, 1896-12-23

"a ~ - ASoo ASV w coOst " NAAAOAVhS "
plants this season might do well to have q
look at the acre to winch we have referred.
At the Same tiras they might inspect another
novelty on The same sstate-a brand new cane
of very vigorous and healthy growth,-a cane
swi qeners which; though the very opposite
of a Bourbon in appearance, was found grow.
ling in a Bourbon BUTCH, and is considered to
.be a sport from that variety. From that
.siugle shoot discovered about 3 years ago
absut 2 acres have now been Obtained; AID
if tho performance IN the boiling house
equals that in the field, this, as yet unnamed
variety will prove To be u valuable accession.
for it's hardilo0d and vigour are rsmarka-
BILE. 1t is worthy of comment that up to
the present time our most trustworthy
varieties are offsplings Of the Bourbon -
another very solid reason why we should
not tHrn our backs 100 hastily ON this
good old friend, which has not only served
us as we'll in fits day but il the parent of the
most reliable Of those kinds on Which our
hopes are now centred -notably the White
Transparent and the Burke-and il still
doing US good service. For in the central
parishes in which the TIanSpar, nts have 80
freely lowered planters are looking upon
.their Bourbon felds as the backbone of their
crop, and we are glad to be able to inform
our abscntees that there are to be seen Bour.
pbH iSlNbY IHo ilSiA JCAoW CduS6 VI WHICH
are in strong ~contrdSt to the d ,rk whip like,
long plumed canes which too fir, quently now
a days adorn our head rows. Some people.
call these monkey canes-very short bodies
and very long tails. Ii stands TO reason
that it would be absu 4 i'll these fungoid days
to plant an entire crop Of Bourbon, because
disease would devastate them before they
could be reapel, Dut it Would be equally
unwise to discard them al oSether. AS we
have said, those es afes in the arrOwing dis.
'tYicts having 2 few fields IF BouYbon which
can be reapcd, when ripe will have cause to
congratulate themselves on their sound man.
agement.
Sweet potatoes which are the backbone Of
: eur native food supply, are becoming scarce,
and by Christmas time will probably be dsnr.
&, Planters show very little discrimination in
handling this root. They plant not to suit
the market, but merely follow routine. The
i. consequence is that's at certain seasons they
. plant act a loss and glVt the markets, often,
too, with immatAre roots, Now that Ameri-
can provisions have goQe up i'll. price atten-
ton might proftably be turned to this crop;
and it should especially be paid to the sele Q
ton of. the best varieties, and 10 ripeness. for
the epithet ."swesv' can only be applied to
: this potato when ripe and thoroughly cooked,
otherwise it Is neither sweet nor wholesome.
Pity 1t 3, that a roet OF suelI nutrltlve quality
and economic value should be 80 frequently
marketed in an immature state. Our yam
crop will certainly be short, for this plant
disIikes heavy raj y Sunshine and showers
= are more to its taste. In some places the
crep hi been drowned altogether-quite
covered with water. We heard a planter
disoonsolate y remark that he could not find
his yiams at ell.
Oar picturesque old wind mills are once
more putting on their points, and very pro-
badly in January '97-csrtainly il presided
by a snnny Decemb er-reaping will begin
with al its hopes and fears, for the crop
about to be reaped will solve some anxious
problems. We hope ID pray that the
strong swimmers who have so bravely breat.
ed the tide of adversely may not yet go under,
but may keep up for a better day. Surely,
if help is to come to us, now is the appointed
.tims. We are fighting a losing battle, and
saceon to be of any use must precede ir-
retrievable defeat. The critical position Of
. " the West Indian Sugar Industry points to
I" the immediate necessity of adopting
-" remedial measures. We should think SO.
The same telegram informs us that .it there.
fore proposed TO induce the Covers ment to
{" consider 8 proposal to investigate the mat
d" ter by a Commission on the spot" We