Vol. XIV. Mo 339 



THE AGRICULTURAL XKU • 



13/ 



Fermentation of Indigo. 



In \ iew of the present | of the synth 



producl and consequent high ic< attention was 



in ii 'in number oi tl Agricultural A', u 

 (Vol. Kill, No. 331 ) to the - ion and preparal ion 



ol natural indigo. In connexioi ith this subji 



eresl ing paper appears in ie Jon rnal of the 

 (June L904) entitled The Fermenta- 

 tion of t hi [ndigo Planl by Cyril Bi rgtheil. I" the 

 summary to this paper il is - itted that there are 

 ral kinds of bacteria capable ofproducing indigo 

 fermentation, sum,- of which an always present in an 

 infusion of the plant: but the action is in the main 



dependei in specific enzyme or ferment occurring 



planl cells. This enzy me acts on a glue 

 i ring in the plant eells, producing a substanci 

 capable of giving indigotin by o: elation with air, and 

 a reducing sugar. Owingtoitspi >uliar propertii and 

 lack of knowledge concerning the glucoside, this 

 enzyme has not yel been named. The action appears 

 ke a similar coin's.' and to be characterized by 

 .similar variations with temperature and changes in the 

 medium in which it takes p]a ■.- like that of other 

 enzymes No evidence was ootaii ed of the existence 

 hi oxidase in I lie indigo plant. 



Nature Study in the Elementary Schools of 

 Trinidad. 



Council Paper No. 20] oi 1914, comprising the 

 Annual Report of the Inspect » ij Schools on Elemen- 

 tary Education in Trinidad for the year 1913-14, 

 contains satisfactory information regardingthe teaching 

 .•I agriculture and the study of nature in the Colony's 

 schools. It is stateil that 230 < i >ols received awards 

 at their annual examinations, as against 227 in the 

 previous year. Of these, eighty-seven were considered 

 Good, ninety-three Good, fortyf-nine Fair, and one 

 I osatisfactory. A large number of visits was paid 

 during the year by the Agricultural Instructors, and 

 the senior officer delivered weekly lectures in the 

 Training School. It is stated that the students 

 continued to lake full advantage of the instruction 

 given, and are making satisfactory progress. 



( 'oiisiileiaUo headway has In . n gained m regard 

 to nature study, especially in the larger schools. In 

 .some of the schools the teachers tike the children out 

 for nature study excursions. Ii is urged that this 

 should be universal, bu1 to be of value must be syste 

 and notes should be I tl en of what, is seen. It is 

 observed that in some of thi schools, nature study 

 appears to consist rather in committing to memory dry 

 facts and names than in gait i .■ an intelligent and 

 practical acquaintance with principles and operal 

 \ ery creditable museums an to be found in some 



Is, but except for n miens, the writer 



considers thi collections should be from time to u 



renewed. By this is meanl ch school generation 



should do its own collect ing. 



< !opies of i la- .' News, issued by th 



rial I tepartment of V" culturi for I he West 

 Indies, as well as the Proceedings of the Local Agri- 



cultural Soci j been, as hitherto, distributed 



aieeii- the principal schools of the I ' Jony The report 



on School Shows tnal d evident that eonsiderabh 



it y lias been rli splayed in hi n ei and no 



doubt the Trii I Horticultural Society will give the 



schools increased si i » in i h 



rendering further usi : rvii ' Jolonv. 



Cattle Testing for the Tropics. 



The regulation i I i lany coloni mn- 



tries r< i ; to thi importal ion of live stock has at 

 last made it necessary for the English Board of Agri- 

 culture and Fish liilish a can Ie testing 

 station. This institution, which is situated in S 

 has accommodation for LOO head of cattle, and the work 

 carried out at the station at present is confined to the 

 testing of animals for tuberculosis, and to the immuni- 

 zation of cattle against Red Water disease. The action 

 taken in regard to this latter disease is of significance 

 from a tropical aspect. It indicates that hitherto stock 

 breeders in countries like British East Africa and 

 Jamaica have been loath to import susceptible pedigree 

 animals. It is likely that the immunization of En 

 pedigree animals against Red Water will result in an 

 increase in the overseas trade in cattle, especially as 

 regards the Tropics. In time the Board expects to be 

 able to deal with other contagious diseases in the 

 same way. The functions and the accommodation of 

 the Station are dealt with in Leaflet No. 290, recently 

 issued by the Board. 



British Press and West Indian Agriculture. 



The agency press cuttings that have come to hand 

 by recent mails contain an exceptionally large amount 

 of matter relating to agricultural activity in the West 

 Indies. The Fine and Bulllonist publishes 



lengthy reviews on the trade of St. Vincent and 

 St. Lucia, based on the Colonial Reports for 1913-14. 

 The same subject is dealt with as well by the Finan- 

 cial Times. Special reference is made to the work of 

 the Agricultural Departments, and a full account of the 

 efforts to establish minor industries in St. Vincent is 

 given, as well as a comprehensive statement concerning 

 the St. Lucia Government Lime Juice Factory. It is 

 satisfactory to see that the English press realizes fully 

 the dependence of island prosperity on increased 

 agricultural activity. The Morning /W synchroni- 

 cally discusses labour matters, with p ia i 

 Easl Indian emigration. Since the outbreak of war 

 Last Indian ion has been, of necessity ti mp 



arily suspended. Recruiting for Fiji has. however, 

 already been resumed and the Colonial Office has 



Stated that if is expected that It lll.l\ sllo|"tl\ lie 



possible to recruil again for the West Indies also. 

 .Many references appear in various newspapers to the 

 giftsof sugar, and especially those of citrus fruits 

 which the lattei are being distributed on behalf of 

 the Army Council by the West India Committee 

 amongst the hospital? in London and elsewhere. 



