280 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



September 5, 1908 



EDITORIAL NOTICES. 



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gloricultural ^xm 



Vol. VII. SATURDAY. SHI'TK-MllKi; n, l!)0,s. No. 1G6. 



NOTES AND COMMENTS. 



Contents of Present Issue. 



The editorial of the present issue discusses the 

 chief fungus diseases affecting cacao in the West Indies, 

 and gives some hints as to remedial treatment. 



Information with regard to the position of the 

 sugar industry in Hawaii and in Egyiit, ai\d to condi- 

 tions which influence its progress in these countries, 

 will be found on page 27.5. 



A Colonial Fruit Show is to lie held in London in 

 November next, in which it is hoped the West Indies 

 will participate (page 27(!). 



A brief note, with illustration, ajipearing on page 

 277, and relating to the return that has been obtained 

 from grafted cacao trees at Dominica, shoidd be of 

 interest to cacao planters. 



The attention of cotton planters is drawn to the 

 article on cotton-planting niarhinos that will be foun<l 

 on page 278. 



Some interesting observations with regard to the 

 occurrences of certain insects on cacao trees at Trini- 

 dad, together with a note on 'jumping seeds," are 

 recorded under Insect Notes (page 282). 



Increasing yield of Balata. 



The output of balata (the produce of Mi)nusop.-< 

 (jlohosa) has shown a steady increase in British and 

 Dutch Guiana, and in Venezuela for many years 

 past. 



In 1887 — twenty years ago — British Cuiana 

 e.\-ported 80,942 lb. of balata and Dutch Guiana 1,093 lb., 

 while there were then no exports from Venezuela. Ten 

 years later there were 332. 2H2 It), exported from British 

 Guiana, 434,000 It), from Dutch Guiana, and 1()5,000 It), 

 from Venezuela. The increase in the output during 

 the past six or seven years has been more noticeable in 

 Venezuela and British Guiana than in Dutch Guiana. 

 British Guiana in 1903 shipped 743,553 It)., and in 

 1907, 987,22511). In the last-named year Venezuela 

 exported 3,203,141 lb. and Diitch Guiana 7(i5,1201b. 

 So far balata has only been shipped in trivial quantity 

 from French Guiana, although the tree which produces 

 it is found growing in quantity in the colony. 



. — 11 ■ I -c I 



Zapupe Fibre Plant. 



An article dealing with the rapid extension that 

 has of late years taken place in the cultivation of the 

 'zapupe ' fibre plant in Mexico was given in the Agri- 

 caLtarnl Neu:^ of April 18 last (page 125). Within 

 a period of two or three years after the cultivation had 

 started, no less than 4,000 or 5,000 acres were devoted 

 to the growth of the fibre plants, and the industry is 

 reported to be a remarkably remunerative one. 



The specific identity of the ' zapupe ' has not yet 

 been established, but so far it has been considered to 

 be a species of Agnve. In the course of an article con- 

 tributed to the Tropenpfianzcr of April last, however. 

 Dr. Endlicher states that his observations lead him to 

 believe th.at, as in the case of ' ixtle,' the ' zapupe ' fibre 

 is probably produced from more than one species of 

 plant, and it seems likely that the chief plant from 

 which it is obtained belongs to the natural order 

 Bromeliaceae, and is not a species of Agarc. 



The chief conditions favourable to the development 

 of nitrogen-assimilating bacteria in th(> soil are dealt 

 with in an article appearing on page 283. 



Trade of Trinidad. 



One or twi) notes from the large mass of statistical 

 information {)id)lished in the Annual Jiejiort (1907-8) 

 of the Collector of Customs for Trinidad may be of 

 interest. The value of the produce exported from the 

 colony during the year amounted to £2,(il2,801, an 

 increase of £1,056,757 as compared with 1906-7. and of 

 £890,896 over the export returns of 1905-6. 



The total (piautity of cacao shipped from the 

 island during the year was 58,704,352 lb., valued at 

 £2,I14,27(), as compared with 33,129,152 1b., of the 

 value of £972,169, shipped in 1906-7. Uf the above 

 (piantity, 49,730,576 ft. were the produce of the 

 enlony. Sugar was exported during the year to the 

 ■ luantity of 46,720 tons, valued at £521,051, as 

 compared with 45,004 tons of a value of £430,182 

 shipped in 1906-7. 



The returns show a noteworth}' increase in the 

 exports of local produce to Canada. In the case of 

 sugar this increase amounted to £46,665, of cacao to 

 .£10,560, and of molasses to £3,845, compared with 

 the figures of the previous year. 



