Vol. XVI. No. 402. 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS 



301 



ST. LUCIA: REPORT ON THE AGRICULTURAL 

 DEPARTMENT, J91f!-17. 



St. Lucia is evidently coming to the front in the culti- 

 vation of limes, as is evidenced by this report. During the 

 year under review, there were i.SiOS.S lime seedlings distri- 

 buted from the Department's nurseries. This was not 

 sufficient however entirely to meet the demand, tor owing 

 to a very unfavourable wet season considerable diflSculty 

 was experienced in raising lime seedlings, successive sowings 

 having been destroyed by the 'damping off' fungus. 



The progress of the lime industry is also shown by the 

 fact that whereas in 1914 the lime crop was estimated at 

 12,765 barrels of fruit, the crop ol 1916 was estimated at 

 22,489 barrels. Of thi.s 3,403 barrels of green limes were 

 exported to New York, the St. Lucia green limes having 

 gained a reputation in that market for well packed fruit. It 

 is to be hoped that care be taken to prevent the standard 

 being lowered by careless shipment of fruit of inferior 

 quality. 



Another testimony to the development of the lime 

 industry is given by the large extension that has had to be 

 made in the Government Lime Juice Factory. By careful 

 forethought in planning the extension it was possible to 

 install the whole of the new machinery without dismantling 

 or discarding any part of the old plant; and moreover 

 the extension was carried out without interfering on any 

 occasion with the daily working of tlie Factory The plans of 

 the extended factory, which accompany the report, are very 

 clear, and might well be of use to any one desirous of erecting 

 an up to-date factory for dealing with lime products. 



With regard to sugar, the report shows that the value 

 of sugar exported from St. Lucia has almost douhled in two 

 years. This however is not due to any great increa.se in 

 acreage under sugarcane, but to the great rise in prices. 



The cultivation of cacao seems to have remained much 

 in the same position as for some years past; but there has 

 been a marked increase in the cultivation of coco-nuts, and 

 in the value of the exports of nuts. 



The cotton cultivation seems to have been practically 

 discontinued in St. Lucia. Probably the abundant rainfall 

 over most of the island, coupled with a short labour supply, 

 renders cotton an unsuitable crop. 



Among minor industries there has been a marked devel- 

 opment in the manufacture of bay oil, the proprietary 

 factory for the distillation of this product having been con- 

 siderably extended. In 1914 only 40 gallons of bay oil 

 were exported, whereas in the year under review the exported 

 quantity was 606 gallons. 



Bee-keeping has received more attention, with the 

 result that 4.5,588 Db. of honey were exported in 1916, as 

 compared with 29,338 in the year before. 



Probably the trade in fruit, such as orange?, mangoes 

 and bananas, to other islands, especially Barbados, which 

 does not grow fruit enough for local consumption is capable 

 of considerable extention 



In common with other islands St. Lucia has had to 

 face the problem of the threatened shortage in breadstuffs 

 imported from the United States and Canada. The steps 

 taken to increa.se the cultivation locally of such articles aa 

 might supply deficiencies uf wheat flour and maize have led 

 to good results, especially with regard to cassava. This 

 vegetable is largely grown by the peasants, and, when 

 manufactured into farine, forms one of their chief articles 

 of diet. In order to extend its manufacture the Agricultural 

 Department has erected at the Experiment Station, Choiseul, 

 a building 30 feet x 20 feet x 18 feet, and equipped it with 

 a battery of farine pans, together with a large grating mill, 

 slicing machine, and Hour mills, which have given satisfaction 

 as to working capacity. In the district of Choiseul there 

 are about 150 acres under cassava cultivation, estimated to 

 yield 400 tons of farine annually, and it would be possible to 

 increase the area to 300 acres, the produce of which would 

 be of considerable value as a substitute for certain imported 

 foods. Not only, however, is the utilization of cis.sava 

 flour being encouraged, but the manufacture of sweet pjtato 

 flour is being undertaken on the Experiment Station at 

 Reunion. Considerable additional areas have been planted in 

 sweet potatoe.s, the crop of which will be treated and dried at 

 Reunion, and then ground into flour at the Government Lime 

 Juice Factory, a suitable mill for the purpjse having been 

 lent by the Cul-de Sac Company. 



Agricultural instruction in the primary schools of the 

 colony evidently receives attention. This is all to the gjod, 

 especially if the school gardens are made of real educational 

 value. The work of this nature in the elementary schools in 

 St. Lucia is probably more effective than in any of the 

 neighbouring islands. This is largely due to the interest 

 taken by the Agricultural Department in this matter for 

 many years past, as is shown by former reports. It is 

 important to note that an officer of the Department regularly 

 examines and advises the schools in this connexion. 



As another incentive to intelligent cultivation of two 

 important crops, viz., limes and cacao, a prize holdings 

 competition has been reviewed. The competition is limited 

 to persons holding not more than 20 acres of land; in the 

 case of limes the competition is for a period of two years, in 

 the case of cacao the period is one year. The prizes will be 

 awarded on points obtained by attention to essential 

 conditions of good culture. 



St. Lucia IS much more interested in various crops than 

 in stock raising, but praiseworthy efforts are being made to 

 improve and extend this industry. It is a matter of moment 

 to stock farmers that experiments at the Agricultural 

 Experiment Station have demonstrated that ticks can be 

 controlled completely by the use of Cooper's Cattle Dip and 

 Cattle Tick Grease. 



The part of the report which deals with the working of 

 the Agricultural Credit Societies is very interesting reading. 

 Notice has already been taken of this subject in the Agricid- 

 tural News, No. 401. It is evident that the co-operation of 

 peasant proprietors under the conditions of the Agricultural 

 Credit Societies Ordinance has met a long-felt want, enabling 

 the industrious peasant to obtain temporary financial 

 assistance on a sound business footing, and at a reasonable 

 rate of interest. 



The whole tone of this report is very cheering: it tells 

 of real progress. In order to estimate rightly how real this 

 progress is, it is only necessary to compare this report of the 

 Agricultural Dapartment with earlier ones, say, of ten or 

 twelve years ago. St. Lucia is evidently awaking to the 

 importance of agriraituie to the whole community, and is 

 apparently advancing on well planned lines which must 

 conduce to the prosperity of the colony. 



