354 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



November 17, 190G. 



I am to say that this Government is in entire agreement 

 •with these societies in the matter and that it would be 

 a source of much gratification not onlj' to the Government, 

 but, his Excellency is sure, to the people of the colonj' as 

 a whole also, if you could find it convenient to arrange for 

 holding the Conference next year in this island. His Excel- 

 lency need hardly assure you that this Government would 

 heartily co-operate with you to make the Conference a success 

 in every way. 



The arrangements for the West Indian Agri- 

 cultural Conference of 1907 are now so far advanced 

 that, provided nothing unforeseen occurs, it is hoped 

 that it will be carried through and prove as successful 

 as any of its predecessors. 



The question of conveying the Representatives to 

 arid from Jamaica within a reasonable time has been 

 solved by the co-operation of Messrs. Elder, Dempster 

 and Company, the Managers of the Imperial Direct 

 West India Mail Service, who have undertaken that 

 one of their steamers, the ' Port Kingston,' due to leave 

 Avonmouth on December 29, should call at Barbados 

 on or about January 8 next. 



According to the present time-tables, the Repre- 

 sentatives to the Conference from Trinidad will arrive 

 by the Atlantic steamer, and those from British Guiana, 

 Grenada, and St. Vincent b}' the Inter-colonial steamer, 

 both due to arrive at Barbados on January S. It is 

 probable that the Representatives from St. Lucia and 

 Dominica will also arrive the same morning by the 

 ' Yare,' while those from Montserrat, Antigua, and 

 St. Kitt's may arrive by one of the steamers of the 

 Pickford & Black Steamship Company, Limited. 



The 'Port Kingston' is due to reach Jamaica, on 

 contract time, on January 11 and to leave on January 

 17, thus allowing about one week for the business of 

 the Conference. If, as is probable, the ' Port Kingston' 

 arrives at Barbados, on the homeward voyage, on 

 January 21 or 22, the Representatives will be able to 

 take advantage of the movements of the Roj'al 5Iail 

 and other steamers and arrive at their several destina- 

 tions (except in one or two instances) with little or no 

 delay. 



If the arrangements above indicated are carried 

 out, it is probable that the Representatives to the 

 Conference at Jamaica will not require to be absent 

 from their homes for a longer period than in the case 

 of the Conference held at Trinidad in Januar\- 190.5. 



As regards the advantages likely to be derived 

 from a visit to Jamaica by men who are keenly 



interested in the development of West Indian indus- 

 tries, it is needlcoS to enlarge. 



Jamaica is possessed of such rich and varied 

 resources, and is at present engaged in the development 

 of so many undertakings, that it cannot fail to afford 

 valuable lessons in tropical agriculture. The principal 

 industries consist of pen keeping, that is, the rearing of 

 horses, mules, and cattle, with dairying and planting. 

 The staple productions are sugar, rum, bananas, cotfee> 

 dye-woods, logwood and logwood extract, pimento 

 (Jamaica pepper or allspice), cocoa-nuts, ginger, cacao, 

 tobacco (including cigars and cigarettes), citrus fruits 

 (including oranges, limes, and grape fruit), cassava 

 starch, and cotton. Bee keeping is a profitable and 

 increasing industry. 



While a study of the circumstances under which 

 these industries are being carried on cannot fail to 

 interest visitors, ;it is probable that great advantage 

 will also arise to the island from the presence of 

 prominent agriculturists from other colonies, and the 

 large fund of information they will bring with them 

 and be ready to exchange with their friends in Jamaica. 



To those interested in these Conferences who may 

 w ish to make themselves more fully acquainted with 

 them, a reference may be usefully made to the West 

 Indian Bulletin (Vol. V, pp. 289-390, and Vol VI, 

 pp. 1-246). These contain a full report of the proceed- 

 ings at the Conference held at Trinidad in Januar}' 190-5. 



As regards the main idea of these Conferences, the 

 opinion of enlightened men is that nothing is better 

 calculated to enlist the best efforts of those engaged 

 in agricultural pursuits, and that eventually these 

 gatherings will 'come to great growth' in the W^est 

 Indies. As stated by his Grace Archbishop Flood at 

 Trinidad, the Ref)resentatives at these Conferences are 

 ' no ordinary visitors, they are men of high scientific 

 attainments, of wide practical experience, men that all 

 the West Indies look up to for light and guidance in 

 agricultural matters.' All dejoartments of agricultural 

 science, including Botany, Chemistry, Mycology, and 

 Entomology, are represented. Also Elementary and 

 Secondary Education in relation to agriculture. 

 Valuable support is afforded by the Representatives 

 of the chief Agricultural Societies who are in 

 a position to present trustworthy information in regard 

 to staple industries. 



It is confident!}' hoped that Jamaica will do its 

 share in assisting to render the forthcoming Conference 

 a success and that all the leading men connected with 

 agriculture will taki' an active and u.seful part in the 

 proceedings. 



