Vol. XVI. ^0. 409. 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



405 



beans. Exceptionally liigh yields were obtained in the 

 ground nut exp-riraent. The variety Dixie Giant headed 

 thf list with a Crilculated yield of 1,1 Ions of nuts p3r acre, 

 followed by Virginia with a calculated yield of 1 ton 

 per acre. The aiea devoted to the ground nut trials was 

 -jVacre. Peasint.-.' provision grounds continue to yield 

 small crops of peas, beans, and corn, and, con^iidering 

 the prevailing hig'i price of imported food.-5tutf's, they have 

 been of great benefit to the inhabi ants. 



.ST KiTTs. Mr. F. E. Shepherd, Agricultural S iperin- 

 tendent, writes to s;.y that general routine work was perform- 

 ed in the Botanic Gardens during ihe month of November, 

 while in the Experiment Station the reaping of various 

 plots was carried on. Plint distribution included 37 lb 

 of peanuts, 1^3 D). of peas, 1,500 sweet potato cuttings, lOtt). 

 of white velvet beans, 7 fc. eddoes, and a quantity of Mazza- 

 gua corn sent to tae Agricultural Department, Mauritius; 

 while 59 ornamental plants were distribuced from the Botanic 

 Station. 



The condition of the old cane crop, especially in the 

 Basseterre district, is worse than at this time last yenr. The 

 very small rainfall hi? had no effect on the growth of the 

 the cane, and arrows are in abundance. The outlook for 

 next season, especiallj on estates cotnected with the factory, 

 is a poor one, and little more than half a crop may be 

 expected. On the northern side of the island the muscovado 

 estates are looking better, and the rainfall has been greater. 

 The planting of the joung crop is in full swing, but rain is 

 much needed for gool germination. 



The cotton crop is nearly all picked. Returns have 

 not been as large as were expected, the dry weather pre- 

 venting the full dtvelopment of the later bolls. Cotton stainers 

 are to be seen in the ields of cotton that are being kept for 

 a second bearing, bu in the majority of cases the bushes 

 will soon be turned tnder for planting cane. The rainfall 

 for the month was 2'31 inches; rainfall for the year, 

 35'89 inches. 



In the appended summary of work performed at ihe 

 (rovernment Laboratnry during the month, mention is made 

 of analyses of sixteen samples of milk from the Inspector 

 of Police. 



TOKTOLA. In hif report for the month of November the 

 Curator, Mr. W. C. Fishlock, states that the only plants 

 distributed from the 3otanic Gardens were 6 coco-nut plants, 

 together with 2 pa;kets of vegetable seed.s, and 80 lb. of 

 cotton seed (sold). 



The condition if the cotton cultivation is, generally 

 speaking, poor. In regard to staple crops generally there 

 ■was no special progress to report. Cotton worms were 

 seen in the Experinient Station, and the usual remedy was 

 applied. The weather during the month was showery; rain 

 fell in measurable I uantity on twenty-one days. The total 

 rainfall at the Expfriment Station was 8-22 inches, as com- 

 pared with 7'34 inches, the average for the month for the 

 preceding sixteen years. 



AGRICULTURE IN BARBADOS, 



Few things culd have been more unexpected than the 

 protracted drou'^ht through which the island is passing. The 

 latter part of Oc.ober was dry; on only one day during 

 Novembar was there a heavy rain, and December so far has 

 been very dry. iis far as our records go, not since 1880 has 

 there been a December quite so dry as this. The weather 

 during Decembe- last year was unfavourable, but up to the 

 middle of the nvnth thert' had been a rainfall of between 2 

 and 3 inches Th.s year few districts have as yet recorded more 

 than J -inch for December. 



The application of farmyard and sheep manure stilF 

 goes on apace. It will be the end of January before the 

 manuring of the young crop is an accomplished fact. The 

 amount of manure made up prior to Ootober seems to have 

 been less than usual, and the drought has ciused a further 

 shortage, owing to the fact that the yield from the pastures- 

 has been adversely affected. We are more and more- 

 convinced that pasture land is a most valuable as?et, and that 

 it should be kept 'in heart' by the application, at mtervals,. 

 of manure in some form. 



Tillage too is as yet incomplete. Forking, draining, 

 and headrow-maliing are still in progress. Most fields are- 

 clean, for gangs have been everywhere at work uprootin,! the 

 grass, and the dry weather has considerably aided their efforts. 

 Some of the fields which have been recently forked and 

 drained pre.=ent an excellent aupearance, and refieoc great 

 credit; both oa the labourers and on those who have S'lpsr- 

 vised the work. We should like to have seen more moulding 

 done where material was available. We believe in this: it is- 

 as helpful as manuring. 



In the black soil practically all the young crop has be3u 

 planted, and some supplying is being done in the fields which' 

 were first planted. The germin-ition, as was to be expected, 

 has been poor. 



With the present weather, it is merely a platitude to- 

 state that the old crop is being seriously affected. L nless 

 January is a very favourable month, we should not be sur- 

 prised if the results next year showed a shortage of 50 per 

 cent. It is recognized that the fourth quarter of the y. ar 

 is the most critical period in the existence of the sugar-cane. 

 We would mention that the Ba. 603 J has shown considerable- 

 resisting power during the past month. This seedling is 

 indeed not only hard, but a hardy variety. 



We need to have in our fields the natural enemies of 

 the sugar-cane pests. Nothing can be a substitute for these. 

 Years ago these eneinies roamed unmolested through o ir 

 fields, and did their duty well, but they have been practically 

 exterminated by the mongoose. Destroy the mongoose and 

 Nature's order will be restored. Even the blackbird is 

 hindered from effective duty by the mongoo.se, which though 

 useful in other parts of the world, should not exist in this 

 island. {Agricultural Reporter, December 15, 1917.) 



We are glad to report that since the above was published, 

 there has been a fine fall of rain, general throughout the 

 island, on the 2.tth and 25th iostact. 



[Ed. A.N. 



Abnormality of the Jamaica Hurricane.— 

 Miss C. M. Hall, Assistant Government Meteorologist, 

 Jamaica, has recently issued a report on the hurricane that 

 passed over that island on September 23, 1917. From 

 this report it appears that when the atmospheric depre.s.sioa 

 was forming south of San Domingo, it was unlikely that 

 there were then two centres, but probably, on coming withia 

 the influence of the Jamaica Blue Mountain, range it split 

 in two, one centre passing north, and one south of the range, 

 both moving pirallel to it. The two centres reached the east 

 end of the island at 2 a.m on the 23rd, The south centre moved 

 at a uniform velocity of 17^ miles per hour, but the north cen- 

 tre, having either stopped' or moved very slowly for the 

 first hour, subsequently rushed inland, moving at a rate of 

 2<» miles per hour. These two centres produced a good 

 deal of apparent confusion in the direction of the wind 

 at almost every place in the island. The east end suf- 

 ered sevcrc'v from separate or joint effects, the west end 

 hirdly at aiC but the veloiity of 40 or 50 miles miintiinod 

 bv the wind of course destroyed the bananas. 



