52 



THE AGRICULTUEAL NEWS. 



Febeuaey 24, 1917. 



DOWN THE ISLANDS, 



ITEMS OF LOCAL INTEREST. 



DOMINICA, ilr. -Joseph .Jones, Agricultural Superintend- 

 ent and Curator of the Botanic Gardens, .states that during 

 January, 1 -5,000 lime seedlings were tran.spUnted in the nurse- 

 ries. Other work of a routine character was also carried out. 

 In the lime and cacao experiment stations the crops were 

 being picked and recorded. The prospects for the cacao 

 generally were considered to be good. The lime crop 

 for 1916 was computed from official export returns to 

 be -384,298 barrels, about 6,000 barrels short of the 

 previous year, which was the highest on record. It is of 

 interest to note that an estimate has been prepared and 

 siibmitted to the Government of the cost of erecting a Govern- 

 ment Co operative Factory at Grand Bay, capable of dealing 

 with 6,000 barrels; also an estimate of the expenditure and 

 receipts in the working of such a factory. It is said that 

 in old cultivations the presence of certain fungi on lime 

 trees seems to be on the increase. During the month in the 

 chemical laboratory, a number of samples of milk were 

 examined and a report submitted to the Government. 

 Also a number of samples of lime juice were tested and 

 analyses of plantain meal and banana meal were performed. 

 Pupils received attention in field and class work as usual. 

 The rainfall for the month was o inches. 



MOXTSEEEAT. According to Mr. W. Robson, Curator, 

 routine work at the Experiment Station included the reap- 

 ing of peas and beans and distribution of bay plants, lime plants 

 as well as .5,000 sugar-cane cuttings. At two estates, sugar- 

 cane variety experiments were started with nineteen varieties, 

 an event which points to the increased interest that is being 

 shown in sugar. By -January the majority of the old cotton 

 plants had been destroyed and a considerable area of land 

 ■was ready for planting the next crop, which may not be begun, 

 however, until March 1, according to law. While the shipments 

 of muscovado sugar amounted in 1916 to 417 tons, of value 

 . £7,828, the exports of papain did not increase. A good 

 deal more, says Mr. Robson, could be done by small planters 

 in the centre of the island in the matter of growing papaws. 

 But little interest, it is stated, is being shown in maize 

 cultivation. The onion crop, on the whole, is proving disap- 

 pointing, possibly due to a dry December, though at the 

 present time in Barbados we understand that highly satisfac- 

 tory onions, part of the crop referred to, are being received 

 in the local market and are realizing good prices. Opera- 

 tions at the packing house of the Onion Growers' 

 Association began on -January 17, or just a month earlier 

 than last year. The rainfall at Grove Station for the 

 month was 39.3 inches. 



ANTIOUA. The Curator, Mr. T. Jackson, .states that 

 during January the .sugarcane variety plots were planted at 

 several estates and from the Department's nursery a consid- 

 erable number of coconut and lime plants were distributed 

 as well as material for planting provision crops No less 

 than 105, .300 cane plants were sent out during the month. 

 A considerable amount of time was taken up in transplant- 

 ing young seedling canes. About 2,000 new varieties will 



be raised during the year. As regards observations relating 

 to staple crops, the canes in January were ripening rapidly. 

 Some few muscovado .works had actually commenced grind- 

 iag. Gunthorpes factory was expected to start operations 

 about the middle of February. It is estimated that the 

 cane crop will possibly be 20 to 25 per cent, less than 

 last year. The onion crop was ripening in January, and 

 reaping began about the middle of February. Though the 

 young cane crop requires rain badly, the recent spell of dry 

 weather has given planters an opportunity of completing 

 their cultivation for next year's cane crop. It was 

 expected that during the next two months considerable 

 areas would be planted in sisal in the windward district of 

 the island. A visit was made to English Harbour in connex- 

 ion with procuring mkterial for sisal plantations. During 

 the month several meetings of societies were held, including 

 a general meeting of the Agricultural Society and three com- 

 mittee meetings of the Onion Growers' Association, as well 

 as one meeting ot the Central Board for co-operative organi- 

 zations. The lainfall for January was 2'23 inches. Rain 

 was badly required at the time of writing. 



ST KiTTS. Most' of the work in the Experiment Station 

 consisted in the reaping of the plots. As regards condition 

 of the staple crops, Mr. F. R. Shepherd, the Agricultural 

 Superintendent, states that the year's cane crop was feeling 

 the effects of drought arid high winds and was fast ripening 

 up. Basseterre factory began work on February 1. Crop 

 prosDects were about the same as last season, although cane 

 fires have reduced the yield to some extent. The young cane 

 crop, especially the last plantint; has suffered from the dry 

 weather, and in some cases replanting will be necessary. The 

 cotton crop was [iractically reaped except for a few 

 late fields The very high price for lint, 3s. per lb. in 

 England and 2.<. 8^rf. locally, induces planters to 

 get all they can before burying in the old cotton 

 plants. The acreage promises to be largely increased 

 next season and the demand for best selected seed is 

 very great. It is .selling at the high price of 8c. per S). 

 At Spooners factory selected cotton has been ginned for 

 saving seed and for gettint; samples for spinning tests. The 

 rainfall for the month wa.s very low, namely Iwo inches. 

 AVork has been continued in the Government Laboratory, and 

 included the following; milk analyses, analyses of plantain 

 meal, juice from burnt canes, experiments in the curing of 

 vanilla, an examination of samples of cotton lint, chemical 

 analysis of soils and soil shrinkage determinations. 



xEvis. During December the plots at the Experiment 

 Station were all weeded and kept in order. A good crop 

 was expected of Mazzagua Guinea corn. The Barbados white 

 eddijes were reaped during the month and a good yield 

 obtained. Corn was obtained at the rate of 1,500 lb. of 

 corn on the cob per acre. The onion crop continued to make 

 good progress and a part of the crop was showing signs Ol 

 ripening. The distribution of planting material from the 

 Station during the month was as follows; sweet potato 

 cuttings, 2,500, black-eye peas 1 ib. together with IS ft, 

 of seed corn. Mr Howell, the .Agricultural Instructor, 

 reported that the cane crop continued to be promising. 

 The planting of next season's crop was in progress. Cotton 

 at the time of writing was in full progre.ss but it was not 

 anticipated that the second picking will be very good on 

 account of leaf-blister mite and boll shedding. The rainfall 

 for the month was 1-74 inches. The rainfall for the year 

 1916 was 6404 inche.s. 



TOETOLA. In the Kvperiment Station, Mr. W. C. Fishlock 

 states that plot No 5, which had been planted with sweet 

 potatoes before the hurricane of October, was recultivated 



