Vol. XIV. Xo. 



THE &.GRK i LTU11AL NEWS. 



41 



Candle-nut Oil. 



The < !andle-nut tree, Al< ! ril< a has b 



long naturalized in some of the Wesl [ndian islands 

 having been introduced from its native habitat, the 

 Malawi peninsula. This species, and other spi cies of the 

 same genus yield a drying oil, which is used in 

 water-proofing processes, in making varnish, linoleum, 

 rubber substitutes, etc. Enormous quantities <>l this 

 oil are exported to Europe and America, [n the year 

 1910 as much .-is LOO.OOO.OOO n oi oil obtained from 

 A. Fordii, valued al £800,000, were exported from 

 I! ;ow; while from Outcheon, during the same year, 

 there was exported 7,000,000 lb. of oil obtained from 

 A. movtava. This latter species is limited to thi 

 subtropical regions of South-wesl China, whiles, Fun/ i i. 

 belongs !•> the warm temperate regions of the Yangtse 

 basin. There is another species found in Japan 

 .•1 . ci ■riliiln, u hich yields an nil also. 



1 1 ma \ be of interest in connex ion w it li this subjeel 



t ■ • i ■ i . i .■ 1 1 • k thai -.it'll!,, species referred to above, 



viz. A. Fordii, has been recently introduced into 

 several of the Botanic Gardens in the West Indies. 



Vanilla Cuttings. 



With reference to th article on vanilla cultivation, 

 which appeared al page 402 of Volume Nlll (see the 

 issue for December L9, L914)of the Agricultural Sews, 

 an interesting communication lias been received from 

 Mr. Joseph Jones, Curator of the Botanic Gardens, 

 Dominica, which should be of use to cultivators. He 

 points "in that the method of planting vanilla cuttings 

 as described in that article, is nol quite in accordance 

 with the practice found mosl successful in Dominica, 

 according to Mons. Joly, who has cjjargeofthe vanilla 



cultivation at Canefield estate in rhat island. Tw ■ 



three oi the lower joints of the cutting should be light- 

 h covered with mould, on which a stone maj be placed 

 to hold the cuttingin position. Bi\t a very important 

 point is thai the 'end of the cutting should always 

 project above the ground.' The reason given is a good 

 one: 'When the end of the cuttingis covei*ed, decaj 

 often sets in, which continues along the stem, and 

 prevents the pari below-ground from making strong 

 roots. This results in the death ofjBhe lower portion. 

 Vanilla is a -plant hard to kill, bul the placing of the 

 cud of the plant in the ground is about the speediest 

 n H -a i is of effecting its death.' For Ijhe same reason the 



following seems also bo be a g 1 direction. 'The 



leaves on the portion of the stem covered with mould 

 should remain attached, and no wound should be made 

 on the pari below-ground.' It must be remembered 

 thai the roots of the cutting take fcheir rise from tin- 

 axils of t he lea\ es. 



Mr. Jones also says thai il is considered desirable 

 l.\ experts to 'quail', i.e. slightlj to w ither the cuttings in 

 the shade for tweh fourteen days before planting. 



It is gratifying thai the above-mentioned article 

 in the Agricultural News has \ iked this practical 

 comment of a man who has experience in vanilla cul- 

 tivation in the West Indus. Any such notes and 

 comments would .always receive careful attention from 

 tin- Impel i.il I >cpar1 menl of Agriculture. 



The Poison in Cassava. 



I n connexion w ith i he arl icli on cas i | on- 

 ing which appears on page 37 of this number of the 

 Agricultural News il ma} I- oi interesl to refer to 

 the nature of tin- poison which exists in the roo 

 i hi eassa; a plants. 



An article in the bulletin oj the Imperial 

 Inttitute, Vol. IV | 1906), p. 329, entitled <' 



genesis in Plants, gives an ace it of the production 



of prussic acid in plants. 



Among the well known plants which have this 

 property of producing prussic acid in their tissues arc 

 the bean (/ haseolus lunatus), Sorghum or imphee 

 (Sorghum vulgare), the Lotus (Lotus arabicus), 

 cassava (Manihol utilissima ), flax (Linus vvdga 

 and others. 



The organic compound winch contains or gives 

 rise to prussic acid in plants is sum. form oi 

 glucoside. In cassava, as wellas in the bean and others, 

 this is known as phaseolunatin It was al firsl thought 

 to occur in the bitter cassava only, bu1 is now know] 

 to be present, at times al least, in the sweet varieties 



.'lis,,. 



West Indian Permanent Exhibits in Canada. 



A permanent West Indian Exhibil has been opened 

 in Toronto, which, it, is contemplated, will be extei di d 

 to Montreal, Winnipeg, and other Canadian cities. 



This scheme of Perm'anent Exhibits is an attempt, 

 tu supplement the good work of the Toronto Exhibition 

 by providing one or more centres, where West Indian 

 products are shewn and offered for sal.-, and where 

 inquiries may 1»- made and answered with regard to 

 business in West Indian products. 



The promoters state thai 'the exhibit forms a retail 

 depot where we can get in touch with the actual 

 buyers, and sell to them direct. The location is in the 

 heart of the city, and we have a fine up-to-date estab- 

 lishment with a large electric sign, etc. The whole 

 exhibit is considered a great credil to theBritish Wesl 

 Indies in every way. We shall sell only the best oi 

 produce, and the prices, of course, must be low enough to 

 sell satisfactorily. 



Tic- eiv.it drawback of the exhibit at the Toronto 

 Exhibition has been the Diet that there is no one to 

 follow up the inquiries, and we hope to rill the 



deficiency.' 



The success of the Jamaica exhibit at Toronto 

 I'orthe past few years, and the inquiries thai have beer 

 made for the product s of that Colony seem to have 

 led to the establishmenl of the Permanenl Exhibit, 

 and ,-n the present time the goods on hand are largely 

 from Jamaica. It may however be well forth,- exhibi- 

 tion committers of all theBritish Wesl Indies and 

 British Guiana to get into touch with this enterprise, 

 as affording a means of e stablishing a closer relal ionship 

 between producer and consumer in the matter of 

 tropical produce in the northern markets. 



Additional information may be obtained from 

 Mr. Lewis W.Clemens, Wesi India Permanent Exhibits, 

 71 King Street West. Toronto, Canada. 



