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THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



Jani 



16, VAl 



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Agricultural ^leiiij 



Vol.. XIV. SATIKDAY, .lAMAKY Hi, 1915. No. 332. 



NOTES AND COMMENTS. 



Contents of Present Issue. 



The editorial inthis number deals with the Wesi 

 Indian exhibits al the Imperial Institute, giving some 



iption nl them, and pointing oul their educational 

 and commercial value. 



On page 2<i there will lie found a review of van 

 Hall's excellent book on cacao, which has recentl} been 

 published. 



Under the heading Cottqp, we publish a report on 

 the cotton-growing competition in St. Vincent, which 

 contains a list of prize w inners. 



The Insect Notes in this number give an account 

 of the use lit cyanide of potassium in trees as an 

 insecticide, and shows the injur) lone to trees b\ this 

 means. 



The Students < torner page presents the remainder 

 of the questions set in the recent examinations in 

 connexion with the Reading Courses in Practical 

 Agi icull tire. 



The Fungus Notes, on pagi 30, give a review of 

 tin- information concerning the diseases of cacao and 



nuts, contained in the books on these subjects 

 reviewed in the present number (p. 20) and in the 

 bi r (p. 5 i oft he A</r!cultu ral Nt ins 



Personal Notes. 



The importance of scientific veterinary work is 

 generally recognized in progressive agricultural commu- 

 nities. Li is gratifying to note thai the Government 

 of St. Kitt- has realized this, and has taken steps to 

 provide tl I with a skilled veterinarian. In 



conjunction with proprietors of certain estates there, 

 who have guaranteed to contribute a certain propor- 



the Gover nt lias arranged to provide the 



necessary salan "I' a Veterinary Surgeon Mr. J. 

 Lionel Shannon, D.V.M., has been appointed to this 

 posl ofGovernmenl Veterinary Surgeon in St. Kitts, 

 and In- is leaving Barbados shortly to take up the 

 appointmi nt 



Mr. E. M. Peterkin I-'iim Field Assistant on the 

 staff o thi Department of Agriculture of Barbados, has 

 resigned that position to accept an appointment as 

 Agricultural Instructor under the Department of Science 

 and Agriculture of British Guiana. 



Mr. Peterkin has for some years been in charge ftf 

 the field experiments in cotton growing and cotton 

 hybridization carried on by the Barbados Depart- 

 ment of Agriculture. 



Cold Storage for Tropical Fruits. 



Experiments as to the effect of cold storage on 

 star apples, avocado pears, papaws, pine apples, mangoi 3, 

 and water-lemons have been made at tin Hawaiian 

 Agricultural Experiment Station, and reported in 

 Bulletin No. 47, October 10, 1914. These experiments 

 occupied six months. 



With regard to star apples, the conclusion was 

 reached that if intended for cold storage, thej should be 

 picked inn half-ripe condition, cured in a well ventilated 

 room for about two days, and the} will then keep well 

 for three weeks at a temperature of 32 F. 



Papaws did nol seem adapted to cold storage on 

 account of their tendenc} to develop mildew, which 

 grows verj rapid h "ii the drops of juice exuding from 

 the smallesl skin puncture. 



Avocado pear-, picked green, and kept in cold 

 storage for two months, ripened with good flavour 



within three days after removal fr cold storage, and 



held their flavour well for a period of six days. This 

 fruit seem- well adapted to cold storage. 



The conclusion was drawn from the experiment 

 that half-ripe and ripe pine-apples may he kepi at a 

 temperature of32 I-', for at hast a month, without harm 

 to the colour or flavour of the pulp. 



Mangoes, removed from a temperature of ^!2 I-'. 

 altera month, shewed slight shrivelling of the rind, 

 lnit were found to possess pulp in perfect preservation, 

 with good flavour and no noticeable changes. 



Water-lemons seemed to be the besl adapted bo 

 cold storage preservation of all the fruits with which 

 experiments were made. This fruil kepi in perfect 



( lition both at the temperature of 32 and 36 !•'. for 



a period of three months, the appearance oftht rind 

 and the pulp of the fruil being the same in all respects 

 as when the fruil was put into cold storage. They 

 held their flavour and physical appearance for four days 

 afti removal from the refriger it ing chamber. 



