Vol. V. No. 106. 



THE AGRICULTUEAL NEWS. 



153 



Rubber Trees and Cacao. 



A good deal of interest is being taken in Grenada, 

 St. Lucia, and Dominica, in the cultivation of rubber 

 trees, and the question has been raised whether it 

 would be advisable to plant rubber amongst established 

 cacao. 



The general view is that when the cacao trees 

 cover the ground and do not require overhanging shade, 

 it would be undesirable to plant rubber trees among 

 them. 



On the other hand, rubber trees may be usefully 

 planted in open spots, or in ravines in the neighbour- 

 hood of cacao fields, so as to give side shade and 

 shelter, but without interfering with the growth and 

 yield of the cacao trees. 



The drawback when rubber trees are planted alone 

 is the long waiting before any crop is reaped, whereas 

 if planted with joung cacao, as is being done at Tobago 

 and elsewhere (see West Indian Bulletin, Vol. VI, 

 pp. 139-49), there is likely to be some return from the 

 cacao in four or five years, while the return from the 

 rubber trees cannot be expected under about seven to 

 nine or even ten years. 



Growing Oranges in the Plains of Jamaica. 



A recent issue of the Jamaica Gazette contains 

 interesting correspondence on the subject of growing 

 oranges in the plains. In the majority of cases in 

 which this cultivation has been attempted in the 

 lowlands, efforts have not proved successful. Dr. H. G. 

 Tillman, who has an orange grove in the plains of 

 Vere, has given the matter very careful attention and 

 has met with the most gratifying success. He has 

 shown that, by scientific cultivation, the pruning of 

 roots and branches, and the intelligent application 

 of irrigation, it is po.ssible so to regulate the early 

 bearing of the trees as to obtain the full advantage of 

 the demand that arises for oranges in the English and 

 American markets in August and September. 



Briefly stated, Dr. Tillman's method is as follows : 

 Early in November all the fruit is picked from the 

 trees. Ploughing in the intervals between the trees is 

 then commenced, three cuts being made on each side. 

 The fine roots are thus subjected to a process of prun- 

 ing. The trees are also cleaned bj' the removal with 

 a pair of scissors of all infested leaves. For six weeks, 

 viz., during November and part of December, no water 

 is allowed near the trees, which consequently enjoy 

 a period of rest. The application of water, about the 

 middle of December, is followed, some three weeks 

 later, by the blossoming of the trees. All blossoms 

 will be picked oft' after the middle of March to save 

 the trees carrying late fruit needlessly. 



Dr. Tillman's account sales show that in August 

 he obtained 15s. to 16s. per box ; in September, 14s. to 

 14s. 3J. : in October, lis. to 12s. ; and in November, 

 10s. to lis. In December the fruit realized only 8s. to 

 9s. per box. As it costs 6s. to place a box of oranges 

 on the market, it will be seen that good profits can be 

 obtained by the production of early fruit. 



The Fertility of Tropical Soils. 



The Grenada Chronicle of April 21 contains an 

 article taken from Fitzgerrell's Guide to Tropical 

 Mexico entitled 'Why Tropical Soils are Fertile.' 



The writer points out that ordinary soil analysis 

 fails to account for the extraoi-dinary fertility of 

 tropical soils in that it is unable to give any idea of 

 the condition of the soil as to bActerial life. It is now 

 generally recognized that bacTPi'ia are largely responsi- 

 ble for the chemical changes that take jolace in the 

 soil. 



Difference in climate is vaguelj' assigned as the- 

 reason for the greater fertility of the tropical soils as 

 compared with the soils in colder climates. The fact 

 is that in the former soil bacteria (especially those 

 responsible for nitrification) are much more active. 



' Cultivation and methods, that in the north would 

 quickly exhaust the best of soils, here in the tropics 

 have but little bad effect for a'generation.' 



Fruit-canning Industry. 



The question is frequently asked: Why do the 

 West Indies not establish A fruit-canning industry ? 

 So far, no practical results have followed the suggestions 

 that have been put forwardecl wath this object. In an 

 article in a recent issue of the Demerara Argosy the 

 possibilities of the industry are discussed, and the 

 above question is fully replied to so far as British 

 Guiana is concerned. 



The views of those who have given the subject 

 some thought, which were elicited by a representative 

 of the journal, are to the effect that under existing 

 circumstances a canning factory could not be run as 

 a profitable enterprise for several reasons. The first 

 of these is that fruit is not cultivated in British Guiana 

 in commercial quantities. 



The next point is that the fruit of the colony is not 

 of sufficientl}' good quality. It was once described by 

 a visitor as ' all wild.' Little or no attempt is made to 

 select and sow the best varieties. For example, there 

 is only a very limited supply of really good mangos : 

 the common kinds are ' stringy ' and of bad flavour and 

 quite unsuitable for this purpose. The only fruits in 

 the colony that would be likely to lend themselves to 

 preserving are pine-apples and guavas. In the case of 

 the former, ' local growers would have to win a place 

 for themselves in competition with the owners of tropi- 

 cal farms in Florida, Australia, the Straits Settlements, 

 and elsewhere.' And in regard to guavas it is stated : 

 ' Guavas are simply growing wild, and there is no 

 systematic cultivation of the right kinds, of which 

 there are a great many, some more suitable for canning 

 than others.' 



The opinion is also expressed that the absence of 

 a reliable labour supply would also operate against 

 the success of a fruit-canning enterprise. Before the 

 suggestions could receive serious consideration it would 

 have to be shown how these difficulties could be met, 

 and that planters and peasants were willing and able 

 to produce an adequate supply of fruit of good quality. 



