Vol. XVII. No. 414. 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



73 



He went on to point out that it must not be 

 forgotten that pui'e academic research, unrestricted 

 and unprescribed, has been the prime cause of all the 

 radical changes in industrial methods. Research in 

 pure science is rarely appreciated by the general public 

 or the manufacturer, for it cannot be done to order. One 

 must put faith in the research worker that he may con- 

 tinue to have faith in himself Much of what he will do 

 will be discontinuous and abortive, but he must not be 

 hampered by utilitarian notions being continually 

 rammed down his throat. If he does not solve the 

 original problem he will probably solve some other 

 which has sprung from it, and onr successful discovery 

 may far outweigh all his failures. 



The equal importance of the applied research 

 worker, who is responsible for turning to account the 

 discoveries of the pure investigator, must not on the 

 other hand be lost sight of There is no line of demar- 

 cation between the two divisions of research. Each 

 devolves study, hard work, and thought. The methods 

 of both branches are questioning and searching; the 

 common end is knowledge, to which there is no short 

 ■cut. 



The war is bringing home to the nation the 

 dependence of its very existence on science, and a little 

 good may come out of a very great evil, it public 

 opinion can be brought to realize that a nation's 

 administrators, as well in peace as in war, should 

 always include among them suitable men of the highest 

 technical and scientific standing, not merely to advise, 

 but also to initiate and direct. 



Agriculture in Santo Domingo. 



The Dominican Republic, or, as it is more commonly 

 known in the West Inditis, San Domingo, has an area 

 of nearly 20,000 square miles. The latest estimate of 

 the population is only 700,000. The fertility of the 

 land, which is mainly in its virgin condition, gives the 

 possibility of immigration and future development. In 

 fact from many of the smaller West Indian islands, 

 especially the northern ones, there is a considerable 

 emigration of labourers to work in that Republic. 



One of the most important products of the 

 Republic is siigar, produced mainly in the southern 

 half an<l it is probable, in view of possible future 

 developments, that the entire southern part of the 

 island will be devoted to this industry. The chief 

 product of the northern part is cacao, much of it grown 

 in the land around Saman.i Bay, while coffee is 

 produced in the higher lands of the interior to a con- 

 siderable extent. Tobacco is grown mainly in the 

 central part, and is the third in value of the exports 

 of the country. The grade of tobacco raised is good, 

 although its quality could be much improved by more 

 careful methods of cultivation and curing. 



A large portion of the country is covered with 

 forests. The wooded area i> estimated at about 8o 

 per cent, of the total land surface. The mahogany of 

 these forests is well known lor its excellent quality. 

 Lignum-vitae is plentiful, especially in the south, while 

 there are immense quantitio.-^ of valuable dye woods in 

 the interior. 



Government Control of Natural Indigo. 



When the war broke out the dyers of Great 

 Britain ceased to be able to obtain supplies of synthet- 

 ic indigo, which was almost, if not quite, a German 

 monopoly. It was then felt that there might be 

 a danger of the supply of natural indigo falling into 

 the hands of a very small group, which would not be 

 for the interests of the dye industry in general. In 

 order to ensure, as far as possible, an equitable distri- 

 bution of the available supply of natural indigo, the 

 British Government purchased practically the entire 

 available stock, and allowed it to be gradually sold to 

 the dyers at a reasonable price. 



The amount purchased was 267 tons, at a cost 

 of £3-51,000 Out of this the British Governmeot 

 were able to sell to the Fi-ench Government, at their 

 request, 100 tons. The remainder has been gradually 

 disposed of to the trade, both for home consumption 

 and for home export. 



The Board of Trade Journal, January 31, 191'S, 

 says that the object of the Government in making this 

 purchase was achieved, as at all times during the past 

 three years the dyers have been able to obtain supplies 

 of natural indigo at a fair market price. The entire 

 amount has now been disposed of, showing a profit 

 of £3,556. 



How to Prepare Banana Meal. 



The following directions and suggestions by Mr. 

 •loseph de Verteuil, Acting Director of Agriculture, 

 Trinidad, were published in the Port-of-!Spain Gazette, 

 February 7, 1918. They ought to be useful throughout 

 the West Indies: — 



Any kind of banana or plantain is suitable. 



Cut the bunch when it is about three-quarters full 

 or the fruit will ripea instead of drying. 



Peel the bananas and slice thinly with a nickel or 

 fruit knife, or one made from a thin piece of bamboo. 



Do not use steel knives. Spread the sliced 

 bananas thinly on wooden trays in the sun to dry. In 

 fine weather they will dry in two or three days. 



When dry, crush in an ordinary corn mill or pDund 

 in a mortar, and sift through fine muslin. 



Banana meal is very digestible and nutritious. 

 Good bread can be in ide by using it with equal parts 

 of wheaten flour made in the same way as wheaten 

 bread. 



Banana meal cooked and eaten as oatmeal porridge 

 is an excellent food. 



In cake making the same proportions of banana 

 meal can be used as in the making of bread. 



Used in the form of milk pudding, it is prepared 

 in the same way as rice pudding, and it is vevy palatable. 



Make your .Johnny cakes, and dumplings by mix- 

 ing equal parts of wheaten flour with banaau rac-al. 



Dasheen, sweet potato, tannia, and yam meals can 

 all be made in the same way as advised for banana 

 meal, i.e., peeling, washing, slicing and milling the 

 dried chips. Excellent bread, etc. can also be made 

 from equal parts of wheaten flour, and any of the 

 above meals. 



