ToL. VIII. Xo. 186. 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



189 



STUDENTS' CORNER. 



JUNE. 



?lln)|>I.K I'i'.lMcllJ. 



Seasonal Notes. 



Dui'ing the iiianufacture of sugar, students sliould note 

 •earct'uUy how much lime is needed per ,i-00 gallons to ert'ect 

 the proper clarification of the .juice, and in what condition — 

 slightly acid, .-lightly alkaline, or neutral — the juice is 

 ■concentrated. 



The importance of cleanliness in boiling-house operations 

 should be fully appreciated, since by care in this direction 

 the rislv of deterioration of sugar and molasses on storage, i)i 

 consequence of bacterial or fungoid infection, is greatly 

 minimised. 



The simple methods used in chemical control of sugar 

 ihouses, such as the use of the hydrometei-, and the simj)le use 

 of the polarimeter as a means of measuring the saccharine 

 ■ content of juices, sugars, and syrups may be studied with 

 advantage. 



The planting of various green dressi)ig crops, that will 



be turned into the land jirevioiis to planting the next cane 



•crop, will no«' be in progress. Note those that are particularly 



.susceptible to insect attack, an<l those which escape such 



.■attacks. 



Note how lands are lieing prepared for cotton, and 

 .ascertain the most suitalile distances that .should be allowed 

 between the plant.s, and from mw to n>w. Students should 

 study closely the methods adtipted in the selection and 

 disinfection of cotton seed for planting purpo.ses. 



Tlie cacao crop has come to an end, and the trees will 

 now be getting bare of leaves. The fallen leaves should be 

 collected, together with other waste vegetable matter, and 

 applied as a mulch to the soil around the trees. Students 

 should practise carefully the niethnds of budding and grafting 

 ■cacao. 



Where nutmegs are dropping, note that it is advisable to 

 bed the land under the trees with dead leaves and other rub- 

 •bisb, in order to prevent the loss of nuts. 



In lime plantations, this will be the .season to carry out 

 mulching operations, and to apply manures. Drainage work 

 will sometimes be also in progress at this time of the year. 

 Students should note tlie details of the work, and learn to 

 recognize what are the conditions of the trees that indicate 

 imperfect drainage of the soil. 



Observe the overhauling that is done, and the repairs 

 that are made in connexion with batteries, boilers, engines, 

 and storage vats, in order that cvwything may be in 

 readiness for the year's lime crop. 



Questions for Candidates. 



1'KKI.IMI.SARV oii;s'rriiNs. 



(1) Why does a plant, during its life, lake in many 

 times its own weight of watei' ! 



(2) What effect would the continuous £,b,sence of light 

 have upon the growth of plants >. 



(3) \\'hat part of its food does a 'plant obtain by its 

 roots i 



I.NTKKMEDIATK i^ilKSTIc iNS. 



(1) What is meant by tilhuie, and what are its chief 

 objects >. 



(2), Write a brief account of the Dlijects and methods 

 of seed selectiojsi in Sea Island cotton cultivation. 



(-3) How would you deal with a field of recently cut 

 <:anes with a view to starting the stools into rjuick growth I 



SANSEVIERIA. 



Many .species of Sansf vieria are known, of which 

 the chief may be regarded as Sansevlcria guinecnmn, 

 the kind common in Barbados and other West Indian 

 islands, ;ind (S'. longlfura. 



S. i/uimenxis is native to Western and Central Africa, 

 where some efforts have lately been made to start an indus- 

 trj' in its cultivation, and in tlie preparation of its fibre. 



Although the fibres of certain .species of Sansevieria 

 undoubtedly possess very considerable utility, and are fitted 

 for certain economic uses, yet it does not appear that at 

 present any appreciable ijuantity of this fibre is placed on 

 the market. A grower bringing forwani this product would 

 probably find ditfieulty at first in persuading dealers to 

 piu'chase, and the Sansevieria would have to displace other 

 fibres. 



The liest fibres are, of course, obtained from the longest, 

 leaves, and in order to encourage a profuse growth of large 

 Sansevieria leaves, it is necessary to provide a certain amount 

 of shade. It will be observed that plants growing in the 

 open yield short, small leaves, as compared with those that 

 are provided with congenial shade. On the Zambesi in Africa, 

 it grows abundantly, but always does best when ' keeping to 

 the shade of woods, ' and in moist situations. Hence it would 

 appear that in an island like Barbado.s, ill supplied with trees 

 and bush, the conditions are not favourable to the produc- 

 tion of leaves of the best quality. 



Owing to the fact that the produce of these plants does 

 not occur largely in commerce, there exist little reliable 

 data as to returns that may be expected. The first cuttings 

 of leaves would not be obtained, however, until at the expiry 

 of some three years from planting. In .lamaica, according 

 to an estimate made by Sir Daniel Morris, so much as Ih tons 

 of dry fibre per acre per annum might be expected under 

 favourable conditions, after the period when cutting has 

 begun. Since the leaves yield only about 3 per cent, of fibre, 

 this would represent a crop of .50 tons of leaves per acre per 

 year to be dealt with. 



When once established, the Sansevieria plants are 

 permanent. 



San.sevieria fibres are soft, ■silk)-, elastic and strong, and 

 possibly, when better known, they may come to occupy a more 

 prominent place in the market. In his lectures on ' Fibres 

 and Fibre Plants,' however. Sir D. Moriis gives it as his 

 opinion that 'in competition with Manila and Sisal hemps, 

 the fibre of Sansevieria has possibly little future before it.' 

 The fibre from S. fiuineevfix somewhat resembles the valuable 

 ilanila hemp (from Masn it.rtilix), and is used for cordage 

 purposes. 



The most varied figures have been i]Uoted by dealers, 

 and at the Imperial Institute, London, as representing the 

 value of difi'ei'ent samples of fil)re from Santtevicrin guineeiisis. 

 These have ranged from £20'to as much as £60 per ton. 

 !Most of the valuations that have been made, however, have 

 been of a nominal character. A good deal depends upon the 

 length and uniformity of the staple, and the care with which 

 the fibre has been prepared and cleaned. A good length of 

 staple is about 3 feet 9 inches long. 



The sample of fibre for which the valuation of XGO per 

 ton was quoted, was received- at the Imperial Institute about 

 a year ago from the Gold Coast, ^^'est Africa. This was 

 described as ' consisting of soft, clean, white, well-prepared 

 fibre, which was fine, of gond lustre, of fairly even diameter, 

 and of good strength. The product was about 3 feet 9 inches 

 long, and was of excellent quality, suitable for use with the 

 finest Manila hemp.' 



