104 



THE AGllICULTURAL NEWS. 



March 31, 1906. 



EDITORIAL NOTICES. 



Letters and matter for publication, as well 

 as all specimens for naming, should be addressed 

 to the Commissioner, Imperial Department of 

 Agriculture, Barbados. 



All applications for copies of the 'Agri- 

 cultural News' sliould be addressed to the 

 Agents, and not to the Department. 



Local Agents: Messrs. Bowen & Sons, Bridge- 

 town, Barbados. LovrJon Agents: Messrs. Diilaii & 

 Co., 37, Soho Square, W., and The West India Com- 

 mittee, 15, Seething Lane, E.C. A complete list of 

 Agents will be found on page 3 of the cover. 



The Agricultural Neivs : Price Irf. per number, 

 post free Ihd. Annual subscription payable to Agents, 

 2.S. 2d. Post fi-ee, Ss. M. 



^griculturiil |leiufi 



Vol. V. SATURDAY, MARCH 31, lOOO. No. 103. 



NOTES AND COMMENTS. 



Contents of Present Issue. 



The editorial in this issue deals with the selection 

 of cotton seed for planting purposes with the view of 

 improving the rpiantity and quality of the lint. 



A note appears on p. 99 comparing seedling canes 

 with Bourbon and with mixed varieties, and showing 

 the average superiority of the seedlings for the past 

 five years. 



The cotton notes on pp. 102-3 give some interesting 

 facts with regard to cotton, including a brief article on 

 anthracnose, and a note on the relative values of cotton 

 seed meal and crushed cotton seed as a manure for 

 cotton. 



The information with regard to grading seed- 

 cotton on p. 103 .should be read carefully by all cotton 

 growers, and by all jiurchasers of seed-cotton from small 

 growers. 



The insect notes on p. 106 include an account of 

 two cotton pests from Egypt, and a description of an 

 insect that has recently appeared as a household pest 

 in Barbados, and is known to occur in other West 

 Indian Islands. 



On p. 107 will be found an interesting review of 

 the agricultural industries at St. Kitt's dealing with 

 the present condition 

 island. 



sugar and cotton in that 



An interesting review of the reports of the Super- 

 intendent of Agriculture in Fiji appears on p. 110, and 

 on the same page information is given as to the rearing 

 of geese, which should be of interest to the readers of 

 the Agricvltaral News. 



On p. Ill an account is given of a recent meeting 

 of the St. Vincent Agricultural Society, when the 

 Imperial Commissioner of Agriculture reviewed the 

 condition of the Agricultural Industries of that island 

 and spoke of the needs and prospects for the future. 

 ^^^♦-^ 



Dominica Rubber. 



The following is extracted from the report of 

 Messrs. Hecht, Levis & Kahn, rubber brokers, London, 

 on two samples of Castilloa rubber from Dominica, 

 forwarded to them by the Imperial Commissioner of 

 Agriculture : — 



' It would appear that sample "A " is described as 

 a useful rubber and well cured, and is valued at about 

 5s. 7cZ. to 5.S. 9'7. peril). Sample " B " is also classed as 

 good, but is described as imperfectly cured, and worth 

 2</.. per lb. le.ss than sample " A." ' 



The Imperial Commissioner regards the report on 

 the samples of Castilloa rubber as especially favourable, 

 and in view of the equally satisfactory reports received 

 on previous occasions, there can be no doubt that rubber 

 of the highest quality can be produced in Dominica. 



Tropical Fruits in England. 



A recent number of the Forf-of-S/iain Gazette 

 mentions some of the tropical fruits that have grown 

 in favour in the English market during tlie past few 

 years. 



Most of these are known to residents in the West 

 Indies as, for instance, the avocado pear, the granadillo, 

 the custard apple, guavas, grape fruit, mandarin 

 oranges, and the mango. 



One, which is rare and probably not well known, is 

 Mo'Vstern deliciosa. Mention was made of this fruit 

 in the Agricidfural A^eivs (Vol. IV, p. 359), where it is 

 stated that this plant is a native of Mexico, and belongs 

 to the Natural Order Aroideae, to which belong also 

 the tanniers. 



The succulent fruits are edible, and have a delicate 

 flavoui' somewhat resembling that of tlie pine-apple. 



I'^ruiting plants of Munsiera deliciosa may be 

 seen at many of the Botanic Gardens in the West 

 Indies. 



The Improvement of Cotton. 



'J'lie production of tine cotton in the West Indies 

 is an industry that bids fair to be permanent so long, 

 at least, as the sugar industry is in its present critical 

 condition. West Indian Sea Island cotton has met 

 with an extremely favourable reception in the English 

 market, and has made a place for itself, fetching top 

 prices. This place can be maintained only by the 

 utmost vigilance on the part of the producers. They 

 must use the best seed, give the best of attention to 

 the growing crop, and must exert the best of judge- 

 ment in grading the product. Much has ;ippeared in 

 the Agricultural News on this subject, which should 

 aid the growers in attending to the details of cotton 

 culture in such a w^ay as to enable them to maintain 

 the present excellence of the West Indian product. 



