Vol. VIII. No. 196. 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



345 



that of whisky, and two years' working of a plant for 

 the production of the spirit showeil that the nlanufi^ctare 

 cm be carried on profitably. 



Nitrification and Soil Conditions. 



According to an abstract ofu paper which is given 

 in the Journal of the Chemical Society, it has been 

 found that nitrification, both in unsterilized soil and in 

 sterilized sand or soil, is accelerated in the presence of 

 small amounts of a sugar such as dextrose. In the 

 case of unsterilized soil, the greatest effect is produced 

 in the second and third week ; the effect diminishes 

 afterwards, while denitrification increases. Other 

 sugars such as cane-sugar and milk-sugar (as well as 

 glycerine) also seem to have a favourable effect. Other 

 substances, such as calcium butyrate, calcium acetate, 

 peptone and urea, either have no effect, or retard, 

 nitrification. 



The effect of water was such that nitrification 

 alone was most active when 16 per cent, of that liquid 

 was present. It was reduced when the amount of 

 water decreased to 10 per cent., nr increased to 26 per 

 cent. Dextrose has an injurious, rather than a bene- 

 ficial, action if an excess of water is present. 



Tii9 Propacfation of the Eucalypti. 



Information has been received from the Curator 

 of the Antigua Botanic Station to the effect that 

 experience seems to point out that the propagation of 

 Eucalypti there is, if special methods are not adopted, 

 a somewhat difficult process. Recently, there has 

 sprung into existence a demand for these trees, and 

 efforts have been made to raise them in fairly large 

 numbers. 



At first, the usual method of raising seedlings was 

 adopted ; the seeds were sown in boxes, and the young 

 plants potted when about 2 inches high. With this 

 method, the mortality was very great, not more than 

 2 to 3 per cent, of the plants being saved. 



In consequence of repeated failures to raise 

 plants by what could, perhaps, be called the orthodox 

 method, different ways were tried, the soil used in each 

 being a somewhat open loam. The greatest success was 

 obtained when the seeds were sown in small pots, the 

 diameter of which was from 2 to 2i inches. Two to 

 four fertile seeds were placed in each ; the first seed 

 that germinated was left, and as the others grew they 

 were pulled up and destroyed. Whenever water was 

 required during the time that the seeds and young 

 plants were in these pots, they were placed in a bucket 

 containing it to the depth of their own rim. No water 

 was given overhead : protection from heavy rains was 

 provided. As soon as' two leaves other than the 

 cotyledons were formed, the plants were carefully 

 transferred to pots having a diameter of about 6 inches. 

 Afterwards, the first watering was performed as 

 described above, the subsequent ones being done with 

 a watering pot from overhead. Little or no shade was 

 given to the seedlings. To protei;t the seeds from ants, 

 which do a great deal of damage if no precaution? are 

 taken, the soil surrounding the seedlings was well 

 soaked with water containing a little kerosene. 



The Mistletoes of the West Indies. 



At least three genera of plants are included under 

 the name ' rni&tletoe ' in the West Indies (' Captain 

 Bois'in Grenada). These are all semi-parasites, that 

 is they supplement the food produced in the leaves by 

 a certain amount which is obtained by them, with the 

 aid of special organs for the purpose, from the plants 

 to which they are attached. These organs are called 

 haustoria ; they are not true roots, for they do not 

 possess root hairs and they have the power of secreting 

 a ferment which dissolves a path for the haustorium 

 which jiroduces it through the tissues of the host 

 plant. They have another function also : it is by them 

 that the plant food which is destined for use in the 

 cambium layer is transferred to the parasite — an action 

 that may take place to such an extent as to weaken or 

 destroy the host plant. Of economic plants in the West 

 Indies, cacao seems to be the one which is most likely 

 to be damaged in this way, and it is at the present 

 time of the year that the parasite is most active. Tte 

 only remedy is removal by cutting the mistletoe out of 

 the affected branch or branches. It must be clearly 

 understood, however, that the mere removal of the 

 parasitic plant alone is useless, as the haustoria left in 

 the branch will most probably produce new shoots of it. 

 In cutting it out, therefore, a fairly large portion of the 

 branch should be removed as well ; in the case of badly 

 affected plants, whole branches, or even the whole 

 plant may have to be removed. 



Such measures should result in complete control, 

 as these plants are disseminated comparatively slowly, 

 mostly by the accidental conveyance of the seed by 

 birds. 



The ' Butter Tree ' of Sierra Leone. 



The Curator of the Dominica Botanic Station 

 states that, in July 1897, that Station received from 

 Kew six plants of Fe atadeftma hutyracea. the butter 

 tree of Sierra Leone. According to the Tveasarii of 

 Botany, this is a large tree, which yields in several 

 parts, especially in the fruit when cut, a yellow, greasy 

 juice, whence is derived its popular name. The leaves 

 are opposite, leathery, and elegantly marked with 

 numerous parallel veins ; the fiowers large and handsome, 

 solitaiy and terminal. The fruits are said to be edible. 

 Of the plants received, several were placed out in the 

 gardens, but all failed to grow, owing, probably, to the 

 dry climate. One plant was presented to the Pointe 

 Mulatre estate, where it was planted in a valley in which 

 the rainfall is over 100 inches per annum. In the 

 course of twelve 3'ears, it has developed into a large, 

 handsome, spreading tree. During this year, it fiowered 

 and fruited. Fruits have been sent to the Botanic 

 Gardens, where seedlings are being grown. Another 

 attempt will be made to establish this interesting 

 species in the gardens, and later a few plants may be 

 available for distribution. It would be interesting to 

 learn if this tree has fruited in other parts of the West 

 Indies. 



When established, the tree occasionally produces 

 suckers from the surface roots. Its propagation may, 

 therefore, be carried on both by suckers and by seedlings. 



