Vol. XVII. No. 431. 



THE AGRICULTCTKAL NEWS. 



:Ul 



Second — Its great resistance to deterioration ia salt- 

 water. A ball of olona fish-line, the Hawaiian owner of 

 which stated that it had been in thtir family, and in constant 

 use, for over titty years, has been examined, and the fibre was 

 still in an excellent state of preservation. 



Third — Its pliability, and thus its adaptabi'ity for spin- 

 ning by hand. Fishing-lines and nets made from this fibre 

 by expert Hawaiians present an appearance of so uniform a 

 calibre anri twist that it would lead one to believe that the 

 fibre had been made by the most intricate machinery. 



A fibre with these characteristics should be exploited to 

 the fullest measure. The extraction of this fibre is not a 

 difficult process. 



The key to the situation lies in transforming this plant 

 from its vfild state to a cultural form When this is done, 

 the world will be in possession of a new fibre, having a greater 

 tensile strength, weight for weight, than any other fibre 

 known. 



SEA-EGGS AS FOOD. 



In the editorial of the Agricultural N'.ivs. August 24, 

 1918, it was pointed out that besides fish in the true sense 

 of the word, there were other marine products which might 

 be more largely utilized as a source of food in these West 

 Indian islands. 



Among these and among the easiest of utilization is 

 the echinoderm, known in the West Indies as the sea-egg. 

 The species, which in Barbados is quite an important source 

 of food, is known scientifically as Hipf>oiioe esculeuta. It is 

 found on coral grounds in all the tropics of the Western 

 Atlantic, from the coral reefs of Florida down to Brazil. Two 

 other species of echinodernis are used as food in other parts 

 of the world. Ei/iiuus tscu/eiifus, the .sea urchin of England, 

 fairly plentiful on the western coast of Scotland, is eaten, at 

 least by the fishermen in those parts, according to the 

 Caml'rid'ii- ya/ura/ Histioy. An allied species in the 

 Mediteranean is regularly exposed for sale in the markets 

 of Naples under the name of 'frutta di mare'. 



When we say that these animals are used for food, it has 

 to be remembered that only the genital organs are .so employ- 

 ed. These are found lining the interambulacral plates of 

 the .-^ea-eggs, five in number, in the form of a branching 

 system of tubes. When they are filled with sexual cells 

 ready for emission, they attain a considerable size, as lartre as 

 the middle finger of a man's hand in many instances, and con- 

 stituting a very large portion of the bulk of the whole ani- 

 mal. It is in this condition that the sea egg. or rather its 

 roes and milts, is best for food. 



It is to be regretted that no accurate investigation has 

 been undertaken as to whether the sea-egg matures its ova 

 and spermatozoa only at certain periods of the year, or all 

 the year round, according to the growth of individuals. 

 Some time ago it was found that the sea-egg supply was seri- 

 ously falling off' in Barbados. The (iovernment of the island 

 obtained a scientific report on the matter from Dr. Duerden, 

 the Curator of the Museum of the Institute of .lamaica. He 

 advised artificial propagation of the spawn, and certain pro- 

 hibited areas, wherein fishing should be unlawful at any time. 

 It must be said that the sea-egg i> protected in Barbados, 

 it being unlawful to take sea eggs from the end of April t" 

 the beginning of August. But. according to local beliefs, it 

 i.-i just in August "and September that the 'fullest' ss«- 



eggs are taken. This is however leading us away from our 

 subject— the use of sea-eggs as food. 



In spite of the fact that Hi/>/"i;i>jt eynt/^nAi abounds 

 tfiroughout these islands, only in Barbadcs is it utilized as 

 a food. Although it is very hard to obtain an estimate of 

 the value of purely locally used foodstuffs, it was computed, 

 according to the evidence yiven before the West Indian Koyal 

 Commission in 1898, that ^ large proportion of £4,00t' wa.s 

 to be placed to the credit of this industry. 



The method of taking sea-eggs is simfile. The fisher- 

 men employ either small rowboats, or, in calm waters, only 

 large wooden trays which they push before them. When on 

 the 'grounds ', the boats or trays are anchored by a stone 

 attached to a rope, and the fishermen proceed to collect the 

 seaeggs by diving for them, sometimes in water as deep as 

 almost 3 fathoms. They take with them a wide-meshcd open- 

 mouthed bag, and usually a hook of thin iron hcK)p to remove 

 the seaeggs from their attachment. These are placed in 

 the bag and brought to the surface and placed in the 

 boat. As soon as the fishermen have obtained a sufficient 

 load, the boats are brought to land. 



The second stage then begins. Sea- eggs of a diameter 

 of 4 or 5 inches are carefully opened by breaking the 

 shell around the mouth so as to preserve the shell fairly 

 whole, but to allow of the contents being easily removed. 



Every other part of the ainmal. excejit the jjenitalia 

 adhering to the shell, is washed out in the sea. These 

 shells are then filled with the genitalia taken from the rest of 

 the shells, which are not so carefully broken. The next 

 process is a partial cooking of the filled shells. This is 

 usually done by steaming them over a fire of brush woo<f on 

 the beach in kerosene tins at the bottom of which some 

 water is placed, with sticks so arranged as to prevent 

 the shells theniselve- touching the water. In this con- 

 dition they are hawked about all over the island of Barbados, 

 forming a nutritious and cheap food. 



The following recipes for further preparation of sea- 

 eggs for the table are taken from a book by the late Mrs. 

 Graham Yearwood. of Barbados : — 



1. 



<K.*.-K<j«; riK 



Four large shells of seareggs steamed, j tb. of butter- 

 some bread crumbs, \ lb. of onions, some chopped, some 

 sliced, half a wine glass of sherry, 2 tablespoonfuls of olive 

 oil. Put in a ])ie di-h, sprinkle with breadcrumbs, and bake. 



SBA-EO(. CIK. 



Beat 6 eggs and add i gill of biscuit crumbs. ] lb of 

 butter, i gocnl shells of sea-eggs, salt and plenty of onion. 

 Mix well, put in a pie dish, sprinkle with crumb.^, put jxits of 

 butter on, and bake. 



Two or three shells of sea-eggs steamed, !. quart tin of 

 tomatoes or fresh ones skinned and ma3he<l, j lb. of onions, 

 I tt>. of butter, salt and pepper, and a little meat Kravy, 

 Fry the seaeggs with the onions, and mi.x with other ingre- 

 dients, lay in a pie dish, throw over h a wine gla.-^s of .<lierry- 

 Cover with mashed F.nglish potatoe.-, baste with white of 

 eeg. and bake. 



It may he said, however, that seaeggs are very tasty 

 morsels wheu eaten plainly fried or steamed with simple 

 seisonioc df Silt i'.:d i<eoper to t;v-i'^ 



