56 



THE AGmCULTURAL NEWS. 



February 17, 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 Neivs' should be addressed to the 

 Agents, and not to the Department. 



Local Agents: Messrs. Bowen & Sons, Bridge- 

 town, Barbados. London 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 N'ews : Price 1(Z. per number, 

 post free lid. Annual subscription payable to Agents, 

 2s. 2d. Post free, 3s. Sd. 



glgriciiltural |]inu!i 



Vol. V. SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 190(5. No. 100. 



NOTES AND COMMENTS. 



Contents of Present Issue. 



The editorial in this issue deals with the report 

 of the Antigua central sugar factory. 



The West Indian fruit notes include a report on 

 experiments with bananas in St. Lucia, and a brief 

 account of the Colonial Fruit Show. 



The cotton notes in this number should be of 

 especial interest to cotton growers. The short account 

 given of the damage lilvely to be done to cotton in the 

 ginning process ought to be useful, and should help to 

 remedy any defects in this line. 



The insect notes on p. 5S give an account of the 

 interesting ground pearls, and also of a peculiar bug 

 from cotton in Nevis. 



The Agricultural Show held at Nevis recently, 

 would seem to have been ver}^ successful from the 

 report that appears on p. 53. It will be noted that 

 the qualit}' of the exhibits was good, and that a large 

 number of visitors from outside the island were present. 



On p. Ii2 will be found an interesting article on 

 rubber tapping in Ceylon. 



On the same page will be found a note on onion 

 cultivation, which indicates that in New Mexico, sowing 

 the seed in beds and transplanting to tlie field is more 

 profitable than sowing the seed in the field. The 

 transplanting method is the one most commonly in use 

 in the West Indies at the present time. 



The Agricultural News. 



The attention of the readers of the Agricultural 

 News is called to the fact that this issue is No. 100, 

 and ma}' therefore be considered to mark an epoi^h in 

 the life of this journal. 



The first number of the Agricultural Neivs was 

 published on April 25, 1902, and in the opening 

 sentence of its editorial, the purpose of its being was 

 stated to be the supplying, in a popular form, of 

 infurmation of an agricultural character suited to 

 the requirements of the West Indies. That the 

 Agricultural iVcu's has been true to its first purpose, 

 cannot be doubted ; that it is popular is amply proved 

 by its ever-increasing circulation. 

 ■ I ^ 



The Manuring of Cotton. 



It is interesting to note that a well manured 

 cotton field in St. Kitt's is giving a verj' large yield. 

 The number of bolls on the ijlants is from 180 to 240, 

 ^\ith an average of about 200. Wide planting was 

 adopted, the plants being 5 feet by 4 feet apart. 



In Barbados, a well manured field is giving very 

 different results. Although the plants are large, there 

 is an average of only forty-one bolls on each. Planting 

 in this instance was very close, being 5 feet b}' 20 inches, 

 and two plants to the hole. Probably the exclusion of 

 light and air from the lower parts of the plants, due 

 to close planting, has, in this instance, been responsible 

 for the falling off of a large number of bolls. 



Notes on West Indian Industries. 



An interesting review of the agricultural industries 

 in the West Indies is given by Mr. L. Lewton-Brain, 

 B.A., F.L.S., (formerly Mycologist and Agricultural 

 Lecturer on the stail" of the Imperial Dejjartment 

 of Agriculture) in the Hawaiian Forester and Agri- 

 culturist for December 1905. 



Starting with the formation of the Imperial 

 Department of Agriculture in 1S98, on the recom- 

 mendation of the Royal Commission of 1897, he traces 

 the work that has been done in aiding the sugar 

 industry by the introduction and raising of new 

 varieties of sugar-cane, in theencouragement of existing 

 sub-sidiary industries, and in the introduction of others. 



Particular attention is drawn to the development 

 of the fruit inchistry, especially to the growth of the 

 banana industry of Barbados. 



An interesting account is given of the growth of 

 the cotton industry. It is traced from the first 

 ]3reliminary experiments, which showed that cotton 

 could be made a paying crop in the West Indies. 

 The visit of the Hon. Sir Daniel ilorris, K.C.5I.G., and 

 ]\Ir. J. R. Bovell, F.L.S., F.C.S., to the Sea Island cotton 

 region of the United States of America, to make 

 a special study of the methods of cultivation and 

 manufacture in vogue there, is also dealt with. The 

 knowledge thus gained proved of great value to those 

 embarking on a strange culture, and has greatly 

 assisted in 23lacing the cotton industry in the impor- 

 tant position it now holds in the West Indies. 



Mention is also made of several minor industries 

 such as arrowroot, cocoa-nuts, rice, and tobacco. 



