184 



THE AGEICULTUKAL NEWS. 



June 16, 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' should be addressed to the 

 Agents, and not to the Department. 



Local Agents: Messrs. Bowen & Sons, Bridge- 

 town, Barbados. London Agents: Messrs. Dnlau & 

 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 Xeivs: Price If?, per number, 

 post free lirf. Annual subscription paj-able to Agents, 

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



Agricultural fleiuH 



Vol. V. SATURDAY, JUNE 16, 1906. No. 108. 



NOTES AND COMMENTS. 



Contents of Present Issue. 



The Editorial of this issue of the Agricultural 

 iVeit'S deals with the subject of canning pine-apples. 

 Considerable progress has been made in establishing 

 a canning industry in the Bahamas. 



Interesting information in relation to the sugar 

 market in the United States is contained in the papers 

 published on p. 179. 



Troublesome Birds. 



A correspondent has written to the Jamaica 

 Gleaner on the subject of the destruction of eggs and 

 3'oung birds by the magpies and other birds. The 

 same offence is committed by the 'John Crow' and 

 the 'Ting-Ting.' At the same time it is suggested that 

 scorpions and centipedes are liept in check by the 

 magpies and the ' Ting-Ting.' 



It may be of interest to mention that at Grenada, 

 during this season, the black-bird is said to have taken 

 to destroying young birds in their nests on a large 

 scale. This is probably on account of their being hard 

 pressed in consequence of the continued dry weather. 



Brief notes of interest to cotton growers will be 

 found on p. 181. On pp. 182-3 are published 

 two other papers read at the recent conference of 

 cotton growers at Barbados (see Agricultural Ne^vs, 

 Vol. V, pp. 164-7). These relate to the insect and 

 fungoid pests of cotton and the methods for their 

 control. The conference concluded with a vote of thanks 

 to the Imperial Department of Agriculture (p. 1!S3). 



On p. 186 is published the first part of a pamphlet 

 issued by the Colonial Office dealing with yellow fever. 

 It sets forth very clearlj- a number of fiicts in relation 

 to mosquitos and yellow fever that should be known bj' 

 all. With this knowledge the suppression of 3X'llow 

 fever becomes simple and practicable. 



On p. 191 Mr. Jackson's usual monthly report on 

 the London drug and spice market appears. This is 

 followed by a brief summary of recent experiments 

 with a new fertilizer known as ' lime nitrogen,' whicli 

 contains atmospheric nitrogen brought into a state of 

 combination. 



Exports of Barbados. 



The total value of the exports of Barbados during 

 the year 1905 was £696,829, showing an increase of 

 £69,151 over the previous year. This increase was 

 made up as follows: sugar, £11,283: molasses, £33,010; 

 cotton, £7,618; other products, £17,241. 



In the Report on the Customs Department for the 

 year, it is stated: ' The reports of minor products of 

 the colony have increased considerably. In 1903 they 

 were £23,456 ; last year they reached £68,037. The 

 steady development of these industries is, no doubt, due 

 to the work of the Imperial Department of Agriculture.' 



Considerable increases are shown by bananas, 

 cotton, fresh fruit and vegetables, and manjak. 



The exports of the staple products of the colony — 

 sugar, molasses, and rum — were of the value of 

 £646,003, as against £594,144 in the previous year. 



Punjab Goats for the West Indies. 



In May last year, at the request of the Imperial 

 Commissioner of Agriculture, two male Punjab goats 

 were obtained by the Trinidad Government Emigra- 

 tion Agent at Calcutta and shipped for New York 

 en route for Barbados. Unfortunately, both anim.als 

 died on the voyage, one at Port Said and the other at 

 Gibraltar, 



As Indian goats are remarkable for their size and 

 excellent milking properties, it was considered that 

 they would be likely to prove of much value in 

 improving the local breeds of goats in the West Indies. 

 A second attempt to import Punjab goats has accord- 

 ingly been made. 



With the assistance of the Civil Veterinary 

 Department at Lahore, two goats, considerably younger 

 than those shipped last year, were speciall}' selected. 

 These were shipped from Calcutta on March 29 last 

 for New York. They arrived there safely and were 

 re-shipped in S.S, 'Parima' for Barbados, The animals, 

 which are quiet and tractable, were safel}" landed on the 

 4th, instant and will remain at Barbados for the present. 



