THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



June 2, 1906. 



EDITORIAL NOTICES. 



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 as all specimens for naming, should be a^ddressed 

 to the Commissioner, Imperial Department of 

 Agriculture, Barbados. 



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 cultural News' should be addressed to the 

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Local Agents: Messrs. Bowen & Sons, Bridge- 

 town, Barbados. London Agents: Messrs. Dniau & 

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^griniltiiral lleiufi 



Vol. V. 



SATURDAY, .JUNE 2, 1906. 



No. 107. 



NOTES AND COMMENTS. 



Contents of Present Issue. 



The prospects of establishing rubber plantations 

 in the West Indies are discussed in the editorial in this 

 Special reference is made to the possibility of 



issue. 



using the Central American rubber tree (Castilloa 

 elastica) as a shade tree for cacao. 



An interesting account is given on pp. 162-3 of 

 experiments carried on in Cuba with the view of 

 raising seedling sugar-canes. Over 600 seedlings were 

 raised this year — nearly all the result of hand fertiliza- 

 tion. 



Considerable space is devoted in this issue to the 

 report of the Conference of Cotton Growers recently 

 held at Barbados. The papers read by the Hon. Sir 

 Daniel Morris and Mr. J. R. Bovell appear on pp. 164-7. 

 Sir Daniel Morris dealt with the pros])ects and require- 

 ments of the industry, while Mr. Bovell di.scussed 

 various important points in connexion with the cultiva- 

 tion of cotton. 



Agricultural News. 



Pioaders of the Agricultural News will observe 

 that, owing to further changes in the sailings of the 

 Koyal Mail Steam Packet Companj-'s steamers, it has 

 become necessary once more to alter the date of issue of 

 this fortnightly publication. The Agricultural News 

 will be dated the Saturday preceding the departure of 

 the homeward steamer from Barbados, but will be 

 issued in time to be despatched h\ the outward mail on 

 the previous Tuesday. This issue is therefore dated 

 June 2 instead of May 26. 



On pp^ 170-3 will be found a valuable paper by 

 Professor J. P. d'Albuquerque on the Use of Cotton 

 Seed and Cotton-cake-meal as a Feeding Stuff' on West 

 Indian Plantations. With the increasing production of 

 cotton seed in the West Indies it is desirable that 

 planters should be informed as to the most economical 

 uses to which this product should be devoted. 



Further information regarding the packing and 

 shipping of exhibits for the Canadian Exhibitions is 

 published on p. 175 for the bentfit of the various 

 committees having charge of the arrangements. 



Permanent Exhibition Committees. 



Upon the suggestion of the Imperial Commissioner 

 of Agriculture, the Agricultural and Commercial 

 Society of St. Vincent has elected a Permanent 

 Exhibition Committee. The following gentlemen were 

 appointed: — His Honour the Administrator (Chairman), 

 the Hons. Conrad J. Simmons and J. G. W. Hazell, 

 jMessr.s. P. F. Huggins and W. C. Proudfoot, with 

 Mr. W. N. Sands (Agricultural Superintendent) as 

 Secretar}'. 



A similar Committee has been appointed b}- the 

 Agricultural Society of Dominica to be composed of the 

 following ;— Dr. H. A. Alford Xicholls, C.M.G., (Chair- 

 man), Messrs. A. C. Shillingford, A. E. Agar, Geoffrey 

 Downing, A. J. Brooks, and Joseph Jones (Secretary). 



Pamphlet No. 42. 



A summary of the results of the manurial experi- 

 ments with the sugar-cane, carried on, under the 

 direction of the Imperial Department of Agriculture, 

 in the Leeward Islands during the year 1904-.5, has 

 been issued as No. 42 of the Pamphlet Series. 



The general results, which are clearly set forth in 

 the tables and also in diagrammatic form, are in close 

 agreerpent with those obtained in previous years. 



These experiments having been carried on for five 

 years, in the ca-se of plant canes, and for four years 

 with ratoons, it is now possible to report definite and 

 conclusive results. Thus the experiments have clearly 

 demonstrated that no monetary gains are to be obtained 

 b}" the use of artificial manures for plant canes. All 

 that is necessary is that a large quantity of good pen 

 manure should be applied to the land. Planters are 

 therefore advised to discontinue the use of artificial 

 manures for plant canes and not to waste money by 

 misdirected efforts in their use. 



On the other hand, the results have clearly shown 

 that maximum crops of ratoons can be obtained only by 

 the use of artificial manures. Rapidly acting forms of 

 nitrogen, such as sulphate of ammonia and nitrate of 

 soda, without phosphate and potash, have been proved 

 to give remunerative returns. 



It is also desired to draw the attention of planters 

 in Antigua to the appendix to this pamphlet in 

 which it is advised that large tracts of stiff heavy land, 

 now difficult to work, may be much improved by the 

 use of marl. 



