, 1915-08-07

markets, purity in Porto Rico, where existing
laws seem to place Obstacles in the way, aud
partly IN the English islands, particularly in
Barbados, but MS yet without any result. A
proposal has been made by the Experiment
Station to can meat, but III spite of The at
haction OF this idea, under the prevailing
circumstances, one must not lose sight of the
fact that under ordinary circumstances the
Significance Of the islands to navigation con-
sists Of their being able to supply ships with
1reah meat, eventually fro@~n meat.
In the course CT the year the Experiment
Station was extended considerably 10y public
giants, so that it now embrnces 225 acres Of
band. As yet there have been no particular
results Of this activity, which was first start
Ell ~ lie middle Of the year 1912, but great
ilJpe is centred on sumo; similar undertakings
in the nti3hbourin9 English and American
islands have proved especially useful. Pos
Is bic co-opeIHt;ou in one way OF another with
the noteworthy neighbouring Station in Tor
tola, or even IN visits to this lslund IN ght 10
doubt prove Of interest.
Among things newly introduced or en-
couruged by the Experimental Station is
iiaphee, the cultivation Of which has proved
n success, for use as iool-stdtf il the dry
season. One plantation (Shoys) offered the
threshed grain at q cents per pound, Dan
ISL, which price compares fnvournbly with
that OF imported food stuffs,
But strange enough, there has been no
special effort to cultivate co1n, the conditions
for which one should think we're favourable
and which undoubtedly could he Of the
greatest Importance 10 the islnnd, since corn
in It's different forms comprises the main
article OF TODD for the poorer classes. The
few experiments that hnye been made have
proved more or less satisfactory, and it must
be b ped that these will be continued on a
larger scale, so as TO possibly secure a home
made good and chenp article for the popuIH-
ton, which would be Of SPECIAL importance
at this moment, when the high market prices
aHd freight inci eneed coueidernbiy the nj
ready costly foreign articles. We note That
the Governments in tho neighbouriug Eng
llsh islands have made hptciNl efforts to en-
courage the cultivation of com during the
present unsettled state of affairs.
There hns been some talk Of extended cul-
tiVution Of cocoauuts. The soil is splendldly
adapted, and the prices for the products
good, but rs yet no fnnl result hes Leen ut
tanned. A step could be made without any
greater expense or fort, if each plantation
every yeai on suitable spots planted a few
hundred nuts, which can be chenpIy obtained
il choice quality from the English Govern
mtnt's Agricultural Station in T%ortolu.
There has been some criticism regarding
the expectation of cotton-seed from this is-
land to the English islands, whore it is
ground for oilcakes and meal, whereas both
products are largely imported. There is
reason to believe that these articles could
be produced here to ad vantage, using The
raw material on the spot. One Of the large
sugar factories made a trial ut crushing the
cotton-soed, and used snme rs fodder, the
cattle have been said to like this kind eff food.
AS long as the seed is freshly ground, no
harm results, in spite of predictions to
the contrary. As it is disposed of by the
planters at about l! cents per pound, md
The imported OilMeal costs 4 cents per
pound, the matter ought to be taken up.
Cottou-seed for sowing is imported from the
noi8hbouring islands at high prices, for in,
staEce from Barbados, at about Is cents per
pound. 1t seems only reasonable that tue
island Itself tried to meet this demand.
The telephone system has been largely ex-
tended over the island during the year. I'm
fortunately the work does not seem to have
been carried out with sufficient foresight;
parts Of the construction having already
proved unable to withstand The chaugeubIo
weather conditions.
(I0 be c0Utiuued)