shows a profit from their application of $43, the 

 maximum one of ■1107. The chance of obtaining enhanced 

 yields by the combination of mulching with manurings of 

 phosphates and potash is a good one , and hence future trials 

 will be principally directed towards examining into its 

 feasibility. 



(JULTIVATIOX METHODS RECOMMENDED. 



The experiments which have now been carried on for a 

 period of fifteen years indicate that in British Guiana under 

 conditions similar to those exist>.-nt at Onderneeming farm, 

 the methods of cultivation precedent to the successful growth 

 of cacao are: — 



(1) The reduction of 'shade' to the lowest amount 

 compatible with due protection from wind. 



(2) Deep and efficient drainage; certainly not le.ss than 

 from 3 to 4 feet. 



(3) Annually forking the land between the trees in 

 such a manner as not to injure the roots more than is 

 absolutely unavoidable, while etfectually loosening the soil 

 for aeration and drainage and thus constantly adding to the 

 depth of tilled surface soil and the feeding area available 

 for the roots of the trees. To do this requires the service 

 of skilled forkers working under strict supervision. 



(4) Mulching the soil, but only so far as can be done 

 at lowexpen.ses, such expense not exceeding .fG per acre. 



(b) Manuring the trees with a mixture cif superphos- 

 phate of lime and sulphate of potash. The cost of such 

 application should not exceed ■54 per acre. 



The Question of Deforestation in the Virgin 



Islands. — In some ipiarters it is the popular idea that the 

 unwooded character of much of the mountain land in the 

 Virgin Islands is the result of the promiscuous felling of 

 trees which it is assumed has been carried on for many years. 

 As a matter of fact there is evidence to show that the unwooded 

 character of a great deal of the land in Tortola and elsewhere 

 is a natural feature of the islands. Through the courtsey of 

 Mr. William Fawcett, B.Sc, of the British Museum (Natural 

 History) we have been furnished with an extract of much 

 interest taken from a letter in a book entitled, 'The Northmen 

 Columbus and Cabot', published by C. Scribners Sons, New 

 York, 1916 This letter, which is translated in the book 

 referred te, was written by Dr. Chanca, the surgeon who 

 accompanied Columbus on his second voyage. The extract 

 runs as follows: 'On the morning of the following day we 

 coasted along it [Santa Cruz] and found it to be a large 

 extent of counfry, but not continuous, for it was divided 

 into more than forty islets [Virgin Islands], The land was 

 very high and most of it barren, an appearance which we 

 have never observed in any of the islands visited by us before 

 or since: the surface of the ground seemed to suggest the 

 probability of its containing metal.' The above is very 

 interesting, and as already stated would appear to indicate 

 that the Virgin Islands have never been a thickly wooded 

 area such as one is accustomed to see in the case of other 

 islands in the We.st Indies. ' 



Rubusta Coffee in St. Lucia — The Agricultural 

 Department in St. Lucia has issued another leaflet dealing on 

 this occasion with Kobusta coffee as an additional crop for 

 that island. Instructions as regards cultivation and 

 preparation for the market are given, and a note is included 

 on the local conditions and market. It is stated that Eobusta 

 coffee of all species is likely to thrive best in St Lucia. It is 

 not recommended that any estate should be devoted 

 entirely to this crop, but it is held that there are many estates 

 the revenue of which could be increased by the addition of 

 a few acres of this plant. The condition of the local 

 market for coffee is such that it has been necessary to 

 supplement the local supply by the importation of an 

 average of 68,209 ft), annually, valued at £1,813 The 

 possession of natural conditions for the successful cultivation 

 of this crop should stimulate planters to aive it increased 

 attention with a view to causing a cessation of imports of 

 coffee and, if possible, t'le profiuction of an export trade. 



The Growing of Asparagus in Nevis.— An 



interesting old work entitled. 'Natural History of Nevis', by 

 the Rev. .John Smith, contains a reference to the growing of 

 asparagus in that island many years ago. It says: 'Ib the 

 mountain plantations, where only asparagus can grow, I have 

 known it to cut within the small space of three calendar 

 months, reckoning in the time of its being sown in buds 

 that came from London: for there we never transplant the 

 roots. We are obliged to let it run up to wood, in order to 

 shade the bed from the scorching rays of the sun, and the 

 young ones that grow up under that wood we cut to boil. 

 But this soon eats oat the heart of the compost and soil; so 

 that a bed will not hold good mjch above two years, and 

 the asparagus never grows big.' 



