30 



the influential and distinguished company brought out by Sir 

 Alfred Jones. Conferences of this kind were, he declared amongst 

 the agencies which made for the progress of the West Indies, and 

 he hoped their deliberations would be fruitful of benefit to those 

 concerned. 



Sir Daniel Morris then delivered his presidential address. He 

 said it was a source of satisfaction to him that it had been 

 possible to arrange for this Conference to be held in Jamaica, 

 where he had spent some of the best years of his life, and in 

 which he continued to take deep interest. Probably, in no part 

 of the tropics could be found such diversified industries as existed 

 in Jamaica, and it was, in consequence, singularly favourable as 

 a meeting place for those interested in agriculture. He referred 

 gratefully to the thoughtful arrangements made by the Reception 

 Committee, which had afforded the delegates opportunities of 

 becoming acquainted at first hand with some of the special 

 industries of Jamaica. 



In the course of a review of the agricultural conditions of the 

 West Indies since the last Conference, held in Trinidad in January 

 1905, the President stated that progress was being made in every 

 direction. New industries were being added, and old industries 

 were being revived and developed. Referring to the general 

 anxiety felt throughout the colonies where sugar is a staple, as to 

 whether the Brussels Sugar Convention was likely to be con- 

 tinued, he announced that after careful consideration he had 

 decided to appoint a committee consisting of representatives 

 closely connected with the industry, which would prepare replies 

 to the following questions : (1) What has been the effect of the 

 Convention in the West Indies ? (2) What effect has the recent 

 uncertainty as to its continuance had? (3) What would be the 

 probable effect of its non-continuance ? The report would be 

 likely to be of value when the question of the continuance of the 

 Convention was under consideration in the Mother Country. 

 Attention was also drawn to the position and prospects of West 

 Indian sugar in the Canadian market. This was followed by a 

 review of efforts to extend the cultivation of cacao and citrus 

 fruits in Jamaica. The value of cacao exported from Jamaica in 

 1906 was £75,000: of citrus fruits, £99,689. 



In regard to the cotton industry, the President pointed with 

 reasonable pride to the rapid progress that had been made during 

 the last four years. There were now 1 8,000 acres in the islands 

 under cultivation in cotton: of this, 15,000 acres were planted 

 with the best varieties of Sea Island cotton that commanded the 

 highest prices on the English market. The value of the cotton 

 lint and seed exported from the West Indies was estimated at 

 £200,000. References were also made to the rice industry of 

 British Guiana, now of the annual value of about £218,000, and 

 the cultivation of rubber trees in British Guiana, Trinidad, and 

 Tobago ; also to the prospects of extending the Jamaica tobacco 

 industry and of the preparation of cassava starch on a commercial 

 scale. 



