A FORTNIGHTLY REVIEW 



LIBRARY 

 °^ ™^ NEW YORK 



IMPERIAL DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE FOR THE WEST INDIES, botan.ca, 



JiASilE^^ 



Vol. V. No. 119. 



BAKBADOS, NOVEMBER 17, 1906. 



Prick Id. 



"West Indian Agricultural Con- 

 ference, 1907. 



EFERENCE has already been made in 

 recent issues of the Agricultural Neivs as 

 to the possibility of the next West Indian 

 Agricultural Conference being held at Jamaica. 



As our readers are aware, the proposal to hold 

 a Conference in that island in January last had to be 

 abandoned owing to an unexpected difficulty in regard 

 to steamer arrangements. The route of the steamers- 

 of the Royal Mail Company connecting with Jamaica 

 was altered in October 1905, with the result that it 

 took nine days to accomplish a voyage that formerly 

 had taken only four days. Under the new conditions,, 

 which are still in force, it takes longer to go frona 

 Barbados to Jamaica than from Barbados to New York. 

 This also means that fewer Jamaica passengers pass^ 

 through on their way to and from the United Kingdom. 

 There is also the fact that a replj- by letter frora 

 Jamaica cannot be obtained in Barbados under thirty- 

 five days. In process of time, unless some change 

 takes place, it is evident that Jamaica will lose touch 

 with other parts of the West Indies to the detriment 

 of the common interests of all these colonies. 



It is with a desire to maintain intercourse with 

 Jamaica and promote an exchange of ideas in regard 

 to matters of vital importance to the West Indies as^ 

 a whole, that strenuous efforts have been made to hold 

 the next West Indian Conference m that island. 



The view taken by the people and Government of 

 Jamaica in regard to the desirability of such a Con- 

 ference is shown in the following extract from a letter 

 from the Colonial Secretary, dated March 24, 1905; — 



I am directed by the Governor to inform you that both' 

 the Board of Agriculture and the Agricultural Society 

 consider that it would be highly desirable in the interests 

 of this colony that the next West Indian Agricultural, 

 Conference should be held at. Jamaica. 



