Vol. III. No. 298. 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS, 



.■?17 



STUDENTS' CORNER. 



RECENT BOOKS. 



OCTOBER. 



First Pkriod. 



Seasonal Notes.' 



roRTiico.Mixc; kxa.minatiuxs in practicai, .igricultuue. 



This year'.s examinations in practicaragriculture will be 

 held on the following dates: — 



Preliminary Examinations, October 27, 1913; Intermedi- 

 ate and Final Examinations, November 10, 1913. 



The number of entries are as follows: — 



Grenada: Preliminary, two candidates. Dominica: 

 Intermediate, two candidates; Final, onf candidate. Antigua: 

 Preliminary, three candidates; Intermediate, one candidate; 

 Final, one candidate. St. Kitts: Final, one candidate. 



It may be opportune at the present time to 

 offer a few advisory remarks of a general nature 

 in regard to these examination.s. In the report on 

 the last year's Preliminary Examination (.see Agricul- 

 tural Neii'x Vol. XI, p. 381) attention was called to a general 

 weakness in regard to the provision of simple illustrations 

 to certain types of questions. A general weakness was also 

 shown in regard to animal physiology. On the whole, there 

 was evidence which indicated that candidates might have 

 referred, during the course of their .studies, more frequently 

 and carefully to the syllabus of subjects, not with the 

 intention of limiting their knowledge but with the object of 

 making it as complete as possible, as far as is required for 

 dealing with the questions that might be asked. 



In regard to the Intermediate and Final Exam- 

 inations, the importance was pointed out, of candi- 

 dates bringing their practical experience to bear upon 

 their answers to as great an extent as possible. 

 Past examinations have shown that many candidates fail to do 

 themselves justice through inability to express themselves 

 in writing. It is very necessary to think over the question 

 and frame an answer to it before commencing to write. 

 Frequently the candidate gets involved in a long sentence. 

 Sentences should be kept short, and observations ought to be 

 tabulated as far as possible. Written description can be 

 saved considerably by giving clear labelled drawings made 

 to scale. 



Last year, in the special crop subjects, general weakness 

 was evinced in regard to the manuring of the sugar-cane, 

 sugar cane nurserie:^, the classification of canes, the manner 

 of production of rotoons; also in connexion with diseases and 

 the manuring of cacao, the general seasonal work on a cacao 

 estate and varietie.s of cacao. Attention, in regard to limes, 

 was required respecting insect pests, lime nurseries, the 

 packing and marketing of lime products and the testing of 

 lime juice. As regards cotton, improvement was needed in 

 regard to such matters as the examination of seed-cotton, the 

 manuring of cotton, and the action of the Sea Island cotton 

 gin. (See A'jricHlttual A'eics, Vol. XII, p. 13; also Vol XI 

 p. 401.) 



In conclusion, all candidates may be advised — but 

 particularly the Intermediates and Finals — to run through the 

 present volume of the Agrindtural Xcw^, carefully noting 

 recent discoveries, new and useful methods and general 

 agricultural progress in the West Indies. This will constitute 

 a valuable revision and bring the candidates' theoretical 

 knowledge up-to-date. 



Vegetable Alkaloids.— A book has just been pub- 

 lished by Messrs. Churchill, London, dealing with the above 

 subject. The author is Dr. T. A. Henry, well known for his 

 researches into the composition of the alkaloids. The book 

 is reviewed in jSfatm;; for August 21, 1913. Tlie subtle 

 nature of the chemistry of the alkaloids is remarked upon,, 

 and it is pointed out that not only has Dr. Henry achieved 

 important results in regard to the chemical structure of 

 alkaloids, but also in connexion with the correlation between 

 their chemical constitution and action on the animal system. 

 A great deal, however, remains to be done in this latter 

 direction. Another question on which the book provides 

 some information is that of the function of alkaloids in 

 plants. It has variously been believed that they are end 

 products of metabolism, or protective substances, or possibly 

 nutrient materials. On this question Dr. Henry touches 

 though but lightly, in the introduction to the work under 

 notice. 



The one criticism which the book invites, is that it is too 

 much like a collection of extracts from the Journal of the 

 Che luteal Society. But it is said to be a good collection. 



A copy has just been received at this Office, of the 

 booklet entitled Coco-nut Cultivation in the West Indies, 

 reproduced by the Tropical Exploitation Syndicate Limited, 

 London, by permission of the Imperial Commissioner of 

 Agriculture for the West Indies, from the pamphlet having 

 the same title, published by this Department two years igo. 

 It is unfortunate that in the preface, the name of the late 

 Mycologist to this Department who wrote the greater portion 

 of the subject-matter, has lieen wrongly reproduced as 

 F. W. Smith. It should have been F. W. South. 



Manihot Rubber. — A new book on Manihot rubber 

 by Professor A. Zimmernmnn is reviewed in 2^atiu-e 

 (August 7, 1913). In the East, these forms of rubber- 

 yielding trees have not been regarded as being so profitable 

 to cultivate as Ileiea hraaiiiensis, but they nevertheless take 

 a very high place amongst aborescent forms of useful latex 

 producers, by virtue of their rapid rate of growth, hardy 

 characteristics and good quality of rubber. 



Four species are dealt with in the treatise: M. Glaiiovii, 

 21. dichotoma, M. piauhijenais, and M heptaphylhx. Their 

 distribution, anatomy and morphology are described. Inter- 

 esting remarks are made concerning the distribution of 

 the laticifers in the stem of M.Glaiiovii, and it would appear 

 that if the tapping instrument were pressed down deep 

 enough, it must every time puncture a laticiferous vessel 

 except where it touched a medullary ray. 



The volume by no means confines its considerations to 

 the botanical aspects of the species. One instructive chapter 

 deals entirely with methods of tapping, whilst the last six 

 describe general research in connexion with the preparation 

 of rubber. Even an account is given of the expenditure and 

 revenue of plantations, so that the book will be seen to cover 

 a very wide field. It should be interesting to the general 

 reader, but of immediate value to rubber growers in German 

 East and West Africa. 



An interesting list has just been received of the trees, 

 shrubs and climbers of the (iold Coast, Ashanti and the 

 Northern Territories. It has been compiled by T. F. 

 Chipp, B.Sc, F.L.S., Assistant Conservator of ForestH, 

 Gold Coast. 



