Vol. XVIII. No. 444. 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



137 



that the rock is chiefly composed of calcium phosphate, 

 7r50 per cent., and calcium carbonate, 14'62 per cent., 

 and that the mineral is a high grade phosphate, very 

 suitable for the manufacture of superphosphate of lime. 

 In this respect it differs considerably from the phos- 

 phate obtained from the neighbouring island of 

 Eedonda, which, though containing 80 per cent, phos- 

 phoric anhydride, is unsuitable for making superphos- 

 phate on account of its being in the form of aluminium 

 phosphate. Dr. Tempany, when Superintendent of 

 Agriculture for the Leeward Islands, published an 

 analysis of the Redonda rock in the West Indian 

 Bulletin, \o\. XV, p 22. 



In comparison with five or six commercial types 

 of mineral phosphates, the percentage of tri-calcium 

 phosphate contained in the Barbuda rock compares 

 favourably with some of the best. 



These deposits occur on the north-west side of the 

 island, and it is said that some years ago mining was 

 undertaken in one of the caves in the vicinity, but 

 there does not appear to be any available record of the 

 amount of the material shipped, or of the reason for 

 abandoning the enterprise. As, however, these deposits 

 occur at a spot more than 6 miles away from the 

 shipping place in Barbuda, and as there are no roads 

 across the island, while freightage by boats from the 

 north-west coast is a risky operation, only possible in 

 calm weather, it seems very probable that difficulty of 

 transport was the real cause of the failure of the 

 operations. Unless phosphate can be shipped easily 

 and cheaply, it would hardly be a paying proposition to 

 exploit it. 



Clidemia hirta— A Noxious Weed in Fiji. 



The introduction of uncultivated plants from one 

 country to another, in the latter of which climatic and 

 soil conditions may be specially suitable for their 

 spread, is always a somewhat risky and perhaps dan- 

 gerous proceeding. Many such plants become serious 

 pests to the cultivation of their adopted country, and 

 lead to much expense and trouble having t.o be under- 

 taken for their control or eradication. 



An example of this has lately been brought to the 

 notice of the Imperial Commissioner of Agriculture in 

 a letter from the Fijian Government to the Govern- 

 ment of British Guiana, and forwarded to the Imperial 

 Department of Agriculture. 



It appears that Clidemia hirta, one of the 

 Melostomaceae, a common plant in Briiiish Guiana, and 

 throughout the West Indies from Trinidad to Jamaica, 

 has been inti'oduced — it does not appear in what 

 way — into Fiji, where it is now regarded as a noxious 

 weed, and has become an agricultural peso, under 

 the name 'Kiisters Curse', although in its original 

 Jiabitats it is not considered as a weed of any impor- 

 tance. 



The Government of Fiji are making anxious 

 enquiries as to whether any means for checking its 

 giowih and spread are known or practised in its 

 native habitats. At present no control has been 

 thought necessary in the West Indies, and therefore 

 no help can be afforded to Fiji in this direction. 



Industrial Alcohol in Canada. 



At a meeting of the Colonial Section of the 

 Royal Society of Arts, March 4, 1919, which is reported 

 in the Journal of the Society, March 21, 1919. an 

 interesting paper was read on Science and Industry 

 in Canada, by Prof John Cunningham McLennan, 

 in which he notes some interesting developments that 

 have taken place with regard to the production of 

 alcohol in Canada in recent years. The Pro- 

 hibition Act has led to the result that all the distil- 

 leries are now directing their attention to the produc- 

 tion of alcohol for industrial purposes. At present, 

 alcohol is being made from grain, molas.ses, and pota- 

 toes. This, it is evident, involves a great waste of 

 valuable food products, and, as the molasses is all 

 imported from abroad, the industry from a national 

 point of view is not economically sound. The 

 Advisory Council on Scientific and Industrial Research 

 is directing attention to the matter, and an attempt 

 will probably soon be made to utilize the sawdust and 

 wood waste of British Columbia, Ontario, and Quebec, 

 as well as the waste sulphite liquor from the pulp mills 

 of those Provinces, for the production of alcohol in 

 considerable quantities for industrial purposes. 



The Snake Gourd. 



Some seeds of the snake gourd (Trichosanthes 

 avgiiina) have been recently received ac this Office 

 from Mr. T. Jackson, Curator of the Botanic Garden, 

 Antigua. This is a variety of gourd grown in Ceylon 

 to a very great extent, and much appreciated and 

 largely used as a vegetable. Mr. CoUens, Superin- 

 tendent of Agriculture, Leeward Islands, also bears 

 testimony to its palatableness as grown in Antigua. 



A note in the Tropical Agrieultiorisf, Januarj* 

 1919, on the cultivation of this and other gourds, gives 

 the following directions. Dig holes 2 feec by 2 feet 

 and fill them up wii;h a mixture of loamy soil, well 

 rotted pen manure, and a little lime. It is well to 

 plant three or four seeds in each hole, and later on to 

 thin out to one — the best plant The plant should be 

 watered freely, and should have strong supports to 

 climb on. 



When the fruits are a few inches long, small 

 stones or light weights should be hung ao the ends of 

 the fruits to prevent them becoming knotty or spiral. 

 The fruits grow to a length of .5, (i or 7 feet, although 

 there is a shorter and heavier variety which does not 

 grow longer than 2i or o feet. The full development 

 of the fruits is hindered either by very wet or very dry 

 weather. For eating, the fruits should be plucked 

 before they mature, because as they ripen, the interior 

 of the gourds becomes fibrous. It is said that under 

 favourable conditions in Ceylon, 20.000 fruits may be 

 reaped from an acre, if the plants are grown >< feet 

 apart. 



It would appear as if this gourd might be a 

 valuable addition to the list of vegetables cultivati-d in 

 thrse island.s, seeing that it is grown successtnlly in 

 Antigua at least. 



