Vol. V. No. 97. 



THE AGEICULTIIEAL NEWS. 



AGRICULTURAL INDUSTRIES OF 

 ST. VINCENT. 



The Aiinual Report on St. Vincent for 1904 

 (dated August; 30, 190-5) has the following review of 

 the agricultural industries of the island : — 



There has been some advance made during the year 

 under this head. 



The demand on the Agricultural Department for the 

 supply of economic plants was very considerable, and from 

 the returns it is evident that an appreciable area is being 

 planted in cacao and other permanent crops. 



CACAO INDUSTRY. 



The export of cacao was 742 bags, as against 443 in 

 1900, and in the ab.sence of any further set-back the figure 

 should in a few years rise to beyond what it was (l,-500 bags} 

 before the disastrous hurricane of 1898. 



It should be noted, too, that a considerable quantity of 

 cacao is consumed locally by the peasantry, and it is therefore 

 a product of great importance to the comnniuity. 



cotto:n industev. 



The cotton prospects are also encouraging, though 

 disease occasioned loss in some localities, and the total yield 

 in comparison with the acreage in cultivaticm was, in conse- 

 quence, disapi)ointing. 



The cotton-ginning factory was opened on -January 4 last, 

 and up to March 31, 222,262 lb. of seed-cotton had been 

 ginned, giving 171 bales containing G 1,0 11 lb. of lint. 



In cjuality the cotton left little to be desired, and 

 an all-round price of \s. 5d per lb. was realized. 



St. Vincent, indeed, is in the position of having pro- 

 duced the highest-priced cotton in the empire, and as 

 a result, there has been a great demand for the St. Vincent 

 seed, large quantities of which have been disposed of at 

 a satisfactory price, after undergoing careful selection and 

 disinfection at the hands of the agricultural otticers. 



DEVASTATED AREAS. 



In the areas devasted by the eruption, on the Leeward 

 side, one of the estates has changed hands, and a commence- 

 ment has been made in re-starting cultivation. On the 

 Windward side, the Carib country estates, with the 

 exception of Mt. Bentinck, are still untouched, save for 

 the reaping of a considerable quantity of ratoon cane, which, 

 having had vitality enough to survive the effects of the 

 volcanic blast, has now sprouted and thrown up luxuriant 

 stools. 



Large areas of land on these estates are still, however, 

 no more than a cinderous waste, and in an ascent which 

 I made to the summit of the Soufriere crater in April last 

 for the purpose of observing conditions, I was much struck 

 by the havoc wrought by water, a-; well a.s the depth and 

 uncompromising consistency of the scoriae, and the con- 

 sequent dittioulties and expense that must be attendant on 

 any attempt at systematized cultivation. 



LAXD SETTLEMENT SCHEME. 



No further lands were acquired under the Land Settle- 

 ment Scheme, attention being rather directed to securing 

 a fuller and more beneficial use of those already taken up 

 and given out in allotments. The services of the Agricultural 

 Instructor in this direction continued to be of great use. 

 Over 1-5,000 economic plants, mainly cacao, were distributed ; 

 the wind-break system was jiroceeded with and instructions 

 were given, by direction of his Excellency the Governor, as 



to the preparation and maintenance of compost manure 

 heaps, compliance with which has been insisted on under 

 regulations which give the requisite power. 



Considerable improvement has also been effected in the 

 mstter of the approaches to the allotments and the roads 

 connecting with the acquired estates, a special sum from the 

 fund having, on my representations, been approved by the 

 Secretary of State for this object, with due provision for 

 annual expenditure on upkeep so as to en.sure a state of 

 permanent fair repair. 



AGRICULTURAL SHOW. 



An agricultural show — the second — was held on March 9 

 under the auspices of the Imperial Department of Agri- 

 culture, at which the exhibits showed considerable advance 

 in number and quality, but the success of the day was, 

 unfortunately, somewhat marred by the weather. 



INOCULATION FOR ANTHRAX. 



The following infurraation in reference to the 

 inoculation of cattle and small stock by means of anti- 

 anthrax serum has been furnished by Mr. R. A. 

 Stoute, D.V.S., Consulting Veterinary Surgeon to the 

 Imperial Department of Agriculture for the West 

 Indies : — ■ 



In reply to your letter No. B. 5,5G9 of the 12th. instant, 

 I am pleased to be able to inform you that any reliable firm 

 of druggists either in London^ or in Paris would be able to 

 supply Sclavo's anti-anthrax serum. 



Pasteur's serum may be obtained from Jlessrs. C. H. 

 Huist it Co , 12, lied Lion Square, London, W.C., and the 

 Pasteur Vaccine Co., 366, West 11th. Street, New York. 

 The cost of the above varies, but it is usually at a cost of 

 about $-5 for sufficient to inoculate fifty oxen or 100 sheep. 



In using the serum it is advisable to obtain a hyjao- 

 dermic syringe of sufficient size to contain four doses for 

 cattle, or eight for sheep. The syringe is fitted with a screw 

 so that the size of the dose may be regulated. The serum 

 mu.st be used as soon after it is obtained as possible, the 

 tubes to be kept closed till ready for use ; they are well 

 shaken, opened, and at once drawn in the syringe, which has 

 been disinfected. As soon as the injection is made, the 

 thumb is placed over the hole made by the point of the 

 syringe and the spot gently rubbed with the other hand. 



Sheep are injected under the skin of the right thigh, 

 while oxen are injected just behind the right shoulder for 

 the first and behind the left for the second serum. The 

 hair must be clipped from the part. Very young animals or 

 those that are in an advanced stage of pregnancy should not 

 be subjected to the serum inoculation. 



Great care must be taken in handling the serum, as it 

 may be quite po.ssible to introduce the disease ; and for the 

 same reason animals in any district in which the disease has 

 not made its appearance should never be treated with serum. 

 The immunity produced usually lasts for about one year. 



An interesting communication on the subject of 

 anthrax inoculation from Dr. C. W. Branch, of 

 St. Vincent, was published in a recent issue of the 

 Agricultural Ne%vs (Vol.' IV, p. 318). Dr. Branch 

 gave information rehrtive to the use of the vaccines of 

 Pasteur, Sclavo, and Subernheim. 



