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THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



December 29, 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. 



Load 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 Agricidttircd News: Price Id. per number, 

 post free 2d. Annual subscription payable to Agents, 

 2s. 2c?. Post free, 4s. 4cZ. 



gigriciiltiiral |,linufi 



Vol. V. SATURDAY, DECEMBER '29, 1906. No. 122. 



NOTES AND COMMENTS. 



Contents of Present Issue. 



The editorial in this issue of the Agricidtund 

 News deals with proposals in connexion with the 

 West Indian Agricultural Conference to be held in 

 Jamaica next month. 



Interesting statements as to the successful cultiva- 

 tion of seedling canes in British Guiana and Jamaica 

 appear on p. 403 ; also an account of the work of the 

 Sugar Experiment Station in Jamaica. 



The Pine-apple and the Valencia varieties of 

 oranges hare, so far, given the best results in Cuba : 

 and of grape fruit, Marsh's Seedless and Duncan, 

 (p. 404.) 



On p. 405 will be found a remime of the paper in 

 the last issue of the West Indian Bulletin on the 

 cultivation of capsicums or chillies. 



Several notes of interest to cotton growers, 

 including a statement showing the amount of cotton 

 e.xportori from the West India Islands during the quarter 

 ended September 30 last, are given on pp. 40(5-7. 



An article on the cultivation of rice appears on 

 p. 411. 



As previously mentioned in the Agricultural 

 News, a successful Rubber Exhibition was recently held 

 in Ceylon. The official report on p. 414 contains 

 a statement of some of the principal points brought out 

 by the Exhibition. 



Agricultural News. 



With this issue the fifth volume of the Agri- 

 cultural Neu's is brought to a conclusion. 



The index and title page to this volume is in 

 course of preparation and will be issued as soon as 

 possible. 



Lectures to Sugar Planters. 



A summary has just been published of seven 

 lectures to sugar planters, which were delivered by the 

 officers of the Imperial Department of Agriculture at 

 Barbados about four years ago. 



For various reasons the publication of these Lec- 

 tures had to be postponed to a later period than was 

 once proposed, but little or nothing has been lost by 

 such a course. They will, in their completed form, prove 

 of special interest in connexion with the further efforts 

 about to be made tor improving the sugar industr}- in 

 these colonies and reducing the cost of production of 

 sugar so as to place the West Indies in a fiivourable 

 position to compete with other countries. 



The following quotation may be made from the 

 preface to this publication : ' During the period that 

 has elapsed since the Lectures were delivered there is 

 evidence that there has been a perceptible improve- 

 ment in agricultural methods. A deeper interest has 

 also been taken in the selection and use of manures, 

 with the result that the money spent, especially on 

 ai'tificial manures, has brought a larger return. In fact, 

 many of the problems of which mention is made in the 

 Lectures are now in a fair way of being so'ved.' 



It may be mentioned that the first lecture of the 

 course was delivered by Sir Daniel Morris, who dealt 

 with the ' Natural History of the Sugar-cane.' The 

 remaining lectures were delivered by Professor J. P. 

 d'Albuquerque, Mr. J. R. Bovell, Mr. H. Maxwell-Lefroy, 

 and Mr. A. Howard. 



The price of the Lectures, uhich are published b}' 

 Messrs. Dulau & Co., 37, Soho Square, London, W., is 

 Is. They can be obtained through the agents for the 

 sale of the Department's publications. 



Rubber in Southern Nigeria. 



According to the Annual Colonial Report on 

 Southern Nigeria (Lagos) for 190.5, the Para rubber 

 tree appears to be well suited to the climate of the 

 littoral districts, and considerable efforts were made to 

 bring its value to the notice of the planting community. 



Over .5,000 seeds were imported from the Straits 

 Settlements, and these, together with a like number 

 obtained locally, have formed the nucleus of Govern- 

 ment plantations and for the distribution of seedlings 

 to the general public. A much larger number will be 

 imported this year. 



The cultivation of Gastilloa elastica has proved 

 a failure, owing to the attacks of a boring beetle, 

 Tnesida leprosa. Ficus elastica has done excellently 

 at Olokemeji, and ])lants have been distributed to 

 planters. Its cultivation will be greatly extended. 

 From the Botanic Gardens 2,700 plants of Fiintumia 

 elastica yyere distributed. 



