286 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



September S, 1906. 



ANTIGUA : ANNUAL REPORTS ON THE 

 BOTANIC STATION, EXi'ERIMENT PLOTS, AND 

 AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION, lO'ioO. 



Botanic Station. — The total expenditure for the year 

 under review was £631 Ss. Id. The receipts amounted to 

 £25 Us. \\d. 



In spite of the fact that considerable difficulties have 

 been experienced on account of the severe drought, much 

 useful work has been done at the Botanic Station and the 

 Experiment Stations. 



The rainfall for the year was .3.5-10 inches. Although 

 this is rather more than in 1904-5, it is still far below the 

 average. 



From the nurseries 5,561 economic plants were distri- 

 buted, in addition to large quantities of seeds of various kinds. 



E.r2x-riinent Plots. — At the Scotfs Hill and Skerrett's 

 E.vperinient Stations useful work was prosecuted in connexion 

 with variety trials of several food crops. The varieties which 

 were found to give the best results were distributed to 

 planters and peasants. Experiments were also carried out 

 ■with cotton. 



Aijricultimd Education.-— Tina is a record of the work 

 of the Agricultural and Science Master, who is attached to 

 the Grammar School. 



In addition to his work in that institution, ilr. Kirby 

 gave instruction at the Girls' High School, lectures at the 

 Female Training College for teachers, and also lectures to 

 teachers in the elementary schools. 



In forwarding this report Dr. Watts states : ' This is 

 a wide range of work, calculated to intluence both primary 

 and .secondary education : its effect is already apparent and 

 will become more and more marked as time goes on.' 



experiments with sweet potatos, cassava, and yams consisted 

 in comparative trials of a large number of varieties. Useful 

 results as to the yield of these are recorded. Experiments 

 were also carried on in the cultivation of tobacco and cotton. 

 The report contains an account of the progress in the 

 establishment of the cotton industry, which is reviewed 

 elsewhere in these columns. 



Aijrirultural Education. — The expenditure on agricultural 

 education during this period amounted to £249 6s. \\d. 

 The .sum of £11 6s. \\d. was spent on equipment, including 

 botanical diasrams for the school-room. Eleven scholars 

 were in attendance on the agricultural side of the school 

 during the year. Mr. ilitchell reports that their general 

 progress has been satisfactory. 



As in previous years, the indoor work of tlie scholars 

 has been supplemented by practical work in the school 

 garden, special attention being paid to such garden operations 

 as budding. Various experiments with economic and garden 

 crops were also carried out. 



Agricxdtural Inatfuctov for Ncvi^. — The expenditure on 

 the branch station at Nevis during the year amounted to 

 £184 16s. 5t/. The sale of produce, etc., yielded £2 "s. 5fZ 



This station is maintained purely for experimental 

 purposes. It is divided into eight plots, which were cultivated 

 with various economic crops. One plot has been set aside as 

 a nursery for lime plants. Among the crops planted were 

 Guinea corn, Indian corn, yam.s, peppers, velvet beans, and 

 cassava. In most cases trials of different varieties were 

 conducted. One plot was devoted to a ' distance ' experiment 

 with cotton. 



The rainfall at the station during the year was 44-.34 

 inches. .Judging by the returns from an adjoining estate, 

 this would appear to be about 10 inches below the average. 



ST KITTS-NEVIS: REPORTS ON THE BOTANIC 

 STA TION, ECONOMIC EXPERIMENTS, AND AGRI- 

 CULTURAL EDUCATION, 1905-0. 



The total expenditure on agricultural services in 

 St. Kitt's-Nevis for the year was £1,208. Of this amount 

 £464 12s. 3(/. was expended on the Botanic Station, and 

 £250 10s. 4(7. on the economic experiments with sugar-cane, 

 cotton, etc. The receipts from the sale of plant.s, etc., at the 

 Botanic Station, and of produce grown in the Experiment 

 Plots amounted to £95 17s. 11(7. 



Botanic Station. — The general condition of the station 

 is reported to be satisfactory. A number of new trees were 

 planted out during the year. 



The number of plants disti-ibutcd was less than in the 

 previous year. The total number (1,040) included 439 cacao 

 plants and 289 rubber i)lants 



It is again satisfactory to note that the cultivation of 

 cacao and rubber trees is being extended. 



The rainfall for the year (36-65 inches) was less than 

 last year and 6 inches below the average for the last six years. 



Economic E-qicrincntx. — The experiments with various 

 food and other crops were continued at La Guerite. The 



BEE FARMING IN VICTORIA. 



The following note on the bee-keeping industry of 

 Victoria appears in Australia To-Jai/, a special issue 

 of the ^-1 ustralasian Trareller, of December 1.5, 1905 : — 



The returns of the Government Statist for 1904 .show- 

 that there are 5,609 bee keepers in the state, owning 40,759 

 hives, which gave a return of 833,968 fc. of honey, and 

 18,979 tt). of bees'-wax. Bees are kept in almost every county 

 of the state, and the eucalyptus trees of the native forests 

 afford the best bee forage. The country south of Horsham, 

 in the Winimera, about the head waters of the Glenelg, and 

 along the foot of the Grampians is particularl}- rich in 

 honey-yielding eucalyptus trees. Efforts have been made to 

 place Australian honey on the English market, but the 

 British iiublic dislike the eucalyptus flavour, which is said to 

 be imparted to the honey, and the trial shipments were not 

 a success. The Australian palate apiiears to have grown 

 accustomed to it, however, and no objection is raised to its 

 taste in the Commonwealth. Probably, more attractive 

 methods of putting up the honey for the retail trade, and 

 better means of securing its distribution would enable the 

 British prejudice to be overcome. Steady progress is being 

 made in improved methods of apiculture. A bee keepers' 

 association I olds an annual conference in Melbourne, and 

 adopts other means of disseminating useful information 

 resjiecting the industry. About half the hives in the state 

 are worked on the modern Langstroth or other approved 

 frame systems. Pedigreed Ligurian queens are raised for 

 sale, and most of the leading bee keepers have Ligurian bees, 

 which are better and more active workers than the common 

 black bees. 



