220 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



July 5, 1913. 



It appears that under normal condition.s, yeast and 

 bacteria do not influence the time of fermentation of tea. If 

 during the various stages of the process a pure culture of 

 yeast is added, the finislied product is not appreciably 

 improved Bacteria when added in large amounts destroy 

 both the tea leaves and the yeast. (From the Experiinenf 

 Slation Jitcord, Vol. XXVIU, No. 6.) 



GLEANINGS. 



Information concerning the forwarding of exhibits for 

 the forthcoming exhibition to be held in Canada appears in 

 the St. Kitts Daili/ E.i-press (June 20, 1913). 



The Antigua Sun (June 14, 1913) asks why the lime 

 industry cannot be taken up in some parts of that island, 

 lleference .should be made to the Report on the Botanic 

 Station, 1911-12. 



I luring the month of May, in St. Lucia, it is stated by 

 the Agricultural Superintendent that green limes were ship- 

 ped to Dominica and America. The lime factory building 

 lias been started and the plant ordered. 



The Curator of the Experiment Station, Tortola, 

 states that cotton stainers in that island have been preva- 

 lent during May, but as the crop was practically over tiey 

 had not done serious damage. 



In St. Vincent a scheme has been propounded by the 

 Agricultural Superintendent, for a cotton-growing compe- 

 tition, for small holders, ileetings have been held, with an 

 average attendance of over sixty, and keen interest has been 

 displayed. 



The Monthlij liullclin of Af/ricdUitral InteHijenr, unci 

 or Plant Diseases for April 1913, contains an interesting 

 article summarizing recent papers by Messrs. J. R. Rovell, 

 AV. Robson, W. N. Sands and H. A. Tempany on subjects 

 concerning the cotton industry in die West Indies. 



The planting of cotton was practically completed on 

 estates in Montserrat by the end of ^tay: small growers, 

 liewever, are now only preparing lands for planting. Cotton 

 fields generally are showing regular stands, ami few com 

 plaints have been received concerning bad seed. 



At the beginning of May, auction sales in London led 

 to a rivival in bidding for certain Ceylon biscuits. A lot of 

 T) cases secured the top price of 3.s'. 5:,'rf. per lb., where«is 

 at the same sale f.a.q. crepe realized 'is. 2Jrf.. and sheet 

 3,". 3-;('. per tti. The RuUiei Wm-ld says this indicates 

 a shortage in biscuits. 



Information is presented in the Cireoada G'oreniiiienl 

 Vazrtt) (June 2, 1913) to the efifect that a rapid development 

 of the lime industry has taken place in Carriacou. It is 

 stated that the Carriacou lime juice has already attained 

 premier rank in the northern markets. Kncouragement is 

 al.io being given iii this island to the development of the 

 coco nut industry. 



An Ordinance to make provision for the protection of 

 certain wild birds has recently been passed bj- the Govern- 

 ment of Antigua. The birds to be protected (Schedule A) 

 are : humming birds, yellow breast, West Indian canaries, 

 banana bird, pea wbittlev, blacksmith. West India robin, 

 chitty bird.<, gauldings, Barbados blackbird, loggerhead, 

 coo-coo, tern, crane, kingfisher, sour sop bird, and blackwitch. 



An article appears in the Duininica Guai-dian (June 20, 

 1913) on the subject of the green lime trade in that island. 

 Reference is made to the recent fall in prices, and it is 

 believed that matters are not improved in this respect by 

 the tendency amongst small growers to pick limes early in 

 an immature condition. It is stated that limes are 

 occasionally sent from bominica, of an extremely inferior 

 grade. 



The Cuba Review saya that grape fruit from Jamaica is 

 regularly on sale in Austria, is popular, and retails at from 

 20 to 2.5c. each. In England, people have bought the 

 grape fruit at from 12 to 16c each, thinking it is a large 

 orange. They try to eat it as if it were an orange, hnd it 

 tart, and are disappointed. This appears to show the 

 necessity of agricnltural education to the consumer as well as 

 to the producer. 



At the general assembly of the International Institute 

 of Agriculture in session at Rome, the proposal was advanced 

 that a Government Service of Phytopathology (plant 

 diseases) should be established by all governments adhering 

 to the above Institute. The growing necessity iot inter- 

 national co-operation in regard to plant diseases has been 

 rendered evident from time to time under Fungus Xotes in 

 the Agricultural Seivs. 



Under the heading 'Agricultural Notes ' In the Demerara 

 Bailt/ Argosy (June 21, 1913), it is stated that temperatures 

 have been too low during the past few days, and heavier 

 showers, with good intervals of sun.shine and heat are 

 required to encourage vigorous jfrowth The young culti- 

 vation, howevei-, is growing vigorously. Tillage is being 

 pushed and weedeis are being employed in keeping down 

 grass, which has, of late, grown rapidly. The sugar market 

 remains very dull, and that for rice is described as lifeless. 



A note in the St. Vincent Senrri/ (June 1:5, 1913) 

 refers to the recent gift to the chief planters in that island 

 by the Association of Fine Spinners in Lancashire, of some 

 very tine cotton fabrics made of St. Vincent cotton. The 

 articles in question are said to bear testimony to the excellent 

 (juality of the lint from which they were made, and. as was 

 hinted in a recent editorial in the A;iri-iiltiiral News, it 

 would be a good thing if salesmen of cotton manufactures 

 would in the ordinary way guarantee the genuineness of 

 articles made from superfine lint like that of St. Vincent. 



