ToL. V. No. 105. 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



141 



SEEDLING CANES AND M AN U RIAL EXPERI- 

 MENTS AT BARBADOS, lOO-i-5. Piice M. 



This, the fortieth number of the pamphlet series issued 

 l)y the Iini)erial Department of Agriculture for the West 

 Indies, contains a summary of part of the experiment work 

 Tvith sugar-canes which has been carried on during the past 

 season at Barbados. 



The varieties of cane reported ui>or. in this panqihlet 

 wore grown uiion fifteen estates situated in typical localities 

 in the island, twelve of the plots being on black soils, and 

 three on red soils. Owing to a long and severe drought, the 

 canes suffered to a considerable extent from the root disease, 

 many of the experimental plots being attacked. Cane V>. 208 

 is stated to have given good results again, especially when 

 grown on red soils. It is consecjuently recommended for 

 cultivation in all districts of this tj'pe of soil. 



Of those tested in the black soil.s, B. 147 came first, 

 while B. 1,-j29 gave good results on both black and red soils. 

 This has led to the increased cultivation of the latter cane on 

 as many experimental plots as possiljle, and planters are 

 recommended to give it a trial. 



The manurial experiments were carried out at Dodds 

 Botanical Station, and on four estates situated in typical parts 

 of the island. The results confirm those oljtained in previous 

 years, and indicate that the a[iplication of nitrogen both to 

 plant canes and ratoons is followed by a profitable increase 

 in the yield. The application of sulphate of potash was 

 found to be profitable as a general rule, but i]hos[)hatic feriliz- 

 ers either had no effect ui>on the yield, or caused a diminution. 



It has been found possible to produce seedling canes by 

 ci'oss-fertilization. At present, there are five plants growing — 

 the first seedlings raised in the West Indies — whose parentage 

 on both sides is a matter of certaint}'. 



BULLETIN OF THE AGRICULTURAL DEPART- 

 MENT, BAHAMAS. Vol. I, no. 3, March 1900. Price M. 



This publication, which is edited by Mi-. W. Munro 

 Cunningham, the Curator, contains the report of the Board 

 of Agriculture from May 1901 to .January 190G, the report 

 on the Agricultural Station, and the Curator's report on his 

 tour of the out-islands. 



In the first report, mention is made of the aiipointment 

 by the Board of the present Curator ; of liis selection of 

 a suita,blo piece of land for the Botanic and Experimental 

 Station ; of all that was done to encourage the industries of 

 cotton, sisal, and onions ; and the steps taken to search for 

 new markets in England and Canada. 



It is stated that a bill to promote the agricultural 

 development of the colony will soon be presented to the 

 Legislature, and that the Board is also recommending 

 legislation for the inspection of citrus fruit on the lines of an 

 enactment in force in Canada. 



The report on the Agricultural Station shows that 

 satisfactory experiments have been carried out in the 

 growing of cotton, cassava, tobacco, pineapples, onions, and 

 Tanilla. 



With regard to the third division of this interesting 

 publication — the Curator's report on his tour of the out- 

 island — it is stated that the land is very fertile, and suited 

 t(.i grovN^ing all kinds of crops. Cotton, tobacco, rubber, 

 cacao, pine-apples, and cassava are recommended for cultiva- 

 tion. For tlie development and future pro.spects of the 

 pine-apple industry, however, more canneries are needed. 



The Curator is of opinion that while the prospects for 

 agriculture in these islands are decidedly encouraging, 

 progress Avill be slow, since it is diflicult to induce the native 

 cultivator to abandon the primitive, and to adopt the ncv» 

 and better methods of cultivation. 



TOBACCO GROWING IN BRITISH 

 HONDURAS. 



The Government Gazette of British Honduras for 

 March 17, 1906, contained a report by Professor 

 Wyndham R. Dunstan, M.A., F.R.,S., of the Imperial 



Institute, South Kensington, on a sarapie of tobacco 

 from British Honduras. 



This tobacco is shown by the report to have a fair aroma 

 and good burning rpialities. The leaves were fairly uniform 

 in colour, but were too thick for good wrappers. The 

 chemical composition was fair, but it was stated to be more 

 acid, and to contain more nicotine than the light tobacco ia 

 general use in England. These two defects are stated as 

 being due, pnjbably, to insufficient fermentation. 



A portion of the sample was submitted to a firm of 

 manufacturing tobacconists who reported on its commercial 

 valuation. They found that the tobacco apiieared to be ripe 

 and well fermented, and possessed of entirely satisfactory- 

 burning qualities. 



The leaves were found to be too thick, and the texture 

 too heavy for cigar wrappers ; and, as regards flavour, the 

 tobacco was too pungent to be used alone as fillers. Mixed 

 in the proportion of about 30 per cent, of the .sample with 

 other cigar fillers however, it blended satisfactorily. 



With reference to colour, eflForts should be made to 

 produce a tobacco much lighter than the sample submitted. 



The following general couclasions and recinumendatioua 

 are quoted from the report : — 



' These results show that there is reason to suppose that 

 tobacco suitable for the European market can be produced in 

 Briti.sh Honduras, since the present material prepared by 

 liatives, and withcnit any special attention being paid to 

 European requirements, is valued here at M. per lb., a price 

 similar to that obtained for much of the .American manu- 

 facturing tobaccos now exported to European countries.' 



The Ciu-ator of the Botanic Station \vrites that this 

 tobacco was grown by Indians, who merely clear the land of 

 bush, burn it over, and then put in the seedlings with, 

 a pointed stick. 



Cacao from Tortola. A small sample of cacao 

 was recently received from the Curator of the Experiment 

 Station, Tortola, Virgin Islands, who stated that it had been 

 grown by a peasant proprietor in that i.sland, and had beea 

 fermented and cured at the station. 



The sample was forwarded to Messrs. Wilsrm, Sraithett 

 it Co., 39, Mincing Lane, London, who state in their letter 

 of March 29, that they think this cacao would find a ready 

 sale. The report follows : — 



'Brownish-red, part dark-stained, washed, thin skin, 

 even, dark-brown break, a few .slaty-coloured, a few 

 unsound.' 



