9 
Dodd’s Reformatory, Barbados. In a letter, dated 6th July 1886, 
addressed to the Colonial Office, the a Director; Royal Gardens, 
Kew, referred as Pieri to the Barbados sta 
“ When os in March last I Sauni Dodd’s Si at 
the loitan pn the committee appointed by the Gove of 
Barbados to supervise its management, and gave iad in 
sei a piece of land for the purpose ‘of being laid out as a 
nursery for economic plants in connexion with the proposed botanical 
tati fos 
“At the same time I was shown the area of nearly 90 acres in 
extent, upon which the sugar-cane experiments were being con- 
duc ted, and was impressed not only with the suitability of the 
locality for the purposes in view, but also with the zeal and capability 
of Professor Harrison, Chemist to the Agricultural Society of Bar- 
“ bados, and Mr. Bovell, the Superintendent of the Refor ormatory, who 
“evidently had entered upon the experiments with aptitude and 
“ Although this is the first year of the experiments, the pe 
presented to the Government of Barbados is given in the current 
“ number of the ‘Sugar Cane,’ and also with more complete tables 
“in the ‘Barbados Agricultural Gazette’ for June 1886. It is a 
valuable contribution to sugar-cane literature, and deserves special 
< po ice 
aia pated in the experiments were, first, the influence of some 
21 different kinds of manures on the growth by weight of canes 
isolated in different plots; and, secondly, the influence these 
different manures in producing a certain number of pounds per acre 
“ of crystalline sugar. 
“Tt would appear from sous experiments that sulphate of ammonia, 
““ by many believed to be excellent manure for sugar-cane, is 
practically worthless sew mii: alone, but very valuable when used 
with the addition of either superphosphates or potash salts. Farm- 
yard manure, when obtainable, is evidently the best of all manures 
for sugar-cane, and gives relatively a larger yield of crystalline sugar 
“ than any other 
“There are many other points upon which it is possible to dwell in 
& this report, ajag ese ue r Harrison and Mr. Bovell hope to ca 
“ of the sugar-cane, and it is for those who believe that the future o 
the sugar-cane depends upon the scientific improvement of its agri- 
“ culture to carefully watch such experiments, and turn them to the 
“ best advantage as their several circumstances will allow.” 
At St. Lucia. consequent upon the ae of the Secretary of State 
of a vote of 3007. in its support, a botanical station is being established 
ear Castries under Mr. John Gray, lately of Jamaica, “an experienced 
be of 
s borakan, and a man calculated to great service in diffusing 
“ horticultural knowledge amongst the people of St. Lucia.” This 
station is s erpi by a committee appointed by the Govern 
nt. 
minica, Antigua, Montserrat, Nevis, and St. Kitts, so far, 
stations ane not been started, but it would appear that interest in 
the scheme has by no means failed. If Dominica ng! nee en in a more 
prosperous condition, it might have been possible, suggested by 
Dr. H. A. Alford Nicholls, to — a am aata esinbligieat 
there for the whole of the Leeward Islan ady, o 
keen interest taken by the late Dr. Imray, a latterly by Dr. viel icholls 
F 51377. B 
