132 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



AufJUST 16, 1902. 



WEST INDIAN FRUIT. 



STOCK FOR CITRUS FRUITS. 



Tin- ioUciwing extract contains the cunclusicins 

 arrived at by iMr. J. W. Mills, Foreman at one of the 

 stations for experiments on citrus plants, attacheil to the 

 Univei'sity of California, as to the best stock for citrus 

 •])lants. Mr. Mills' views are based on cazeful work 

 extending over many years, including investigation 

 into the root-systems of the plants experimented upon. 

 The comj)lete account of his work is to be found in 

 Bulletin No. l-ScS, of the University of California 

 Experiment Station, entitled Citras Frt'it Culture. 

 (Jan. 1902.) 



Tlie sweet orange ro t i.s a persistent surfuce feeder, 

 liaving alnio.st its entire root-s3-steni above a depth of 18 

 ini-he.s and rising to within 8 inches of the .surface. This 

 .stock jiroduees an abundance of fibrous roots tliat concentrate 

 near the surface, just beneath the reach of the [ilongh and 

 cultivator, tjius making the tree too susceptible to drought. 



(bi the other liand, the root of the sour-orange penetrates 

 to a depth of 9 feet or more, sometimes having numerous 

 laterals near tlio surface, and sometimes having fewer but 

 more sharply descending laterals. Both a deep root-system 

 and broadly extending laterals, not too near the surface, are 

 essential to the ideal stock. There would seem to be room 

 for some selection among sour-stocks .so as to obtain these 

 qualities in the highest possible degree. Though the .sour- 

 stock does not a|i|)ear to bring trees into full bearing as 

 soon as do the sweet orange and the i)ouiclo stocks, the 

 value of the sour-stock in other directions may compensate 

 for this defect, and it seems probable that in localities where 

 tlie sweet stock fails, sour stock will be used to a greater 

 extent tliau now. 



It has been shown that the lateral roots of the pomelo 

 are found at a somewhat greater de[ith than the laterals of 

 the sweet orange. The pomelo produces more fibrous roots 

 than do either of the other stock.s, and consequently the tree 

 is a ravenous feeder. It is resistant, to a certain extent, to 

 the form of gum disease that attacks the roots of citrus trce.s. 

 On the whole the pomelo is deservedly beconung the 

 f.vvourite stock in Southern (.'alifonda. In practice it has 

 succeeded better at the station than has the soiu' stock, 

 which .seems to lack uinforndty of root growth, sometimes 

 having few lateral.s, in which ea.se the crojis are small. The 

 jiomelo seedlings have made the best growth in the luirsery. 



GRAPE CULTURE AT GRENADA. 



A plant of the Muscat Hambro grape is thriving- 

 at the Billast (Jround, Grenada. It was introduced 

 some four yca'S ago along with other varieties from St. 

 Vincent, and this year .scores of bunches have been 

 cut off leaving over 800 more to ripen. The Pietl 

 Carreau or Mocking Binl of Grenada unfortunately 

 appreciates the grapes whilst yet green, and the 

 bunches have had to bo carefully ' bagged' very early 

 in mo.scpiito netting in order to protect them. 



ST. LUCIA ARROWROOT. 



A sample of arrowroot grown and prepared at the 

 Riviere Doree Experiment Station, St. Lucia, wa.s 

 forwarded to Messrs. Dalton & Young, London, for 

 exatnination and report as to its merits and market 

 value. The sample was obtained from plants of 

 Bermuda arrowroot introduced into St. Lucia by the 

 Department of Agriculture some months ago. The 

 main jioint (d' interest was to learn how the St. Lucia 

 product compared with the arrowroot I'Xported from 

 St. V^inccnt and other West Indian islands. Mes.srs. 

 Dalton & Young report : — 



In its dry state it is rather dull in colour, but it jellies 

 nice and white, and is (pute sweet in taste but it lack* 

 strength, being nuicli weaker than some of the well-known 

 marks connng from St. Vincent, say for instance, the t)wia. 

 The recent volcanic eruptions in St. Vincent, and con.sequent 

 destruction of some of the larger .\rrowroot estates causetl 

 prices to ri.se rapidly, but snbseipient large arrivals (about 

 4,000 barrels having taken plai'c within the last few weeks) 

 have caused considerable reaction to set in and quality, like 

 your sunple, which was worth a mouth or six weeks ago 

 i\<l., wo should not, to-day, value at more tham i\il. to 2^rf. 

 per lb., and with any jtressurc on the jiart of owners to 

 realize would in our ojjinion cau.se a further drop in jiriccs. 

 Previous to the eruptions the value of your sample would 

 have been about 1 J(/. to 2(/. Although tlie siiniiilc you send 

 is grow-n from liermuda root, it would not enhance tiie value 

 on this market, as it would be .shipped from St. Lucia and 

 sold on its merit.s. We shall be plciised to give you any 

 further information if you require it. 



