228 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



July IC, 1904. 



WEST INDIAN FRUIT. 



MANURING CITRUS TREES. 



In a prcvitjus issue of the Aijriculfaral Xews 

 (Vol. Ill, p. 100), we published a note by Mr. E. A. 

 Agar of Dominica, on the use of pen manure with 

 citrus trees. Mr. Agar's experience was that jien 

 manure increased the size of the fruits at the expense 

 of qualit}-. The following note on the same subject, 

 by Mr. \V. M. Smith, Acting Agricultural Instructor at 

 Grenada, will be of interest : — 



A grape fruit tree, growing at Xiangaufoix estate, 

 Grenada, from the roots of which all the soil, to a depth of 

 about 12 inches, had been washed away, has been treated in 

 the following manner with the best results : A 3-foot barrier 

 of bamboos, enclosing a space of 7 feet square, was placed 

 around the stem nf the tree, and a compost was gradually 

 accunuilated in it for a period of about three months, until 

 it reached the height of about 2 feet 6 inches. This compost 

 ■was formed of sweejiings from house, kitchen and yard, as 

 well as a small quantity of pen manure and earth. 



This treatment was given just before the tree blossomed 

 in 1903. It now has most luxuriant foliage, has given a big 

 crop this year, and the fruits were not only huge, but also as 

 fine in quality as any grown in the island. 



PLANTING COCOA-NUT TREES. 



The British Guiana Board of Agriculture has 

 recentl}' published the following directions for planting 

 cocoa-nut trees: — 



Selection i>f SecJ. — Nuts which are quite ripe should be 

 chosen from trees which bear good crops, and which are 

 neither \ery young nor very old. They should be picked 

 and not allowed to fall or they may be injured, and they 

 should be kept for about a month before sowing. Very big 

 nuts are not always the best, because only a few maj' be 

 borne on the tree ; oblong nuts should be avoided. 



Solving. —Trcncheti should be dug about 6 inches deep 

 in good, light soil and the nuts placed in them on their sides 

 about G inches apart, with the bigger ends slightly down- 

 wards. Ashes should be placed in the trenches to keep 

 away insects. The nuts .should be half covered with .soil 

 and over all should be put about 6 inches of grass or cane 

 trash. In dry weather, they must be watered every two 

 days. Some of the nuts may not germinate, but in from 

 five to eight months those that have sprouted will be ready 

 to)>lant out. 



Plnntiwj out. — At distances of .about 30 feet apart 

 dig holes 3 feet wide and about i\ feet deeii. The soil 

 should be taken out of the holes, thoroughly mixed with 

 well-rotted manure or ashes, and then put back again. Put 

 in the sprouted nut on its side antl cover it with soil. All 

 the roots that are injured should be cut off before planting. 



Treatment after Pkuiting. — Care nuist be taken that the 

 nuts are kept covered with earth, as thej- tend to grow out 

 of the soil in time. The soil round the jialms uuist be kept 

 clean and free from weeds and .shouhl be dressed about once 

 a year with manure and ashes. Catch crops such as cassava, 

 cotton, maize, sweet potatos, etc., may be planted between 

 the trees, but not too close to them. 



In about five to si.x years' time the palms will begin to 

 produce fruit, but they will not Ijear well until the seventh 

 to twelfth year after planting. 



COMPOSITION OF ORANGES AND 

 LEMONS. 



of oranges 



The following notes on the chemical composition 

 and lemons are taken from Snyder's 

 Chemistry of Phivt and Anirual Life, reviewed on 

 p. 219 of our last issue: — 



Oranges contain from 10 to l.o per cent, of solid matter, 

 the larger portion (80 per cent.) being sugar. The citric 

 acid content ranges from 1 to '2'o per cent, in different 

 varieties. The amount of protein, fat and fibre is small. The 

 ash or mineral matter averages about i per cent, and is 

 composed mainly of potash and lime with smaller amounts 

 of other compounds. The iron and sulphur content in some 

 kinds of oranges is larger than is ordinaiily found in other 

 fruits. In average oranges, the physical conqiosition is as 

 follows : — 



Rind, 20 to 30 per cent. : pulp, 2-5 to 3-5 per cent., and 

 juice, 3-5 to .50 per cent. 



Lemons differ from oranges in containing larger amounts 

 of citric acid and smaller amounts of sucrose, levulose and 

 dextrose. The average composition of lemons is as follows : — ■ 



Physical Composition. Chemical Composition. 



Piind 2.5 to 3.") percent. Solids 10 to 12 per cent. 

 Pulp 25 to 35 ,, „ Sugar 2 to 4 „ „ 



Juice 10 to 55 „ „ Citric acid 6 to 9 „ „ 



The ash of the lemon is somewhat similar in composition 

 to the ash of the orange, but is present in larger amount. 



