Vol. VIII. Xo. 182. 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



121 



Cotton Experiments in the Hawaiian Islands. 



The energy and intelligence that are being <ii.s- 

 p'ayed in connexion with agriciiltth'e in the Hawaiian 

 Island-! are indicated by the rapid progress that has of 

 late been niad>^. Old-established industries are being 

 developed, and a number <>(' new culti\'ations started or 

 :\t least tried. ■'■' 



A report from the islands now states that 

 experiments are being made in cotton culiiv.ation. 

 the varieties under trial being the Sea Isl.and. Cara^on- 

 ica, and Egyptian cott(ins. Bi'oeding work has been 

 started over a!i aiea of 5 acres, and 10 acres have been 

 laid out for manurinl trials with cotton. It is stated 

 that planters are showinii marked interest in cotton 

 planting, and it is probable that the crop will be grown 

 over an extensive area ne.xt season, since large numbers 

 of applications for selected Sea Island and Caravonica 

 cotton seed have been received a^t the Experiment 

 Station. 



Preserved Ginger from China. 



Although West Indin.n ginger is justl\' famous for 

 its quality, the finest kinds of the spice are probably 

 grown in (Jhina, from which country preserved 

 gingei- is chieHy obtained. 'J'he United States Consid 

 at Canton, in a recent report (iescribes the method 

 adopted by the Chinese in preserving the ginger. The 

 roots are first thoroughly cleaned in water, and then 

 boiled in earthenware pans for two or three hours. After- 

 wards they are tr.ansferred to copper pans, sufficient 

 water being added to cover the roots, and also a quantity 

 of white sugar, at a rate of .5 lb. of sugar to 10 Hi. of 

 ginger. This mixture is then boiled for two hours. At 

 the end of that time the ginger is put into large jars, 

 and allowed to stand for seven days, when it is again 

 boiled in sugar and water in the same qr.antities. After 

 it has become cold it is packed in jars or tins forexpoit. 

 The Chinese season for preserving ginger is from July 

 to October. 



Poultry Keeping in Porto Rico. 



Increasing attention is being given by small land- 

 holders in Porto Rico to the possibilities of poultry 

 keeping in the island, and since the local breeds of 

 fowl are small in size, a number of imported breeds 



have been tried. 



ir..-.,- 



On the whole, it would seein that the Leghorn 

 varieties, especially the white and buff kinds, appear 

 to be most suitable to the prevailing conditions, which 

 are, of course, not dissimilar to those of the British 

 West Indian islands. 'J'he Black Minorca fowl also 

 does vcr}' well in Porto Rico. This variety lays large, 

 white eggs, is a non-sitter, and being .somewhat heavier 

 than the Leghorn, is more valuable for table purposes. 

 The several varieties of Plymouth Rocks, Wyandottes, 

 Rhode Island Red.», etc., are reported to be too heavily 

 feathered, and too addicted to sitting, to be profitable 

 nnder the circumstances. 



No reference is made to the Indian Came and 

 Buff (Jipington breeds, which are deservedly popular 

 in Jamaica. 



Demerara Seedlings in Louisiana. 



A writer in the L'nii&l.aiui riaulcr lately discuss- 

 ed at consiii--rab!e length the merits of the Demerara 

 seedling canes D. 74 at*d I). 9."), .is com])ared with the 

 varieties that have beeji exclusively cultivated in 

 Louisiana for sixty or seventy years past. An impor- 

 tant point in fivour of cine D. !).5 is its storm-resisning 

 power. It remained erect and undamaged after Sl.■^el■e 

 wiiifl storms, when the ' home ' or native canes were laid 

 fiat, and I). 74 w.-is considerably iiijuted by breakage 

 of lojis, etc. ]}. do suffers more Irom drought than from 

 excess of rainfall and gives good results on reclaimed 

 marsh and swamp lands. 



1). 74 has pi'oved .-satisfactory in giving a good 

 return of .^-ucrosi', and further, is a c.ine which requires 

 a shorter period than either the Louisiana cane or 

 D. 9.5 before couiing to niaturitv A disad\antage 

 connected with D. 74. liowever, is that it is particularly 

 susceptible to attack by cane borers. On the other 

 hand, D. 95 appears to be very resistant to attacks of 

 this pest, although possessing a somewhat soft fibre. 



It is mentioned that D. 95 usually gives a return 

 of cane about 20 per cent, greater, on the average, 

 than that obtained from D. 74: but the superior 

 richness of the juice of seedling D. 74 is generally 

 altnost sufficient to make np for this discrepancy. 



It is evident that canes D. 74 and D. 95 are 

 proving valuable additions to the varieties at the 

 disposal of Louisiana planters. 



Tuberculosis in Cows and in Human Beings. 



The relationship between tuberculosis of cattle and 

 that of human beings has been the subject of much dis- 

 cussion in the past, and the Royal Commission appoint- 

 ed by the British Government to report upon the disease 

 has given a good deal of attention to this phase of the 

 matter. The second interim report of the Commission 

 was reviewed in the Agricidtural News, Vol. VI, 

 p. "217, and in this the Commissioners expressed strongly 

 the opinion, that in numbers of cases, tuberculosis of 

 the human subject, especially of children, was the 

 direct result of the introduction of the bacillus of 

 bovine tuberculosis into the sj'stem, milk from diseased 

 cows being the chief medium of infection. 



A third re)iort lately issued by the Cominission 

 deals further with experiments and observations as to 

 the infectious nature of milk, and also of the 

 excreta of cows affected with tuberculosis. In the 

 great bulk of cases, the location of the disease was in 

 the lungs, and no affection of the udder could be 

 observed, yet the milk of the cows contained bacilli of 

 the disease. The bacilli were also present in more or 

 less quantity in the iieces of the animals. Since dirt of 

 various kinds from the cow-house is almost always 

 present in milk, as it reaches the consumer, the conclu- 

 sions arrived at by the Commissioners, after exhaus- 

 tive enquiry, are fiuther evidence in support of 

 the necessity for a pure milk supply. Cows in the 

 AVest Indies seldom suffer from tuberculosis, but in 

 any case, the precaution of sterilizing the milk, by 

 boiling it just previous to use. is a very wise one. 



