Vol,. XVIII. No. 446. 



THE AGRICULTURAL KEWa. 



nn 



I find on reference to Cai/e Funrji of Porto Rico, hy J. R. 

 Johnston and J. A. Stevenson, that the same sugge on has 

 already been made by those authors- The connexion may be 

 regarded as highly probable. 



'The Odontia type of fungus appears to be much more 

 common in association vith root dicease in Trinidad than 

 the Marasmius type. The parasitism of both requires 

 detailed investigation. So far as our present knowledge goes, 

 iheir modes of operation may be treated as the same, and their 

 etfects be referred to without discrimination as root disease. 

 For the sake of simplicity in presentation, the mycelium of 

 eilher or both will be referred to as root fungus. 



Under certain circumstances, to be detailed later, root 

 fungus is commonly present in healthy fields, carrying on an 

 inconspicuous existence. Under conditions favourable to 

 vigordus growth of the cane it is practically harmless, but 

 ■when the vitality of the plant is depressed, and growth is 

 slow, the presence of the funuus becomes serious. It enters 

 the growing tips of the young roots, distorting them, stop- 

 ping their development, and causing them eventually to die. 

 It envelops the young shoots in their various siages, hinder- 

 ing their development by cementing the leafsheaths, and in 

 the severer cases it infests internally the buds, the young 

 shoots, and the underground connexions of the stool, and 

 enters to some distance the bases of the developed canes. 

 'The general eflect produced by tie disease is that of 

 shortage of water, which is brought about by interference 

 ■with absorption by the roots and conduction by the under 

 ground stem sy.stem. The leaves of affected shoots have 

 their edges rolled inwards, when those of healthy plants are 

 expanded ; they eventually turn brown from their edges 

 inward, and in order from below upwards, until the shoot is 

 ■withered to the top. The trash, where it has not been 

 stripped, is cemented firmly around the lower joints of the 

 canes, and under it ;iiatced roots occur up to a foot or more 

 from the ground, sent out in an endeavour to find the 

 necessary water. When a clump is infested early it has a 

 characteristic stunted appearance, and several or many of the 

 shoots may be dead and dry. Infested stools are easily 

 uprooted, and exhibit roots which are mostly either dead or 

 lacking in fibrous branches.' 



( To be continued. ) 



Although the results are, on the whole, satisfactory, it 

 is desirable that more students should enter for these 

 examinations, and that those who have passed the Prelim- 

 inary Examination .should carry on their studies with a view 

 to passing the Intermediate as soon as possible. 



The Iio.xrial Dep ■^■>i'::'f :■: i-.drV.tcd t- *'i:^ fallowing 

 planters and agricultural officers for the care and trouble 

 exercised in the conduct of these e.xaminations : A. E. 

 CoUens, Esq., F.I.C, F.C.S., Acting Government Chemist 

 and Superintendent of Agriculture for the Leeward Islands; 

 T. .Jackson, Esq., Agricultural Superintendent, Antigua; 

 Ii. S. D. Goodwin, Esq., Collins estate, Antigua ; John J. 

 Roden, Esq., Diamond estate, Antigua ; W, N. Sands, Esq., 

 Agricultural Superintendent, St. Vincent; A. J, Brooks, Esq., 

 Agricultural Superintendent, St. Lucia. 



The examination papers were prepared as usual at the 

 Office of the Imperial Department in Barbados, and the local 

 reports and the corrected papers were examined by Sir 

 Francis Watts, K.C.M.G., Imperial Commissioner of A:,'ricul- 

 ture, and Rev. C. H. Branch, B.A., .\cting Scientific 

 Assistant. 



The questions set for the Preliminary paper will be 

 found below. Those set to the candidates for the Intermediate 

 Examination will be published in the next issue of the 

 Agricultural News. 



PKELIMINARV EXAMINATION'. 



QUESTIONS. 



A — The Soil. 



1. Why is the loss of humus greater in soils under 

 tropical conditions than in those in temperate climates ? 

 How can this loss be supplied under tropical conditions '. 



2. What are the uses of applying lime to soils ? 



3. What is meant by ventilation of soils l Vv'iiy ia 

 this necessary, and how may it be secured ? 



4. In case of the impossibility of obtaining artificial 

 fertilizers, how would you beat supply potash, if it were 

 required in a particular case ? 



5. What are the influences of bacteria on the nitrogen 

 content of a soil I 



B. — The Plant. 



AGRICULTURAL EXAMINATIONS, 

 1918. 



For several reasons the publication of the results of 

 the Agric^:ltural Examination conducted by the Imperial 

 Department of Agriculture for the West Indies in November 

 last has been delayed. It is now possible to give a state- 

 ment of the results. Candidates entered for the examination 

 from three islands, namely, St Vincent, St. Lucia, and 

 Antigua The results were as follows : — 



SUCCESSFUL CANDID.VTES'. 



Name. 



S. F. Leigertwood, St. Vincent 



D. O. St Prix, St. Lucia 

 I!. F. Goodwin, Antigua 

 V. G. Pereira, 



II. E, McDonald, ,, 

 C. T. Michael 



E. Eldridge „ 



1. Make drawings descriptive of the structure of ona 

 of the following : (a) a sugar-cane stem, (/>) a lime fruit, 

 (c) a coco-nut, ((/) a cacao pod. 



2. Describe the habit of growth of any of the foltoyping : 



". A pigeon pea plant. 

 h. A guinea grass tufi;. 



c. A mango seedling 



d. A rose cutting. 



3. Explain the meanings of any four of the following 

 terms : carbohydrate, chlorophyl, embryo, saprophyte, 

 stigma, exogen, vascular tissue. 



4. Describe what is meant by cross p->llination. What; 

 is the object of this ? 



C. — Tht: Animal. 



1. Explain how the age of a horse is known by 

 examination of the teeth. 



2. Describe, with drawings, the dige tive or^'ans of a. 

 cow. 



3. On what grounds is the rat regarded as an. 

 objectionable animal f 



