146 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



May 12, 1906. 



of steamers, is considerable, but there is abundant room 

 for expansion, especially in regard to shipments of sugar, 

 molasses, cocoa-nuts, cacao, coffee, spices, fresh fruits, 

 and other tropical produce. 



It is pointed out that the exhibits proposed to be 

 sent to the Canadian exhibitions from these colonies 

 are to be bona fide commercial samples and not curios 

 and fancy articles. The general opinion of those 

 conversant with the subject is that it would be to the 

 advantage of the West Indies to avail themselves as 

 fully as possible of the generous offer made by Messrs. 

 Pickford & Black, in order to place these colonies in 

 a prominent position at both the exhibitions above 

 referred to. 



It is understood that active steps are being taken 

 by the several Governments, in association with the 

 Agricultural Societies, with the view of selecting and 

 forwarding exhibits for the Canadian exhibitions. 

 Committees have been appointed, and moderate sums 

 have been provided to defray the necessary expenses. It 

 is estimated that a contribution ranging from £10 to 

 £20, according to the number and character of the 

 exhibits, will be required from each island to defray 

 the cost of erecting booths or stalls, and arranging the 

 exhibits at Toronto and Halifex. The balance of the 

 amount voted would be available locally in providing 

 bottles, boxes, and labels, and in meeting the cost of 

 packing, etc. 



For the information and guidance of those 

 entrusted with the work of collecting and packing the 

 exhibits, it may be mentioned that for the Toronto 

 exhibition (August 25 to September 8) it would be 

 desirable that all cured and dried goods (and such 

 decorative material as bamboo stems, dried leaves of 

 the cocoa-nut palm, bunches of cocoa-nuts, dried sugar- 

 cane leaves, ornamental grasses, etc.) should be shipped, 

 if possible, by the steamer due to leave Demerara on 

 June 30, touching at the various islands up to July 16, 

 and arriving at Halifax on July 24 ; or by S.S. ' Oruro ' 

 due to leave Demerara on July 18, and touching at the 

 various islands up to July 30. The 'Oruro' would 

 arrive at Halifax on August 7. A later opportunity 

 for shipping fresh fruit and other perishable com- 

 modities would be offered by S.S. 'Orinoco,' due to 

 leave Demerara on July 28, and touching at the various 

 islands up to August 13. This ship would arrive at 

 Halifax on August 21, that is, four days before the 

 exhibition would open at Toronto. 



In the case of the Dominion exhibition to be held 

 at Halifax (September 22 to October 15), a convenient 



opportunity for shipping fresh fruit and perishable 

 produce would be offered by the Canadian steamer 

 due to leave Demerara on August 22, and touching at 

 the several islands up to September 10. This ship 

 would arrive at Halifax on September 18, that is, four 

 days before the opening of the exhibition in that city. 



It may be added that it is proposed to publish 

 a general Handbook of the West Indies for distribu- 

 tion at these exhibitions, and an effort will be made to 

 arrange for the presence of an Agent or Officer of the 

 Imperial Department of Agriculture to attend at 

 Toronto and Halifax in order to afford information in 

 regard to the exhibits and generally assist in making 

 known the resources of the West Indies and the 

 favourable conditions now existing for the mutual 

 exchange of commodities between the two chief groups 

 of British dependencies in the New World. 



SUGAR INDUSTRY. 



Sugar-cane Cultivation in Cuba. 



The Experiment Station Record has the following 

 review of a bulletin of the Department of Agriculture 

 of Cuba on the sugar-cane, prepared by Mr. F. S. Earle, 

 Director : — 



Tills bulletin is a general treatise on sugar-cane culture 

 in Cuba, describing the various cane soils of the island ; 

 outlining different systems of growing the crop, and reporting 

 the results of several culture and fertilizer tests. 



In the prevailing system of culture the cane is planted 

 in hills about 3 feet apart, with a distance of 4 '5 to 5 feet 

 between the rows. The soil is prepared and cultivated the 

 first season, but no further tillage is given. The Zayas 

 system requires wider planting, usually 9 by 12 feet, and 

 giving continued cultivation throughout the year with 

 modern implements. Under this system barnyard manure 

 is used, but no commercial fertilizers are applied, and in 

 harvesting, all canes not sufficiently matured for cutting are 

 allowed to remain for later ripening. 



At the station the Zayas system failed to produce 

 a maximum first crop as compared with the common system, 

 and the cost of production was greater. The saving of 

 immature canes was also unsatisfactory. It was further found 

 that the cane grown by the common system ripened earlier, 

 and during November averaged about 1 per cent, more of 

 sucrose than the cane grown by the Zayas system. By the 

 middle of December the two lots were practically identical ; 

 by the end of February the Zayas cane contained 1 '4 per cent, 

 more sucrose. 



Results obtained by cane growers at other points also 

 show that the Zayas system does not always give as good 

 yields the first year as the common system. Some consider 

 this due to injury to the roots caused by the continued 

 cultivation. In one test the cost of soil preparation, 

 planting, and cultivation, according to this system, amounted 

 to $.527-86 per cabellen'a (about 33 J acres). Cane grown on 

 red land was slightly better in quality than a crop from black 

 land. 



