534 - THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. [Feb. 2, 1903. 
gardens, which is very much as if an English 
grocer were lo advertise ' gooseberry ' as PU))erior 
to the wine of Sillery or Ay." — H and C Mail 
Dec. 19. ' 
THE GROWTH OF A NEW INDUSTRY : 
ONIONS IN THE WEST INDIES. 
Some twelve years ago tliere were probably no 
onions, to speak of, grown in the West Indies. 
Large supplies were consumed, and for these the 
colonies were dependent on importations. The 
profits arising from the cultivation of tliese onions 
went, not to West Indian agriculturists but to the 
onion growers of liie Canary Islands, Bermuda, 
etc. in about 1890 an old Bermuda grower, 
resident in Antigua, put his practical knowledge 
to account and made an experiment in onion culti- 
vation. The attempt was successful, and by 1896 
he had ten acres under onion cultivation in the 
island. (See West Indian Bulletin, Vol. II, 
p. 163), Tlie q^uestion had meanwhile been vigor- 
ously taken up by tiie Botanic Station, and in 
1895 to '96, onion cultivation may be said to have 
attained ilie rank of a minor industry in Antigua. 
It has thriven year by year, and its present posi- 
tion may be gauged by the fact that lust year, iu 
addition to the large quantities consumed locally, 
Antigua was able to export over 27,000 lb. < f 
onions to the intercolonial and New York markets. 
The industry has also been attempted in other 
islands, where with the advantage of the valuable 
experience gained ac Antigua, progress has natu- 
rally been more rapid. In Dominica experiments 
in growing onions from sets, imported by the 
• Botanic Station, were made in 1899. The results 
proved that the conditions were suitable, and the 
experiments were repeated in 190J. One or two 
crates were exported, and gained a good report at 
New York. Last year both seeds and sets were 
imported, and the onions exported fioni the Agri- 
cultural School and the Botanic Station to New 
York were reported as being equal to any from 
Berninda and Cuba. Montterrat has not been 
behindhand in endeavouring to found a new 
industry. The first efforts were made at the 
Experiment Stations, in 1900.01, and the cultiva- 
tion has progressed so rapidly that l;ist year 
Montserrat exported no less than 3,410 !b. of 
onions to various parts of the West Indies, and 
4501b. to New \ork. In the growth of this com- 
paratively small industry we have an excellent 
example of progress in the right; direction. The 
imports of onions into tiie various colonies are 
large, and are still mainly obtained from outside 
sources. In 1900 Barbados imported onions to the 
value of £1,187, Grenada £737, British Guiana 
£2,833. St. Vincent £145. It has been conclusively 
shown that onions of excellent quality can be 
grown at Antigua, Montserrat and Dominica. 
Experiments are about to be made in other islands, 
and we trust that within a few yeais the West 
Indies will not only grow onions in sufficient 
quantity for local consumption, but also to tnain- 
tain a valuable export trade with the Unitpd 
States and elsewhere.— West Indies Agricallural 
News, Mov. 22. 
CASTILLOA AND COFFEE. 
Mr J Hill, a coffee planter at Santa Anna, 
Salvador, is making the experiment of planting 
Castilloa elastica amongst the coffee trees on his 
jilantatioq. Two years ago he planted six 
thousand castilloa trees, which have already 
reached a height of from one to two and hnif 
yarJ<. There are betweeen thirty thousand and 
forty thousand castilloa trees one year old, and 
in this year he hopes to biiiig the total number 
of trees to sixty thousand. It s-epms as if at; 
the couip iratively high altitude at which the c .See 
plantation is situated, the castilloa trees grow 
somewhat slowly, and only future experience 
can show whether the yield of rubber is not 
affected thereby. Mr Hill appears to feel a little 
apprehensive regarding the effect of these trees 
upon his coffee. He writes according to the 
" Tropenpiianzer," 1902, p. 542 : "Many condemn 
the mode of planting as likely to be prejudicial 
to the coffee when the rubber covers it, but I 
am going to try anyhow, and I will let you 
know later on how the thing works, so that others 
may profit by the experiment." 
How tlie rubber trees will thrive in that 
locality I have no data to express an opinion upon, 
but I think I may rea«sure him on the question 
of itiflnence of the castilloa trees upon his coffee. 
Castilloa elastica does not develop a dense crown, 
and could, therefore, hardly be considered a 
shade tree. Moreover, there is a considerable 
plot planted in exactly the same manner on the 
plantation at Las C iscadas, and while the rubber 
trees are doing extremely well, there is not the 
least evidence that they interfere with the bear- 
ing of the coffee trees. At the time of my 
visit to that plantation the coffee trees amongst 
the rubber trees were in full, rich bearing. — 
India Bubber Journal, Dec. 8. 
SWEET POTATOES AND YAMS. 
During the period ot stress which our sugar-grow- 
ing colonies in the West Indies are passing tbrongu 
pending the abolition of the foreign sugar bounties, 
the attention of the planters has naturally been given 
to other produce. In Barbados great success has 
been achieved in the cultivation o£ sweet potatoes 
aud yams of the very best quality, and an endeavour 
is now being made to introduce these into this 
country. The sweet potato is a cheap and palatable 
vegetable, but a good yam is a positive luxury. 
During a long residence in London I imported 
several barrels every year for my own use, and out of 
the numerous guests who tasted them at our table 
there was not one who did not highly appreciate 
them. I may add that here the flavour is even more 
delicious than in the West Indies, as the butter which 
is a vital ingredient in a well-cooked yam, is so 
much better. 
I am returning to Barbados Blmost immediately 
but any information on this subject will be given by 
Messrs. W Pick and Sons of Portsmouth who are 
importing regular supplies. Receipts for various 
ways of cooking both sweet potatoes and yarns re« 
sent oirt with every -parcel, 
FoE=TER M. Alleyne, Legislative Council- 
—JournaX vfthe SocieUj of Arts. of Barbados, 
A Rich Island.— The Southern Philippine 
Island known by the name of Paragua or 
Palawan, is now coming into prominence, 
says the Straits Times, Jan. 2nd. Captain 
William A. Phillips, Governor of the island, 
in speaking of the conditions, states that prob- 
ably no part of the archipelago offers more 
inducements to capital than does Paragua. 
The vast forests containing rubber trees in 
great abundance are fortunes in themselves, 
saying nothing of the ptbev industries, 
