298 



THE AGKICULTURAL NEWS. 



September 22, 1906. 



INSECT NOTES. 



Insect Pests in St. Kitt's-Nevis. 



At a special meeting of the St. Kitt's Agricultural 

 and Commercial Society, held on August 29, at which 

 his Excellenev the Governor (Sir Bickam Sweet-Escott, 

 K.C.M.G.) presided, Mr. H. A. Ballou, M.Sc, Entomolo- 

 gist on the staff of the Imperial Department of 

 Agriculture, gave a short address on the treatment of 

 the insect pests of cotton and other crops. 



The following summary of Mr. Ballou's address 

 appeared in the St. Kitt's Daily Express, of 

 August 30 ; — 



Mr. Ballou dLscoursed on the necessity of applying the 

 remedies advised by the Department of Agriculture to check 

 the ravages of insect pests. He mentioned that in Nevis 

 there was a tendency on the part of planters of cotton not 

 to carry out properly the instructions given to rid the cotton 

 ■of the insects. He in.stanced the fact that he had been told 

 by more than one planter that the use of the remedies had 

 not aflbrded the relief claimed, because, said they, after 

 using the remedies for the leaf blister mite on the old leaves, 

 it invariably appeared on the new ones. He pointed out 

 that the mite was inborn in the enfolded buds, and .so soon 

 as the leaves unfolded, the mite showed itself. Persistent 

 application of the remedies was essentially necessary for 

 satisfactory results. He remarked on the habit of planting 

 in one hole two, three, four, and sometimes five seeds, with 

 the result of unhealthy weaklings struggUng for existence, 

 when it would be more to the advantage of the planter to 

 have one vigorous plant in each hole. 



Mr. Ballou mentioned that in St. Ivitt's he had visited 

 a field of sugar-canes that had been attacked by ants or lice, 

 as they were sometimes called. Xo nests were to be seen, 

 but the insects had eaten through every stool of canes, and 

 had thoroughly destroyed a field of about 4 acres. He 

 recommended that the field should be planted in cotton, as he 

 believed that it was less likely for these insects to attack 

 eotton plants than sugar-canes. 



Paris Green for Cassava Caterpillars. 



Mr. J. C. Moore, Agricultural Superintendent in 

 St. Lucia, has forwarded the following note on the 

 use and application of Paris green against cassava 

 caterpillars : — 



Early this month a report reached me of unusual and 

 very destructive attacks of caterpillars in fields of cassava, 

 in the vicinity of Union. I immediately paid a visit of 

 inspection to the affected district, and found cateriiillars, 

 about 3 inches in length and highly coloured, feeding most 

 voraciou.sly on the leaves and buds of the cassava plants, 

 completely defoliating large patches. In some fields 

 I estimated the damaged areas to be nearly an acre in extent, 

 and they presented brown patches, which, amidst the green 

 surroundings, were readily distinguishable from considerable 

 distances. 



On one plot, where the attack had just commenced, the 

 use and application of Paris green, as used for the cotton 

 worm, were demonstrated in the presence of several planters 

 of cassava and the pupils of the Agricultural School. It was 

 observed on the following day, that the caterpillars in 

 the dusted portion of the field were dead, the attack being 

 effectually checked. 



Several people owning cassava plots have since obtained 

 supplies of Paris green for dealing with any further attacks 

 of the pest. I have offered the loan of our dusting machine 

 to responsible parties. This machine is Legget's Chamiiion 

 Dry Powder Gun, and is most useful, being readily adapted 

 to dust low or tall plants, either singly or in rows. Two rows 

 of cotton plants can be effectively and simultaneously dusted, 

 at a slow walking pace, and with a minimum expenditure of 

 energy. 



The identification of the insect causing the trouble 

 reported upon will, no doubt, receive attention from 

 Mr. Ballou, the Entomologist on the stafi^ of the Imperial 

 Department of Agriculture, on the occasion of his approaching 

 visit. 



LAND AVAILABLE FOR COTTON 

 GROWING IN THE BAHAMAS. 



The Secretaiy of State for the Colonies has 

 forwarded to the Imperial Commissioner of Agriculture 

 a memorandum by the Survej'or General in the 

 Bahamas respecting land available for cotton cultivation 

 in that colony. 



The following summary of Mr. Miller's memoran- 

 dum is published for general information : — 



According to the latest Blue Book returns, there still 

 remain 1,767,3(52 acres of ungranted Crown land in the 

 colony. This is distributed throughout the islands, as there 

 is still vacant land on all the principal islands. 



It is possible to obtain 1,000 acres of laud in one block 

 but I do not know of any tract of that size on which the land 

 can be called good throughout; certainly not possible of being 

 ploughed and cultivated to a depth of 2 to 3 feet. Ploughs 

 are not used in the colony owing to the rocky nature of the 

 land. 



At Inagua there is a large extent of open sandy land 

 called ' prairie land.' Doubtless it would be possible to 

 plough this, but the land only produces a rough grass, and 

 I should not think it suitable for cotton growing. 



Also along most of the sea coasts there is a narrow ridge 

 of sand which could be ploughed, but I should not consider 

 this suitable land for cotton growing. 



The price of vacant Crown land is 1 6s. Hd. per acre. 

 Some tracts of land have been leased at an annual rental of 

 Is. per acre. 



The island of ^layaguana was surveyed in 1S91 with 

 a view to ascertaining its adaptability to .sisal growing. The 

 area of this island is given as 61,310 acres, of which le.ss than 

 one-third is suitable for cultivation. 



Generally, I believe that many spots of Crown land 

 can be found suitable for cotton growing, but I do not 

 think that so large a tract as 1,000 acres can be found in one 

 piece. 



Cotton has been extensively grown in the islands in the 

 past, and is still cultivated in a small way. 



This colony has been so long settled, and the price of 

 Crown land so eheaj), that all the best land has already been 

 alienated from the Crown. Laud can, however, be purchased 

 from private owners at reasonable rates. 



