, 1910-04-27
AGRICULTURAL REPORT.

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Thp latter half Of March has gwen, on the
whole, hight, windy DAYS just suitable for
sugar Ieapug The only wet day was Sun
day the 3Jth, and then the showers were
light, except over the central parishes. st.
Thomas recorded an uch for the IS hours
from the 18th to Dist, st james 40, and St.
George .46, while other parishes had about a
quarter OF an inch Of rain. The morning Of
the 30tA broke wet and about 40 of an inch
was taken in some places. On other occa-
sions there have been light showers Just
sufficient to keep alive vegetation Of all
kinds. In the hill districts, where the show
ers have been most frequent and copious.
the record Of ram for the three months of
the year now closed amounts to somewhat
over ten inches For the corresponding
months Of Inst year the amount was close on
10 inches, with quite exceptional weather
during the first weeks Of january. For the
first three months of 1908 the record was
slightly over 8 inches, and for the same
period Of 1907 the amount was about 9 inch
es of rain.
The young crop IS getting fnirly estab-
liahed. IN some fields of every district the
growth is highly satisfactory. Irregularity
i, seen only where the planting was late. or
where there had been the necessity for much
supplying, owing to the ATTACKS of the
borcr insect, buj there is now u hclIthy spiro
or two III almost every hole. The ratopns
from canes that were cut in january and
February are sending up healthy and yigor-
Gus shoots the stools hive been cleared of
trasb, SO that the stumps may got ali the
benefit possible from the showers the trash
has been spread out over the banks, and the
weeders turned on to keep the fields clear
from grass and bush The root-boror has
not yot been much in evidence in the ratoou-
ing districts.
At the meeting Of the Agricultural Socie-
ty on Thursday the oath, Or. Watts, the
COMMISSIONS Of Agriculture, spoke on the
horer pest which Is now causing some ankle
ty among planters. He spid that the best
way to prevent the spreading Of the trouble
il to dig up and expose the cane roots as
soon as possible after the canes are cut SO
that the grubs may be devoured by birds.
lizards, otc., before the time comes for them TO
turn into winged weevils and fly about from
one field to another. This happens in the
month Of July then the weevils lay their
eggs and the pest increases rapidly. The
Doctor further suggested that it would be
well to lime the cane stumps, and best of NIL
to carry them out Of the field md stack them
mp. The same treatment would prove eli
fective for root fungus. He showed some
weevils, and asked those present to observe
that they were BLUSH in colour and stripoi;
50 that they may recognise the insect when
it is in their fields. The Commissioner asked
planters to send full particulars to his D.
partment, SO that he and his colleagues may
know to what extent the various districts
are affected, what planters are doing to com
bat the pest, and what is left for him and
his colleagues to do in the matter. We
would aid that we think planters in the
black soils ought to resolve, for this year at
least, to desist altogether from ratooning, so
as to facilitate the stamping out of the pest.
Now that cotton is bringing a fair price, it