Miscellaneous. 



m 



[AprIl, 1909. 



of seed selection, cultivation, and treat- 

 ment of insect pests of cotton, as well 

 as cotton ginning and other subjects 

 connected with the manufacture. He 

 clinched the matter by purchasing a 

 large quantity of the best Sea Island 

 cotton seed, a step the wisdom of which 

 became apparent when it was after- 

 wards ascertained that further supplies 

 of seed could not be obtained from the 

 Sea Islands. This seed, so obtained, has 

 formed the nucleus from which all the 

 best seed of the West Indies has been 

 subsequently derived. Sir Daniel Morris, 

 with assistance rendered by the British 

 Cotton-growing Association, in co-oper- 

 ation with officers connected with the 

 Department, organized the establish- 

 ment of ginners in various islands, and 

 compiled and published the well-known 



gamphlet entitled the ' A B C of Cotton 

 lanting and since then the Depart- 

 ment has been unremitting in its work 

 on the selection and cultivation of 

 cotton, in the study of insect and fun- 

 goid diseases, and in the information 

 and assistance afforded by the staff to 

 cotton planters. 



In 1898, when Sir Daniel Morris came 

 to the West Indies, these islands were 

 a source of great anxiety. To-day 

 there is everywhere encouraging evi- 

 dence of progress and security, and 

 such islauds as St. Vincent, Tobago, 

 Montserrat, and even aieas of larger 

 islands that seemed likely to run to 

 waste, are now under a prosperous 

 cultivation. Many factors have certain- 

 ly been at work, amongst which, very 

 important, was the abolition of sugar 

 bounties. But among the factors that 

 have been at work to improve agri- 

 culture and increase the prosperity of 

 these islands, there has been none 

 more important than the unremitting 

 efforts of the Department of Agricul- 

 ture under the late Commissioner. Sir 

 Daniel Morris broutrht to the West 

 Indies unbounded confidence in the 

 future, and in the resources of these 

 islands, a wide experience of Agri- 

 culture, and unflagging effort not to be 

 discouraged by the difficulties of the 

 task. All will bear testimony to the 

 result which he has acheived. 



Although the immediate connexion of 

 Sir Daniel Morris with the West Indies 

 has been severed, there is reason to hope 

 that his mature experience and wise 

 counsel will still remain at the disposal 

 of the empire. It is the wish of his 

 colleagues, as well as of the West Indies, 

 that he may long enjoy the measure of 

 rest to which his lengthy and unremit- 

 ting labours entitle him.— Agricultural 

 News, Vol. VIII.. No. 175, January, 1909, 

 p. 1. 



ESTABLISHMENT AND WORKING 

 OF THE SUGAR INDUSTRY AGRI- 

 CULTURAL BANK AT BARBADOS. 



By the Hon. F. J. Clarke., c.m.g., m.a., 

 President of Barbados Agricultural 

 Society. 



In giving a short account of the estab- 

 lishment and working of the Sugar 

 Industry Agricultural Bank, it will be 

 interesting to trace the steps that have 

 been taken from time to time to enable 

 planters in this island to obtain advances 

 tor carrying on the working of their 

 plantations. As long as sugar brought 

 a good price, and there was a good mar- 

 gin of profit, there was practically no 

 difficulty in obtaining advances, but 

 with the drop in the price of sugar in 

 1884, there were many whose estates 

 were encumbered who found themselves 

 in difficulties. As owners of encumbered 

 estates they could not pledge the crops 

 for advances, and no one «vas willing to 

 take the risk of advancing against the 

 crops of encumbered estates, as the lien 

 holders might foreclose before the reap- 

 ing and sale of the crops. 



In July, 1885, Sir W. Robinson, who 

 was then Governor, in a Minute to the 

 Colonial Secretary, stated that he had 

 been informed that certain planters 

 were unable to obtain a supply of neces- 

 saries for cultivation during that season 

 without temporary assistance, and that 

 he would be glad to have some reliable 

 information as to whether this was 

 true, and suggested that a joint Commit- 

 tee of both Houses of the Legislature be 

 appointed to enquire into and report on 

 the matter ; and that were it true, the 

 Committee would doubtless consider 

 the propriety of passing a temporary 

 enactment giving preference to charges 

 of the next crop for cultivation advances 

 within certain limits. This Miuute was 

 laid before the House of Assembly and 

 the joint Committee was appointed. 

 They reported to this effect :— 

 That the owners of plantations in this 

 island may be divided into three classes, 

 as follows :— 



1. Those who cannot be said to need 

 assistance. 



2. Those who are quite insolvent and 

 could not be judiciously assisted. 



3. An intermediate class ; but the 

 Committee could not agree as to whether 

 this was a large or a small class. 



And that they were not in favour of 

 recommending any such legislation as 

 that suggested by His Excelleucy. . 



