Vol. V. No. 98. 



THE AGRICULTTJEAL NEWS. 



27 



My object in U\ 

 the practicaVjility of 

 export to Eiiylar.d 



TOMATO GROWING IN JAMAICA. 



The Joui'iiiil of the Jnmu'ictt Agricidtunil 

 •Hoc'tety, for December 1905, contains the following 

 article by Jlr. Robert Thomson, embodying the results 

 of experiments in growing tomatos in the Lignanea 

 Plain, Jamaica, llr. Thomson's experiences are likely 

 to be of interest to many who grow this fruit in the 

 West Indies : — 



cing up this culture was to demonstrate 

 growing this fruit on a large scale for 

 md America during the early sjiring 

 months when prices are high. 



In this cultivation, the first consideration istlie propaga- 

 tion of an abundant stock of strong plant.s, established in 

 nursery beds, for planting out in the field. Extreme care in 

 growing the plants is of the utmost importance. Sow^ in 

 boxes, a few hundred in each, in good soil. Place them in 

 a partially shaded position, elevated a few feet above the 

 ground in order to jirotect them from insects, etc. Soon 

 after germination the seedlings are transplanted to 

 well-prepared beds and dibbled in 4 inches apart. Shade the 

 beds partially ^tith cocoa-nut boughs or other branches, and 

 water with care from a fine watering pan. When the 

 seedlings are growing vigorously in the beds, withdraw the 

 .shade gradually and expose them to the sun a week or so 

 before planting out in the field. Plant out in the open 



cool afternoon or cloudy day and water 



The best 

 Livingston 



sunshine on 

 immediately. 



The selection of varieties is important, 

 varieties for the Liguanea Plain are Acme, 

 Beauty, and Florida Prizetaker. But differences in soil, 

 .season, and climate render it advisable to test other varieties 

 also. The individual grower should try several .so as to 

 determine the most .suitable for his locality. 



When cultivated on a commercial scale, the seeds can be 

 grown as follows : Lines are marked out in the bed G inches 

 apart, and not over I inch in depth, and the seed distributed 

 in the rows, averaging, as nearly as possible, four to the inch. 

 If planted thicker, the seedlings .should be thinned to this 

 distance after thej" are up. The seedlings appear in a week. 



My first experiment in growing tomatos was at Mary- 

 field, adjacent to King's House — from November to February 

 1901-2. I planted some 1,300 on \ acre. The land was 

 ploughed, and abundant rain saturated the soil before 

 planting. When about 18 inches high they were staked and 

 tied to the stakes from time to time thereafter. The lateral 

 shoots that sprang from the main stems were systematically 

 pinched otf, with the object of stimulating first production. 



The first picking of the crop commenced within two 

 months of setting out in the field, and the cropping season 

 continued for over two months. The hotels and various 

 passenger steamers purchased most of the crop at 3(/. and 

 4f?. per tt). The total amount realized from the | acre was 

 XIO 10.«., which is at the rate of £162 per acre, and this in 

 four months from the time the seeds were sown. The actual 

 cost of cultivation, including stakes, etc., was £3 15s., and 

 sale expenses amounted to £2 \~$. The net profit was 

 therefore £33 18s. from the -j acre. Beside.s, many hundreds 

 of pounds were lost consequent on the appearance of one of 

 the diseases to which this plant is susceptible, that is, leaf 

 mould or rust. The disorder was subdued by sjiraying with 

 Bordeaux mixture. 



My next trial of the culture was at the Constant Spring 

 Hotel grounds. The result was extremel}- encouraging. 

 The soil is a friable loam with a gravelly sub-soil. Only 

 yY acre was planted here. The seeds were sown in December 



last. After the plants were planted out, the soil was 

 sometimes very dry, and the plants were frequently watered, 

 the water being carried some 200 yards on women's heads. 

 When tomato plants want water they present a i)arched 

 appearance. The crop was disposed of to hotels, etc. The 

 average price was 'id. per R). The amount realized from 

 sales was £2.5 9s. Wld. The actual profit accruing was 

 £20 ; a profit at the rate of £280 per acre. 



I sent boxes of tomatos that were grown at Maryfield 

 to London, packed in a fibrous material. Mr. Stockley 

 reported that they were received in ' wonderful' condition. 

 The fruit was packed just when it was beginning to colour. 

 The quality of the fruit, Mr. Withers, an expert on the 

 subject, assured me, was equal to the best grown on the 

 Canary Island.s, whence England is supplied with vast 

 quantities. When I came to this island about five years ago, 

 I represented that there was a great future for tomatos here. 

 All that now remains to be done to add another industry to 

 Jamaica is to grow and export tens of thousands of crates 

 of tomatos. Let it be borne in mind that the vast 

 expansion of steamship traffic with Jamaica plays an 

 important part in our welfare. 



LEMON GRASS. 



The following information in regard to lemon grass 

 {Andropogon citratus), is extracted from an article in 

 the Tropical Agriculturist for November 1905 : — 



The lemon grass is a large, coarse, greyish-green grass 

 cultivated for its fragrant, lemon-scented essential oil. This 

 oil, which is just now very valuable, is of a pale straw colour, 

 with a dry, hot, burning taste and a pungent odour. 



The chief uses to which it has been applied in Europe 

 are in the perfuming of 'honey,' ' vinolia,' and other scented 

 soaps, pomades, and greases ; in the manufacture of perfumes 

 .such as ' Ehine violets'; in the i)reparation of ' Eau de 

 Cologne' and other toilet waters, as well as in the adultera- 

 tion of the 'otto of roses ' and true verbena oil. 



Although the wild grass is still the chief source of 

 manufacture of the oil, the comparatively cleanlier cultivated 

 product, obtained from plantations in Ceylon and other 

 countries, is coming to be utilized for the purpose more and 

 more. 



The requirements of the grass are few and simple. It 

 is indiflFerent to all soils except the most rocky, sandy, or 

 water-logged. It grows equally well in all atmospheres that 

 do not develop conditions favouring the formation of frost or 

 prolonged drought. The most suitable soil, however, is an 

 arenaceous claj', and the best climate that which pre.sents 

 distinct alternations of sunshine and shower. 



Lemon grass admits of free culture from offsets obtained 

 by dividing clumps of the mature grass. The offsets are 

 be.^t when they are planted out 2 inches deep, at distances of 

 2 feet from one another in regular lines 3 feet apart. Under 

 this method an acre would hold as many as 7,260 plants. 



The grass will be ready for cutting, for the first time, in 

 the cold weather of the third year from planting out. Lemon 

 grass dries quickly after cutting and, to secure the best results, 

 it ought to be committed to the still directly it is harvested. 



The yield of oil varies considerably with soil, climate, 

 and general treatment. But, generally speaking, with 

 only two crops in the year, the output per acre would amount 

 to about 5,000 bundles (of 6-inch diameter) capable of 

 yielding at least 100 quarts of oil. As 40 fluid oz. are con- 

 tained in a quart, and an ounce of refined lemon grass oil sells 

 in Europe for at least 6rf., the product of an acre would, at 

 this rate, realize a value of £100. 



