Vol. XVIII. No. 440. 



THE AGRICDLTUKAL NEWS, 



07 



comparable Witli the e.Kcellent work done in Hawaii, 

 Java, and other advanced countries. This has-been 

 achieved in the case of a few British West Indian 

 factories, bub some are yet far below the ret[uired stand- 

 ard of efficiency, while many, from lack of records', are 

 in Ignorance of iheir condition in this respect. ( "ompe- 

 tition will find out the weak places; and only the com- 

 petent will be able to survive with comfort. 



In connexion with this' question of efficiency in 

 sugar making it may be pointed out that, in the near 

 future, it is probable that .new developments will 

 rnaterialiy alter the aspect of things, and "call for the 

 exercise of technical skill in an increasing degree in 

 ordor to meet these new demands. Just what these 

 dyvelopments will be it is not easy to predict, for new 

 conditions give rise to new problems: but there are some 

 which are casting their shadows before. It is more than 

 probable that there will be a great increase in the 

 tropics in the production of sugar of a ivind thac will go 

 directly into consumption without the intervention of the 

 refiner, and that, in conseijuence, there will be competi- 

 tion between the tropical sugar maker and the r(5finer. 

 The manufacture of sugars for direct consumption will 

 demand a high degree of technical skill on the part of 

 ihe tropical sugai- maker, and the rewards of success 

 will go to the more' skilful and better equipped in this 

 direction. 



Another feature which may call for the exercise of 

 a high degree ofjtechnical skill oji the part of the tropi- 

 cal sugar maker is the possibility that the refiner will 

 bo more exactitig in his demands in regard to the 

 <piality of sugar which he reijuires, and that he 

 will qualify the simple polariscopic test, upon 

 which he has hitherto been content to buv his sucar. 

 Ly others which will measure the qiiality of' the sugar 

 ill other directions. Already di.scussions have taken 

 pl.ice concerning the desirability ot supplementing the 

 polariscopic teat by others which takeinto account such 

 things as the freedom from dirt, the si/e and 

 hardness of the grain or crysi al, Uie freedom froin 

 fermentive organisms, tne percentage of moisture, and 

 other points. Should these changes be adapted, they will 

 call for the exercise of a considerable increase in techni- 

 cal knowledge and skill on the part of the makers of 

 sugar; and. her-; again, success will go to the efficiyiit. 



, ^ At this stage it maybe well t'; ask- -where are the 

 sugar makers in fclieae .small olonies to learn the 

 necessary efficiene^^ At presenc tliey have to wait for 

 the progress of developments in other and <.ften distant 

 countirjes.and then endeavour to copy these . -n condition 



of affairs which implies' Being afirays feo'me'ft'l^a^'ijeSin'i^'' ' '■ 

 in the race, and always being, to that extent, inefficient. 



It will be admitted, then, that those whose concern* j 



is with sugar have need for organized vigilanco •' ! 



CAMPHOR CULTIVATION IN FLORIDA. 



Xd article in the J'nfumary and Essential Oil .HfcorJ, 

 January 1919, gives some interesting details of the cultivation 

 of the camphor trees in Florida. It appears that about 

 thirty-five years ago the United States Government impcrted 

 from Japan a quantity of camphor berries, and dislributei-l 

 them among certain portions of the country .where the- 

 climate appeared to be favourable to their growth. Many 

 healthy and flourishing trees have been raised from ihi.« seed. 

 About fourteen years ago, when diminished qap^phor supplies 

 from China and Japan seemed to be certain, the United 

 State.s Department of .\griculture pushed the development 

 of camphor tree plantations in Florida. One company pur- 

 chased a tract of 3,000 acres in that State on which there i?- 

 to day a well developed area of camphor trees of varying aces. 

 In 1913 another company decided, after thorough inves- 

 tigation, to begin extensive plantations of camphor trees. A 

 tract of land of about 1 -2,000 acres was purchased, the first 

 land cleared, in June 191:t, and in November of the same 

 year the first, seedbed was planted. 



In the cultivation of camphor, the camphor seeds or 

 berries are first planted in specially prepared beds. After a 

 year'.s growth they ought to be of sufficient size and strength 

 to transplant into the open fields. The process of trans 

 planting consists first in cutting the seedling taproot about 10 

 inches below the surface of the soil then removing the seed- 

 lings from the soil, trimming off the lateral roots, trimming 

 away all the foliage, and cutti:g back the main stem of the 

 seedling to about 3 inches above the soil line, and setting thd 

 trimmed plants out in the fields. At fir.st it wa.s considered 

 that the most satisfactory method of plant inii the trees was 

 appro.ximately 7-^ to 8 feet apart. It was found later on, 

 however, that camphor trees" could be planted very close 

 together so as to form a perfect hedge. Accordingly succeed 

 ing plantings have been 'i\ to 4 feet apart in the row.s. 



About four years from the time of transplanting, the trees 

 can first be pruned, and as they grow, the .solid hedge is 

 shaped and developed by [iruning with an expected increase iii 

 yield of pruning per acre each succeeding year. 



The camphor tree grown in this way in Floric'a ha:-- 

 proved to he extremely hardy, although the elFfCt of frost is-. 

 temporaiily prejudicial, tau.^ing a decrease in the growth of ^ 

 foliage during the following season. I'p to the present there 

 has been very little trouble on account of insect pests 



This plan of camphor cultivation in rows of hedges, and 

 the harvesting of the leaves and twigs once, and possibly 

 twice, a year is expected to avoid wasteful destruction of the 

 growth. Although the leaves and twigs are known to contain 

 •A .smaller percentage of cunphor than the old wood of the 

 branches and trunks, this is compensated for by the rapid 

 replacement of new growth The ultimatu appeiiance of tlie 

 completed cami)hor groves i a solid hedge.^ running north and 

 south promises to be one oi extreme beauty. A yield is 

 expected which will replace the dependence for i-iiii;.hor. 

 vital to the productions of many industries, up )n a ecurc< i' 

 supply whiA seems to b' diminishins in the F-j Esist 



