, 1912-01-20
THE IMPERIAL DEPARTMENT. OF
AGRICULTURE IN THE WEST INDIES.
BY Sir Daniel Morris KCM.G., Del D.Sc.
Els, etc.
(Coutinhpd from .AciS No y

Nv CuIJlNullOH IL Oel ISiln COlton WIS
introduced into the West Indies in 1903.
The best seed was obtained from the Sea
Islands by the Department, aud numerous
experiment plots We're started 10 show sue
cessful methods of cultivation. Ju 1904 the
area planted amounted tC 900 acres. This
steadily increased until 24,O00 acres were
painted III 1903. In later Years tile area is
slightly less. The total exports of Sea Is
land cotton Gncluding Il small supply of Ma
RE Gllante cotton from Curriacru) during
the last seven years amount to Is, 900, 600
ID, of the value,in lint and seed, of $500, 900.
Valuable assistance was rendered by the Bri-
fish Cotton Growing Association in making
grants of money and marhiu ~; also in tax
ing charge of the shipments of cotton and
finding the BEST market for them. II also
provided the services of q travelling inspector
to be attached to the Imperial Department
Of Agriculture in connexion with cotton in
vestigations. Sir Alfred r.. Jones, President
OF the Association, offered eleven gold aud
seventeen silver me0als for competition
among cotton growers in 1867 \ visit of
representative cotton growers from the West
Indies was made to Lancashire III the sum
mer of 1908, when they were most ho,plta-
bly, received at Liverpool and Manchester,
and obtained valuable Information for their
guldauce i'll dealing with future crops. 1t
is admitted that if fine Sea Island cotton ha
not been obtained III appre ciable Quantity
from the West Indies in recent years several
OF the cotton mills iii lancashire Wou.d have
been compelled to work short time. THIS
IS au instance Of the value OF encouraging
agricultural industries III our Colonies and
the benefit arising TO the Mother County.
The exports of lines, concentrated limo
Juice, and essential oils Of lines (oblained
from the West indian lime tree) from Dom
Mica are of the annual value OF E54. 931 lime
juice and oils are exported from MoutserIat
of The value of Ct, 500; lines and lime JUICE
from Jamaica to the value Of about $4,000
Trinidad also exports some lime Juice. Ihrro
is an increasing demand for West Indian
lines in the United Kingdo II. The West
India Committee is rendering useful service
in bringing lines under the notice of the
British public aud encouraging their more
general use instead OF lemons.
The possibility of establishing rubber plan
tations in the West Iudies has received care
ful attention. There are thirty-thIea estates
engaged in the industry in Trinidad and
Tobago. Three experiment Plantations are
being established b, the Government of
British Guiana, and several CONCESSIONS for
land have been granted to public companies
formed during the past year.
Rubb I cultivation also Is being establish
Ell in British Hpadnrls, where the ceatral
American rubber tee, Ca$ttll0u e~(0Sica, is
native.
An Interesting part of The work Of the In
perial Department Of Agriculture has been
the distribution Of ecouomic plants from the
Botanic and Experiment Stations iii the
Windward aud Lttward Islands and Barbt-
dos. These have consisted Of established
plants, rendy for planting, Of cacNo from
seed and grafted), grated and budded olhn-
ges and grape fruit, grated mangos, rubber
nutmeg, groAin9 cocoa nuts, lines, bay rum,
hedge and shade pants, etc. The number
of these distributed in the years 1901 to
1905 amounted to CPL ,E07, aud during the
years 1906 to 1909, 554144, making u total
of 1,175,151. In addition there were dIstri-
buted large quantities of sugar-caaeS, sweet
potato slips, cnssavn cuttings, p1ne-appe
suckers, bananas, pluntains, and large guam
titles Of various seeds, and cacao pods. The
distribution of these was accompanied by
information for their treatment, and the
growers we're visited from time to time by
the travelling agricultural inspectors. 1t is
estimated that the plants distributed during
90 rI