98 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



March 31, 1906. 



seed selection that are likely to jirove of great value to 

 the industry. These e.xperinients are intended to 

 cover the careful selection of seed, on field results, for 

 immediate planting, as well as the systematic selection 

 of improved seed from individual plants, as described 

 in the A<jricidttiiul Xeii's (Vol. V, p. :iS), for future 

 years. 



It has been abundantly proved by general experi- 

 ence both in the Sea Islands and in the West Indies, 

 that it is impossible to obtain first-class cotton from 

 inferior seed, In Egypt, also, the importance of select- 

 ing good seed is fully recognized. Mr. Foaden states: — 

 ' Of all plants, cotton I'espoiids the most liberally, as 

 far as both yield and rjuality are concerned, to careful 

 ti'catment, and the sowing of good seed is the very 

 first essential to the production of good stapled cotton. 

 However carefully our land may be prepared and 

 manured, the production of superior cotton from inferior 

 and mi.Ked seed is an impossibility.' Further, there is 

 the opinion of the British Cotton-growing Association, 

 as follows : ' The bulk of the cotton from the West 

 Indies is turning out very well, but you must impress 

 on all the growers the necessity for very carefid 

 selection of seed, and extreme care in cultivation and 

 handling, for unless Sea Island cotton is quite right in 

 all respects, it suffers severely in price.' 



As announced in the columns of the Aijricidfaral 

 Neics (Vol. V, p. SO), the Imperial Department of 

 Agriculture is prepared to supply specially selected 

 and disinfected cotton seed for planting during the 

 months of May to August next, and to deliver the seed 

 at any port in the West Indies at the rate of five cents 

 (2icZ.) per lb. Applications for such seed will be received 

 by the principal agricultural officers in each island, as 

 follows : For Antigua and Montserrat, by the Hon. 

 Francis Watts, C.M.G. : for St. Kitt's, Xevis, and 

 Anguilla, by Mr. F. R. Shepherd : for Barbados, by 

 Mr. J. R. Bovell, F.L.S.. F.C.S. : for St. Vincent, by 

 Mr. W. N. Sands. Applications from Jamaica, British 

 Ouiana, Trinidad, and other colonies not mentioned 

 above, ma}'^ be forwarded direct to the Imperial Com- 

 missioner of Agriculture, Head Office, Barbados. All 

 applications will be dealt with in the order in which 

 they are received. 



In order to prevent disappointment in regard to 

 the germinating qualities of the seed, it is recommended 

 that immediately on its arrival it be turned out of the 

 bags or barrels, in which it is packed, and spread out 

 on a dry fioor in order that any excess of moisture may 

 be removed. After the lapse of a day or two, the seed 

 may be replaced in the bags or barrels, and kept until 

 it is planted. 



It is also recommended that about 100 seeds, 

 taken from the bulk, be sown in soil, or placed between 

 folds of damp cloth, as described in the Agricultural 

 News (\'ol. II, p. 15;^), in order to tost its germinating 

 power. In the event of doubt arising as to the 

 condition of any selected cotton seed received from the 

 Imperial Department of Agriculture, a sample of not 

 less than 100 seeds should be forwarded within 

 seven days from the date of the arrival of the seed, to 

 the agricultural officer through whom it was ordered, 

 in order that it may be carefully tested. It should 

 be borne in mind that the best results are likely to be 

 obtained when the selected cotton seed is sown within 

 a period of one month after it has been received. 



LIME JUICE AND 



The following extract 



IN DOMINICA. 



a letter of Messrs. 



OIL 



Irum 

 Harvey, Lockie & Co., l(j, ilincing Lane, London, E.C., 

 to the Curator of the Botanic Station, Dominica, with 

 regard to the trade in concentrated lime juice, should 

 be of interest. The table following shows the amounts 

 and value of the exports of concentrated and raw lime 

 juice and lime oil for the four years 1902-.5 inclusive : — 

 AVe are glad to note that the exports of concentrated 

 lime juice are increasing, and liope that, during this year, 

 the increase will be even greater, as the prices both in 

 England and America will be considerably higher even than 

 last year, so that there will alway.s be a ready market for 

 AVest Indian lime juice. It is very important that shipments 

 of concentrated juice be made (earliest possible, so as to come 

 in before the new crop in Sicily, which begins to arrive in 

 London in Decendjer. The production of concentrated juice 

 in Dominica is equal to 1,700 Sicilian pipes of 108 gallons, 

 of 642 citric acid per gallon. The Sicilian crop is 15,000 

 to 20,000 pipes, so there is room for a much larger supply 

 from Dominica. 



APPOINTMENT VACANT. 



The post of Agricultural Instructor, under the Imperial 

 Department of x\griculture, is vacant at Dominica. Candi- 

 dates should be not more than thirty years of age, active, 

 accustomed to ride, and with good experience in practical 

 agriculture, especially cacao planting. Salary £130 per 

 annum, quarters free, with £20 for horse allowance, and 

 a small personal allowance when travelling on duty. Applica- 

 tions, with full iiarticulars as to age and experience, to be 

 addressed to — 



The Imperial Commissioner of Agriculture, Head Otiice, 

 Barbados, 



