Vol. XVI. No. 405. 



THE AGRICULTUKAL NEWS. 



343 



G REX A DA: REPORT ON THE AGRICULTURAL 

 DEPARTMENT, 191617. 



This report from Grenada, which has just been issued, 

 presents many noticeable features, and shows that the work 

 of the officers of the Department is tending to advance the 

 agricultural interests of the colony in several directions. 

 Especially is this apparent in the attention that is evidently 

 being taken with regard to the cultivation of other crops 

 besides cacao and spices. 



With regard to these two, which have been for years 

 the chief export crop.s of Grenada, the report under review 

 gives a very satisfactory account. The cacao crop of 1916 

 has been the largest recorded, the number of bags of 180 K>. 

 exported being 76,980, exceeding the previous record of 1910 

 by 3,117 bags. The spice crop — nutmegs and mace — has 

 also exceeded that of any previous year. In this crop there 

 has been a steady increase for the last six years from 

 909,v80 ft. in 1910 to 1,940,96-". lb. in 1916. 



The variety of cjtton known as Marie Galante is grown 

 largely in Carriacou, ani although the amount proiluced in 

 1916 was .somewhat less ihan in 1915, the value of the 

 whole crop was very much larger, owing to the better prices 

 obtained. The report considers that this crop needs more 

 attention in the matter of tillage. 



Much more interest is being taken in the cultivation of 

 limes in several parts of the colony. For some years past 

 a considerable acreage has been devoted to this cultivation in 

 Carriacou, but for the last two years there has been a large 

 increase in the area put under limes in Grenada al.^o, as is 

 evidenced by the fact that, during that period, no less than 

 54.451 young growing lime trees have been distributed from 

 the Botanic Garden nurseries. The increasing importance of 

 this industry is also shown by the increase in value of 

 the exports of lime products. In 1914 these were valued 

 at £1,375, in 1915 at £6,407, while in 1916 they were 

 estimated at £14,486, entirely in raw coaeentrated juice. 

 The lime industry in Grenada and the Grenadines is certainly 

 advarcing by leaps and bounds. 



It is satisfactory to note that much more attention is 

 being paid to the cultivation of food crops. This seems to 

 be largely due to general interest shown lately by the 

 community in the matter, and to the eflForts of the officers 

 of the Department in stirring up attention to the subject 

 among peasant proprietors, although the report still thinks 

 that much more might be done in growing crops for local 

 food supply. The visits paid by the Superintendent of 

 Agriculture and the two Agricultural Instructors to all parts 

 of the colony, and the instructions as to all sorts of crops 

 which naturally result from such visits must in time bring 

 about a satisfactory condition of affairs in the cultivation of 

 food crops. 



In this connexion the Prize Holdings Competitions, 

 which are held under the auspices of the Grenada Agricul- 

 tural and Commercial Society, will doubtless stir up in the 

 future wholesome emulation in the cultivation of provision 



grounds, as they evidently have done in the past with regard 

 to the cultivation of cacao. In 1916 the competitions 

 were carried out with the co-operation of the Agricultural 

 Department, the Agricultural Instructors being entrusted 

 with the responsible work of judging the plots. The toUl 

 number of entries was 362, and a large amount of work was 

 thus devolved upon the instructors who visited each holding 

 once or twice previous to making their awards The com- 

 petitions were in two sections: the cacao section, in which 

 fifty-seven prizes were awarded, varying in value from £5 to 

 10s.: and the provision garden section, a new feature, in which 

 twelve prizes were awarded of the total value of £36. The 

 report remarks truly that not only do these Prize Holdings 

 Competitions rouse a healthy emulation among the peasant 

 proprietors, but that they secure to the Agricultural Instruc- 

 tors a welcome to the holdings, and afford them an oppor- 

 tunity of giving profitable instruction to the competitors. 



The portion of the report dealing with Land Settlements 

 gives a very satisfactory account of the success which is 

 attending the working of the scheme. It may be remem- 

 bered that the plan which was first tried in Carriacou has 

 succeeded there most admirably. It is evidently being taken 

 up in Grenada also, and will doubtless conduce to the 

 prosperity of the peasant farmers there, just as it has done 

 in Carriacou. 



A feature of this land settlement plan is that iu every 

 one of the settlements — three in Grenada, and one in 

 Carriacou— a plot of land is reserved by the Agricultural 

 Department as an experiment station. These serve as most 

 useful centres, not only of experimental work with various 

 crops, especially new ones, but also of instruction in good 

 cultural methods to the settlers. 



Reference has been already made to the extension of the 

 lime industry. The cultivation of coco-nuts as a new agricul- 

 tural development is also being taken up, as is evidenced by 

 the fact that 2,356 coco-nuts for planting have been distri- 

 buted from the nurseries during the year reported on. 



The advantage of growing the horse bean {Canavalia 

 etisifoi mis) as a green dressing for cacao plantations seema 

 to be well recognized in Grenada, shown by the fact that 

 3,391 lb. of these beans were distributed for the purpose 

 from the stations. An account of experiments with this bean 

 in this direction appeared in a recent number of this Journal. 

 It is worth noting that this bean is also edible and worth 

 cultivating for this reason as well. 



The very interesting and successful experiment made by 

 the Superintendent of Agriculture in storing seed-corn was 

 also related in the Agricultural News, No. 401, September 8, 

 1917. It is quite plain that there ought to be no necessity 

 to import corn for that purpose. 



With regard to plant diseases, the cacao thrips gives 

 some anxiety to planters. The officers of the Agricultural 

 Department disseminate widely the advice given by the 

 Entomologists of the Head Department, which advice, if 

 followed by planters, would probably soon lead to the 

 diminution of the danger from the disease. Experiments are 

 being conducted with a fungus parasitic co the thrips. If 

 successful, this method of control may also prove valuable. 



The question of forest preservation, it is satisfactory to 

 note, continues to receive attention by the Government. It 

 is certainly in the interests of the island to conserve the 

 forests remaining on the higher peaks at least. 



The whole report goes to show that the agricultural 

 prosperity of the colony continues, and that the Agricultural 

 Department's efforts are not without effect in stimulating 

 progress towards improvements in cultural methods, as in 

 other directions. 



