April 1, 1903.] THE TEOPICAL AaRICULTURIST. 
661 
EETUENB. 
R, A. P. 
Ten mannds green ginger at E, 6 per 
maund . . 60 0 0 
60 0 0 
The preliminary cost on raising one hiagh of 
ginger crop is far in excess to that for turmeric, but 
as ginger is a crop that may be made to last for 
three years, the average cost will be found to be 
lower, and the return higher at the end. — Indian 
Planters' Gazette. 
RECENT EXPERIMENTS WITH 
SWEET POTATOES. 
Sweet potatoes ('the enlarged roots of Ijwmea Batatas) 
are among the most important agricultural products 
of the West Indies. As Mr. P. Watt's M est Indian 
Bulletin, Vol. 1. p. 271 states : ' So far as the sugar- 
producing islands are concerned the sweet potato 
occupies the foremost place in the list of home-grown 
foods and is, probably, next to the sugar-cane, the most 
important crop grown. . . At present the crop is grown 
upon the sugar estates as a snatch crop and fulfils a 
useful purpose ; owing to the short time it takes to 
come to maturity it can be planted after the (ratoon) 
canes have been cut when the potato crop will be 
ready for reaping from about December to February. 
After the crop has been reaped the land may be 
quickly prepared for a crop of sngar-cane. As 
the potatoes usually meet with a ready sale the 
crop is of value to the sugar planter and acceptable to 
the labourer. Sweet potatoes are largely grown by 
the peasantry themselves, the ease with which they 
are propagated, the poor soil in which they will thrive, 
the small amount of attention which they require, and 
the short time in which they come to maturity, all 
commend them to the peasant.' In the case of such a 
short time crop as the sweet potato it is difficult to 
obtain reliable information as to the actual acreage 
nnder cultivation. For Barbados the question was 
very fully discussed by Mr. J. B. Bovell in the West 
Indian Bulletin, Vol. I. pp. 204- 12. He estimated that 
there were about 2,600 acres under sweet potatoes in 
the island as catch and rotation crops on sugar 
estates, of the annual value of about $101', 600 or ap- 
proximately £21,000. In the islands other than thrse 
dependent on sugar, sweet potatoes also form a staple 
food, being to a great extent imported from those colo- 
nies in which the conditions are faAonrably adapted 
to their profitable cultivation. The sweet potato is 
also extensively grown in other parts of the world, for 
instanpe, the Azores, S. Africa, and the United States. 
According to the census return of 1890, the United 
States produce about 44,000,000 bushels per year. 
Recently considerable attention has been given to this 
crop by the Imperial Depaitment of Agriculture and, 
as a result, a good deal of experimental work has been 
carried cfn and morfe is in hand. 
EXPEEIMENTS WITH DIFFERENT VAEIEI IES. 
During the last season two sets of experiments were 
started to test the comparative value of the various 
varieties of sweet potatoes. These varieties are com- 
monly recognised by local names, often indicative of 
some distinctive character of the potato, or of its place 
of origin. They differ from one another amongst 
other points in the shape, size, colour flavour, and 
quality as a table vegetable of the root, in the shape of 
the leaf, in time of maturing, and in keeping power. 
In connection with the Botanic Station, Antigua, 
fifteen different varieties— some local, others intro- 
duced — were grown in separate plots under the same 
conditions. The crop from each plot was weighed 
separately. The full results have already been pub- 
lished by the Department in the Report on certain 
Economic E.vpcfinents in connection loith tlic BotuMC 
Station Antigua, 1000-1901, The yields of each variety 
were calculated in tons per acre, and varied from 6 of 
a ton to 4"4 tons. Amongst the varieties which occu- 
pied the foremost places were ' Eliza ' and two Trini- 
dad kinds known as'T. 1' and ' T. 2.' respectively. 
The latter, although beaten by the variety 'Eliza' ia 
actual yield, were superior in shape. The experimenta 
will be continued. Last year the ground was compara- 
tively new, and the variation in the yield of duplicate 
plots necessitates caution in estimating the relative 
value of the several varieties. At Barbados a some 
what similar series of plots were laid out, nnder the 
charge of Mr. J. E. Bovell, on Waterford Estate. 
Twenty-eight varieties, mostly local, were obtained and 
100 holes (51 X bi ft.) planted of each. It was hoped 
that in the present crop season they would have been 
dug and weighed. A careful comparison was then to 
have been made as to quality as a table vegetable, 
shape, keeping power, etc. Unfortunately, during tha 
past season insect pests have been more than usually 
prevalent on sweet potatoes in Barbados. The experi- 
ment plots were ravaged by red spider and other 
pests and the plants seriously injured. Even under 
such adverse conditions some useful information was 
obtained, concerning the comparative powers of resist- 
ance of the different varieties. 
The field was examined by Mr. Maxwell-Lefroy in 
the middle of November. The sharp manner in which 
the plots of the different varieties were marked out 
owing to their varying powers of resistance to insect 
attack was most striking. Amongst those which had 
suffered the most at this time were ' Ked Sealy.' 
' Hurley,' and ' Caroline Lee.' About a month later 
many of those which were fairly free from attack in 
November had been damaged, but to the end ' White 
Gilkes ' (both the three and six months varieties) and 
all the plots of mixed kinds, miintained their vigour 
in a surprising matter. From the result of this single 
experiMent, ' Gilkes ' and plots of mixed varieties 
seem to possess more than average powers of re- 
sistance to insect attack. 
STORING SWEET POTATOES. 
The usually low keeping power of the sweet potato ia 
a great drawback to its usefulness. The question ia 
discussed somewhat fully by Mr, Watts in the paper 
already referred to. The practical result is that shortly 
after the time of reaping the supply of sweet potatoes 
exceeds the demand. The greater number of the 
varieties will not keep long after being dug and they 
are sold at low prices to clear the ground for the 
succeeding cane crop. Hence for a brief period food 
is abundant and cheap. At other times the reverse 
is often the case. 
' These home grown supplies are, as a rule, employed 
directly as food, little attempt is made to convert them 
into forms which will keep and thus equalise the sup- 
plies which are otherwise irregular : it seems prob- 
able that something will have to be done in this 
direction before much progress will be made in the 
substitution of locally grown for imported foods.' (P. 
Watts, loc, cit. p. 274.) The concluding words indicate 
the course which is pursued in equalising the distri- 
bution of food throughout the year in those commu- 
nities which can afford it, namely the importation 
of foodstuffs, principally from America. Mr. Bovell 
(loc, cit. p. 211) gives the value of such articles 
imported into Barbados (for the year 1898) as £i75,011. 
Towards this large total, starches, grains and meals of 
various kinds contributed no less than about £9.5,000, 
Most of these could be raised in the Colony. lu the 
other sugar islands the situation is very similar. Ameri- 
can food' stuffs are largely imported to supply, during 
certain seasons of tho year, the want of local food 
supplies, althougli at other times of the year snch 
food materials are prodnoed in the island in excess of 
the deinind. Unsound as this policy undoubtedly i» 
it will probably continue to be pursued until coaditiona 
arise which compel attention to be given to the mora 
extensive cultivation of local food stuffs and to mathoda 
for preserving them so as to aUow the snpply bQ 
