V,. XVn No. 410. 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



W 



DRYING VEGETABLES ON A LARGE 

 SCALE. 



That loca ly produced foodstuffs must be reserved for 

 local needs is evidently becoming a truism in these islands. 

 This IS shown by OoverLment Proclamations in different 

 islands prohibitiufi the exportation ol such things as corn and 

 potatoes, yams and eddoes, peas and beans. 



But the problem is not entirely solved by such a step. 

 W th regard to ninny locally produced foods, there is a diffi- 

 culty in storint; ihem for any length of time so as to preserve 

 theui in a souikI and wholesome condition. In several recent 

 issues of this .Journal attention has been called to this point, 

 and recomme' dations as to methods of drying roots and 

 •pther vegetable pnjducts for future use have been put for- 

 ward, basfd on experience in oiher countries. 



Especially Las attention been drawn to the possibilities 

 of drying and storing sweet potatoes in considerable quanti- 

 ties, as was su'ce^sfully done in Antigua some years ago 

 by Mr. Spoontr, who contributed an account of his successful 

 experiment to this -Journal, \ ol. XV, No. 402. From that 

 account it may be gathered that the ability to eflect this is 

 ■well within the power of practically every estate manager. 

 We have not received any loinmunication as to whether 

 such drying of potatoes or other roots has been tried. Even 

 however at the i isk of appearing prolix, we return to the 

 question, as a shortage of imported foods, if not the absolute 

 cessation of ary importation seems, in view of the pre.sent 

 ■world's situation, not only very possible, but very probable. 

 In the Journal "f the Department of Agriculture, nf 

 Victoria, Australia, October 1917, there is a description 

 given of a kiln evaporator for the production of dried 

 apple rings. This description is extracted from a bulletin 

 issued by the >giicultu!al Experiment Station of the State 

 jOoUege of Washington, U.S .i. This method of drying 

 apples, with perhaps slight modifications, seems very suitable 

 for application to sliced sweet potatoes or any other vegetable 

 |)roduct. It is clauned for the kiln evaporator that it may be 

 constructed and operated at a lower cost than is necessary 

 for other driers of similar capacity, and that the quality 

 of the product is better and more uniform. 



Plans and details of contruction are given in extenso 

 in the article referred to. The smallest plant is a building 

 20 feet square and two stories high, the lower story, which 

 contains the stoves or heating furnaces, being about 10 

 or 11 feet high, while the second story, where the fruit is 

 spread on the tioor to be dried, is only about 6 or 7 feet 

 high at the eaves. The floor is made of narrow slats laid 

 with an interval of I or ij-inch between them, and the 

 product to be dried is spread upon this floor to a uniform 

 depth of 4 to 6 inches. Two lines of pipes conveying the 

 heat from the furnace are carried round the room one 

 or more times at a distance of 2 feet from tioor and wall. 

 Such a kiln will dry a charge of sliced apples, spread .5 

 or 6 inches deep, in from eighteen to twenty-four hours. The 

 actual daily working capacity for a kiln 20 feet square is 

 from 70 to 100 bushels, according to circumstances. 



The cost of such a building will of course vary according 

 to local prices, etc , but a New York tirm contracts to erect one 

 of concrete blocks, and to equip it fully with the necessary 

 appliances for •iil,4.iiO. A noticeable appliance is the bleacher, 

 by means of which the sliced apples are subjected to sulphur 

 fumes, in order to avoid their turning dark in the process of 

 drying. 



A plant of such a kind might be of the greatest value in 

 any one of these islands at the present time, for drying all 

 sorts of vegetables and enabling them to be stored for a long 

 time without danger of spoiling. 



SHORTAGE OP MEAL. 



The shortage of imported foodstuffs, which has beea 

 expected in the West Indies, is evidently becoming a face 

 to be faced. The Bari,ados Arimjcate, January 9, 1918, 

 states that 'the arrival of a recent steamer from New York 

 without any meal has caused considerable disappointment. 

 Enquiry at one of the principal importers of meal as to the 

 reason for non importations, developed the fact that there 

 appears to be difficulty in obtaining permits for exportation 

 from the United States Government, 



'Of course we ought to be better off than we are ia 

 re,spect of food supplies, as we should have taken better care 

 to grow local foodstuffs.' 



The last paragraph is somewhat like crying over spih 

 milk; but the question is whether anything can at once be 

 done to relieve the situation, which is certainly one not 

 affecting Barbados alone. 



We throw out the following suggestion. Let every planter 

 in these islands sow, on the banks between his young plant 

 canes, rounceval or black-eye peas. These ought to bear ia 

 six or eight weeks — the quickest food crops to be grown. It is 

 true that in dry weather, which is to be expected at thi.3 

 time of the year, a large return is not likely to be obtained, 

 but unless an absolute drought is experienced, a moderate 

 yield will probably result, if the peas are sown much more 

 closely than is the usual practice in rainy months. The grow- 

 ing of peas in this way is not likely permanently to injure 

 the young cane plants, but will assist in keeping down weed.?. 

 In six weeks time there will be some food at least being 

 produced. Supplies of these peas for planting can probably 

 be obtained quickly from St. Vincent and Trinidad. 



THE AVOCADO PEAR IN CALIFORNIA. 



Santa Barbara County in California has taken up the 

 cultivation of the avocado pear, according to an article in the 

 Monthly Bulletin of the State Commission of Hortiridtv.re 

 California, November-December 1917. It appears that the 

 first avocado pears grown in that county were introduced from 

 Mexico in 1870. One of the.se produced large crops of fruit 

 from which many seedlings were distributed. In 1911 ■ 

 however, seeds of choice varieties were introduced from 

 Honolulu. One of these varieties, known as the White 

 Avocado, seems to have very valuable qualities. Aa 

 ordinary stock budded with this variety in 1912 produced 

 in less than two years a crop of sixty matured fruit. So 

 prolific is this tree that it is said to bear fruit almost every 

 month in the year. 



Another of the latest varieties brought from Honolulu 

 is known as the Nutmeg Avooaio, remarkable for the size of ■ 

 its fruit, each fruit weighing from 1 1 ft), to 2 ft). 



There are said to be no less than seventy-eight distinct 

 varieties of the avocado pear now under experiment in the 

 Santa Barbara county. The experiments are undertakea 

 not only with a view to determining whit varieties bear 

 the best fruits both as to flavour and keeping qualiiies, but 

 also with a view to test the comparative hardiness <.i 

 varieties, in view of obtiiniug some which will stand 

 comparatively heavy frosts. Bearing avocado trees are now- 

 found in hundreds of the local garden.s, and the more they 

 are known the better they are liked, so that it will soon ba 

 impossible for any Californian to think, as some now do^ 

 that the 'alligator pear' is a kind of wild animal food. 



