Vol. XVIII. No. 461. 



THE AGRIOULTURAL NJBWS. 



413 



THE PRESERVATION OF PERISHABLE 

 PRODUCTS WITH BURNT LIMB. 



It was pointed out in the Agricultural News, 

 November 29, 1919, thao fairly good results had been 

 obtained in Antigua hy storing onion seed over quick- 

 lime. The following, quoted from the (Queensland 

 Agricultural Journal, February 1919, goes to show 

 that lime may be advantageously employed in the 

 storage of perishable agricultural products of various 

 kinds: — 



Lime is a product that is to be found on most farms, 

 more particularly those om whicli dairying is engaged in. 

 There are other pur^joses, not general]) known to the man on 

 the land, to which it can be put, besides making white-wash. 



That it is an excellent preservative for a number of 

 products, culinary and otherwise, has been proved by ex- 

 periment. It has been tested in regard to the preservation of 

 truits, tubers, and grains The method adopted will be 

 described by taking a single example from each of the above. 



In the storing of various products it is essential that 

 they should, in most instances, have reached the stage of 

 ripeness, or maturity, and moreover, that immediately after 

 harvesting they be allowed t'-' undergo what is generally 

 termed the 'sweat process.' This is the giving off of surplus 

 water, and chemical changes may also take place to a more 

 or less extent. 



FRUIT. ROUGH SKINNED LEMONS. 



These are to be found in abundance in mogt districts 

 during the cool months of the year, but in the hot summer 

 weather they are generally not procurable. This of course 

 is on account of their poor keeping qualities, more particu- 

 larly in coastal areas, where, after picking, they will remain 

 fresh for only a very short time. 



During the past season rough skinned lemons, which 

 were stored in petrol tins during August, were found to be 

 in an excelh nt state of preservation at Christmas. The 

 treatment was as follows : — 



When picked they were spread out in a .shady, airy 

 place for two days, then packed in partially air-slaked lime, 

 the fruits being kept well apart. If close picking is adopted, 

 it will probably be found necessary to re; ack in about a 

 week's time, more particularly if the skins of the fruit are 

 in a soft, fleshy condition. A wooden case may be u.sed 

 for storage. This can be made fairly airtight by lining or 

 covering with stout paper. 



In a check test carried out without using lime, the 

 lemons deteriorated, very quickly 



It m-y be mentioned that L'sbon lemons can be kept 

 fresh for quite a long time, by packing in sand that has been 

 thoroughly dried. 



, , SWEET POTATOES. 



It is important that the tuber, for atdring should be fully 

 matured. This is' ascerta'iied by breakiiVg a few, and leaving 

 them exposed to the ait for about an h'ar. If ripe, the cut 

 ■surface should remain white, or nearly the same colour as 

 when cut. If it turns black, or greenish black, they are not 

 -matuie , ' , 



ir I Sweet' potatoes ha/ve been ke*pt fbr sik months simply 

 '■packed Hi air-sbked lime ; beini; a bulky product, a test was 

 "made last seasot^ by 'Usiog'lws lime'tud sub.itituting sand, in 

 •(the proportioti of 1 of-!iii'i6,to 4'<jf ^atid ' The potatoes were 

 first rolled in lime," arid' packed ill. a 'wooden case (not air- 

 -tight) With the aobve- 'mixture; In ' Ja'iiuary they Were quite 

 as sound as when stored in August; • To keep them fresh for 



a shorter period, roll in lime, and store in a cool, dry 

 place. 



ENGLISH POTATOES 



■lodging by the number of enquiries received, difficulty 

 is often experienced in keeping English potatoes — intended 

 for seed — for an extended period. A cool, well-ventilated 

 building, with a dry floor, is essential to success. The tubers 

 should be spread out in layers (dusting with lime duringthepro- 

 cess), then covered up with either very dry sand or a mixture 

 of sand and lime. If rotting is at all in evidence an increas- 

 ed amount of lime should be used. Where the potato moth 

 is troublesome, and sand only has been used, a thin layer of 

 lime should be spread over the top. All spaces between the 

 tubers should of course be filled by the sand. 



I'RESEEVINC; SMALL LOTS OF GRAIN FOR SEED PURPOSES. 



It is well known that unless siiecial provision has been 

 made in the way of air-tight tanks, furaiifation, etc., it is a 

 most difficult matter on the coast to keep seeds, such as 

 cowpea, grain sorghums, maize, etc, free froii weevils 



It has been found tliat weevils cannot multiply in grain 

 unless it contains a certain percentage of moisture. In 

 wheat, for instance there has to be at least 10 per cent, 

 present. When harvested, it invariably contains from 6 to 7 

 per cent, moisture, and is therefore weevil proof. 



A simple method of keeping the moisture content under 

 weevil requirements is to us? a vessel or container as air- 

 tight as possible, such as a tank, petrol tin, old cream can, 

 etc., and when storing seeds to include a quantity of freshly 

 burnted lime. In the event of the container not beina insect 

 pri of, the bags containing tl;e seeds should be cov^-red right 

 over with lime. In fact the lime can be mixed with the 

 grain without detriment. In order to ascertain whether 

 lime would be injurious to vitality, a number of maize cobs 

 and grain sorghum heads were Ijuiied in partly air-slaked 

 lime in the month of .lune. A vitality test was carried out 

 in September, the maize giving 100 per cent., and the 

 sorghums 98 per cent, germination. A further test was 

 made at the end ^ of December with practically similar 

 results. 



Sunn Hemp in Grenada. — Trial cuttings of Sunn 

 hemp {Crotalaria jni'.cea) were m»de receitly at the 

 Botanic Gardens, Grenada, in order to ascertain the value 

 of this legume as a green dressing. 



On May 23, 27 Df). of see^l were broadcasted and raked 

 in over an area of 1 500 square feet of land, which had been 

 previously forked and hoe ploughed, and from which the 

 larger weeds had been removed in or ler to give the seedlings 

 a fair start. The entire plot was covered in by the plants, 

 which displayed an enormous seed vitality, and attained 

 a height of 3 to 4 feet at the time of bloom, which com- 

 menced on or about .luly 4. 



Bacterial nodules were prominent on the roots at the 

 time of flowering. Tue weight rer square yard of green and 

 dried matter, taken at different stages of growth, waa as 

 follows : — 



July 14 (green weight) 6 lb., or a cilculated yield of 

 12 '96 tons per acre. 



July 29 (dry weitht), \ Bb., or a calculated yield of 2-11 

 tons per acre. 



August 20 (green weight) 9 B)., or a calculated yield of 

 1944 totis per acre. 



September G (dry weight) 2i ft)., or a calculated yield of 

 ■5-40 tons per acre. 



