23 1 



increase. The Treasurer of the island has very kindly furnished me 

 with certain returns which include the exports of cocoa for the last 

 ten years, which arc asfollows : — 



KXl'OliTS OF COCOA FROM DOMINICA. 



Year. E&port. 



1899-1900 968,740 lb. 



1900-1 992,586 „ 



1901-2 1,052,693 „ 



1902-3 1,309,577 „ 



1903-4 1,285,245 „* 



that in 1895-6 there were half a mil- 

 lion pounds of cocoa exported ; but when we come to 1902-3 it is 

 found that the exports had increased to one and a third million pounds. 

 Last year, that is, 1903-4, there was a decrease owing to the hurricane, 

 which although not directly striking Dominica, seriously affected the 

 crop. But notwithstanding this the exports of cocoa reached one and 

 a quarter million pounds. During the last few years a good deal of 

 attention has been directed to Dominica : a new road opening up the 

 rich land of the interior, has been made with money granted by the 

 Imperial Parliament and it has appropriately been called the Im- 

 perial Road. We have young Englishmen with moderate capital 

 constantly coming out, and some of them have gone into the interior, 

 cut down forests, and created estates, and in many instances they 

 have planted cocoa. It must, however, be borne in mind that the 

 increase in exports to which I have referred is not due to the new 

 planters, but entirely to the older planters, who, seeing that sugar 

 had failed, set their energies to work in another direction ; therefore 

 it is the industry and enterprise of the older planters — the men who 

 have borne the heat and burden of the hard times — that have brought 

 about the dawning prosperity of Dominica. When, however, the new 

 settlers' estates begin to bear, then it will be found that Dominica 

 will make a sudden leap forward along the path of progress. Coming 

 to the cocoa tree itself, I should like to make a few observations in 

 regard to the facts brought, before us by former speakers. Taking 

 the case of pruning. I would thoroughly commend the remarks made 

 by Mr. Hart, just as I would depreciate those made by Mr. Hudson. 

 If you wish a good tree to do well and to bear well you must perform 

 the operation of pruning with great care. I think the Mycologist of 

 the Department will tell you that if you cut off the branches and 

 limbs of trees and do not tar the wound, you would probably get 

 fungus diseases in the wood ; the Entomologist of the Department 

 will also tell you that there could not be a better site for the entry ot 

 boring beetles and such like insects pests than the unprotected wounds 

 left by bad pruning. The more intelligent planters in Dominica use tar, 

 and also fill up with clay any holes or deep depressions that may be 

 found in the tree whereby water might collect or insects get shelter. 

 As regards manure, in days gone by the greater part of the exports 

 of Dominica came from the peasant proprietors who had not the ad- 

 vantage of having brought before th'em as in the case now, the 

 scientific and technical knoAvledge of the Imperial Department of 



Gale in August and partial failure of crops. 



