306 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



(Xtobkk 3, 1908. 



are kept. This is so fully recognized in large modern 

 factories that very great attention is paid to the work 

 done by the mill, both by the chemists and engineers, 

 and constant results are recorded. Even with a small 

 mill, if the canes were weighed, wasteful fluctuations 

 would soon be discovered and stopped. 



Further, in the absence of weighing, it is extremely 

 difficult to know what results are obtained from any 

 particular kind of cane, or from the use of any particular 

 manure, or from the performance of any particular cultu- 

 ral operation. A knowledge of the weight of canes 

 obtained would throw a flood of light on all these 

 questions. 



The judgement of thr ]j|antcr, unaided by a knowl- 

 edge ot the weight of cane, is ficqu.ently at fault in 

 appreciating the value of a new variety of cane. He 

 may over-estimate, or under-estimate its merits, and so 

 money will be wasted. With a knowledge of the weight 

 obtained he would act with precision, so that rapid and 

 sti!ady progress would set in. How many planters can 

 say with precision to what extent ratoon canes are 

 remunerative in comparison with plant canes ^ A knowl- 

 edge of weights would give precision to their ideas, and 

 lead to the saving of money. 



Similarly, much money is probably wasted in the 

 matter of manures from want of knowledge, either too 

 much manure or too little being employed. A knowl- 

 edge of weights would, after a few years' experience, 

 lead to a much more economical use of manures of all 

 kin(].«. 



The value of measuring and recording is not confined 

 only to the weighing of canes. It holds good of most 

 facts relating to estate work. Records of the cost of 

 various operations, if caii'fnlly m.ule and |)roperly 

 arranged, will tend to economy. Records of the food 

 consumed b}' stock, of work done, and of the cost, etc.. 

 worked out under various heads, will soon indicate when 

 economics may bo practised, and increnscd leturns 

 obtained. Economies mean not merely (iiminisliod 

 expenditure but expenditure to better advantage, and 

 this in time may mean increased expenditure based 

 upon accurate know'ledgo. 



A distinction must be made between records and 

 mere memoranda. The latter are notes taken for 

 temporary use, the former are notes carefully preserved 

 and arranged for future reference. The mere making 

 of the record is not all-sufficient : it is necessary that 

 the results obtained should be compared and correlated 

 so that the conclusions to he drawn from them may be 

 set out. There doubtless exists much r.iaterial in th« 



form of memoranda and records from which valuable 

 deductions might be drawn if someone would take the 

 trouble to arrange the information in a form for com- 

 parison. As a good example of what may be done in 

 this direction may be instanced Mr. J. R. Bovell's 

 paper on the ' Cost of growing Sugar-canes in Bat ba- 

 dos' {West Iiidniii BiiUrtiii, Vol. I, p. (34). It wouhl 

 prove of considerable advantage if much more work of 

 this kind were done. 



If records such as those referred to could be 

 obtained for a wide range of plantation work 

 in various parts of the West Indies, and the results 

 compared from time to time, it would be found that 

 m;iiiy changes by way of improvement would speediiv 

 spread from district to district, and the improved ideas 

 of one place would quickly exert .-i benefici.al influence 

 at a ilistance, instead of, as now, influencing onlv 

 ;i .small area, and even there jiioducing but limited 

 results for want of further stimulation. 



(Jne effect of the keeping and comparing of records 

 must not be overlooked. This work reacts upon the 

 pl.mter, making him more alert and more observant. 

 ;iii<l he becomes keener to detect losses and to forward 

 iin|ii-ovemcnts, so that the general advancement of 

 agi'iciilture is ensured thereby. 



FATS AND OILS OF NUTMEGS. 



In view n| the constant and iiicivasiiii; deinanil foi- oil 

 .-eecfs that cxi.sts on the Euroiiean market, an cx^uninatioii 

 ha^ lately been in:Kle of the oil-yielding capacity of the various 

 luttmegs of India, with a view to their profitable utilization. 



The true inttnieg (M//n'.ilica /mi/raii.-:). which is the 

 kind v'lewn in the West Indies, but is really a native of the 

 .Mohn-cas, yields about "20 to SO per cent, of oil, known on 

 the market as 'oil of mace' or 'nutmeg butter.' 'I'his 

 product is used in Europe in the manufacture of scented oils, 

 lieifumes, and soap.s, and as a flavouring agent in cooking 

 ami perfumery. 



An Indian nutmeg specially lefeirel to in the report 

 on the above-mentioned investigations is Mi/ristica caiia- 

 rii-'i. The .seeds of this species showed on anaiy.sis 

 a content of 40-40 per cent, of fat, wliicli i.s utilized by the 

 natives in distiicts where the tree i.s found for the ]mrpose 

 of making candles. Another native species (.1/. iiiiilnliurim), 

 also yields a considerable percentage of fat. The jjresence 

 of icsins however de|)reciates its value. The fat is u.sed as 

 an ointment and for illuminating purposes. 



.Afaiiy other .«pocies of nutmegs are also di.scu.ssed, vvhieh 

 are known to contain a useful proportion of fat or oil. 

 Among these may be mentioned Mi/rlstini JJIi-uIii/Iki, 

 a native of Brazil, and the seeds of which yield 59'6 per cent, 

 of fat, which has a peculiar odour. .V variety abundant in 

 (■(Utain parts of the West Indies is Mi/riatica siD-iiKiiiu'iixis^ and 

 the seeds of this nutmeg contain ''Oo."? [ler cent, of fat, readily 

 extracted anil solid at ordinary temperatures. It is believed 

 that the fats of all the above varieties wonld be valuable in tlie 

 manufacture of soap and candles, but it is doubtful if it coiilJ 

 be prepared and put on the market at a profit. 



