Vol, XII. No. 293. 



THE AGRICULTURAL XEVVS. 



233 



legs and from the thoi-ax; ihe hind legs, from the 

 middle legs and from the abdomen. 



I'ollen grains are moistened and rendered cohesive 

 by the addition to them of Hwid substances which come 

 from the mouth. Analyses show that honey forms 

 a large part of this moistening riuid, although nectar 

 ;ui(l secretions from the salivary glands are probably 

 {irescnt also. 



In the process of })ollen manipulation this Huid 

 substance becomes well distributed over the brushes of 

 all the legs. The forelegs ac(iuirc moisture by brushing 

 over the mouthparts, and they transfer this to the 

 hairs of the breast and to the middle leg brushes when 

 they come in contact with them. The middle leg 

 brushes transmit their moisture to the pollen combs of 

 the hind legs when they rub upon them. All of those 

 brushes also transport wet pollen, which has come from 

 the mouth parts and thereby acijuire additional mois- 

 ture. Dry pollen which falls upon the body hairs 

 becomes moist when brought into contact with the wet 

 brushes or « ith wet pollen. 



I'ollen which the collecting bee carries to the hive 

 is deposited by this bee within one of the cells of the 

 <jomb. As a rule, this pollen is securely packed in the 

 cell by sonie other worker, which flattens out the 

 rounded masses and adds more Huid to them. 



Botanical Studies in the Virgin Islands. 



The Director-in-Chief of the New York Botanical 

 < Jarden gives an interesting description in the .Journal, 

 issued by the Directors, of a voyage in the northern 

 West Indian islands, made chietiy w-ith the object of 

 studying the different species of the genus Cactus. Of 

 most general interest is that part of the paper which 

 lieals with the botanical characteristics of the Virgin 

 Islands. Reference is made first to the e.xploration of 

 Tortola. The existence in this island of a small area 

 of primaeval forest which contains many rare and 

 characteristic species was one matter that caused the 

 display of much interest. The author expressed 

 pleasure on learning that steps may be taken toward 

 the permanent preservation of this high altitude flora 

 and the possible reafforestation of denuded areas 

 adjacent 



The next island dealt with is the botanically little- 

 known Anegada. This island, physiographically and 

 <'eologically is totally different to all other islands of 

 the archipelago. Its native flora contains many species 

 not known to occur on the other Virgin Islands and as 

 a whole it is strikingly Bahamian in relationship. In 

 this island 123 species were collected. The author 

 states that a more thorough Botanical survey would be 

 a notable contribution to geographic botany: the flora 

 is highly specialized, and very few .specimens from 

 Anegada are preserved in any museum or herbarium. 

 Two kinds of palms exist wild, whose botanical affinities 

 are as yet unknown, inasmuch as neither flowers nor 

 fruits of them have been scientifically observed. 

 Specimens of their leaves were brought away, and 

 one palm was found to be a palmetto (Sabal) the other 

 a thatch palm (probably Thrinax). 



The Presence of Arsenic in Plants. 



For some years it has been known that arsenic 

 is normally present in the body of animals. Of late 

 it has been shown that this very poisonous element 

 commonly exists in plants, though of course in quan- 

 tities which are far too .small to allow of any injurious 

 physiological action on the animal system. Aa 

 a matter of fact it would appear that arsenic when 

 present in certain quantities and in certain forms, is 

 an important nutrient. 



l'")gures are given in an article in the Monthly 

 Bulletin of Agricultural Intelligence and of Flint 

 Diseases for I'^ebruary l!)lo, which bhow to what 

 extent the substance is present in plant tissue. Fresh 

 orange pulp contains 001 L mgr. per 100 grms; the dry 

 material, 0099 nigr. Fresh tangerine orange pulp 

 has 1012 mgr.; the dried pulp, 008.5 mgr. Lettuce 

 has quite an appreciable amount of arsenic, dry leaves 

 containing as much as 387 mgr. Banana pulp 

 appears to contain O0(J mgr. in the fresh material 

 and 0033 mgr. when dried. In fresh rice and maize 

 0007 mgr. and 0030 mgr., respectively, were found; 

 whilst the dry materials contained 008 mgr. and 

 030 mgr., respectively. 



Even parasitic plants, which do not come in 

 contact with the soil, contain arsenic; but although it 

 is indispensable for their proper development there is 

 no relation between the amount of arsenic in the 

 parasite and that contained by the host plant. 



In any individual plant, the green parts contain 

 more arsenic than those which are not exposed to 

 the light. 



Taxation of Jamaican Bananas. 



From recent telegrams many vvill be aware of the 

 fact that considerable consternation has arisen in 

 .lamaica as the outcome of a report that the United 

 States Government has decided to impose a duty on 

 imported bananas. Of the 40,000,000 bunches of this 

 fruit annually received into the United States some 

 17,000,000 are sent from .Jamaica; and if, as has appar- 

 ently been urged, a •') cent tax on each bunch is put 

 in force, the stability of Jamaica's principal industry 

 will be severely shaken. 



According to a telegram published in the Finan- 

 cial Aden's (June 26, 1913) the action of the United 

 States will be more particularly felt since the duty 

 is to be imposed per bunch irrespective of size. The 

 majority of stems sent from Jamaica are very small 

 compared with those exported from Costa Rica and 

 elsewhere so that under such a system unfair competi- 

 tion is set up between Jamaica and other banana- 

 producing territories. In particular, it will be the 

 peasant-growers in .Jamaica who will be worst afFected 

 if the Tariff Bill becomes law. 



It is understood that representations have been 

 made to the Home Government with a view to express- 

 ing the desirability of sending a deputation from 

 Jamaica, for the purpose of laying the Colony's claims 

 before the American authorities. 



