Vol. hi. Xo. 58. 



THE AGRICULTUKAL NEWS. 



219 



<«T-<» 



METEOROLOGY OF JAMAICA: By Maxwell Hall, 

 M.A., F.H.A.S., F.U. ilet. Soc. Kingston, Jamaica: The 

 Institute of Jamaica, lOOJf. 



In this little work are recorded some of the more 

 important results of observations made by the author between 

 1881 and 1902. 



A short account is given of the instruments used in 

 measuring the pressure, temperature, moisture, and motion 

 of the atniosiihere, etc., viz., barometers, thermometers, 

 hygrometers, rain-gauges, anemometers, etc. 



Much useful information is given in the tables' at the 

 end, including a summary of the Kingston monthly 

 temperatures, 1881-98, average annual temperatures at 

 different elevations in .Jamaica, diurnal variations of 

 temperature at Kingston, rainfall statistics, etc. 



The mean temperature at Kingston (eighteen years' 

 observations) is 78-8°; the highest maximum during that 

 period was 96"7°, and the lowest minimum, 56'7°. 



The average annual rainfall o^•er the whole island is 

 about 70 inches ; in 1886 it rose to 90 inches, while in 1872 

 it fell to 4.") inches. 



There is also an interesting chapter on cyclones. It is 

 stated : ' Fully developed cj-clones appear in the West Indies 

 for the most part during the months of August, September 

 and October only ; they follow a west-north-west course at 

 first, then they turn north, and finally recurve east-north-east, 

 if their course is long enough to peruiit of these changes.' In 

 this connexion, also, the results of many j'ears' observations 

 are given ; we fail, however, to find any reference to the 

 hurricane of last August. 



Those of our readers who wish to make themselves 

 acquainted with the general principles of meteorology might 

 well study this book, since the fact that it is specially adajtted 

 to the West Indies makes it all the more interesting and 

 useful. 



THE CHEMISTRY OF PLANT AXD ANIMAL 

 LIFE : By Harry Snyder, B.S. New York: The Macmillan 

 Com2Kuiy ; London : Macmillan it- Co. Ltd., 190S. 



As stated in the preface, this book is the outgrowth of 

 instruction given in the School of Agriculture of the 

 University of Minnesota, and it is evidently the work of 

 a practical and experienced teacher of agricultural chemistry. 



The first twenty-one chapters deal with general 

 elementary chemistry, a knowledge of which, as the author 

 insists, is essential to a proper umlerstanding of the more 

 technical side of the science. Consequently we find the more 

 important elements and compounds fully treated, there being 

 separate chapters on 'Oxygen,' 'Hydrogen,' 'Nitrogen,' 

 ' Water,' etc. There are also chapters on the ' Composition 

 of matter,' ' Laboratory Manipulation,' etc. The less 

 important elements (from an agriculturist's point of view) 

 and their compounds are treated more briefly. There 

 is special attention paid to compounds which are of 

 importance in agriculture: for instance, under 'Arsenic' 



we get an account of Paris green, under ' Copper ' one of 

 Bordeaux mixture. 



Then follow chapters on the cheniistrj' of plants and of 

 the organic compounds found in them. Under non-nitrogen- 

 ous compounds are treated — starch, cellulose, dextrines, 

 sugars and other carbohydrates, also fats, wase.s, organic 

 acids, essential oils, etc. The nitrogenous compounds 

 treated include the various proteids, alkaloids, glucosides, 

 etc. 



The chapters on the 'Chemistry of Plant Growth' and 

 the ' Chemistry of Plants at Diti'erent Stages of Growth ' 

 give a number of interesting facts on the chemical changes 

 that a plant brings about while alive. 



The chemistry of special crops, chiefiy in relation to 

 their food values, is then dealt with ; the most interesting 

 chapter to West Indian agriculturists will be that on Indian 

 corn. 



The remaining chapters are devoted to a thoroughly 

 scientific and i)ractical account of the feeding of men and 

 animals, the digestion of the different classes of food-stuft's, 

 the amounts and kinds of food necessary for different 

 animals, and the composition of animal bodies. 



This book can thoroughly be recommended to teachers, 

 and to the more advanced students, of agricultural science in 

 the West Indies. 



EXPORTS OF JAVA. 



The following extract.? are taken from the Report 

 on the Trade and Commerce of Java for 1903, by 

 Mr. Consul Fraser. They deal chieflj- with sugar : — 



The sugar crop was a record one, and prices ruled 

 considerably higher than during 1902. 



As regards cofi'ee, the total production exceeded the 

 estimates, but values in Europe were anything but satisfactory. 



As above mentioned, the production of sugar exceeded 

 that of any previous year, the total reaching 883,020 tons, or 

 nearly 3.5,000 tons in excess of the j'ear 1902. The results 

 obtained, however, in the various divisions of the island were 

 very dissimilar. 



The prices obtained were much more satisfactory than in 

 the preceding year, the lowest point being the equivalent of 

 7s. 'id. per cwt., as against 6.s. '2d. per cwt. in 1902. 



Notwithstanding the low values of the last two years, 

 only five mills in all .Java have been compelled to close. 



The seed cane varieties, originally cultivated by the 

 p]ast .Java Experimental Station, and a few other seed 

 varieties have proved a decided success, both as regards 

 production and immunity from disease, and an important 

 increase in the area planted with this description of cane is 

 noticeable. More attention is also being paid to cane 

 selection by the establishment of ' selected cane' nursery 

 gardens. 



Prospects for the 1901: crop are at present very 

 uncertain. Too much rain has fallen in some districts, and 

 in others drought has prevailed. Everything now depends 

 on the weather conditions during the next few months. 



The exports of sugar to the United States — from the 

 1903 crop up to the end of the year — show a falling off, as 

 compared with 1902, of 1.56,019 tons. Exports to the 

 United Kingdom, which for some years have been practically 

 nothing, according to the official figures, reached 26,126 tons, 

 but the actual quantity was probably somewhat more. 



In view of the uncertainty as to the continuance of the 

 United States as the principal consumer of .Java sugar, every 

 effort is being made to increase the volume of trade with 

 Eastern markets. 



