Agricultur, Horticultur, Forstbotanik. 255 



Grazia, S. de c S. Caldieri. Influenza di alcuni concimi su 

 la composizione immediata dei semi di segala. (Stazioni 

 sperimentali agrarie. Vol. XXXIX. p. 514—528. 1906.) 



Das Verhältniss der Asche zu Fettstoffen bleibt in Roggen- 

 samen bei Stickstoff- und Kalidüngung konstant. Chilisalpeter und 

 Ammonsulfat lassen den Proteingehalt steigern. Weniger günstig 

 wirken Chlorkalium und Kalisulfat. Zucker- und Dextringehalt erlei- 

 den keine Veränderung. Stärke nimmt bedeutend zu, wobei Chlor- 

 kalium die kräftigste, Kalisulfat die geringste Wirkung enthaltet. 

 In Schweizers Reagens lösliche Zellulose und die übrigen aplasti- 

 schen Bestandteile nehmen bei den erwähnten Düngungen ab, 

 insbesondere bei Chlorkaliumdarreichung. E. Pantanelli (Roma). 



Hough, W., Kava drinking as practiced by the PapuanS 

 and Polynesians. (Smithsonian Miscellaneous Collections. 47. p. 

 85—92. PI. 17 (Quarterly Series. 2. N^. 1, 6 Aug. 1902). Washington, 

 D. C. (Price 5 cts.) 



Kava, Macropiper niethysticitm , is a shrub 6 feet high culti- 

 vated in the Polynesian region; it j'ields roots weighing 2 — 4 pounds 

 or even up to 22 pounds, from which the beverage kava is pre- 

 pared by mastication or by grating and stirring in water. The root 

 contains 2 per cent. of an acrid resin and about 1 per cent. of ka- 

 vahin (or methysticin) to which latter principle is due the toxic 

 qualities of kava. Neither the resin nor the kavahin are soluble in 

 water but both are dissolved by the saliva and gastric Juices. 



Named varieties of the plant occur in Tahiti; the j^ellow sort 

 is called „marea". the pink „avini-ute". The paper gives a detailed 

 account of the methods of preparing- kava and the ceremonies ob- 

 served in drinking it. It is said to be a gentle tonic and to prevent 

 malaria; used to excess its effects resemble those of opium, there 

 is a drowsy intoxication, and finally the skin acquires a peculiar 

 whiteness and there is emaciation and general debility. 



The commercial value of kava root is not noted but a recent 

 report of Dr. Paul Preuss (Beih. z. Tropenpflanzer. VIII. p. 76 — 77, 

 N*^. 1. Mar. 1907) states that about 50,000 kiles (valued at 1 Mark per 

 kilo) are imported annually into Germany alone. The roots come 

 mostly from Hawaii and are used to make the medicine known 

 as gonosan. The culture of kava between the rows of cacao is 

 practised on a small scale in Samoa. Walter T. Swingle. 



Mee, C. J. C. & J. C. Willis. Cotton. (Circulars & Agricultural 

 Journal. Royal Bot. Garden. Ceylon. Vol. III. W. 18. p. 243—261. 1906.) 



A brief account is given of the general circumstances of the 

 worlds cotton supply particularl}^ with reference to the founding 

 of the British Cotton Growing Association. 



In Ceylon the opening of the great Irrigation works in the 

 dry northern part of the island has rendered it necessar}'' to find 

 some profitable crop, rice at long intervals being all that is attemp- 

 ted by the villagers at present. Experiments have been made with 

 Indian (Tinnevelly) cotton, Egyptian cotton and Sea Island cotton, 

 The general conditions of soif, climate etc. in N. Ceylon are very 

 similar to those in S. India. There has long been a small local 

 cotton in N. Ceylon, but the returns are poor. On an experimental 



