Vol. XVI r. No. 424. 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



■2Zd 



(0) Bulbils, after being in the nursery for about a year, 

 are all about the same size, and therefore regularity in growth 

 and size of the plants when set out in the plantation can be 

 assured. 



(6) Properly selected bulbils, well cared for in the nurs- 

 ery, and afterwards regularly set out in the plantation will 

 produce plants that reach maturity at the same time, give the 

 same number of cuttings, and pole at the correct time. Thus 

 it can be arranged that the diftVrent sections of the planta- 

 tion, will be ready for cutting at difterent periods of the 

 cutting season, in this way supplying the extracting machine 

 -with mature leaves during the whole season. 



If through unforeseen circumstances enough land has not 

 been prepared to receive the bulbi's at the end of the first year 

 of their growth in the nursery, their growth will not be 

 retarded, provided they have been planted in the nurse- 

 ry at the proper distance of not less than 20 inches by 

 20 inches. They may, in fact, be allowed to remain safely 

 in the nursery for two years before being planted out. 



There are two disadvantages, however, pointed out by 

 Mr. Heron, in the use of bulbils: — 



(1) On starting a plantation on these lines the best 

 newly cleared land must be used for the nursery. It is 

 true, on the other hand, that after removing the bulbils the 

 same land may be used as a part of the regular plantation. 



(2) The bulbils must remain about one year in the 

 nursery before being set out in the plantation. 



With regard to the propagation of the sisal plant 

 from sucker.=, the following advantages of the method are 

 noticed: — 



(1) No nursery is required, as suckers can be set out in 

 the plantation immediately they are taken from the soil. 



(2) Suckers after being removed from the ground can 

 be kept under cover for from six weeks to two months with- 

 flut in any way having their vitality aflfected. 



(.3) Suckers are extremely hardy, and can stand several 

 weeks of dry weather after being planted out. 



The disadvantages of this method are stated to be: — 



(1) The cost of the collei-ting of them is considerable, 

 owing to the fact that suckers grow irregularly around the 

 mother plants. 



(2) The difference in the size and development -of the 

 suckers growing around the same parent plant is very great. 



(3) If a plantation is kept thoroughly clean, no suckers 

 will be allowed to grow, therefore, if suckers are required, the 

 plantation must remain uncultivated to a certain extent. 



In conclusion. Mi. Heron condL'Uins the method of 

 planting from suckers, because he says that suckers when 

 allowed to develop underneath the plant at all stages of its 

 life, and then used for planting out, are liable to pole 

 at the same time as the parent plant, causing the 

 loss of two or three cuttings perhaps. As an instance, 

 he mentions that in Portugue.se East Africa he observed 

 the plants on a section of 250 acres all poling in the 

 third year after planting, only having given one cutting of 

 leaves. The.se plants were grown as an experiment from 

 suckers, and all poled at the same time as the parent plan's. 



Owing to the different size and development of each 

 individual sucker, the growth of the plantation will be irregu- 

 lar, which involves on a large plantation increase of cost, 

 owing to the necessity of more labour to perform the cutting. 



.\[r. Heron lays stress on the point that sisal must be 

 •carefully cultivated, and planted on suitable soil. The id.'x 

 that it can be successfully grown in any kind of soil, or th.-it 

 when nnce planted the crop will look after itself, is quite 

 a fallacy. 



WEST INDIAN PRODUCTS. 



DRUGS AND SPICES ON THE LONDON 



MARKET. 



Mr. J. R. Jackson, A.L.S., has forwarded the fol- 

 lowing report on the London drug and spice marketi 

 for the month of May I9I.S; — 



In reviewing the business and condition of the London 

 produce markets for the month of May it will be necessary to 

 point out that the actual period under review covers five 

 weeks instead of the usual four weeks — the first auction 

 having fallen on the second of the month and the last on 

 the 30th. The only effect of the additional week is to add 

 to the bulk of the products dealt with in a given tinip, and 

 at this period of the year, the anticipation of the summer 

 holidays also has some etfect, more especially in normal 

 times. The following are some of the principal details. 



This article has been advancing in price for some 

 little time, and still shows an upward tendency. .At; 

 auction on the 23rd of the month sales were effectei 

 at the following rates: common to good common .Jamaica, 

 llOs. to 11 2j'. per cwt., and medium to good llos. 

 to 12os. Cochin washed fetched !)5j-. and common 

 92^. 6;/., Calicut s8j'. to 90.f., and Sierra Leone 90j'. 

 At the last auction on the 30th the prices were still advanc- 

 ing, good common Jamaica ranging from 112.f. 6</. to llos-, 

 and medium to good 120.v. to 12.5,c, while washed Cochin 

 was quoted at d5i. to 97,v. 6i/., and Calicut and Japanese at 

 9.5.V. and 90i"., respectively. 



S.4RSAPARILL.\. 



This drug was in good supply at auction on the 9th of 

 the month, being represented by 1-") bales of grey .lamaica, S 

 of which were sold at is- 9d- per ft), for fair, which was said 

 to be an advance of 3</. per ft), on previous prices. The other 

 offerings were, Lima J amaica 38 bales, 4 only of which 

 found buyers at 4,i. 6./. per lb. for fair. Ten bales 

 of native Jamaican were offered, and all sold at prices vary- 

 ing from 4j- 2i/. to 4j'. (iiA per ft. for dull red and yellow. 



CITRIC ACID, AN.N.\TTO SKED, KOLA, LIME JUICE, 

 CAS.SIA FLSTULA, PIMENTO, TAMARINDS. 



Citric acid was firm at the beginning of the month at 

 3,s. 3t/. to 3j-. 3.\(/. per lb. A week later it advanced to 

 3s. 4i</., and at the end of the month to 3s- hd. Annatto 

 seed was in full supply at auction on the 9th of the month, 

 as many as 160 packages being offered but none sold; from 

 %d. to 9(/. per ft), was the price asked. Kola also was in 

 abundant supply at the same auction, but out of the 272 

 packages brought forward, 3 only were disposed of, being fair 

 dried Jamaica halves, which fetched 1 L/. per ft). There has 

 been a good demand for lime juice throughout the month, 

 raw West Indian fetching 2s. %d. to 3.f. 3d. per gallon, 

 according to quality. Ca?sia Fistula pods were stated to be 

 in limited supply during the month, ll.D.v. per cwf. being 

 the price asked. It was reported during the month that 

 there were large stocks of pimento in store, and that any 

 quantity cou'd be had at hd. per ft). In connexion with, 

 this, it was also stated that pimento oil was obtainable at 

 21.f. <5'/. psr lb During the'month it was further stated 

 that West Indian tamuinds had quite disappeared from 

 the ni-irket. 



