Vol. VII. Xo. 15(5. 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS, 



121 



Ylangylang Cultivation. 



iMentioii has been made in past ninnbers of the 

 Acjricidtural News (Vol. Ill, pp. 151, 231) of the 

 Ylang-3'lang tree, the flowers of which give, on 

 distillation, an essential oil, very valuable for perfumery 

 purposes. The tree belongs to the same family as the 

 Sour sop [Anonaceat;), and appears to tlouri.sh in 

 many of the Botanic Gardens of the West Indies, where 

 specimens have been planted. 



The tree is largely grown in IJcMinion fin- the 

 production of its essential oil, the price of whieh has 

 steadily increa.sed in value of late years. It is also 

 cultivated in the Philippine Islands. 



Recent U.S. Cons alar Reports from (Jochiii ('hina 

 state that planting of the Ylang-ylang has been 

 taken in hand on several estates in the province of 

 Bienhoa with satisfactory results. The high price 

 obtained for the essence makes the cultivation highly 

 remunerative. It is stated officially that 2 acres 

 phuited with 300 trees may give 6,500 lb. of flowers, 

 which would yield at least 88 ib. of essence. 



In the past there has apparently been some con- 

 fusion as to the proper botanic name of the ylang-ylang. 

 It has been I'ef'erred to as Artahotrys (xJoratissiiuun 

 and Unona oilorata. It is evident, however, that the 

 correct name is Vanavgn odornta. 



A B C of Lime Culture. 



The above is the title of the latest pamphlet (Xc. 58) 

 in the series issued by the Imperial Department of 

 Agriculture. It has been published in view of the 

 increasing attention that is being given to lime culture 

 in parts of the West Indies, and with the objeet of 

 disseminating information as to the best methods of 

 cultivation, and the different ways of ulilizing the 

 produce. Lime cultivation is annualy extending in 

 Dominica (where it is the chief industry of the island), 

 and in Montserrat, where it is second only to cotton. 

 Progress is being made at St. Lucia, Carriacou, and 

 other portions of the West Indies, and the industry is 

 also being taken up in British Guiana. 



The pamphlet should serve as a popular guide in 

 regard to the above points to all taking up lime growing. 

 It is believed that it will be of special value to young 

 settlers and others embarking in the industry, since it 

 gives full advice on the subjects of choice of land, laying 

 out plantations, preparation of seed beds, raising of 

 plants, etc. 



The trade in green limes and pickled limes from 

 Dominica and Montserrat is discussed, and the methods 

 employed in the preparation of the various products of 

 fruits, i. e., raw and concentrated lime juice, citrate of 

 lime, hand-pressed lime oil and distilled lime oil, are 

 described. 



The insect pest and fungus diseases of lime trees 

 are also dealt with. 



The four appendices to the pamphlet gi\c further 

 information on the sulijects of citrate of lime manu- 

 facture, the cultivation of limes at Montserrat, details 

 of the exports of lime products from Dominica and 

 Montserrat, and a table of useful references to litera- 

 ture dealing with the lime industry. 



The manuscript was originally prepared by 

 Mr. Joseph Jones, Curator of the Dominica Botanic 

 Station. It was afterwards carefully revised by the 

 Hon. J. C. Macintyre, an e.xperienced and successful 

 lime planter at Dominica, and by the scientific officers 

 of the Department. 



'^riie price of the pamphlet, which is obtainable 

 from all the agents f'jr the sale of the Department's 

 publications, is 4(/., free by post, 5(/. 



Sugar Production in Cuba. 



Since so much is at ]jresent being heard of the 

 sugar-producing capacity uf Cuba, some details, taken 

 from a tabular statement iucluded in the latest British 

 Citiinalar Report on the trade and commerce of Cuba, 

 may not be without interest. The sugar crop of 190()-7, 

 which was a record one, reached 1,427,978 tons. In 

 1905-6, the outjjut was 1,17!S,749 tons, and in the year 

 before this 1,168,258 tons of sugar were produced. 



It is apparent, however, on comparing the planted 

 sugar acreage with the total area suitable for cane 

 cultivation, that the limit is far from being reached. 

 As much as 15,451,264 acres, or more than half the 

 area of the island, are said to be suitable for cane grow- 

 ing, but only 458,868 acres (or less than one-thirtieth 

 of this area) are planted. In the province of Mantan- 

 zas, which has the largest proportion of its available 

 land under sugar, no more than 8 38 per cent, is plant- 

 ed, while in Havana no more than 172 per cent, of the 

 land suitable is as yet growing canes, and in Pinar del 

 Rio only 0'78 per cent. From a consideration of these 

 figures, it is at once obvious that enormous possibilities 

 of development lie before the Cuban sugar industry. 



Agricultural Education in Great Britain. 



The grants made by the Board of Agriculture of 

 (jreat Britain in aid of agricultural education amounted 

 to £11,550 in the year ending March 81, 1907, an 

 increase of £1,000 over the previous year. This increase 

 is chiefly accounted for by a grant of £800, given for 

 the first time to the Royal Veterinary college. In 

 all, twenty colleges and schools now share in the funds 

 placed at the Board's disposal by Parliament, and the 

 number of students receiving instruction at these 

 various centres was 1,221 in 1906-7. 



These figures are regarded as fairly satisfactory, 

 but in the report lately issued, dealing with this side of 

 the Board's work, it is mentioned that the number of 

 students pursuing the longer courses of agricultural 

 education offered at many of the colleges does not tend 

 to increase to a very great extent. 



The special grants ottered by the Board in aid of 

 agricultural experiments and research during the year 

 amounted to £495. 



Ill addition to the Government Grant, the County 

 Councils of England and Wales expended a sum of 

 approximately £80,000 for agricultural education pur- 

 poses during 1906-7. 



