6 TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO BULLETIN. [XIX. 1. 



The average cane farmer's yield per acre is notoriously low. There 

 are exceptions, but the majority of farmers could I believe certainly get' 

 half as much again. Instead of being content with 10 or 12 tons of cane 

 to the acre, they should get 15 or 20. This can be done by better culti- 

 vation. 



To help the farmer the Board of Agriculture in 1918 revived Cane 

 Farmers' Competitions, offering prizes in the Naparimas to the best 

 cultivators. All those who entered received instruction from Mr. Roach, 

 the Board's Agricultural Adviser in charge of the competition. The 

 following year similar competitions were held in the Couva-Chaguanas 

 and Tacarigua-Caroni dirtricts. Proposals have just been approved by 

 the Board to continue these competitions. 



The Ste. Madeleine Company has taken similar steps, giving prizes 

 and has also appointed a scientific officer, Mr. G. A. Jones, as superin- 

 tendent of cane farmers, to give them practical advice and assistance. 



That improvement can be made is indicated by the report on the 

 Board's competition by the judges, one of whom was an unofficial 

 sugar planter. 



" As compared with the neighbouring farms of non-competitors, the 

 farms of the competitors everj^where evinced decided superiority', and 

 as evidence of the benefit of good cultivation, must tend to general 

 improvement in the methods of the surrounding districts." 



As other illustrations of good work by farmers I may mention that 

 yesterda,y I had the pleasure of presenting on behalf of the Ste. 

 Madeleine Company a prize of $50 to Messrs. Beckles of Union Hall, 

 two brothers who were bracketed first in the company's competition. 

 Their average yield, plants, 1st and 2nd ratoons was about 25 tons 

 per acre. 



Another farmer in another section of the competition got 26 tons. 

 That lands will continue to give good results was also shown by Jlr. 

 W. Ford obtaining a 4th prize in the competition on a piece of land 

 which he has cultivated continuously since 1879, i.e. for 41 j-ears, 

 Mr, Mai'k Moody Stuart showed his appreciation by giving Ford an 

 extra special prize of |40. 



Better tillage and a rotation of crops, as recommended to the- 

 Ste. Madeleine farmers by Mr. Jones, with the great advantage of keeping 

 part of your land in foodstuffs, are the most urgent necessities. As 

 regards tillage you will be wise to follow the example of the estates 

 about you and whenever possible make use of animal drawn ploughs, 

 hoes and other implements. They are amongst the earliest agricultural 

 implements of the world and yet here in Trinidad we rely on the fork 

 and the hoe. There will be the question of capital outlay. It may be 

 practicable for the estate to assist you, on some modification of the- 

 share system of Hawaii and Fiji to suit local conditions. Or some one 

 having animals might be able to undertake the ploughing of land at so 

 much an acre, using the animals for other work at other times of the 

 year. Lastly you can make use of your Agricultural (credit Societies, 

 which are already doing such good work amongst you, for the 

 purchase and use either co-operatively or individually of the necessary 

 equipment. 



