376 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



December 1, 1906. 



EDITORIAL NOTICES. 



Letters and matter for publication, as well 

 as all specimens for naming, should be addressed 

 to the Commissioner, Imperial Department of 

 Agriculture, Barbados. 



All applications for copies of the 'Agri- 

 cultural News' should be addressed to the 

 Agents, and not to the Department. 



Local Agents: Messrs. Bowen & Sons, Bridge- 

 town, Barbados. London Agents : Messrs. Dulau & 

 Co., 37, Soho Square, W., and The West India Com- 

 mittee, 1-5, Seething Lane, E.C. A complete list of 

 Agents will be found on page 3 of the cover. 



The Agricultural News: Price Id. per number, 

 post free 2d. Annual subscription payable to Agents, 

 2.S. 2fZ. Post free, 4s. 4d 



Agricultural Dmufj 



Vol. V. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 1, 1906. No. 120. 



NOTES AND COMMENTS. 



The more important results of the sugar-cane 

 experiments carried on in Barbados during last crop 

 season are briefly reviewed in the editorial. 



On p. 372 will be found information in regard to 

 the cocoa-nut industry in the Malay States. 



An illustrated note on the Tobago Stock Farm 

 appears on p. 373. 



The attention of cotton growers is drawn to the 

 ' Seasonable Notes ' on p. 374. These deal especially 

 with picking and assorting seed-cotton. 



A note on parasitic fungi (p. 37.5) shows that 

 a number of serious plant diseases are due to fungi 

 belonging to the genus Marasmius, the principal of 

 which, in the West Indies, is that causing root disease 

 of the sugar-cane. 



An insect pest of cacao, known as thrips, is 

 described on p. 37S, with illustrations. 



The Director of the Department of Agriculture in 

 the Federated Malay States suggests the use of 

 protective belts of jungle as a means of preventing 

 the infection of cultivated crops by wind-borne sjjores 

 of fungi (see p. 370). 



The spiral system of tapping rubber trees is 

 described on p. 381. This method has given good 

 results with Para rubber in Ceylon. 



Planting Enterprise at St. Lucia. 



Considerable attention is being paid at St. Lucia 

 to the planting of limes. There are at present seven 

 [plantations that are being planted in limes ; one of 

 these, started in 1902, is now shipping green limes. 

 One planter hopes to get in 40 acres of limes by the 

 end of this year. Conseqtiently, there has been a large 

 distribution of lime plants from the nurseries at Union 

 and at the Botanic Station during the current planting 

 season (April to October), the number being placed at 

 2(3,416. In addition, several estates are starting private 

 nurseries for raising seedlings. It is estimated that 

 the .54, (JOG lime plants distributed during the five years 

 1902-6 are sufficient to plant, at 12 feet by 12 feet, and 

 allowing for losses, about 150 acres. 



During the same period 5,793 plants of Castilloa 

 rubber and 17,000 seeds were distributed. The plant 

 distribution list also shows the following: cacao, 4,241 ; 

 coffee, 9.S9 : nutmegs, 535 : bananas (Canary), 450 ; and 

 oranges (budded), 222. 



Exports of the Bahamas. 



The principal items of e.\port from the Bahamas- 

 Islands are sponge, sisal hemp, pine-apples, and turtle 

 shell. It is stated in the Anniuil Report on the 

 colony that the total value of the exports in 1905-6 

 was £222,905, or £27,969 more than in 1904. 



There was a satisfactory increase in the exports of 

 sponge (from £105,718 to £113,753), while the output 

 of sisal hemp increased from 2,218,825 If), (value, 

 £29,557) to 3,040,045 lb. (value, £37,522). 



The exports of pine-apples, both fresh and canned, 

 show a decrease. Grape fruit and oranges, however, 

 were exported in greater qnantity. The value of the 

 exports of grape fruit was £2,397 ; of oranges, £1,388. 

 The Board of Agriculture is considering means of 

 providing a profitable market for these two fruits. 



The estimated area of land under sisal cultivation 

 is 20,412 acres. The output exceeds that of previous 

 years, the fibi'e is better cleaned, and the acreage under 

 cultivation is increasing, especially in the out-islands. 



A successful agricultural show w^as held at Mont- 

 serrat on November 9 (p. 383). 



Exports of Turks and Caicos Islands. 



According to the Annual Report on the Turks 

 and Caicos Islands for 1905, the exports of salt fell in 

 value to £14,604, as compared with £15,079 in 1904, 

 which wa.s considered the most disastrous year on 

 record. The quantity of salt exported from the three 

 settlements of the dependency was : Grand Turk, 

 110,475 bushels: Salt Cay, 361,412 bushels; Cockburn 

 Harbour, 489,412 bushels ; total, 961,299 bushels. The 

 unusual rainfall was the cause of the two disastrous 

 years for the mam industry of Turks and Caicos Islands. 



The chief subsidiary export is si.sal hemp. The 

 exports again fell in value, which was £5,803, as com- 

 pared with £6,886 in the previous year. 



Sponges were exported to the value of £2,223, as 

 compared with £1,414 in 1904. 



In connexion with the effects of heavy rainfall on 

 the salt-raking industry, it may be of interest to give 

 the following returns : 1905, 41-97 inches; 1904, 43-79 



