INTRODUCTION 119 



dasheens, tannias and cassava are but little grown. There are 

 plantains in the hills, reported to be diminishing ; probably, as 

 in Dominica, owing to weevil infestation. Bananas are 

 fairly plentiful in the hill districts, and a coarse species u?ed 

 green is a common article of food. Mangoes, avocados and bread- 

 fruit, in their seasons, are staple foods ot the peasantry. The 

 principal leguminous food-crop is the pigeon pea, and the pro- 

 duction of black-eye peas is increasing. 



The average rainfall is mostly from 40 to 60 inches, according 

 to locality. One estate gets up to 90 inches. In or near the hills 

 the conditions for vegetative growth are very distinctly better, 

 apart from differences of rainfall, owing to increased humidity. 

 This effect is marked enough to exclude cotton from certain 

 districts. 



The soils of Montserrat are exceedingly various, ranging from 

 tough hard clays, almost unworkable, through numerous varieties 

 of heavy and light loams to light fine volcanic soils resembling 

 those of St. Kitts and St. Vincent. Trass soils also occur. 

 There is, however, a predominance on the wider slopes and levels 

 of soils hght enough to be well suited to cotton in a season of 

 normal rainfall. 



Dominica 

 Dominica is an exceedingly mountainous island (highest 

 elevation 4,750 feet), much broken by ravines and steep-sided 

 valleys. The older cultivated lands are close to the coast or m 

 the uiouths of the valleys. The rest of the country is in forest 

 save for an area of scrub known as the Grand Savannah, and a 

 series of clearings situated along the Imperial Road which 

 represent an attempt made some 20 years ago to open up the 

 interior for cultivation. The rainfall ranges from an annual 

 fall of 200-300 inches in the wetter parts ot the interior to 80 

 and 120 inches on the Leeward and Windward coasts respec- 

 tively. The son is irregular, rich m places but often distinctly 

 poor over considerable areas. Most of the estates are com- 

 plete.'y occupied in lime cultivation. There are fairly extensive 

 areas of cacao in some districts, from which the yield is rather 

 small. An attempt is bemg made to increase the production 

 of coconuts. 



The established lime cultivations do well when cared for and 

 have been remarkably free from any active disease or disability. 

 Semi-parasitic fungi hasten the dying-back of trees failing through 

 age and disrepair or from poor nutrition. Mistletoe becomes 

 troublesome when neglected. The newer forest clearings are 

 subiect, as is usual in such conditions everywhere in the tropics, 

 to root diseases derived from decaying stumps and logs. Similar 

 trouble exists in the cacao cultivations in connection with damaged 

 or failing shade trees. 

 During 1922 it was foimd that the anthracnose of limes had 



