39G 



THE AGRICULTL'RAL NEWS. 



December 6. 1913, 



GLEANINGS. 



The exportation of grape fruit to England from Cuba 

 is advocated in the Cuhn Eevinr (October 1913). 



The importance of not planting red-coloured sugarcane 

 in places \vhere syrup is manufactured is emphasized in an 

 article in the Louisiana Flanter (November 1, 1913). 



The area under coconuts in the Federated Malay States 

 in 1912 was l.'57,600 acres, au increase of 14,826 acres over 

 that of 1911. (The Board of Trade Journal, October 9, 

 191.3.) 



A note occurs in the Haiiuiian Forestry and Aijricid- 

 turift (September 1913) to the effect that the Chinese 

 Republic has established a Department of Agriculture and 

 Forestry. 



The development of Berbice depends largely, according 

 to the Deiiierara Daily C/ironicle (Mail Edition) November 7, 

 1913, upon the proviflion of a produce agency, and upon 

 ■general co-operative organization amongst the small farmer^s. 



It is stated in The Board of Trade Journal (October 30, 

 1913) that the Argentine Government is encouraging the 

 cultivation of cotton by means of the distribution of seed, the 

 construction of roads, and the provision of land-purchasing 

 facilities. 



Soldiers on field service in the Briti.sh army will in 

 future receive 3 oz. of sugar with their daily ration, an 

 increase of 1 oz., the War Office recognizing it as a valu- 

 able sustaining food. (The International ,^ugar Jour- 

 nal, October 1913.) 



According to Tro/iiral Life (October 1913) the crop 

 year exports of cacao from Trinidad and Grenada for the 

 twelve months October 1, to September 27, 11)12-13, is: 

 Trinidad, 235,275, Grenada, 63,036. For 1911-12 the 

 figure.', were 221,606 and 69,781 respectively. 



T/ie Voire of St. Lucia (October 18, 1913) reproduces 

 the paper read before the Antigua Agricukural and Com- 

 mercial Society by His Excellency the Governor of the 

 Leeward Islands, on the extension of corn cultivation 

 Interest in this subject appears to be rapidly extending. 



Agricultural progress in Ashanti, according to Colonial 

 Eeports, Annual, No. 771, lies in the direction of cacao 

 planting. Although the exports for 1912 showed only 

 26 per cent increase on the previous year, it has to be borne 

 in mind that the majority of the trees are as yet too young 

 to bear fruit. 



Sanction has recently been given for the projected 

 railway extension in Nigeria. It will be 550 miles in length 

 and of the standard African gauge. It is estimated that the 

 cost will be £3,000,000; and that it will take from four tr 

 five year.s to complete. (Journal of the Roi/al Societii of Art<i 

 October 31, 1913.) ' ' ' 



The issue of Science Proaress for the quarter ending 

 July 1913, contains an article entitled Recent Work on Vol- 

 canoe.s. A description is given of the Mt. Pelee eruption, 

 and it is pointed out that Pliny, Epistola XX, describes 

 a similar blast to that which characterized the West Indiaa 

 outburst, in the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 A.D. 



On the basis of a normal yield of 9 cwt. per acre, the total 

 outturn of winter rice in Assam comes to 20,097.700 cwt. this 

 year, against 32,563,400 cwt. last year A Circular of the 

 Department of Land liecords and Agriculture, Assam, states 

 that as there are two more forecasts to be issued for the 

 1913-14 crop, these figures of outturn may be altered later. 



A copy of the report of the Land and Mines Depart- 

 ment, British Guiana, from April 1, 1912 to August 31, 

 1913, has just been received. The condition of the various 

 rubber plantations appears to be very satisfactory and the 

 rice industry is rapidly gaining ground. Five permissions 

 have been granted for cattle ranching tracks on the hinter- 

 land savannahs. 



As the outcome of an article in the Agricultural A'efs 

 it was decided last year to endeavour to obtain some cuttings 

 of 'MTJereb', a new stock for oranges, through the medium 

 of Ivew. These were obtained from Algiers and forward- 

 ed ria Kew to Dominica where they have arrived safely in 

 Wardian cases, and have been planted in beds and are 

 being carefully tended. 



An article on the West Indies and Federation appears 

 in The Times (October 8, 1913). Reference in this 

 article is made to the Imperial Department of Agriculture, 

 and although the views expressed seem to be rather exag- 

 gerated in regard to the success of this Department, it is 

 made evident that the Department has served useful pur- 

 poses in connexion with co operation, and as a distributing 

 centre of agricultural information. 



According to the Leeward Islands Gazette (October 16, 

 1913) a considerable increase has occurred in many of the 

 staple articles of export in Antigua during the period 

 .January 1 to August 31, 1913, compared with the same 

 period for 1912. It is interesting to note the number of 

 crates of onions shipped during the 1913 period was 4,406 

 compared with 2,742 for the 1912 period. Seven hundred 

 and fifty-one bales of cotton were sent out compared with 

 420 for the first six months of 1912. 



A communication has lately been received from the 

 Secretary of State for the Colonies in regard to the cultiva- 

 tion of soy beans in Ceylon. There is at present no likelihood 

 of an export trade in these oil seeds from that Colony. 

 Attempts to grow soy beans were made by the Ceylon Agri- 

 cultural Society between 190-') and 1910. The white seeded 

 variety from .Jiipan did not thrive, but the black Java variety 

 was found to grow freely. The cultivation has not, however, 

 been taken up tc any large extent. 



