85 



fruit in August and September, the trees not blossoming until 

 April ; in consequence, our fruit continues to have such a bad name 

 in the marl^et. 



A very important fact also must not be lost sight of, and that is, 

 that the fruit grown in the lowlands only take from seven to seven 

 and a half months to mature, whereas fruit in the hills take from 

 eight to nine months. 



Hoping the above will prove that not only can fruit be grown 

 in the irrigated lowlands, but what is more important still, that 

 groves established and properly cultivated, can be made to pro- 

 duce early ripe oranges to supply the best market. That would 

 give Jamaica an unrivalled position as a citrus fruit centre. Florida 

 California, and the Mediterranean, owing to the climatic conditions, 

 would never be able to supply mature fruit in the months of 

 August and September. 



Cuban groves under go-ahead American management, with irri- 

 gation, would be our only competitors. I will with great pleasure 

 give all the facts and figures after the coming season to the public 

 as I feel sure there is a great future before the industry on these 

 lines. 



Yours faithfully, 



(Sgd.) Harry G. Tillman. 



FORWAKDING DISEASED PLANTS AND INSECT 



PESTS.* 



Much disappointment has lately been experienced, both by the 

 sender and also by the receiver, through plants, supposed to be 

 diseased, and insect pests reaching the laboratories of the Impe- 

 rial Department of Agriculture in an unfit condition for scientific 

 examination. It is hoped that officers of the department and 

 others will carefully study and follow the suggestions that have 

 been given by the Department on former occasions. (See Agricul- 

 tural News, Vol. I, p. 243, and Vol. II, p. 235.) The chief reasons 

 for this state of things are one or more of the following : — 



(l) The fragmentary nature of the material sent for investiga- 

 tion. (2) Lack of care in transmitting , the specimens arriving 

 shrivelled or dead or mouldy. (3) Absence of information as to 

 the conditions under which the plants grew. 



It must be pointed out that a few fragments of a diseased plant 

 are of little use for investigation, and sufficient material should be 

 sent so that the primary cause of the trouble may be located. 



In order that time and labour may not be wasted in the exami- 

 nation of unsuitable material, care must betaken in collecting and 

 packing specimens so that they may arrive at Barbados in good 

 condition. Fresh specimens of moist vegetable matter should not 

 be sent packed in boxes or in envelopes, but should be either 

 suitably dried and sent in a well-ventilated package or, preferably 



* Repriuteil from the Agricultural News, Vol. IV., p. Sli6. 



