, 1891-08-05
BARBADOS NEWS.

III we-had been able to arrange the pro.
gramme ourselves, the weather could not have
been better ordered wrote one agriculturist
at the end of June, and July has, #, possible.
been more favourable for planting interests.
General rains, hot suns, everything to 1stimu-
late and aid vegetation. And it has been
stimulated. The improvement on all sides is
wonderful. In the cane crop, in particular, as
the st. Philip correspondent of the Planters
journal writes, it is most eminently s~atisfac-
tory. where a few weeks ago there was hard.
~ a trace of vegetation, is now covered with
delicious verdnre, and the pleasure of life is
greatly enhanced by its being passed amidst
teemlng vegetation, instead of simply ''carrv-
ing on" amid surroundings the reverse of
cheerful.
course the planters chief care has been
the J%udicious nursing of the King CROP" and
every effort seems to have been put forth for
the canes, enabling them to receive the atten.
ton requisite after such a prolonged spell of
drought. Fortunately, the canes, for the most
part, seemed to utilize such little moisture as
was afforded them during the first five months
OF the year, In the promotion of a healthy
sucNerage, which seems to the writer to have
prevented a tendency for one or two shoots to
20 ahead, and probably become affected with
borer, which would have necessitated their
removal
The St. John Correspondent referring to the
rains %ln'June, says, "They were just in time to
save us from another short crop, which would
nave been very disastrous. Let US hope that
l992 will largely help us to make up the def
clencles OF the present year. Since the 18th
everything has bloomed out so nicely that one
Is apt to forget how woe-begone the appearance
was. The cane crop now looks quite as healthy
and promising as if nothing at all had HAPPIER
ed to impede It's progress, which speaks we'll
for our cultivation and manuring.
"The reaping of the cane crop was brought
to q close by the end of the month, planters
having had a very favourable reaping season
in which to finish a short crop. which. after all.
has not been so short as was expected, and
which, in most places, compares most favoura-
bly, with the crops of previous years, 1880
excepted) while the quality of the sugar has
stood uniformly high. .. -.
The rainfall in June was between 8 and IL
inches, in the different parishes. and July has
as we have said, been all that the planter
could desiderate. The old crop is now COM
pleted, and although short in ~someplaces it will
not be SO much below the average as was fear.
ed at one time.
Native provisions are still scarce and
dear, owing to the long drought, but the
prospect Of abundance at an early time is
promising; The Indian corn. crop the st. Phillip
correspondent says, bids fair, especially in
the small holdings in the fMerricks and Fowl
Bay districts, to be satisfactory In the Mer-
ricks district l have been much impressed
with the vigour of the corn, its regularity
and general health being, I think, greater
than | ever r~ecollect. Potatoes have been
planted apparently in much the same, quaint.
ties as usual there seems to be no likelihood
OF a glut of this root. Vans are springing
steadily, and here and there a spot is to be
seen showing by its greater forwardness an
earlier preparation and planting. Soon there
will be nolack of fodder, for in addition to
many fields of guinea-corn. [mphee, and
Woolly Pyroe, the sour grass is growing most
luxuriantly."
The quantity of produce shipped to date.
is-Sugar $3.50 hhds., Molasses 1851
nilnchanna