Vol. XIV No. 338. 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



117 



cent, of gasoline; these 10,000,000 gallons of alcohol would 

 thus be equivalenl to 24,000,000 gallons of gasoline; worth 

 36c. per gallon, and in all §8,640,000. This would give to 

 Jcohola value of 23c. per gallon, in<l enable it to compete 

 with ■_ 



In addition to the sugar in the molasses, a very great 

 proportion of the potash removed from soil by the crop oi 

 iane is to bi found in the molasses. I have not available 

 tn\ analysis of Cuban molasses showing the percentage of 

 potash, bul in all probability this will not be below 3 percent. 



The 100,000,1 gallons produced for the .Top of 1913-14, 



in Cuba, will weigh in all 600,000 tons, so thai this mola 

 will contain |s,imki tons of potash. The present price oi 

 sulphate of potash in Cuba is §55 per ton, which would give 

 to the potash a value of 8110 per ton; the 18,000 tons of 

 potash contained in the molasses have then a 'value at the 

 current price oi 81,980,000. 



I n addition to the potash, molassi ■ contains a small but 

 \.r\ appreciable quantity of nitrogen, which 1 will, in the 

 ibsence of detailed analysis of Cuban molasses, take as being 

 •5 per cent. ; then, there is contained in the molasses, "i, 11 " 11 

 tons of nitrogen, having a market value of $1,200,000 when 

 valued as commercial fertilizer. 



In addition there is a small quantity of phosphoric acid 

 in molasses, which will not be taken into account. 



The following tabulated statement gives the gross value 

 of the three principal products of the molasses output, based 

 on a production of 2,500,000 tons of sugar: — 



Alcohol, 40,000,000 gallons, worth 20c. a gallon $8,000,000 

 Potash, 18,000 tons, worth §110 a ton 1,980,000 



Nitrogen, 3,000 tons, worth $400 a ton 1,200,000 



§11,180,000 



It is one thing to make a calculation showing the 

 possible value of the products to be obtained from the 

 ■ es produced annually in Cuba, but before these can 

 easily be realized, it is necessary to demonstrate the possi- 

 bility of a market for them. I believe that a very extended 

 use for the alcohol capable of being produced locally can be 

 found within the limits of the sugar plantation in the 

 following cases: — 



(a) Alcohol-burning locomotives. 



(&) Alcohol-burning tractors, to be used in propelling 

 ploughs, cultivators, and other agricultural implements. 



The 18,000 tons of potash contained in the molasses 

 produced annually in Cuba, are several times more than is the 

 quantity imported annually into Cuba, for use as a fertilizer, 

 which amounts at present to about 3,000 tons. I am 

 informed that great difficulty would arise in the marketing of 

 this product, since the world's supply of potash is controlled 

 by a German syndicate prepared to crush any competition; 

 this monopoly of potash is keenly resented in the United 

 States, where any si >urce of supply would be eagerly welcomed, 

 and where we should have to look for a market. 



I would, in addition, point out to you that the recovery 

 of alcohol, potash and nitrogen from the molasses presents 

 no technical difficulties, as many plants on the Continent of 

 Europe already work up beet molasses; the process is simple, 

 and the plant not expensive; I estimate that ten centralized 

 distilleries, located at different points in Cuba, could be 

 erected for a capital cost of, say, §1,800,000, and that these 

 would be capable of treating the whole molasses output of 

 < !uba. 



This subject of molasses utilization has been written to 

 death in the technical journals of the last few years, but I 



do not think any h.o m doni if the] ma nitude 



ol I he industry is placed before you evi : 



panied bj any defin Ch mding 



trouble in Cubais shortag of [about the increase of the 

 capacity of a limit of labout through the medium ol mei 

 cal appliances, willalways : of greal benefit toa come 



such as exists in Cuba ap ou i power at present 



al i wholly unutilized, i available; I I believe that 



would be greatly to the advantage ot < luba. 



THE GOVERNOR PLUM AS A HEDGE- 

 MAKING PLANT. 



The information in the following note has been 

 received from Mr. A. J. Brooks (Agricultural Superin- 

 tendent, St. Lucia) in connex with the recent 



editorial, The Importance of Enclosures, which appi an d 

 in the Agricultural Neivi. March 13,1915. Mr. I! rooks 

 expresses the opinion thai the subject of hedge-making 

 is worthy of special attention, and is one that has been 

 badly neglected in these islands. He continues: 



In connexion with this matter I should like to draw 

 attention to the advantages to lie gained by the use of the 

 Governor plum (Foacourtia sepiaria) as a hedge plant. It 

 is beyond doubt one ol the best plants for general use, 

 growing well both in wet and dry situations. It bears long 



die like spines of great stiv.igth. These surround the 



stem from the surface of the soil to the highest tip, thus 

 forming a fence which is impenetrable. 



Unlike many other plants used for hedges, the Governor 

 plum does not produce quantities of brightly coloured flowers 

 which often clash with other colours if grown near beds or 

 borders; neither does it become unsightly when the flowering 

 stage has passed; nor does it produce quantities of wind-borne 

 seeds which often become a serious pest in cultivated land. 



From the minute white flowers of the Governor plum, 

 round plum-coloured berries are produced which can be 

 made into a very agreeable jam or preserve. The plant is a 

 quick grower, hardy and evergreen. Its pink-coloured young 

 growths render it attractive and ornamental. When cared 

 for and clipped regularly it forms a dense compact hedge 

 .'! to ^ feet thick, and may be grown up to a height of '10 to 

 12 feet. 



A hedge such as I have described was grown at the 

 Agricultural School, Dominica, and its presence added con- 

 siderably to the general striking appearance of the ground. 

 This plant is being used largely for hedges and wind-belts 

 at the Agricultural and Botanical Station, Choiseul, 

 St. Lucia. 



It is stated in the Experiment Station Record for 

 December 1914, that minute doses of hydrocyanic acid have 

 been injected into maize and hemp, with the result that it has- 

 been utilized by the plants in question. The investigator 

 had previously found that the poison injected into the plan ts 

 was probably broken up by reaction with substances in the 

 plant juices, one of the products thereof being ammonia. 



His latest results, theref , tend to support previous ones. 



It may be added that Treub put forward the view, based on 

 experiments, that hydrocyanic acid is the first compound 



produced in the synthesis of protein from nitrates and 

 carbohydrates. 



