1D8 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



April 7, 1917. 



The (lovernment Meteorologist, Jamaica, has prepared 

 a paper, which was published last year, on cloud drift as 

 observed at Kingston during 1907-13. The report deals 

 with cloud movements at different levels, and furnishes 

 information as to the movements in the upper atmosphere. 

 Three classes of clouds are dealt with, low cloud at 1,000 feet, 

 middle 4.000, and upper 10,000 to 12,000 feet. Account is 

 taken of the frequency of cases of observed direction of the 

 drift at 7 a.m. and .5 p.m. daily. 



GLEANINGS. 



In the Agricu/tvA-al Ni'ivs fur March 10 was published 

 an article on rice as human food. Further details concerning 

 the composition of Indian rices will be found in the recently 

 issued Bulletin (No. 6"_') of the Agricultural Research 

 Institute, Pusa. 



During 1915-16 the large total of 29.3,78") seedlings wa> 

 distributed fur planting from the Antigua Experiment Station. 

 These included 3,7.")6 coco-nuts, 2,2.57 Eucalyptus, 30,.')00 

 onion plants, anil 254,617 cane plants. Besides these, a 

 considerable ([uantity of cuttings and vegetable seeds were 

 sent out. The foregoing constitutes a record distribution. 



An inquiry has recently been received in regard to the 

 suitabilit\' of Burbanks spineless cactus for planting on 

 waste lands in the drier parts of the West Indies. Trials 

 made over several years by the Danish authorities in St Cioix 

 have shown that this cactus does not appear to be suited to 

 West Indian conditions: its growth is slow, and even after a 

 number of years, the amount of fodder produced is unsatis- 

 factory. 



It is stated in Science for December 15, 191 5, that 

 Professor A. S. Hitchcock, Systematic Agrostologist, United 

 States Department of Agriculture, has returned from a five 

 months' exploration tour of the Hawaiian Islands, and 

 has brought back an important collection of plants. 

 It will be remembered that Professor Hitchcock has 

 rendered assistance in the British West Indies in regard to 

 the identification of grasses. 



The Revue A/jricok of the Island of Reunion, reproduces 

 the article on the Hitchin B^icon Factory, which was published 

 in the Journal oj the Uuard of Agriculture of England and 

 Wales, and in the Wes.t Indian Bulletin, A'ol. XV, No. 3. 

 It appears that in Reunion, as in the West Indies, there are 

 considerable possibilities in regard to pig raising and the 

 production of bacon and ham. It will be interesting to 

 learn of any action in this matter which may be taken by 

 the French authorities at Reunion. 



In contradistinction to school gardens, home gardens 

 are becoming increasingly popular in Canada. The Agrvul- 

 iwral Gazette of Canada contains an account of the progress 

 made in various provinces, and it appears that the scheme is 

 successful Mnd useful. .\ good deal depends on the assistance 

 and supervision of the visiting teachers. It appeais that the 

 pupils take a greater interest in home gardens than in 

 school gardens, which is only to be expected in view of the 

 fr.ct that the home garden is entirely in the pupils own 

 Lands. 



An account of the returns of crops grown by Europeans 

 in Southern Rhodesia during 1915-16, appears in the Rhodesia 

 Agricultural Journal of last December. While tlie returns 

 are gratifying as a whole, it is stated that naturally they 

 reflect theunfavourable season that was experienced. The area 

 under gruund nuts was nearly doubled, and the output more 

 than doubled. The pmportiun of land under maize was 

 86 per cent, of the whole area cultivated; in the previous 

 season it was as much as 91 per cent. There was an increase 

 under wheat. There are nearly 2,000 acres in citrus orchards 

 in Rhodesia. 



In an address recently delivered before a large gatherinff 

 of farmers in Bedfordshire, the Rt. Hon. R. E. Prothero, M.P. 

 President of the Board of Agriculture, made certain observ- 

 ations which are not without their application to the West 

 Indies. He pointed out that farmers do not make the 

 prices that they get for their produce, those prices are made 

 for them; and at the present time they are made particularly 

 in the case of wheat, by the shortage throughout the world, 

 by high freights, by cost of all the materials of production 

 and by the great demand on the mercantile marine The 

 same remarks apply to the price of sugar. 



The Committee appointed bj' the Agricultural and Com- 

 mercial Society of St. Lucia to draw up a Prize-holdings 

 scheme for limes and cacao, have forwarded to this Office 

 a copy of the report that has been prepared. It is proposed 

 that only persons owning not more than 20 acres of land 

 will be allowed to compete. The prizes range from £3 to £\. 

 The scale of judging appears to be sound, but it will be 

 necessary for the examiners to be careful always to see that 

 they pay due regard tu the improvements that are effected 

 and not to desirable features of the holding alrtadv in 

 existence. The above scheme is a continuation of one that 

 was in operation several years ago. 



A lengthy article np'pears in the Th Times of January 

 25, on the rainfall of the British Isles during 1916, by 

 Dr. H. E. Mill, Director of the British Kainfall Organization. 

 This shows that 1916 was a wet year. In regard to the 

 inevitable (juestion as to whether the datajustify attributino- 

 the wetness which has characterized the past three years to- 

 the war, Dr Mill answers emphatically in the negative. 

 For amount of rain it is stated that 1912 was much more 

 remarkable than 1916, while as to distribution of rain in the 

 south-east of Kngland, wtere, if anywhere, the effect of gun- 

 fire on rainfall should be clearest, the same general tvnc of 

 distributiun has prevailed since 1909, and the yexrs 1910 

 1912, 1915, and 1910 are remarkable for their similariiy 

 and must, it is thought, owe that similarity to similar 

 conditions in the flow of the great rain-bearinct air curn^nts 

 over the Atlantic. 



