Vol. VIII. No. 177. 



THE AGRICULT[JRAL NEWS. 



S^ 



purchased has increased four-fold, and the money paid out in 

 1908 showed a three-fold increase as compared with the 

 figures for the correspunding period of 1907. 



The Agi-icultural Instructor, writing on .January 5, 

 reported that there was cotton equal to about 94 bales (each 

 of 200 ttx) still in store at the Station, about 2.5 bales having 

 been ginned up to that time. The indications at present are 

 that the total crop for the season will amount to 300 bales 

 <60,000 tt).). 



Cotton is purchased from the growers each week-end 

 (Fridays and Saturdays). A good deal of labour is occasioned 

 at the Station in consecpience of the small quantities in whicli 

 the cotton is usually sent in. It is mentioned that on the 

 four days December 11-12 and lS-19, no less than 1,-147 

 separate parcels of cotton were received, weighed, and the 

 purchaser money paid out. 



THE TALIPOT PALM. 



The accorup.inying illn.stnitioii (Fig. 7) represents 

 t\vii sppciiiieiis of t,he Talipot paini (CorypJia umhrn- 

 vutifcnt) whicii are gmwing at the Doniiuiei ButrMhic 

 Station. 



This palm is a native of Ceylon, where its leaves are 

 commonly u.sed by the natives as umbr'llas, and also for 

 thatching. Specimens of the Tali[iot have been introduced 



Fi(i. 7. T.\Lii'oT Palm at J-Iu.mimi a iiiiTAXic Station. 

 into various parts of the trojiical world, and trees exist in 

 several of the West Indian Islands, as well as in British 

 Ouiana. 



The Talipot )ialm fruits but once during its life, and 

 this' fruiting process terminates its existence. A note appearetl 

 in tha Af/ricu/f lint/ Xeirs, Vol. II, p. 44, on the flowering 



and fruiting of one of these trees in Georgetown, British 

 Guiana. At the time, the palm was about twent^'-eight years 

 old, it possessed a stem from oO to 60 feet high, and was 

 crowned with a panicle 10 to 12 feet long, bearing an 

 enormous crop of fruit. 



A Talipot palm at the Dominica Botanic Station flow- 

 ered in the early pai-t of 1904 being then about thirty years 

 old. It has since died. 



These palms, when they fruit, bear a very large number 

 of seeds, which have been utilized for the manufacture of 

 buttons. As the seeds are very hard, the buttons in their 

 prepared state resemble vegetable i^ory. 



STERILIZATION OF DRINKING WATERS. 



The re.sults of experiments in the use of smalt 

 quantities of calcium hypochlorite (an inexpensive 

 chemical costiiior fr(jni 2il. to 2i'7. per Iti.) for sterilizing^ 

 drinking waters which contain pathogenic bacteria- 

 were recently described by a writer in the Lancet. 



To the water under test, the organisms Bncillus typhosus 

 and B. coli (the cau.sative agents of typhoid fever and of 

 certain disorders of the alimentary tract respectively) were 

 added. It was found that exceedingly minute quantities of 

 the chemical sufficed for sterilization, in most cases 3 parts of 

 hypochlorite per 1,000,000 of water being sufficient. The- 

 action takes place in a very few minutes, and the chlorine 

 remaining can be removed by the addition of a little sodium 

 bisulphite, as the result of which the palatability of the water 

 remains unimpaire<l. 



The 30 lb. of hypochlorite recjuired for treatment of 

 1,000,000 gallons would cost about 5.s-. Id , or at the rate of 

 1(/. per 15,000 gallons of water. So far, it is stated, the inve.s- 

 stiga tors have not met with a natural water which required 

 more than 6 parts of hypochlorite [)er 1,000,000 to effect steri- 

 lization. The amount of chemical- added is .so .small that it 

 does not affect in any way the character of the water, and 

 the chlorine and hardness are only increa.sed by a minute 

 fraction of a grain per gallon. 



DEPARTMENT NEWS. 



Dr. Francis Watts, C.M.Ci., the newly appointed 

 Imperial Commissioner of Agriculture, having assumed 

 the duties of the office at Antigua on Januar}- 6, 

 proceeded to Barbados by the R.M.S. ' Esk, ' which left 

 Anticrna on January 23, and arrived at Barbados 

 on January 2(1. 



Mr. F. A. Stockdale, B.A., F.L.S., who has held 

 the post of Mycologist and Lecturer in Agricultural 

 Sciei'ice on the staff of the Imperial Department of^ 

 Agriculture since August 1905, left for British 

 Ouiana by the R.M.S. 'Esk' on February 2 last, in 

 order to take up the duties of his appointment as 

 Assi.tant Director of Agriculture and Governmenfc 

 Bot.mist in the latter colony. Mr. Stockdale cakes 

 with him the best wishes of his colleagues, and many 

 other friends in the West Indip.s. 



'^' if''- K- D. Anstead, B.A., Agricultural Superin- 

 tendent of (irenada, has been appointed to a po.st in 

 the Indian Agricultural Service, ai;d will shortly be- 

 leaving the AVest Indies. 



