, 1912-08-14
The SUGAR Crop

The SUGAR Crop
asnouAted to $685. 1927 ky. of canes, which
were delivered 10 the Factory for 1851 Trce.,
q rather lower price than in the previous
year. 1t was due. also in this case, to the
good weather at the end of 1910 and the
Spring OF 1911 that we made up for SO much
OF the earlier damage.
On the other hand the new crop suffered
considerably from the dry weather, and the
rain in November and December came too
late to start a renewed growth in the canes,
but as II set off it did not introduce such
drawbacks for this cultivation as for the
cotton. At the close of the year we could
fear tor the year 191l-12 a crop no small
amount below the average.
The PLANTING OF S1sAL HEMP
at Castle Nugent thrives fairly well, and
the factory at Longford, which has hith-
erto only worked up fibre from Castle
Coakley and other estates not belonging
to the Company, Will soon get Slsal leaves
also from the ~Company's own land.
The wind-breaks of Thibet trees, which
are specially established on the North Side
properties, grow we'll and seem to be quite
satisfactory.
The paintings Of lines and .cacao are now
bearing fruit, bat, while it seems that there
is some possibility Of the lime cultivation
yielding a profit, it does not appear that we
shall succeed with the cultivation Of cacoa
in our islands, in a climate which is mark
ed by such frequent dry periods.
From California the Company has i'm
ported varieties Of thornless Cactus, which
have been produced by a well known horti-
culturist, Mr.. Burbank. They are specially
suited for cattle fodder, and it is the Com
lany's intention, with the help Of cuttings,
which have hitherto thriyen well, to plant
an experimental area on the stock estates,
In spite of the drought the live stock
have on the whole pulled through we'll. The
cattle of the Funen breed, imported into
ST. Thomas, certainly suffered by the drought,
but have come round again; the Zebu heifers
imported into ST. Croix from Trinidad are
thriving satisfactorily.
OF course the drought led to a considera-
be falling off in the yield Of milk, both on
the Company's properties, and on other e8-
tates which delivered milk 10 the dairy il
st. Thomas.
Repeated experiments in churning have
shown that in the West Indies we must
reckon on using 20 to 81 lbs. of milk for / ID
Of butter.
TIE LABoUB CoND1TIoSs.
continually caused difficulties in finishing
field operations in good time, fr example, in
manurihg after rain, cotton picking and the
like. It Isl matter Of rejoicing that in the
new School Ordinance the possibility is
given for the children getting a holiday to
share i'll the not arduous Iabour Of cotton
picking. It viii not only be a good help for
our agriculture, but also the means Of giving
q good income for the children, and a help
to their education by bringing them through
the idIeness OF their growing years, which
often is ut the root OF such laziness later in
the country Iabourers life that they, for ex-
ample, prefer to drift along on days pay
rutaer than to take the more profitable task
work.
In order to get more labourers on the
North Side estates it is contemplated to
erect some model cottages Of q neat and con
y%enient type with veranda and rooted kitchen.