230 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



AuousT 30, 1913. 



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gigricultunil JleiuH 



ToL. XII. SATURDAY. AUGUST 30, 1913. No. 296. 



NOTES AND COMMENTS. 



-Contents of Present Issue. 



The leading article in this number deals with 

 current topics in the rubber industry, particular 

 reference being made to recent announcements in 

 regard to the discovery of new uses for the commodity. 



On page 27() will be found an article containing 

 a table which shows the chemical composition of com- 

 xnon tropical fruits. 



Under the general heading of Agriculture in the 

 East, on page 277, appears an article describing 

 agricultural methods in Java. 



Competitions at the Fourth InterDational 

 Rubber Exhibition. 



Several references have been made in these 

 columns to the above forthcoming e.xhibition, which is 

 to be held at the Royal Agricultural HjiII, London. 

 It will be open to the public from June 24 to July 9, 

 1914. 



A circular, which contains a list of the competi- 

 tions, has recently been -received. The President's 

 Trophy will be presented Lr the exhibit proving the 

 greatest interest in cinnexion with the production, 

 preparation or use of rubber in any form. The West 

 India Committee are offering three silver cups, one 

 for rubber and the others for general e.Khibits. A 

 trophy for British-grown cotton is to be awarded by 

 the Director of the Imperial Institute, whilst the 

 Committee cf the Rubber Growers' Association have 

 decided to present medals for commercial samples of 

 different furms of prepared rubber, and medals 

 together with, (in certain cases) prizes of £50 for 

 improvements in regard to collection and pre- 

 paration, and the discovery of new uses for the 

 product. In conne.xion with this latter feature of the 

 competitions, prizes of 7.5 guineas ami 2.5 guineas are 

 being offered by the Mincing Lane Tea and Rubber 

 Share Brookers' Association, Ltd., London. It is 

 emphasized that only practical ideas, acconipanied if 

 possible by models, are recjuired. 



The Planters' Association of Ceylon is offering 

 a trophy, as is also the Association des Planteurs de 

 Caoutchouc, Antwerp. 



<Jf the leading rubber journals who are taking 

 part may be mentioned the IihUa Rubber ^Yorld 

 (New York), which is offering a silver cup valued at 

 $1,000, and the India Rubber Journal, (London), 

 which has decided to present several £25 prizes for 

 essays, photographic work, etc., connected with rubber 

 production. Greaiers Rubber Neics {F.M.H.) is offer- 

 ing valuable silver trophies, whilst Tropical Life is 

 presenting gold medals and certificates for exhibits of 

 rubber, ribres, coffee, etc. There are several German 

 and French competitions too. 



Insect Note.=, in this issue, on page 282, continue 

 the account of recent work on the control of sugar-cane 

 pests in British Guiana. 



Under the ciption Departmental Reports, a popu- 

 lar account is presented concerning investigations 

 ■conducted at the Hawaii Experiment Station. 



On page 279, will be found an illustrated article 

 presenting interesting information in regard to the 

 efficiency of manual labour in different operations. 



Fungus Notes, on page 286, deal with mycologi- 

 cal work in Southern Nigeria. 



State Protection of Wild Plants. 



As Recorder of the Plant Protection Section of the 

 Selbourne Society, Mr. A. R. Horwood regards, as 

 might be expected, the State protection of wild plants 

 entirely from the scientific, in centra-distinction 

 to the economic or agricultural point of view. Me quite 

 rightly points out in Sciniic Progress, for April 191.3, 

 that in England, and in other thickly populated cona- 

 munities where either industrial development or the 

 intensive nature of agriculture are increasing, the 

 indigenous fiora, and particularly the plant communi- 

 ties, are rapidly disappearing in proportion. The 

 factors at work in this respect are as follows: smoke; 

 atmospheric abnormalities; drainage; cutting down of 

 woods: dessication; drought; cultivation; building opera- 

 tions; sport; hawking and collecting rare species; pro- 

 fessional collection; nature study operations. 



