Vol. I. yo. 17. 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



259 



diseased plant.s and old stumps of the cane often bear 

 groups of the small toad-stools of this fungus (Murus- 

 9/i((t.sJ as shown in the figure. These toad-stools are 

 the reproductive organs of the fungus. On them spores 

 (•.seeds') are produced in immense numbers and are 

 blown about bv the wind. 



Wk: ' 





?&.>^ • 



Fig. 17. A fKiitiiin (if tlie bnsc oi a slioot nf <a sugar-cane 

 attacked Ijy runt disea.se bearing the tuad-stouls of a fungus (w 

 species of Miirnsmiiig) which aiiparently causes tlie disease. 



The fungus usually spreads from one jilant to 

 another, underground, by means of its vegetative part 

 — the white folt-like ' mycelium'. Consequently the 

 first plant attacked becomes the centre of a circle of 

 diseased plants, a circle which rapidly increases in 

 diameter as fresh plants are attacked. 



It is unfortunately only too ea.sy to obtain 

 specimens of the ' fruits ' or toad-stools of this fungus. 

 If one examines a number of old cane-stools, lying 

 about a field nr on a heap, a number will show a 

 quantity of the white felt-like mycelium about the 

 roots, etc., or sometimes a small group of the toad- 

 stools. If one takes such a stump and keeps it moist 

 (as under a bell-jar), in a few days a number of the 

 toad-stools will appear, the cap will ojjen out and, 

 finally, the whole thing shrivels up, the spores having 

 been distributed. The danger of leaving these old 

 stumps about, when they come from a diseased field, 

 instead of burning them thus becomes evident. 



A short account of an attempt to apply remedial 

 measures to diseased canes, will be found in the 

 Acjrlcultii i\d New^, Vol. I, p. 3. 



COCOA-NUT OIL MEAL. 



The cocda-nut palm (Coras n ufifmi) is found 

 throughout the tropics, and large quantities of the nuts 

 are exported from the West Indies, Ceylon, West Africa, 

 the Pacific Islands, etc. Jamaica in 1900 exported 

 cocoa-nuts to the value of £41,000, whilst Trinidad's 

 annual output is from twelve to fourteen million nuts, 

 worth about £10,000. The kernel of the nut contains 

 a high i)erceutage of a valuable oil, which is largely 



used for cooking, illuminatingf, etc., and as the source of 

 ' nucoline ' or cocoa-nut butter utilized as a substitute 

 for lard and butter in coi^king (see Ar/ricultand Kcivs, 

 page 53). 



Prof A. H. Ciiureh, F.R.S., in his book on Food 

 records the followinjj analvsis of the fresh kernel of 

 the cocoa-nut : — 



The nutrient ratio of this kernel is 1:1G. The 

 fresh nut, it will be seen, contains nearly 36 per 

 cent, of oil, in addition to 8 per cent, of sugar and 5'5 

 per cent, of albuminoids. In the ordinary process of 

 manufacture the greater part of the oil is extracted and 

 a residue obtained known as cocoa-nut oil cake. This 

 substance in common with several other ' cakes ' 

 obtained fi'om oily seeds such as cotton seed, linseed, 

 ground-nut, etc., has a high nutritive value. 



The following analyses of cocoa-nut oil cake are 

 taken from a ])aper fro) a Mr. M. E. Jappa, Report, 

 A(jrieidfural E.i'jifri mpnt Stittion, California, 1895-96, 

 page 113. As a basis of comijarison the mean of three 

 analyses of linseed oil cake (compiled from data in the 

 same paper) are also reproduced. 



The author remarks : 'cocoa-nut oil cake meal is 

 another much valued concentrated food, and is finding 

 more favour every year with the dairymen of California. 

 While not rating as high in ttcsh formers as either 

 linseed or cotton seed meal, it appears in many cases 

 to be more relished by the animals.' 



Prof. W. A. Henrj- in his recently published book. 

 Feeds and Feeding, gives a summary of an interesting 

 experiment made by the French War Department as 

 to the value of cocoa-nut meal for horses. ' The results 

 proved that cocoa-nut meal was equal and even 

 superior to the same weight of oats.' 



