412 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



December 24, 1909. 



The Curator of the Botanic Station, ^lontserrat, states 

 that specimens of the Agave found growing in quantity near 

 the coast between O'Oaras and Koaclies have been recently 

 sent to Dr. Trelease of the St. Louis liotanic Gardens, U.S.A., 

 who states that the plant stems to show a specific, or at 

 least a very strong varietal, difference from the typical 

 Ai/avc Kiirnttii. 



GLEANINGS. 



Statistics show that the most valuable export from 

 Zanzibar is cloves. The value of this in 1008 was £261,960. 



The amount of arrowroot starch 

 St. Vincent during 1908-9 was 5,194,727 It 

 1906-7 the amounts 

 4,643,124 a. 



exported from 



]nl907-Sand 



were, re-ipectively, 4,.")01,637 Ri. and 



The exports from the Bahamas with the greatest value 

 during 1908 Avere sponges and sisal, which amounted to 

 £94,238 and £42,627, resjiectively. Xext in value came 

 fres-h and preserved pineapples with £22,8.53. 



The world's production of phosphates in 1908 was about 

 4,690,000 tons, and the consumption 4, -590,000 tons. It is 

 estimated that the production in 1909 will be about .5,000,000 

 tons. (Engrau, XXIV, 1909, No. 12.) 



The French A.5sociation Cotonniere Coloniale rejiorts 

 that the cotton crop of Dahomey for the last season has been 

 very satisfactory, the total production being estimated at 

 rather more than 100 tons of lint {Dr'prche Cohminle, 

 September 30, 1909.) 



An interesting indication of the increased im[)ortance 

 ■which is being attached to the subject of Tr^olcal Hygiene is 

 ailbrdcd by the fact that a suggestion has oeen placed before 

 the Indian Tea As.^ociation to the effect tljat this Association 

 should undertake the organization of a depaitment to advise 

 generally on medical and sanitary measures. 



The Acting A'ice-Consul for Samoa reports tliat 

 year 1908 has l)een a prosperous one. The export of ( 



the 



pra 

 amounted to 10,000 tons and of cacao to 200 tons. The 

 production of the latter is steadily increasing, so that in 

 a few year.s' time the annual yield may reach 2,000 to 3,000 

 tons. The cpiality of Samoan cacao is stated to lie very 

 superior. 



A report recently issued bj' the Economic Department 

 of the Indian Government states that the South African fibre 

 known variou.sly as 'aramina', 'guaxima', and 'naxyma', the 

 product of Urena lobata, is not very different from jute, though 

 somewhat harsher, with a staple of 4 to 6 feet in length. 

 The plant is widely distriiuited in India, being practically 

 a jungle weed in Assam, Burma and Chittagong. 



In accofdar^e with the pro[iosal of the Departmental 

 Professor of Agriculture, Corsica, and others interested in 

 the development of agriculture in that island, experiments in 

 cottongrowirg have been undertaken in recent years. At 

 lir.st, the results were not satisfactory, liUf those obtaii:ed in 

 1908 were more encouraging, and showed that, at least from 

 a botanical point of view, cotton can be giown in Corsica. 

 The varieties tried were Egyptian and U[iland. 



A report from H.il. Legation at Buenos Ayres states 

 tliat a Government project has been agreed upon for turning 

 to account vast districts of Argentina, which are unpro- 

 ductive at present, by ihe adoption of systems of irrigation 

 in them. The scheme is being undertaken in conjunction 

 with the railway companies, and the sum of £.50,000 has 

 been voted for preliminary surveys. 



The raw sugar industry in Formosa has been developing 

 very rapidly during the last few years. The yearly ])roduc- 

 tion, which was about 60,000 tons in 190.5, has risen this 

 year to 120,000 tons, and promises shortly to reach 180,000 

 tors. It is expected that the output will, at no distant date, 

 sL-pply the greater part of the .Japanese demand. (The Board 

 of Trade Journal, October 14, 1909.) 



It has been decided to hold a Congress aed Exhibition 

 in coniii-xim with the cultivation and preparation of fibres, 

 under the auspices of the Netherlands Indian Agricultural 

 As.sociation, at Sourabaya, .Java, on July 3 to 8, 1911. The 

 Congress will attach particular interest to such fdires as 

 Sisal, Manila hemp, jute, and its substitutes, kapok, and 

 liine-ap[)le fibre. Toward the end of the Exhibition, tests 

 will be made of various types of machinery employed in the 

 preparation of fibres. 



The pioduction of peppermint oil has been introduced as 

 a new irdustry in North Formosa, and aj)pears to be 

 .attended with success, although the project is in the experi- 

 mental stage. During 1908 (the first year) 6,500 It), of leaf 

 were obtained from three crops on 1 acre. This produced 

 about 105 ft. of peppermint oil which, valued at 6s. per tb., 

 gives £31 lO.sv per acre. The cost of production was about 

 £20 per acre, so that the net profit was about £11 or £12 

 [ler acre. The oil is steam-distilled, and is said to be of 

 very good quality. {Diplomatic and Considar Reports, 

 No. 4,240 -Vinnial Series.) 



The latest practice in the shipment of bananas is repre- 

 sented in the S.S. ' Tortnguero', which was built on the Clyde 

 by Messrs. Alexander Stephen A- Sons. This vessel is of 

 5,000 tons gross, and has insulated sjiace of 220,000 cubic 

 feet, 175,000 cubic feet of this being occupied by fruit bins, 

 in which the cork for insulation has a thickness of 7 to, S 

 inches. The bins are so constructed that the fruit is pre- 

 vented from touching any metal surface during transit. ■ Th« 

 air is cooled to 55" F. by means of a Hall's carbon dioxide 

 refrigerating plant. While on the voyage the fruits are not 

 stored with a covering of any kind. 



