Vol. XVIII, Xc- 456-. 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS 



'19 



HORSE MARMALADE. 



Among thecoujuion pap liaceous weeds of the West 

 Indies are several species ol tlie genus Desmodium. Thi.s 

 gecus is characterized by the division of the pod into distinct 

 segments, each enclosing one seed, and these segments 

 separate when ripp, and fall. The pods of this genus are 

 very often covered with hooked hairs, and this results in 

 the segments attaching themselves to the skins of animals or 

 the clothes of human beings passing by. It will easily be 

 understood that this is a great advantage to the plant as to 

 its distribution On account of this attachment to passers- 

 by, some of the Desmodiums are known in the Leeward 

 Islands by the name of 'Sweetheart'. Desmodium for/iiosum, 

 which is one of the species met with in these islands, is 

 highly valued in Florida under the name of ' Beggar weed ' 

 as a cover crop in citrus orchards, and experiments with it 

 for the same purpose have been conducled in Dominica 



According to Piere Duss in his valua'le book ' Flora 

 Pbanerogamiijue des Antilles Francaists', the Desmodiums, 

 most of which occur in pastures or by roadsides, are all 

 valuable forage plants, readily eaten by all classes of stock. 



There appeared in the July number of ReTi's/a de 

 Ao-rjrultura Cnimtcio X Trabap, the official organ of the 

 Agricultural Department of Cuba, an article by Dr. Mario 

 Calvino, Director of the Experiment Station, bringing to 

 notice the value as a forage plant of another species of 

 Desmodium, lately introduced from Brazil. This species, 

 hi'herto known as Desmodium kiocarpum, but now 

 according to recent American revision of the genus, to be 

 called mcil'omia kiocarpa, is, according to Dr. Cal vino's 

 account, of the greatest value as a forage plant for the 

 tropics, being able to endure almost every kind of soil. It 

 is known in BrazH as 'Mermelada de Ciballo ' —Horse 

 Marmalade — on account of the avidity with which horses eat 

 it. The photographs of the crop growing on experimental 

 plots both in Cuba and Brazil, with which Dr. Calvino's 

 article is illustrated, certainly show a most vigorous growth. 



The following descrip'.ion of the plant is translated 

 from ihe article referred to : ' Horse Marmalade ' is 

 a shrubby plant with a perennial root which produces 

 erect, straight shoots, attaining a htight of 12 to 

 15 feet, becoming more tender from below upwards to the 

 point where the shoot begins to put forth its large trifoliate 

 leaves. These shoots and side branches produce terminal 

 racemes of small rosy violet flowers, which are very elegant. 

 The pods are jointed, and each joint contains one seed. 



The plant grows freely from seed — in fact, if once 

 established, it will continue to reproduce itself abundantly 

 in this manner. Although after the production of seed the 

 shoots die down in winter to start again from the root in the 

 next spring, in warm climates they last, if uncut, for several 

 years. The young shoots when they have attained a height 

 of a''OUt 4 or .5 feet are entirely covered with large trifoliate 

 downy leaves. 



It is stated that a crop of this plant may be cut three 

 times a year, and that the yield is estimated at about \ tons 

 per acre at each cutting. This estimate is based on weights 



of single plants in experiment plots, and the yie'd calculate* 

 in kilos per hectare. 8tor-k of all kinds are very partial to 

 it fresh, or dried, or mad ■ into ensilage. 



Dr. Calvino gives a eompa-atire chemical analysis of 

 Desmodium Idocarpum and Medidgo denticulaUi, one of the 

 lucernes, which shows a fairly equal value The food value 

 a.s given in calories in comparison with Para grass, maize 

 leaves and stalks, and elephant grass, gives a far su; erioc 

 value to ' Horse marmalade.' 



Besides its value as forage, Desmodium kiocarpum is 

 one of the legiHninos;e which produce in abundance the 

 nilrogen-tlxing tubercles on the roots. Hence it is a raosd 

 valuable plant as a roation crop 



For forage the crop should be cut before flowering, 

 when the shoots are about 4 or 5 feet high, and just when 

 they begin to be woody at the base A vigorous new growth 

 will immediately begin to start from the stumps left 



From the above extracted from Dr Calvino's article, it 

 does not seem unreasonable that he is enthusiastic ovi r the 

 possibilities of this plant as a forage producer in Cuba, 

 especially as he emphasizes the fact that it succted* 

 eminently well in the dry districts, and even on poor soil, 

 which it tends to enrich. It would then seem to be a very 

 desirable plant for at least experiment.il introduction into 

 many others of these islands, especially in view of further 

 increase h ere of stock raising. 



WILD ANIMALS. 



Several of the wild animals referred to below by a 

 Tobago correspondent in ihe Fort-of- Spain Gazette SkXeloyxnA 

 in many of the West Indian islands. He writes: — 



There are not many wild animals in Tobago, but those 

 that do exist are of a comparatively harmless nature. Among 

 them may be mentioned, deer, peccary, manicous, agouti, 

 racoon, squirrel, and a variety of rats including one which has 

 piuches inside the jaw wh re in carries its food. 



The deer which are of the fallow species, are to be found 

 mostly in the Leeward district, cheifly on level lands lying 

 at Sandy Point, where they are plentiful and do much mis- 

 chief to the provision grounds. They are the progeny oE 

 some that were let loos" on the island by Sir Ferderick 

 Robinson, who when administering the Government in 181* 

 imported a few from the Spanish Main. 



The Peccary {Dyeoteics Turquatus) is a species of hog with 

 short ears and a gland on the back, but having a tubercle in- 

 stead of a tail. They are met with in the forest in herds. 

 They are courageous, and have been known even simply to 

 turn on their pursuers. Their flesh is eatable. 



The ^[:A.mcovii{J)ide/phis Niuiiiavdata), an animal like 

 the opossum is common, and is very destructive in the 

 poultry yard. It ha?, like the kangaroo, a pouch wherein it 

 is able to carry its young. 



The Agouti, an Indian Cony (Dasy Pnv/or Aj^ou/i) is % 

 pretty little animal, not unlike a Guinea pig, and is remark- 

 ably clean in its food, which, like a squirrel, it eats by holding 

 between its two paws. When captured young it beciue.s 

 easily domesticated. 



The Squirrels, which are numerous, are much like rhe 

 common red English Squirrel- They are destructive to cacao 

 pods. 



It may be added that in Santa Cruz (St. Crios) tber." i-» 

 a Virginian species of deer. Deer are also comm in in 

 Barbuda. Monkeys (West Africin) are fairly comm'ni la 

 parts of Barbados and .St. Kitts. 



