Vol. III. No. 53. 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



137 



Cassava Starch in Jamaica. 



References have already been made in the 

 Acjrindtural News (V'ol. Ill, pp. 44, 10-5 and 118) to 

 the etforts that are being made in Jamaica to establish 

 an export business in cassava starch, and more 

 particularly to the trial shipment that had been made 

 by Mr. J. W. Midtlleton, who had started a factory for 

 the manutacture of this starch at Longville, Clarendon. 



The Jamaica Dally Telfgnipk of March 20, 1904, 

 states: ' Mr. J. W. MidtUeton has just received a cable 

 report from Manchester on the result of the tests to 

 which the cassava starch made at his factory has been 

 subjected. The results of the trial have been very 

 satisfactory, and he has been asked to send at the 

 earliest opportunity .50 tons, for which a price of £10 

 per ton in Bristol is ottered.' 



Commenting on this report the same journal 

 remarks that it is conclusively shown that there is 

 a bright future for the cassaxa starch industry, for, 

 considering the cheapness with which cassava can be 

 grown and the moderate cost at which the starch can 

 be manufiictured, there is money in the new venture. 



It is stated that the manufacturer has succeeded 

 in making a starch to suit the finishers of high-class 

 goods in Manchester, who at present use, for their 

 finer processes, wheat starch which costs, on an average, 

 £27 per ton. 



' The cultivation at Longville consists of about .50 

 acres, which will be ready for starch making this season. 

 Theca2)acity of the plant is about 150 tons per annum.' 



Cassava Starch. 



Referring some months ago to the experimental 

 shipment of cassava starch from Jamaica, the result of 

 which is given elsewhere in this issue, the Jamaica 

 Times stated : ' Ladies complain bitterly of the 

 damage done to clothes by the acid in cassava starch 

 as it is often put on the market here.' We find that 

 there appears to be a general belief in that direction 

 throughout the West Indies: it is particularly prevalent, 

 we are informed, in Barbados. 



With a view to obtaining further information on 

 this ])oint, a sample of Barbados cassava starch was, 

 at the request of the Imperial Commissioner of 

 Agriculture, forwarded to Professor d'Albuquerque for 

 examination as to its freedom, or otherwise, from acid. 



Professor d'Albuquerque reported : ' The acidity 

 ■of this sample by ordinary tests is imperceptible. . . . 

 This sample of cassava starch, in respect to freedom 

 from aciditj', compares very favourably with the best 

 ■obtainable sample of arrowroot starch.' 



With reference to the general characters of 

 ■cassava starch for laundry purj)oses, the following 

 report from a laundry- in England is of interest : — 



I have tried the .sample of starch you sent me lioth 

 boiled and unboiled. One table-spoonful of your starch is 

 •equal to two of mine ; it is very glutinous. The cold starch, 

 when used with borax, is certainly stronger than the starch 

 I have been using, but it is inclined to stick to the iron and 

 •on the outside of the collars, etc. The starch is a good 

 colour. It could be used for starching without borax, as it is 

 very stiff and also gives a gloss. 



Trade and Agriculture of St. Lucia. 



The Colonial Report on Ht. Lucia for the year 

 1902 contains a number of interesting facts relating to 

 the trade and agriculture of the colon}'. Although 

 there is a considerable declint' in the total value of the ■ 

 exports, this is mainly due to a fixlling off in the export 

 of coal. The exports of sugar and sugar products also 

 show a decline in value, but we are glad to notice that 

 the steady increase in the export of cacao has been 

 maintained. It is interesting to note that pimento 

 sticks figure quite largely in the table of exports: 

 15,996 were exported during the year, their value being 

 estimated at £446. 



Reference is made in this report to the work of the 

 Agricultural Department, especially to that of the 

 Botanic Station in distributing plants, and that of the 

 Agricultural Instructor in advising planters on the 

 preparation of produce for market and agricultural 

 matters generally. 



The Production and Consumption of Cacao. 



The Tropical Aijrieulturist of March 1, 1904, 

 publishes a rejiort by Messi-s. Lewis and Noyes on the 

 above subject. 



In a list of the quantities of cacao (in bags) 

 produced, during the last five years, in the various 

 cacao-growing countries, it is shown that the principal 

 producers in 1902 were : Guayaquil (467,000), Africa 

 (297,504), Bahia (273,977), Trinidad (166,788), Vene- 

 zuela (166,000), Grenada (61,279), Ceylon (60,455), 

 Para (49,840), and Africa, British, (47,900). The 

 production in Jamaica was 17,620 bags; the returns 

 for Mexico were not complete, but the production in 

 1901 was 3.5,859 bags. 



There has been an important increase in the 

 production of cacao in all countries except Surinam, 

 Java, Hayti and San Domingo. In Surinam the 

 decrease is due to the inroads of the ' Witch Broom ' 

 disease; in Java to adverse climatic conditions, and in 

 Hayti and San Domingo to political disturbances. 

 On the other hand, the industry- has made great 

 strides in our West African possessions (where every 

 assistance is being given by the authorities), as will be 

 seen from the following figures showing the production : 

 1898 (787), 1899 (4,787), 1900(9,047), 1901 (16,170), 

 and 1902 (47,900). It would appear that there is 

 likely to be considerable increase in the production of 

 this article in the Congo, in Costa Rica, and also in 

 Java and Ceylon. 



' The consumption appears to be growing steadil}', 

 and we see no reason why this health}- condition 

 should not continue, when we take into consideration 

 the many forms of manufacture from the raw state, 

 and its growing recognition as a nutritious article of 

 diet both in this and in other countries. The 

 consumption of the world is estimated to be, for 1902, 

 about 120,000 tons.' 



A table, giving the comparative prices for the 

 cacao exported from different countries, shows that the 

 highest prices were obtained in 1903 for that from 

 Guayaquil {65s. to 80s.), Trinidad (64.>i. to 75s.), and 

 Grenada (51s. to 62s.). 



