Vol. XVI. No. 386. 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



43 



PROGRESS IN MINOR INDUSTRIES OF 



MONTSERRAT. 



The following notes taken from the Report of the 

 Agricultural Department for 191.5-16 indicate that 

 satisfactory progress continues to be made in the minor 

 agricultural industries of Montserrat. This is impor- 

 tant in view of the fact that Montserrat is at present 

 practically dependent upon one crop, namely, cotton. 

 In connexion with the onion industry it will be 

 remembered that an event of interest during the year 

 was the formation of a Growers' Association which has 

 since been affiliated with the larger one established in 

 Antigua. 



PAPAIN. 



The amount of papain exported totalled 2,519 R. of an 

 estimated value of £l,il9, this being a slight increase on the 

 output in the previous year. Interest in this product is well 

 maintained and several new drying ovens were erected in the 

 course of the year. There could be a considerable further 

 expansion of this industry, and so long as present market 

 prices are realized the exports promise to increase in volume. 



The papaw thrives well in most sheltered situations, 

 excepting perhaps on badly drained land, and small growers 

 having access to good papaw land are as fortunate as others 

 within reach of good cotton land. 



The efforts of the Agricultural Department are being 

 directed to securing a good type of papaw for bleeding pur- 



BAV OIL INDUSTRY. 



The exports of oil in 1915 amounted to 39 gallons, and 

 leaves shipped in bales to 15,662 fti. of ^i total value of £260. 



It will be a year or two before the areas planted in 

 a systematic manner on estates have an appreciable influence 

 on the amount of oil exported, as a large yield of leaves for 

 the first two years after reaping commences on cultivated 

 areas cannot be expected. A four-year old plantation ought 

 to produce about 20 tt). (about 2 gallons) of oil per acre, if 

 attention kas been paid to the cultivation of the trees during 

 the first two years from planting, increasing to 40 Jb. of oil 

 per acre ak about the sixth year. After the first two years 

 it is found that the trees are well able to look after them- 

 selves, and that further cultivation is maintained at a negli 

 gible cost. 



Interest in the planting of farther areas remains 

 keen, but as there is a limit to the number of plants that can 

 be conveniently raised in the nurseries of the Botanic 

 Station, the area planted in any one year is not likely to 

 exceed lb acres. 



ONION INDUSTRYi 



The exports of onions produced in the 1915-16 season, 

 all of which were exported early in 1916, equalled in amount 

 r840 standard crates, the actual shipments having as usual 

 been made in barrels and tierces as'well as crates. While 

 this shows an advance on the previous year's shipments, the 

 increase in the exports is not in proportion to the increase in 

 the amount of seed imported for cultivation, which was 176 ft. 

 in 1914 and 290 lb. in 1915. This is chiefly due to the 

 great loss of seedlings through damping off, in the seed bed, 

 after germination had taken place. A comparison can use- 

 fully be made with the neighbouring island of Antigua in the 

 same year. There, 325 tti. of seed were imported for culti- 

 vation and the shipments amounted to 7,500 crates, compared 

 with Montserrat's 1,840 crates from 290 ft), of seed, with 

 a much less local con.sumption in the latter island. 



A pamphlet containing hints for raising onions was 

 compiled and distributed to persons interested, in the hope 

 that growers would be stimulated to pay more attention to 

 the preparation and care of seed beds. 



INDIAN CORN. 



The year 1915 was the first in which shipments of corn 

 have been made on a considerable scale. The exports 

 amounted to 3,685 bushels of an estimated value of £605. 

 The product was shipped in the form of shelled grain, crushed 

 cobs, corn on the cob, and a small quantity of corn meal, most 

 of it finding its way to West Indian markets. The indications 

 at present are that there will not be any very considerable 

 development in the cultivation of corn for export, and the 

 consumption locally is verj' limited. 



(JROUND-NUTS. 



Groundnuts were exported on a limited scale for 

 the first time in recent years. The actual amount only 

 totalled 59 bags of a value of £60 but as the results of field 

 trials with the crop were considered to be remunerative, 

 further interest in the cultivation may be shown. 



Extractions of Alkaloid from Leaves of 



Pilocarpus racemosus. — It is sUted in the Report of 

 the Agricultural Department, Montserrat, 1915-16, that 

 further attempts were made during the year to determine the 

 amount of alkaloid in the leaves of the Montserrat species of 

 Pilocarpus, and specimens of young, half developed and 

 mature leaves were collected and forwarded to the Govern- 

 ment laboratory of the Leeward Islands for examination. 

 Dr. Tempany, reporting on the samples states: 'the total 

 alkaloid content of the leaves was determined by the method 

 given for the determination of Pilocarpin in .Jaborandi leaves 

 in Squire's "Companion to the British Pharmacopicea, 18th. 

 Edition".' 



The result was as follows: — 



Mature leaves — — 0'3 



Half-mature leaves— — 0-2 



Young leaves — — 0-3 



per cent, alkaloid. 



This is in agreement with previous results and also 

 with determination made at the chemical laboratory at Kew 

 on samples of leaves sent from Montserrat a year or two ago, 

 and show that relatively little alkaloid is contained in the 

 leaves. As Paraguay Jaborandi leaves contain from 0'5 to 

 0"75 per cent, of alkaloid, it is curious that if, as seems to be 

 the case, the leaves are identical with those from^Guadeloupe, 

 Squire should state that leaves of Pilocarpus racemosus from 

 that island contain as much Pilocarpin as Paraquay Jaborandi. 



The Report of the Education Board, Barbados, on 

 the general working i)f the educational system of that 

 island during the year 1915, appears in the Official Gazett* 

 of the Colony for January 4, 1917. Regarding elementary 

 education, at the beginning of the year, exclusive of four 

 Ragged Schools, there were 149 elementary schools on the 

 aided Ust, and at the close of the year 146 schools. Including 

 the roll in the four Ragged schools, the average number of 

 children on the registers in 1915 was 23,887, and the 

 average daily attendance 13',817. In 1914 the correspond- 

 ing figures were 25,743 and 14,580, respectively. Thii 

 decline is attributed to the bSiects of emigration to Panama, 

 the decreasing birth-rate, and the increased infant mortality 

 of the past decade, which are now making themselyes felt. 



