140 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



May 2, 1908. 



i< 







GLEANINGS. 



Cane tires have been very fre(|uerit in I-tarbados during 

 the present reaping season. The majority are believeil to be 

 flue to incendiarism. 



The nnmlier of beet sugar factorie.s woiked in (lermany 

 in 190-") 6 was ;i7(i ; in the following year, 369, while in 

 1907-S, the nundxn- has fallen to :M\ri. The output of sugar 

 show.s a corresponding decline. 



The .Martiniipie central factory is purchasing canes 



during the j)re.sent .season on a ba.sis of G per cent, .sugar 



content, thi.s being eijual to a price of .'3!.3'i;3'5 per metric ton 

 .{•2,-200 R).). 



Exjiorts of sugar from Java to India have rapidly 

 increased of late. For the eight months ending November 

 30 last, the ijuantity was 224,700 ton.s, as against 134,.'")0O 

 tons during the corresponding period of 1900. 



A central sugar fai-tory of large capacity (the first of its 

 kind to be established in Jamaica) was oj)ened at Vere on 

 j\Iarch 27 last by the Governor. A portion of the cajiital 

 was subscribed in Great Britain, the remainder being local. 



.Mr. li. II. iliti'en, M.A., well known for his successful 

 work in connexion with the hybridization of wheat and 

 liarley, has been aiipointed to theprofe.ss(]rship of agricultural 

 botany lately established in the University of ("ambridge. 



Under ordinary ciicumstances, it is estimated that in 

 1908-9 the <ultivated fiuit lands of Porto Rico .sliould yield 

 crops of 150,700 boxes of citrus fruits, and 170,000 crates of 

 jiine ajiples. {('hIki Reriiir.) 



( 'aniphor tiees in .lapan are stated to bear their lirsl 

 crop of seeds when from twenty to twi'nty-tive years old. 

 Trees twenty-tive yeais of age, in (.y'eylon, however, have not 

 yet flowered. Camphor seeds do not retain their vitality for 

 more than five months. 



Mr. T. C. Davenport, R'amhall E.state, Dominica.clesires 



it to be mentioned that he has 5,000 budded Washington 

 Navel orange plants ready for sale For export the price is 

 one shilling per plant, freight and packing extra for small 

 lots. For orders of fifty plants and over, there will be no 

 charges for freiyht and packing. 



The best method of disposal of the cotti>n seed produced 

 in the island is at present a subject of discussion in St. Croix, 

 since the Barbados cotton factory is not taking the sup- 

 ply as in forner years. Some growers are grinding the seed, 

 using a portion for stock food, and returning the remainder 

 to the .soil as fertilizing matter (Sf. Cmi.r Arix). 



In St. C'roix the sugar crop of the s.^ason began in the 

 first week of April at two factories and on several r.;usciivado 

 estates. In the case of the central factory, however, the 

 Sf. C'loi.e Ai'is (of April 4) anticipated that work would not 

 begin till about the third week in April. The crop is a very 

 light one. 



The new cotton factory at Blakes' estate, Mont.serrat, 

 was lately cipened, and is now ready to handle all cotton sent 

 in. The building has two Hoors, on the upper of which two Asa 

 Lee gins are worked. Should the result of the [iresent season's 

 w( irking justify the step, two additional gins will be provided 

 for next .season. (Mnnfxen-itt If'inld.) 



The cost of cultivating 33.\ acres of land, un<ler bananas 

 in Cuba, for five year.s, is estimated by the Agricultural 

 Department of the island to be .•?4,S94. This land, it is 

 stated, should produce 37,000 bunches of bananas, worth, on 

 an average, 31c. i)er bunch, delivered at the steamer, which 

 would give a gross return of .'jl 1,470. 



The 1900 )'<;.(/■/,«--,!■ of the U. S. Department of Agri- 

 culture states that there is an increasing demand for avocado 

 pears in the United State.s, especially during the months 

 from October to March. Florida growers are extending their 

 plantings of late ripening kinds of avocado, and there is 

 every i)rospect that the cultivation will give )irolilable returns. 

 This fruit is also grown in California. 



About eighteen months ago the site foi- a new Botanic 

 Station in British Honduras was .selected, and the work of 

 clearing and laying-out was at once started. The area of the 

 new station is about 20 acres, and it is conveniently situated 

 near to llelizo. The Government of the colony has now 

 decided that the station shall be a permanent one, and lately 

 voted the sum of •'?2,980 for its upkeep dui'ing the present 

 year. A further sum of -"^l.ldO was also voted for building 

 cpiarters for the Supei-intendent. 



The Jiimaica press reports a depressed condition of the 

 banana trade of the island con.sequenl upon the .severe 

 drought which has prevailed since early in 1907. As a result, 

 the output has largely fallen off', but hopes are entertained 

 that conditions will improve in .May or .Fune. 



An experimental planting of Central American rubber 

 trees {Cdxtillud iliiMica) was made at the Hotanic Station, 

 St. Vincent, in 1900-7. The plants ari' stated to l>e making 

 strong, healthy growth. Two or three planters in the isliin<l 

 are also giving this tree ;i trial. 



Investigations ni.ide at tln' iiothamsted Experiment 

 Station, England, on the suliject of green colour in foliage 

 plants show that the chlorophyll formation in plants has 

 a close connexion with the amount of nitrogen a.ssimilated, 

 but that the carbon assimilatioTi is not in [iroportion to the 

 chlorophyll formed. Further, the necessity of a .supply of 

 potash in the soil in order that carbon assimilation may take 

 jilace, was demouslratcd by these ex]ierinn'nts. No starch 

 was formed in liie grains of chhnophyll without the aid of 

 patasli. 



