168 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



May -29, 190&. 



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gritiiltitrat |lnr!i 



Vol. VIII. SATURDAY, MAY 29, 1909. No. 18.5. 



W ' r 



NOTES AND COMMENTS. 



Contents of Present Issue. 



The editorial deals briefly with tiie question of 

 afforestation, which has of late attracted a considerable 

 amount of attention in a number of countries. 



The chief points in connexion with the developing 

 cane sugar industry of Natal (whic-li last year turned 

 out -i, 000 tons of sugar) are summarized on page 163. 



Efforts are being made to extend lime planting 

 both at Nevis and Tortola (pagel(i4). r)n the same 

 page is given a useful receipe for the preparation of 

 grafting wax. 



The question of water in the soil, and the impor- 

 tiint influence of soil moisture upon fertility, arc dis- 

 cussed on page 165. 



' Cotton Notes ' include reports on market piices, 

 and notes on points connected with the industry at 

 Tortola, Montserrat, and St. Vincent (i)age Kiii). 



A very interesting and successftd cacao growing 

 competition and prize-holdings scheme, held at 

 ])omiiiica in 1908-9, is reported upon on page ]U7. 



I'udcr ' Insect Notes ' (page 170) appear two short 

 articles dealing respectively with W.irble Flies, and 

 Mosquitos at St. Vincent. 



An article containing interesting information on 

 the subject of tree plaiiling at Antigua, with notes on 

 the species of trees suitable for timber th.it may be 

 grown in the island will, be found on pp. 174-5. 



Kerry Cows. 



It is probable that the small settler in the West 

 Incfies would find in the Kerry cow a very useful breed 

 of animal. The native home of the Kerry is in Ireland, 

 of which country it is the only distinct breed of cattle. 

 Kerry cows are small in size, an average cow weighing 

 no more than 700 lb., while the average weight of 

 a Jersey is about 850 lb., of an Ayrshire, 1,100 lb., and 

 of a Shorthorn, 1,350 lb. The usual colour of the Kerry- 

 is black, with white streaks along the belly and udder, 

 but they are sometimes black and white. This breed 

 possesses short, thick, wiry hair, and long horns, set 

 somewhat widely apart. 



The great point in favour of the Kerry cow is that 

 it is hardy and able to exist on the scantiest and 

 roughest fare, and is nevertheless capable of giving 

 excellent yields of milk. In Ireland and parts of 

 England this breed is known as 'the poor man's cow.' 



-^^^•-♦-^ ■ 



Free Nitrogen-flxing Bacteria. 



In addition to the bacteria which live in the root 

 nodules of leguminous plants, there are others living 

 in a free state in the soil, which are capable of fixing- 

 free nitrogen from the air, and thus increasing the 

 fertility of the land. Of these by far the most effective 

 is a large organism to which the name Azotohacter 

 fliroocuccuiii has been given. This bacterium, with its 

 kindred forms, is very widely distributed in soils in all 

 parts of the world. It is aerobic, and needs a sufficient 

 supply of carbohydrate in the soil, since by the combus- 

 tion of this material it obtains the energy requisite for 

 nitrogen fixation. The fertility of such rich virgin 

 soils as the llussian steppes and the wheat lands of 

 Manitoba must be in large part attributed to the work 

 of Azotohacter chroorocrum and related bacteria. These 

 organisms have been found to be present in West 

 Indian soils, and possibly play a greater part in the 

 fertility of these soils than has been supposed. 



Nicaraguan Shade Tree. 



The ' Nicaraguan Shade Tree' {Gllriciihi rnncu- 

 lafa) is frequently grown in cacao plantations for shade 

 purposes. This tree is usually rai.sed from seed, but 

 a correspondent of.^the Bidlttin <»/' Agriialtaral 

 Iiiforntatidii. issued by tlie Trinidad Department of 

 Agriculture, states that, as the result of experiment, he 

 has found that (ilirlcida iiiarulatu grows much mfire 

 quickly from cuttings than from seeds. Over 95 per 

 cent, of cuttings, set out 12 feet apart, have grown 

 successfully, and the plants Hower and bear {jods at 

 the end of a few months. 



By setting out cuttings in the way indicated, 

 a suitable amount of shade for a young cacao plantation 

 can soon be established. 'I"he tree needs topping to 

 make it spread properly. Whenever the top branches 

 of the shade trees reach the cacao, they can be cut 

 back, and material is thus obtained which is useful 

 for mulching purposes. The flowers of (Hir'nida 

 mac (data, analysed ■ at the Trinidad (iov.ernment 

 Laboratory, were foiyid to contain froiu 2'4 to 336' 

 per cent, of nitrogen. 



