JAMAICA 



BULTjBTl><r 



OF THE 



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



Vol. I. NOVEMBER, 1903. Part 11. 



JAMAICAN FODDERS.— I. 



By H. H. Cousixs, M.A. (Oxon.), F C.S. 

 (Government Analytical and Agricultural Chemist.) 



Introduction. 



One of the great natural advantages of our island, and a feature which 

 affords sure ground for basing an improved and progressive agriculture, 

 is the facility with which luxuriant crops of grasses and fodder plants 

 can be obtained over a large proportion of the country. So bountiful 

 in this respect has nature been tliatthe j.rovvingof fodder crops under 

 tillage is almost unknown and the mere cutting down and clearing <>f 

 bush and waste lau'i is frequently sufficient to o'titain a luxuriant 

 growth of guinea gras«. 



The grounds of the Government Laboratory are a striking illustra- 

 tion of this fact. So luxuriant has been t^ e growth of the guinea 

 grass since the hurricane that specimens measuring over 11 feet in 

 height to the point at which the flowering spike emerged have been 

 recorded. The most far-reaching results in the social and material 

 condition of our peasantry would follow from a general recognition by 

 the people of the advantages of mixed farming and the steady im- 

 provement of a localised holding, as compared with the nc.madic fire- 

 stick wastage which at present ranks as the agriculture of a large sec- 

 tion of our small cultivators. 



The hurric me has taught us the national peril i f growing bananas 

 without a complement of gioimd provisions as security against a 

 'blow.' The logic of the empt}^ stom. ch will drive this home to a 

 practical conviction on many a peasant holding during the coming 

 months. All teachers and adviser-* of the people, the clergy, the 

 magistrates and all agricultural teucliers should now use their inlluence 

 to set the people to work to ensure against such a disaster in the future 



