April 



1911.] 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



229 



The Advisers of the West Indian Planters. 



Now that certain of the West Indian islands are heginning 

 to ship rubber, and others are putting in plantations, it is 

 interesting to briefly consider the men who are guiding 

 the planting and whose work has been of such inestimable 

 value to the planters. The group is officially known as the 

 Imperial Department of Agriculture for the West Indies. It 

 was established on the first of October, 1898, on the recom- 

 mendation of the West Indian Royal Commission 1896-7. The 

 cost of ten years to March 31, 1908, amounting to L 17,420 

 f=: $84,744.43] per annum, was provided from imperial funds, 

 after which date it has been decided that the department is to 

 continue to be maintained for a further period of live years 

 with gradually reduced grants from the imperial government. 

 Steps have already been 

 taken in the several colonies 

 concerned to contribute local 

 funds for the purpose of con- 

 tinuing the efforts of the de- 

 partment on the same lines 

 as hitherto. This will ensure 

 that the department is main- 

 tained in an efficient condi- 

 tion for some years to come. 



The work entrusted to the 

 department is to aid in the 

 maintenance and the supervi- 

 sion of the botanic and ex- 

 periment stations in the West 

 indies, devoted to the im- 

 provement of sugar and other 

 industries, to establish agri- 

 cultural schools, the teaching 

 of agriculture in elementary 

 and secondary schools, and 

 the granting of agricultural 

 scholarships. 



The head office of the de- 

 partment, with its scientific 

 and clerical staffs, is located 

 at Barbados as the most central situation. Sir Daniel Morris, 

 K.C.M.G., D.C.L., D.Sc, F.I.C., F.C.S., for twelve years assist- 

 ant director of the Royal Gardens at Kew, formerly director of 

 the Botanical Department, Jamaica, and scientific adviser to 

 the West Indian Royal Commission of 1896-7, was appointed 

 Imperial Commissioner of Agriculture on September 1, 

 1898, and held the office with the greatest success for ten 

 years On his retirement in 1908 his services were retained 

 for advising the Secretary of State in Tropical .'\griculture. 

 The present commissioner is Hon. Francis Watts, C.M.G., 

 D.Sc, F.I.C., F.C.S. He corresponds directly upon all mat- 



SiR Daniel Morkis an 



Of the Imperial Department of 



ters concerning the general work of the department with 

 the Colonial Office; on matters affecting colonial establish- 

 luents and expenditure he corresponds with the several 

 governments concerned. The Imperial Commissioner is con- 

 sulting officer in agricultural matters to the governinents of 

 Jamaica, British Guiana and Trinidad. He visits these col- 

 onies, and affords assistance when required in regard to the 

 administration of the local agricultural departments, the outbreak 

 of diseases, and the general developiuent of planting industries. 

 He is in administrative charge of the botanic and experiment 

 stations, maintained for the distribution of economic plants, and 

 the improvement of sugar, cacao, lime, fruit, cotton, rubber and 

 other crops ; also of the agricultural schools and local experi- 

 ment plots at Grenada, St. 

 Vincent, St. Lucia, Barbados, 

 Dominica Montserrat, .Anti- 

 gua, St. Kitts-Nevis, and the 

 Virgin Islands. 



The publications issued by 

 the Imperial Departtnent of 

 Agriculture for the West In- 

 dies number about 90,000 

 copies annually. The Agri- 

 cultural News (Vols. I to 

 VIII) is a fortnightly popu- 

 lar review, with a wide cir- 

 culation in the tropics of the 

 old and new worlds. The 

 West Indian Bulletin (Vols. 

 I to X) is a quarterly scien- 

 tific journal dealing specially 

 with research and experi- 

 mental works in tropical 

 countries. In addition are 

 issued numerous pamphlets 

 (62 in all) dealing with spe- 

 cial subjects; also annual 

 progress reports on sugar 

 can experiments, the work of 

 the botanic stations, and efforts to e.Ktend agricultural education 

 in elementary and secondary schools. 

 The principal ofiicers on the department staff are : 

 Imperial Commissioner of Agriculture for the West Indies, 

 The Hon. Francis Watts, C.M.G., D.Sc, F.I.C, F.C.S. 

 Scientific assistant, Austin H. Kirby, B. A. (Cantab). 

 Entomologist, Henry A. Ballon, M.Sc 

 Mycologist, F. W. South, B.A. (Cantab). 

 Chief clerk, .Alleyne Graham Howell. 

 Assistant clerk, Murrell B. Connell. 

 Junior clerk, W. P. Bovell. 



D Hon. Francis Waii.... 

 Agriculture for the West Indies. 



A BIT of history of interest to rubber men occurs in a recent 

 article by Frank J. Cannon, in Everybody's, entitled, "Under the 

 Prophet in Utah." While describing the financing of the Utah 

 Sugar Company he recounts the sale of $400,000 worth of the 

 company's bonds to the Mormon Church for $325,000, and a 

 subsequent sale to Mr. Joseph Banigan, whom he calls the 

 "Rubber King" to the amount of $360,000. 



Statistics published in the Sarawak Gazette show a de- 

 crease in the quantity of gutta jelatong and gutta percha ex- 

 ported from Sarawak in 1910, compared with 1909, but as prices 

 for both products were somewhat higher during the latter year, 



the value of the exports shows no material difference. The 

 export of Para rubber from Sarawak for 1910 amounted to 

 about 17,200 pounds. 



The United States Consul at Valletta, Malta, in a recent 

 report, states that on account of the rock formation of the 

 country roads in that island and the prevalence of stone-block, 

 macadam and asphalt streets in the city, rubber heels are very 

 much used. He expresses the opinion that if a rubber heel 

 can be put on the market by an American house, that would 

 meet the price for the heel supplied by British makers (25 and 

 30 cents a pair, put on) it would find sale. 



