152 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



May 16, 1908. 



EDITORIAL NOTICES. 



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 specimens for naming, should be addressed to the 

 Commissioner, Imperial Department of Agriculture, 

 Barbados. 



All applications for Copies of the 'Agricultural 

 News ' should be addressed to the Agents, and not to 

 the Department. 



Local Agents: Messrs. Bowen & Sons, Bridge- 

 town, Barbados. London Agents: Messrs. Dulau & 

 Co., 37, Soho Square, W., and The West India Com- 

 mittee, 15, Seething Lane, E.G. A complete list of 

 Agents will be found on page 3 of the cover. 



The Agricultural News: Price Id. per number, 

 post free 2d. Annual subscription payable to Agents, 

 2s. 2d. Post free, 4s. U. 



^iiririi!tiiral lleiuij 



Vol. VII. SATUKJJAV, MAY l(j, 1908. No. 1.58. 



NOTES AND COMMENTS. 



Contents of Present Issue. 



The ipiestion of West Indian exhibits at ihe 

 Canadian Exhibitions of the present year i.s discussed in 

 the editorial, which also contains useful hints as to the 

 most suitable methods of putting up and forwarding 

 exhibits, etc. 



Li experiments carried out in Hawaii on a practical 

 scale, formaldehyde in small quantity proved itself to 

 be an efficient jireservative agent of cane juice 

 (page 147). 



The brief article 'Dominica Limes' on page 14.S, 

 indicates that this fruit is liecoining better known in 

 England, and growing in favour as compared with the 

 lemon. 



Compulsory vaccination of stock as a jjroventive 

 against anthrax is a question that is occupying public 

 attention at present in St. Vincent. Unless this system 

 is adopted, further attempts to stamp out anthrax in 

 the island appear hopeless (page 14!)). 



Reports on market prices and other brief notes 

 will be found on the cotton pages (1.50-1). There is 

 also an interesting account of a variety of cotton, 

 discovered growing wild in Jamaica, and which is 

 thought to be indigenous to the island. 



A preliuiinary report on an in.sect pest of cotton 

 that has been giving considerable trouble at Antigua 

 during the past season appears under Insect Notes 

 (page 1.54). 



Root disease of sugar-eane has also been preva- 

 lent in Antigua in the past year. Some notes on 

 measures that may be useful in connexion with its 

 eradication are given on page L55. 



Rubber Lands of British Guiana. \ 



According to an official statement, the Government 

 of British Guiana will receive and consider applications 

 for tracts of Crown land, of any size, within the colony, 

 under leases for ninety-nine years for rubber-planting 

 purposes. The land will be rent free for ten years, 

 with the right of purchase after that period at ICs. 8'/. 

 per acre. If the holder does not exercise this right 

 of purchase, the rent charge will be lOiZ. per acre per 

 annum from the tenth to the fifteenth year, and 

 2s. Id. per acre per annum afterwards. 



Crown land from which areas may be S(^lected is 

 available on all large rivers and tributary streams, and 

 within easy communication of Georgetown. 



The mean total yearly niinfafl in districts most 

 suitable for rubber cuftivation is 9(i'.57 inches. 



Egg Preservation. 



Egg preservation is carried on on an enormous 

 scale in Denmark, and according to a recent report, 

 many of the eggs shipped abroad have already been 

 ])reserved for four or five months. The material used 

 for this purpose is chiefly water-glass (a solution of 

 silicate of soda), although lime water is also largely 

 employed, since it is cheaper and gives almost eqimlly 

 good results. With lime water however, the siiell of 

 the egg is hardened .and roughened, which is not the 

 <-ase with v.ater-glass. The' eggs are laid down in 

 enormous tanks, which will hold'from 70,000 to 80,000, 

 and the tanks are then filled nearly to the top with the 

 pre.serving fluid. These tanks are built in cool, under- 

 ground cellars. For successful results it is essential 

 that the eggs should be fresh before laid down. On 

 removal from the solution, the eggs are well washed in 

 running water, and dried in the air before being placed 

 on the market. 



Paper Manufacture From Megass. 



Samples of nnbleached paper, jjiepared from cot- 

 ton stalks were exhibited at the late West Indian 

 Agricultural Conference at Barbadps. This paper was 

 made by a process devised by Mr. Bert de Lamarre of 

 'Crinidad, who owns extensive estates in the island, and 

 reports from Trinidad now state that, being convin- 

 ced of the practical possibilities of pajier maiuifacture 

 from nn'gass, banana fibre. Para grass, etc., Mr. Lamarre 

 has erected a paper pulp works at very considerable 

 cost, in conjunction with the sugar factories of the 

 estates. 



According to an account which appeared in the 

 l^ort-of-tSjiain (fazctfe, the megass, after treble crush- 

 ing in the cane mills, is conveyed to the paper works, 

 where it undergoes the treatment devised by the owner. 

 It is boiled for some hours, further crushed by rotating 

 millstones, and then j)a.sscd through ordinary pulp-mak- 

 ing machinery. Finally it is cut and lialed under 

 hydraulic pressure. If this method of utilizing the 

 megass is found' to be a remunerative one, a valuable 

 subsidiary industry to cane-sugar production may thus 

 be indicated. 



