19->L\ AGRICULTURAL CREDIT SOCIEriRH. 51 



In spite of excellent rosults obhaincd by the pvi/cwianei's in the 

 C'ane Fanners' <:onipetition organised by the Usinc Ste. Madeleine 

 Company, the average yield of the cane farmers of the country in general 

 is very low; not more than ten to twelve tons per acre. Part of this is 

 due to the farmers not having had financial assistance in order to bring 

 a larger area into cultivation, to purchase agricultural implements or to 

 buy stock to better the conditions under which they live. The Credit 

 Societies will give an opportunity which did not exist for tiie farmer to 

 get such improvements and at the same time he receives a useful 

 training in managing his own money affairs and in accepting responsi- 

 bilitv for himself and his neighbours. 



Credit Societies are only just beginning in Trinidad and in gome 

 districts have had to fight against the influence of the money lender, 

 but the pi'ogress has been satisfactory and they should be a lasting 

 benefit to the agricultural welfare of the Colony. 



Mr. Jarvis spoke on behalf of the Colonial Bank, which is responsible 

 for the greater part of the loans to the Credit Societies in theNaparuna^. 



His Excellency the Acting Governor emphasized the great value of 

 Credit Societies not only to the cane farmer but to all peasant proprietors 

 and agricultural workers and guaranteed the continued interest of the 

 Government in their progress and welfar:'. 



Rsd Poll Cattle. 



In view of the present policy of the Government of keeping Red 

 Toll Bulls at the Stock Farm for breeding purposes, it may be interesting 

 to give some particulars of the values of this breed both as a producer 

 of both beef and milk in England and the United States. 



Mr. Frank Nelson in the Breeder's Gazette for December 25, 1919 

 states that the breed originated in the Norfolk and Suffolk district of 

 England and has never been crossed with any other breed. The great 

 value of the breed is that it has been found possible in ib to select for 

 both beef and milk at the same time. In England lied Polls hold the 

 carcass dressing percentage record (73-58 per cent.) over all other breeds, 

 while in America fifty cows of one herd have a yearly average official 

 butter-fat yield of 4-68 per cent. 



To show how the dual nature of the breed can be developed, it is 

 pointed out that " all the world's Red Poll butter-fat and milk records 

 are held by one American herd," while " the 1917 Champion Red Poll 

 Steer at the International show came indirectly from the same herd." 



The Live Sfocl Journal of October 15, 1919 states that " The Sutton 

 herd of Mr.Carlyle Smith which comprises typical dual-purpose Red Polls, 

 includes a three year old heifer which has just yielded a ton of milk in 

 f^ix weeks. In another li^rd there is a cow, purchased at Gressenhall, 

 M-hich in five weeks and five days ending September oO gave a ton 

 of milk." 



■ Mr. Nelson concludes that "the success of the Red Poll in the 

 feed-lot and the slaughter tests, coupled with the winning of the first, 

 i^ccond and third in the recent Royal Dairy Show of England emphasises 

 anew the superior claims of the breed." 



