Vol. III. No. 52. 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



121 



Vegetables of Costa Rica. 



An article entitled 'GeiniisepHanzen von Costarica' 

 by C. Werckle ajjpears in the March issue of Der 

 Tropenpflanzer, which gives a number of facts with 

 regard to the vegetables used in that country. 



Among the plants, the leaves and young shoots 

 of which are used as vegetables, may be mentioned the 

 gourd, the ' ehristophine' or ' cho-cho ' {Serhium nhdc), 

 the sweet cassava, the papaw (Carica Papaya.) and 

 other species of Carica, also a wild Cyclanthera. 

 There are also used the young leaves of the 'chicasquil' 

 (Jafropha midtifidai), the very 3'oung leaves of the red 

 variety of the ' liquisque ' or tannia (Colocasia escu- 

 lenta), and the leaves of a tree-nettle (Boehmeria sp.) ; 

 finally there are eaten the flowers of the ' itabo ' 

 (Yiiycca elephantipf'^^), and the inflorescence of one of 

 the Commelinaceae, probably a Tradescantta. 



The tomato, eorg plant (Solanam MeloiKjena), 

 Spanish pepper (Capsicmn annuum), 'chayote' or 

 ehristophine (Sechiuni edide), ' tacacos' (Sechiiim sp. 

 or Cyclanthera sp.l), the unripe fruits of species of 

 Carica, and of Pasxifiora, quadraiajidaris, var. 

 ')nacrocarpa (' GvawaAo venX' ) are the most important 

 native fruit vegetables. Peas are grown in high 

 lands and thrive very well, lentils are uncommon, 

 lupins have onl}' recently been tried. Beans are one 

 of the chief foods and thrive excellently, there are two 

 main kinds of the native bean (Phaseolvs litnatus). 

 The ochro {Hdjincii-s esculent us) is only planted here 

 and there, mainly by negroes. An Asclepiad (Gonolo- 

 hus edulis), bears fine fruits as large as a child's head, 

 which when quite young are liked as a vegetable. 



The tannia (Colocasia esculenta) and two species 

 of Dioscorea are the only foreign tubers cultivated ; 

 the native ones are sweet potato {Ipumoea Ixdatas), 

 Irish potato (Solan um tuheroxum), ' cho-cho ' (Sechiuni 

 ■edule) and sweet cassava (Maniliot Aipi). 



Trade and Agriculture of British Guiana. 



According to the Colonial Report on, British 

 Guiana for 1902-8, the total value of colonial produce 

 exported during the year was £1,673,-549. The total 

 .export of sugar was larger than it has been since 1 887. 

 In that year the export of sugar reached 184,874 tons, 

 .at an average value of £18 (i.v. Hd. per ton. The 

 average value for last year works out at £8 13.S-. .5(7. 

 per ton, the total value being £1,042,023. There was 

 a considerable increase in the amount of rum exported, 

 but the value of this was only £13.5,670 as compared 

 with £160,846 during the previous year. The exports 

 of molasses, which were over two and a half times 

 those of the previous year, were valued at £10,496. 

 Reference is made to the increase in the shipments of 

 .sugar to Canada, this trade having received consider- 

 .able impetus since the close of the year under review. 



The acreage in cane cultivation has again 

 increased, 73,198 acres being under cane at the end of 

 the year. The experimental cane cultivation under 

 the Board of Agriculture was actively proceeded with 

 •during the year: the new varieties of sugar-cane have 

 attracted .much attention, all the estates in the colony 

 now taking part in the work. 



The principal minor industries in the colony are 

 rice, cacao, coffee, cocoa-nuts, plantains and bananas, 

 and stock raising. There was a decrease in rice cultiva- 

 tion, due, it appears, to unfavourable weather. The 

 crop, representing the cultivation of 16,628 acres, wa.s 

 estimated at 39.5,948 bags (of 120 H). each) of paddy. 

 It is shown that the extension of rice cultivation 

 has caused a steady decline in the rice imports. 

 In addition to the exports of cacao (98,917 fb.) a 

 considerable quantity was sold to the local chocolate 

 factory : the coffee grown was all consumed in the 

 colony. Reference is made to the work of the newly 

 appointed Board of Agriculture, especially to its 

 endeavours to interest the people in agriculture by 

 means of shows, to promote the spread of agricultural 

 knowledge, and to improve the breeds of live stock in 

 the colony. 



The Protection of Native Plants. 



A lecture was recently delivered by Dr. Robert T. 

 Jackson before the Massachusetts Horticultural 

 Society on the above subject. The following is a brief 

 resume, of the lecture : — 



The effort to do something to protect and maintain 

 our wild animals and plants, instead of indiscriminately 

 and even wantonly destroying them, is seen in a 

 number of ways. Our fish and game laws look to the 

 preservation of game animals : the Audubon Society 

 attempts to check the destruction of our native birds ; 

 the widespread forestry movement has attained an 

 important standing as an effort to protect, improve and 

 increase our forest areas. The larger plants or trees 

 need protection and fostering care most emphatically. 



What causesthe disappearance of plants ? First and 

 foremost ai-e the axe and the plough. With the 

 cutting down of forests, the spread of cultivated land 

 and the extension of towns and cities, regions, once 

 populated b}- native animals and plants, give way to 

 the changed conditions. Plants are often reduced in 

 number by thoughtless picking in unreasonable 

 quantities; the principles that should be urged are: 

 gather in moderation, cut the stem and not tear it off, 

 never pull up the root except for transplanting, and, if 

 there be reason to believe that a plant is rare, leave it 

 to increase its kind by seed and root. Children should 

 have the fact instilled into them that the plant, as a 

 living organism, has a right to existence. 



After the axe and the plough, the worst enemy of 

 our native plants is the commercial collector : owners 

 of land could doubtless do much to check this by 

 posting not-ices having reference to trespassing. 



The mountain laiirel (Kalmia latifolia), holly, 

 and the ground pine are plants that are much used in 

 America for decorative purposes. As these are 

 gathered in such large quantities, and the source is 

 limited, some steps should be taken to protect them 

 from more or less total extinction. 



Societies for the protection of native plants have 

 been organized in numerous places : such organizations 

 are of considerable value in spreading a spirit of 

 protective care of plants for their own welfare. 



