, 1908-01-18

be FIR. 1O.OOO which amount Is proposed
to be granted from the Colonial Treasury,
Detailed estimates will be laid on the
Councils table"
Such d scheme has some interest for
us over here in st. Croix, as also has the
question of providing slaughter houses and
selling stalls for our butchers.
The report from which we have quoted
goes no further; but as soon as we learn
how the End Money Bill was received in the
st. Thomas Colonial Council we shall con-
tinue this notice of the Proceedings.
-- --- -
We are indebted to the courtesy of Mr..
Fishlock, Agricultural Instructor in Tortola,
for a copy of a very interesting Report on
the Experiment Station in that island for
19O6-O7.
The Report commences with a brief sketch
of the history of the Experiment Station
since it was started by the Imperial Depart
ment Of Agriculture in the year 1900, and
this is followed by an account of the work
done. The historical sketch reads as fol-
lows:
''The Imperial Department of Agriculture
began its work in the Virgin Islands in 1900.
A partly abandoned sugar estate to the
northwest of Road Town was chosen as the
site for an Experiment Station and was pur-
chased from the funds of the Imperial Grant
in aid. This estate consisted of about $50
acres of land, nearly one half OF Which is a
steep hillside. At the time of its purchase
the old sugar works had fallen into a state of
disrepair and the sugar mill was practically
useless
"Mr. CIV Scale was appointed Agriculthr-
81 Instructor in charge of the Experiment
Station. Under his direction a house was
built for the use of the Agricultural In
%structor; necessary roads were laid out, and
model plots were established, which were
planted VI in lines, seeding canes, cacao,
coffee, fruit trees, eCc. In 1902, Mr.. W. @.
Fishlock was appointed Agricultural In
s%trdctor, and he has held that post UP to the
present time.
ga well has been sunk andan aermotor
erected for pumping water. This ensures
a permanent and regular water supply
to the Experiment Station. 4 small Chata-
nooga mill has been purchased and establish
ed in the old sugar works. The sugar bat
terry has been entirely rebuilt and the build
ings have been put in a fair state of repair.
More recently a building has been erected
to serve as a cotton factory, and suitable
machinery for ginning and 6aling the cotton
has been placed in it.
"On taking over the property the Depart
ment let out about AZ acres to twenty-four
tenants on the part-payment system, the
tenants binding themselves to plant certain
crops, and the Department agreeing to put
them in full possession of their plots at the
end of seven years. This agreement COM
menced in 1902, and. it must be confessed,
does not seem likely to end satisfactorily:
"The land reserved for the station proper;
about IA acres, was laid off in plots of l acre
and planted with various crops. One plot
was planted with lines, d second with seed-
ling canes, a third with various fruit trees,
a fourth with p%ine-apples, a fifth with cacaoj
and a sixth with coffee, and so IN
'"These crops have mostly been successful
and have served to indicate what crops may
be grown in Tortola. AS regards outside
work, it may be mentioned that a woolless
breed of sheep which is we'll suited to the
place has been introduced. A young Tog-
genburg goat was also imported with a view
of improving the local breed of goats"
In his account of the Cotton Industry Mr.:
Fishlock explains that only about one third
of the cotton bought at the Station, ginned
and exported, was Sea Island the rest was
native cotton ''of the Marie Galante type"
The progress of the industry is shewn by
the following table
Value of cotton