Vol. XVI. No. 406. 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



365 



ANTIGUA ONION GROWERS' 

 ASSOCIATION. 



From the report of tht work of this Association for the 

 year 1V)16-17 it is evident that the Association is in a flour- 

 ishing condition. This Association is an example of the 

 benefits that accrue to any industry by cooperation on 

 sound lines. We are ghd to note that this principle is 

 being extended by co-operation between the Onion Associa- 

 tions of Montserrat and Nevis with that of Antigua. The 

 principles on which the Antigua Onion Growers' Association 

 is being operated may be held up as an example for such 

 associations in respect of other minor industries. From 

 the report we take the following items of interest. 



The operations of the Association during the past 

 season have been conducted on similar lines to those of the 

 previous one. 



The onion crops of members were paid for at the rate 

 of Ic. per B). as soon as deliveries were made at the Asso- 

 ciation's premises; afterwards the onions were cured, graded, 

 packed, and marketed by the Association. After working 

 expenses were deducted, the profits, after a further deduction 

 of 3 per cent, towards the general fund of the Association, 

 were distributed pro rata among members according to the 

 quantity of onions delivered by them. 



During the season under report some thirty-four estates 

 contributed their produce to the undertaking, and the total 

 weight of onions received at the Association's premises 

 amounted to 302,968 lb. 



The total number of crates shipped by the Association 

 was 0,664 as against .0,3.53 in 19 1.0-16, the number being 

 311 in excess of last season's shipments; this number con- 

 stitutes a record. Shipments were made to the following 

 points: New ^'ork, Trinidad, Martinique, Demerara, Canada, 

 Barbados, St. Lucia, Grenada, and St. Vincent. 



The adveriising campaign which wis begun in 191-5 

 apparently bore good results, for 731 crates were disposed of 

 on a firm order basis, as compared with 371 in the previous 

 season. As the total number of crates of onions shipped from 

 Antigua for the season amounted to 6,940, it will be seen that 

 82 per cent, of this crop was handled by the Association. 



After paying all expenses, the total sum of money avail- 

 able for distribution among growers amounted to £1,855 9.s., 

 or at the rate of 294c. per 100 lb. of onions delivered. 

 In 1915-16 the bonus paid amounted to 88ic. per 100 B). 

 of onions delivered, and in 1914-15 the bonus was 51 Jc. 



The continued growth of the Association is a matter for 

 satisfaction, and the work that it has done has been the means 

 of placing the onion industry cf the isknd on a sound basis. 



All onion growers in the island, with two exceptions, are 

 members of the Association, and it was thought possible 

 durirg the earlier part of the season that these would also 

 become members, and in this way eliminate competition in 

 various markets. Unfortunately these hopes were not realized. 



Difficulties were experienced during the crop in 

 connexion with the procuring of freight space to New York. 

 The Association had at times to estimate some seven or more 

 days before steamers left Antigua the quantity of crates that 

 could be shipped by any one opportunity 



On the other hand, no difliculties were experienced in 

 connexion with Canadian shipments, a reliable firm of good 

 standing having been appointed agents in Halifax and 

 St. John to represent the Association. 



The affiliated associations in .Monsterrat and Nevis 

 were kept in touch during the year with the conditions of 

 the various markets through Antigua, and the operations of 

 the Association have been carried on in consultation with 

 the similar associations in these two islands. 



GRASSES OP THE WEST INDIES. 



The Smithsonian Institute has just published in Vol. 18, 

 Part 7, of Contributions from the United States National 

 Herbarium, a monograph on the above subject by A. S. 

 Hitchcock and Agnes Gbase, Agrostologists attached to the 

 United States Department of Agriculture. 



The paper in question brings together in a convenient 

 form the knowledge of the gra.ss flora of the West Indian 

 islands up to date. The flora of particular islands, and in 

 fact of the region as a whole, has been studied by many 

 botanists, but no special account of the grasses found in the 

 islands has hitherto been published. The present monograph 

 is based upon large collections from practically all the islands 

 of the group, and upon field studies by both authors in many 

 individual islands. 



The grasses of the West Indies are here grouped under 1 10 

 genera, and 455 species, of which one genus and seventeen 

 species are new to science. Brief descriptions are given of 

 the salient characteristics of the species and genera, and notes 

 of the habitat of each .species. Appended to the paper there is 

 also a list of all the numbered specimens of West Indian 

 grasses in the United States National Herbarium. A short 

 introduction to this very useful addition to the knowledge of 

 West Indian flora gives a brief bibliography of the works of 

 botanic authors who have hitherto touched on or dealt 

 with the subject. 



CASHEW NUTS. 



The cashew nut [Anacardiuni occidentale) was originally 

 found in South America and the West Indies. 



From the Journal of the Royal Society of Arts, April 27, 

 1917, we learn that this tree, so well known in the West 

 Indies, is becoming the source of quite a considerable 

 industry in Southern India Until twelve or fifteen years 

 ago the nuts were merely gathered for local consumption. 

 The advent, however, of European interests into the business, 

 has given an impetus to the trade in cashew nuts; so, to 

 meet the demand, the tree is being regularly cultivated. 



The journal referred to above says that the fruit is only 

 eaten by the lowest classes in India. In the West Indies 

 it is well known that the juice of the fruit, when thoroughly 

 mature, although slightly astringent, is very refreshing and 

 palatable. It is true that there is a large amount of fibrous 

 matter in the so called fruit, which is really only a modified 

 swollen peduncle, but the juice extracted, whether by the 

 teeth or by wringing the fruit in a cloth, aff )rds a pleasant 

 fruit beverage. 



The commercial value of the plant is, however, in the 

 nuts, which are the real fruit, depending from the fleshy, 

 juicy, peduncle. From this they are detached, and after 

 being roasted, the kernels are removed from the shells, and 

 sent to market for sale. Some improvement in the 

 method of preparation is desirable, because much of the 

 product is spoiled through insufficient drying. 



From Southern India something like 15,000 cwt. of 

 these nuts are now exported annually to England, France, 

 and America. They are used for the same purposes as 

 almonds, and West Indians will not consider them inferior to 

 those ancient nuts for culinary purposes. 



It may be worth while noting that the oil contained in 

 the outer covering of the nuts has distinct irritant and 

 corrosive pr )perties. The writer of this note does not know 

 that this oil has ever been put to any use, except that it is 

 considered of value by the West Indian labourer as an agent 

 in removing warts. 



