180 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



Skptembeii 27, 1902. 



WEST INDIAN FRUIT. 



SPINELESS LIMES. 



TIk' (■ulti\ation (An plot of Sjiindcss limos nt tho 

 Botanic iStatiun, l)ciiiiiiiic,-i, was drawn attention to 

 on ]). 3cS of this Journal. We were not thon in a 

 position to say whether the juice of this variety was 

 equal or inferior to that of the oi-dinai-y lime for estate 

 purposes. 



In the Annual Repoi-t for 1901-02 on thoDonilnica 

 Botanic Station, Mr. J. Jones, the Cm-ator, says : ' This 

 varii'tv diffei's from the t)i'dinary lime cultivated in the 

 island in Laving a more erect habit of growth, smaller 

 fruits, with fewer seeds, superior bearing ipialities, and 

 gi'eater acidity of juice.' 



Samples of the fruit of trees of tlie spineless ,and 

 the ordinary (spiny) varieties, grown side by side in 

 the garden, were sent to Mr. Francis Watts, the 

 Government and Analytical Chemist for the Leeward 

 Islands, for analysis with the following results: — 



JuK.'E OF Spineless Juice of OiunyARV 



Lime. Limk. 



Oz. per Grains per (>z. ]iev Grains per 

 gallim. oz. 



.ir.SH 4«)-l.^ 



45;«) 



galUin. 

 J4 10 



j4-;w 



;i!il5 



Free .\ciil .. 



Real Citric .Vcid... I tiOO 



Mr. Watts adds :— 



' These figures indicate that the spineless variety 

 of lime produces juice very rich in citric acid. The 

 (jualiiy (jf the juice is satisfactoiy. It only ivmains to 

 be shown that the (piantity of fruit and of juice ai'e 

 equally satisiiictory when it will bo safe i'or ])lanters to 

 introduce this variety e.Ktensively into their cultiva- 

 tion.' 



PINE-APPLES AT DOMINICA. 



A collection of pinc-a})i)les lias gradually In in 

 formed at the Botanic Station, Dominica, with the 

 object of testing the suitability of vai-ious kinds to 

 local conditions. In the Annual Report for l!)()l-()2 on 

 the Station, Jlr. J. Jones, the Curator, records the 

 following interesting notes : — 



Tlic collection of fourteen varieties lias done very well. 

 Eleven have fruited. I'ine.s of several have been .shipped to 

 tost their carryiiii; (pialities. It should be noted, that the 

 plants wore grown in ordinary soil, and in no ease was any 

 special or other kind uf manure applied. 



lUiirk Aiiti<jua: This small, cxcently flavoured, well- 

 known pine can, under good cultivation in Dominica, be 

 inci'ea.sed in size until it weighs from 4 to .J It). That this 

 increase in size and jaicines.s has been obtained without 

 impairing its excellent keeping ([ualities has been proved by 

 shipments from this island. A consignment of 100 pines 

 made by his Honour the Administrator to London, a large 

 portion being supiilied from the Station, arrived in good 

 order and realized 9(/. each, at the same time as fruits 

 of the same variety grown and shipped from Antigua were 

 selling in London at 'Id. and 3</. each. In August a crate of 

 fruits was sent to the Halifax Exhiljition and these remained 

 in perfect condition several weeks after their arrival in 

 Canada. In December an experiment .shipment was made, 

 by direction of his Honour, to Liverjiool, via Canada. Owing 

 to a breakdown of the steamer the i)ines reached Liveri)ooI 

 after being six weeks on the journey, yet the fruits were in 

 good order. The Black Antigua is probably the best of all 

 the pines, and the one thing to aim at is to increa.se its size 

 and make it one of the 'fancy' pines. 



Jfdijiini : This variety came from Dcmcrara. It is a 

 fine, lioliMooking fruit of good flavour, very juicy, averaging 

 6 to 7 It). iSpecimens have been grown 10 II). in weight. 

 Its chief drawback is the ridiculously small to[i for .so large 

 a fruit. A shipment of one crate containing eight fruits, 

 made in Deceinl)er last jier Royal ]\Iail Steamer, reached 

 Liverpool, via Southampton, in perfect order. The fruits 

 wore much admired and appreciated. Its merits as a shii)ping 

 pine cannot be known until fuither consignments have been 

 made during the hot months. 



The liiaiiliiui Pine, obtained through the Conuuissioner 

 of .\griculturc, has fruited. It is inisuited for export on 

 account of its small size. Its habit of growth, too, is bad, 

 the fruit being borne on a very long .stalk. Its flavour is 

 delicious and it is well worth growing for local markets. 



La Urea: Perfect fruits of this are nio.st handsome, but 

 Mc find that a very large i)ercentagc of the pines are spoiled 

 by the formation of giotescpic toi)s. A suflicient number of 

 good shaped fiiiits could not be got together to make a trial 

 shipment. The pines are of a good size averaging G to 7 It), 

 in weight. 



Queen or Golden Queen : The suckers of the Golden 

 Queen obtained from .Jamaica provetl to be the .same as the 

 variety 'Qncen" already grown here, and which originally 

 came from Kew (ianlens. This variety is largely grown in 

 liot-hou.ses in I'ngland. It is a fine i)ine pnxhuing good 

 fruits weighing from .") to C lb., l)iil in Dominica it i.s atiected 



