140 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



Apetl 2.8, 1906. 



GLEANINGS. 



' Yesterday,' says the Fortof-Sjxdn Gazette for April 

 7, ' for the third year in succession the prize for the best 

 school exhibit of horticultural specimens generally was 

 awarded to ]\[r. Baird of the Carenase School' 



The Louh'wna Planter has elicited the information that 

 300,0(10,000 It), of peanuts are grown annually in the United 

 States, 3.5,000 acres of land being devoted to the crop, and 

 170,000 persons employed in jiroducing it. (West India 

 Coi/tiiiittee Circular, April 4, I'.iOG.) 



The India Ruhher World, in its issue of March 1, 1906, 

 states, with regard to the rubber industry : ' The least 

 of all things to be feared is the })Ossil)ility of over-production 

 of rubber — at least during the life time of those who are 

 now activelv interested in this field.' 



The following is an extract from a letter dated April 4, 

 1906, from the Secretary of the West India Committee 

 to the Imperial Commissioner of Agriculture : ' I have this 

 morning received the awards for the Liverpool exhibition, 

 and am pleased to say that Grenada has received a gold 

 medal for the comprehensive agricultural exhibits, and 

 Mr. J. Cox Fillan, one for limes.' 



Some fine specimens of seedling cane B. 208 have been 

 recently received by the Imperial Department of Agriculture 

 from the Cul-de-Sac estate, St. Lucia, forwarded by the 

 Hon. E. G. Bennett. The largest cane measured 1 1 feet 

 5 inches in length and weighed a little over 1 1 lb. All the 

 •canes were clean and healthy, indicating that the conditions 

 under which they had grown were entirely favourable. 



A Eoyal Decree has been published in Portugal, the 

 object of which Ls to promote the cultivation of cotton in 

 Portuguese colonial possessions. Concessions of land on 

 certain conditions will be granted, and cotton will be 

 exempted from export duty in the Portuguese Colonies, 

 and import diity in Portugal. The Government also is 

 authorized to establish experimental stations for cotton 

 cultivation. ( West India Cuvunittee Circidar, April 4, 1906.) 



In the Aijjicaltural Journal of t]ie Cape of Good Hope 

 for March 1906, a correspondent suggests that bats, instead 

 of being exterminated, should be encouraged as much as 

 possible. They are one of the agriculturists' wannest 

 friends ; for, given a liberal supply of bats, the various 

 insect jiests that attack growing crops and fruits, etc., 

 will be found to give little trouble. Birds are both friends 

 -ind foes to the agriculturist, bats are always friends. 



The following is taken from a recent letter to the 

 Imperial Commissioner of Agriculture from the Government 

 Botanist, British Guiana : 'In reply to your enquiry as to the 

 results obtained with Egyptian and Sea Island cotton in 

 British Guiana, I regret to state that, on the whole, the 

 growth of Egyptian cotton here is only a little more satis- 

 factory than that of Sea Island : but that on soils where both 

 do fairly well the Sea Island usually does the better.' 



]\lr. .J. llussell Murray's monthly report for March has 

 the following in regard to permanent exhibits : ' The 

 permanent exhibit of the Agricultural Society, Trinidad, was 

 completed and placed in the hall of the Board of Trade, 

 Montreal, in a very handsome oak and plate glass cabniet. 

 These exhibits of Trinidad products are confined to 

 non-iierishable jiroduce — asphalts, manjak, sugars, cacao, 

 copra, bitters, etc. — and have attracted very considerable 

 attention.' 



The Cotton Trade Journal for ilarch 24 last says, 

 ' With the somewhat better prices for Sea Island cotton the 

 fear is expressed that the resolutions to decrea.se the acreage 

 may at the last be modified. It is a settled fact, proved by 

 the experience of the past, that good prices for cotton 

 stimulates an increase in acreage more than any other 

 influence. For this reason those most interested in the Sea 

 Island cotton acreage for the new croi> are anxiously 

 anticipating the extent of planting.' 



There is a big demand for yams just now for export to 

 Colon. As there will be a larger number of West Indian 

 labourers engaged there for the next five to ten years than 

 at present, there will be a greater demand during ■ the 

 following years. Therefore, people favourably situated, should 

 plant as largely of white yam as possible. Yellow yams and 

 negro yams do not keep well, and though they may be 

 prepared so that they may last a month, the} are not favoured 

 by exporters of yams. {Journal of tJte Jamaica Ayricultuial 

 Society, March 1906.) 



A very u.seful and ornamental plant which should be 

 grown more is the sunflower. It serves a quadruple purpose. 

 It bears a magnificent ornamental blossom, which bees go to 

 for nectar and pollen ; the seeds are excellent for feeding 

 caged birds, and are good for fattening fowls for table ; and 

 the fourth purpose is that it serves as a trap (as was dis- 

 covered by the late Dr. Neish) for fiddler beetles. Sunflowers 

 seem to have a special attraction for these beetles, and they can 

 be picked from them easily in clusters, and killed. Wherever 

 there are orange trees, therefore, sunflowers can be set through 

 them or near them to attract the fiddler beetles. (Journal of 

 the Jamaica A(jricuttural Society, March 1906.) 



It is gratifying to learn that the rare and handsome 

 indigenous St. Vincent parrot (Amazona Guildintji) is still 

 existing. This parrot is peculiar to St. Vincent, and is wholly 

 ditt'erent from all others occurring in the West Indies ; hence 

 its externiination (as stated in the West Indian Bulletin, 

 Vol. V, p. 81) 'would mean not only the loss of a valuable 

 game bird to St. Vincent, but it would deprive the West 

 Indies of one of their greatest curiosities, and America of one 

 of its finest birds.' It is hoped that in the St. Vincent 

 Ordinance for the protection of certain birds and fishes 

 (No. 11 of 1901), this parrot will soon be placed in the First 

 Schedule, and so be protected all the year round, instead of 

 as, at present, for the period from March 1 to July 31 of each 

 year. 



