Vol. XIJ. No. 298. 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS 



no 



The sj)ores of fungi, also some kinds of bacteria, are as 

 a rule killed by an hour's immersion in hydrogen peroxide; 

 no spores experimented with germinated after similar 

 treatment for two hours. 



In nearly every instance the germination of seed 

 immersed in hydrogen peroxide was retarded. Seeds 

 immersed for four hours were, on an average, one to two days 

 later in appearing above ground than untreated seeds of the 

 same kind. Seeds treated for twenty-four hours were 

 retarded two to eight days or in most instances were killed 

 cutriglit. The period of retardation is much less in seeds 

 which germinate quickly than in the case of seeds whose 

 germination is normally slow. After treated seeds have 

 germinated, growth is rapid, and in a short time the plants 

 are equal in size and vigour to the plants from untreated 

 seeds sown at the same time. In some cases the plants 

 from treated seeds are distinctly larger than those from 

 untreated seeds at the end of three weeks. For all practical 

 purposes, soaking seed in hydrogen peroxide for three hours 

 will kill all superficial fungus spores and the seed will not be 

 injured. This method is to be recommended as a substitute 

 for fumigation, which, as a rule, does not kill fungus spores 

 unless continued for such a time as to damage the seed. 



WEST INDIAN PRODUCTS. 



DRUGS AND SPICES ON THE LONDON 

 MARKET. 

 The Report of Mr. J. R. Jackson is as follows: — 

 The general tone of the markets during August, which 

 is essentially a holiday month, has .shown some improvement 

 since our last report, not only in the amount of business 

 done, but in an upward tendency of prices realized, though 

 towards the close of the month some West Indian products, 

 notably mace, and cassia fistula had dropped slightly. 

 There has been but little doing in the case of 



The oilerings for the most part throughout the month 

 have been bought in. On the 13th 10.5 bags of Calicut were 

 brought forward and bought in at 31.?. for bold, and medium 

 brown, and 32s. for good washed; on the 20th of the month 

 it was reported that 2.5 tons of Sierra Leone had aeen sold 

 at Liverpool at from 20s. to 20s (id. At the last spice 

 auction on the 27th, the ofl'erings were bought in, bold lean 

 at 65s., and good small at 50s. per cwt. 



N'DTMEGS, MACE AND AEEOWiJOOT. 



At the spice auction on the 13th West Indian nutmegs 

 were represented by 132 packages, all of which were sold at 

 the following rates, 92"s to 104's, i'ld.; 113 s to 130's, 1|</. to 

 5(Z. and the same price for 138's to 147. Slightly wormy 

 fetched ild. to -ild., and wormy and broken 3|<i. to -id. per 

 lb. A wsek later there was a steady demand and a good 

 supply at an advance of {'/ per ft., the whole consign- 

 ment of 734 packages West Indian, being disposed of. 

 Again at the concluding auction, on the 27th, the demand 

 was steady at similar rates, but the supply was limited. 

 For mace there has also been a steady demand, the 20 

 packages of West Indian offered being all disposed of at the 

 following rates: fair to good reddish 1? lid. to 2s. Id, dark 

 red Is. 9rf. to Is. lOd. and broken l.'^. 6d to Is. 7d. per lb. 

 On the 20lh of the month the ofierings amounted to 167 

 packages of West Indian and all were sold, the higher 



qualities at previous rates, and the lower at a decline of from 

 Id. to 2d. per B). At the last auction on the 27th only small 

 supplies were brought forward which were disposed of 'at 

 previous rates. The large supply of 168 barrels of St. Vin- 

 cent arrowroot was offered on the 13th and all bought in at 

 ""d. to 3]rf. per lb. for fair to good manufacturing. 



from 2f 



SAESAPARILLA. 



It was not till August 21 that the drug auctions 

 were resumed after a months interval for the holidays. 

 In consequence of this the 'ifferings of sarsaparilla on the 

 above date were above the average, and consisted of 

 24 bales of grey Jamaica, 25 of Lima .Jamaica, and 31 of 

 native Jamaica, the whole of the first were disposed of at 

 about Id. per lb cheaper than previous rates, and realizing 

 Is. 8d. to Is 9d. per lb. for fair, Is. Id. for slightly rough 

 and Is. Qd. for part mouldy. The Lima Jamaica found no 

 buyers the reserve price being 2s. per lb. Seventeen bales, 

 out of the 31 offered of native .Jamaica sold at from Id. 

 to Sd. for dull red press packed, and 7d. for inferior yellow. 

 One bale of fair red slightly mixed fetched 9|(/. per ft). 



TAMARrXJ)8, KOL.V, LIME OIL, LIME JUICE AND 

 C.VSSIA FISTULA. 



At the first auction in the mouth, namely on the 6th 

 West Indian tamarinds were steady, 15s being paid for good. 

 East Indian, for which there was only a small demand, 

 realized 13s. At the end of the month 72 packages of West 

 Indian tamarinds comprising good bright; and dull dry 

 Barbados were offered and all bought in at 18s. 6d. for the 

 former and 16s. od. for the latter, kola was represented at 

 the first drug auction on the 21st by 13 packages, 7 of 

 vifhich were sold, 5 bags beiiig .Jamaica, whole and halves, 

 which realized ihd. per lb. and 2 bags of Grenada fair 

 small halves and whole nuts part of which were dark in 

 colour and mouldy, these fetched 3 jt/. per Do. Lime oil has 

 been scarce throughout the month, fair West Indian 

 di.stilled, from second hands being quoted at 3s. Si. and 

 hand pressed 13s. Gd. At the last auction 13 puncheons 

 of raw West Indian, good palish green lime juice were 

 offered but held at Is. Gd. per gallon. At the same sale 

 20 bags of cassia fistula from St. Lucia were offered 

 and 10 sold at 15s. the remaining 10 being disposed of 

 privately. 



During the year 1912, the crop of oranges and lemons 

 in the district of Jalapa, .Mexico, amounted to 90 million, 

 and was principally consumed in the liepublic, although part 

 of the early crop was exported to the United States. It is 

 believed that the growing of orange, lemon and other citrus 

 fruits is likely to undergo development in this district, as the 

 soil and climate are eminently suited for these fruits, which 

 ripen two months earlier than those grown in the United 

 States, to which country facilities for export through the 

 port of Vera Cruz are good. {Biphmatic and Consular 

 Reports, No. 5100 — Annual Series.) 



The Dominica Guardian (July 25, 1913) again refers 

 to the congested state of the fresh lime market. It advises 

 growers, in view of the rise in price (.f lime juice, to pick ripe 

 limes rather than green, immature and undersized ones. 

 It is stated that 8 barrels of fully ripe limes picked from 

 the ground and sold at 4s. per barrel (the local price) is more 

 profitable than picking I'Ctween 10 and 12 barrels of 

 undersized, green limes from the trees to sell at 5s. (the 

 present New York price), or even at 6s. per l)arrel. 



