136 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



April 28, 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. Diilau & 

 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 Neivs: Price Irf. per number, 

 post free \hl. Annual subscription payable to Agents, 

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



Sliiriciiltiinil |]inu!i 



Vol. V. SATURDAY, APRIL 28, 1906. No. 10.5. 



NOTES AND COMMENTS. 



Contents of Present Issue. 



The editorial in the present number discusses the 

 question of insurance against loss from the effects of 

 hurricanes. There can be no doubt that it would be 

 of great benefit to owners of properties, cultivations, 

 and cropt: in the West Indies to have such a class 

 of insurance in operation. Although some objections 

 to the present scheme have been brought forward, 

 the whole matter is still under consideration and will, 

 it is hoped, be so modified as to be thoroughly 

 acceptable both to the underwriters and the assured. 



The notes on the sugar industry on p. 131 include 

 an extract on the history of the sugar industry : an 

 estimate on the Mexican crop for the present, and 

 a brief article on ' Mutual Control ' in sugar making. 

 This outlines a control system which works well in 

 Java, and might prove very useful in the West Indies. 



The insect notes in this issue comprise a number 

 of short accounts of insects. The most unusual occur- 

 rence is recorded on p. 138 in the case of white ants 

 attacking sugar-canes. 



On p. 139 will be found a narrative of how 

 a correspondent got rid of mosquitos about his 

 residence. The method adopted and the uniformly 

 satisfactory results obtained, are related in an interest- 

 ing manner. 



A report on a sample of tobacco from British 

 Honduras appears on p. 141. The tobacco was grown 

 by the Indians, and cured at the Botanic Station. 

 On the same page is a brief report on a sample of 

 cacao from Tortola. 



Cassava Cuttings. 



The Curator of the Botanic Station, Montserrat, in 

 a letter to the Imperial Commissioner of Agriculture, 

 states that there are a fair number of cuttings of the 

 Columbian varieties of cassava available for distribution, 

 which he would be glad to forward to other islands, on 

 receipt of requests from the Botanic Stations. The 

 varieties are: Xegrita, Xo.s. 11, 12, 15, and 17: Helada, 

 No. 5 : Paloma; Pacho, Nos. 17, and 13; and Blancita. 



Orders for any of these cuttings should be 

 forwarded through the officers of the Imperial Depart- 

 ment of Agriculture in the several islands. 

 ^ 



British Honduras. 



We regret to learn that since the removal from 

 British Honduras, of the Hon. Philip Cork, C.M.G., the 

 Agricultural and Commercial Society started by him 

 is in a moribund condition, owing to the fact that no 

 practical intere.st is being taken in agricultural matters 

 in ami around Belize. 



At a recent meeting, the Secretary reported that 

 during 1905 no meeting had been held since January 13 

 of that year,arid the issue of the journal had been stopped. 



The true agricultural life of the colony is to be 

 found outside of Belize, and especially on the rich 

 lands bordering the southern rivers. Tlinving industries 

 are possible there in connexion with the cultivation of 

 cacao, cocoa-nuts, bananas, and lubber. We must 

 evidently look in that direction for whatever lievelop- 

 ment is to take place in agricultural matters in British 

 Honduras. 



A good class of r(.itton might be produced in the 

 northern districts, provided one or two energetic people 

 Would make a beginning on right lines. 



A Blazing Beach. 



An interesting article appeared in Science X.S., 

 Vol. XXII.. No. 572, for December 15, 1905, in which 

 Dr. D. P. Penhallow, of McGill University, Montreal, 

 explains the wonderful phenomenon of a sea-beach on 

 tire. Between 7 and 8 o'clock on the evening of 

 Sejitember 1, 1905, flames appeared rising from' the 

 beach at Kittery Point, Maine. The flames were about 

 1 foot in height, and were accompanied by a loud, 

 crackling noise that could be distinctly heard 100 yards 

 away. At the same time, very strong sulphurous acid 

 fumes were liberated. The sand of the beach at this 

 point was too hot to be held in the hand, and when it 

 was stirred in water, bubbles of gas were liberated, 

 which broke into flame as they came into contact with 

 the air at the surface of the water. 



This extraordinary occurrence is explained as 

 being a spontaneous combustion of marsh gas. generated 

 by decomposing vegetable matter a short distance 

 beneath the surface of the sand. It is directly com- 

 parable with the ' w-ill-o-the wisp,' the • corp.se candle,' 

 etc., so common to English folk-lore. The following 

 sentence is quoted from the conclusion of the article: 

 ' It would seem that the possibility of such combustion 

 on a large scale offers a most reasonable explanation of 

 many forest fires, the origin of which it has hitherto 

 been impossible to account for in a satisfactory manner.' 



