•Vol. XIII. Xo. 30t3. 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



■27 



^heir arrival many of them had hatched and others were 

 •hatching. Xo notice had been reseived that these eggs were 

 •coming, and unfortunately no mulberry tree wais'in the right 

 condition of leaf: in consequence of the long drought all the 

 leaves were hard and dry. By the exercise of much care in 

 feeding and in developing young leaves by pruning and water- 

 ing the mulberry plants, a few (fifty-six) of the caterpillars 

 successfully completed their growth and became adult, that 

 is, they changed to moths. The male and female moths 

 mated vigorously and several egg clusters were produced but 

 none of the eggs have hatched. It is expected that another 

 trial lot of eggs will be received soon and a further attempt 

 ■will be made to procure a sutticient number of fertile eggs 

 ■for distribution. By comparison with the dates given below 

 it will be seen that the life-'ycle occupied a shorter period 

 than that given for Cyprus, the larval stage being completed 

 in from twenty-five to thirty days, and that of the i)upa in 

 from ten to twelve days; egglajing began in thirty-seven 

 days from the date of the previous hatching. 



In Cyprus, according to the Cyprus Journal (October 

 1913), organized efforts are being made to keep the industry 

 there up to the mark. Breeding experiments have been 

 miade with Japanese seed, Broussa seed (white) and Broussa 

 seed (yellow). In the case of the first variety, the eggs 

 hatched out on March 25, 1913, and the moulting ended on 

 May 16, 1913. In the ;ase of the Broussa seed, hatching 

 commenced on April 7, 1913, and ended on May "27, 1913: 

 whilst with the yellow seed, hatching began on April 6, 1913. 

 Fifteen thousand moths which emerged from the Broussa 

 cocoons were females and 14,000 were males. On an average, 

 eighty moths produced one box of seed weighing 1 oz. The 

 article under consideration makes some reference to hjgienic 

 conditions, and to the crossing of the varieties. In regard to 

 crossing, one male Japanese was coupled with a female (white) 

 of Broussa. The eggs from this pair will be reared experi- 

 mentally next season in order to see if medium-sized cocoons 

 can be obtained, having a market in Cyprus. It is expected 

 that the Broussa race will give a good size of cocoons, and the 

 Japanese a good quality of silk. 



Those interested in the scientific aspect of silk- 

 worm rearing should refer to the monograph by Professor 

 "Vernon L Kellogg of Leland Standford Junior University. 

 In the summary of results and conclusions Professor Kellogg's 

 last statement is that a scientific study of silkworms can 

 be of service in commercial silk culture. Quantity and 

 quality of silk, subsidiary larval markings, winged pattern 

 and winged variations, and the degree of adhesiveness of 

 eggs ate all fluctuating, non-alternative characters. Double 

 cocoons is a phenomenon determined by ontogenetic cir- 

 «umstances. Crowding is not the causal circumstance. 

 Fertility is not affected by the age of the egg cells, but 

 seems to be unfavourably affected by the age of the sperma- 

 tozoa. Old spermatozoa seem less potent than younger ones. 



Those who are concerned with the silkworm industry 

 itself will be interested to learn that, according to The Board 

 o/ Trade Journal (December 11, 1913), the cultivation of 

 silkworms and the production of cocoons continue to decrease 

 -an France, thereby rendering, at least to some extent, the 

 conditions more favourable for progress in the West 

 Indies. 



During 1913 the number of breeders decreased in 

 France from 99,360 in 1912, to 90,-517 in 1913; whilst 

 the production of cocoons during 1912 amounted to only 

 4,417,426 kilogs., valued at 1.0,63.5,378 francs, as against 

 4),278,504 kilogs. last year, valued at 16,044,371 francs. 

 <lkilog. = 2 2fti.; 2.5 francs = £1.) 



RUBBER INDUSTRY. 



REPORT OF THE STANDARDIZATION 

 COMMITTEE. 



The appearance of this report marks one of the mostt 

 important stages in the recent movement towards the organ- 

 ization of the plantation rubber industry. A full accounti 

 of the report is published in the India Ritbher Jouriuil 

 (December 13. 1913), and the following essential point* 

 contained therein have been abstracted for the benefit of 

 readers of the Agricultural News. 



The summary of the recommendations shows that th* 

 Committee propose to establish a central testing station, 

 which shall examine and issue a certificate of quality corres- 

 ponding to every ',-ton of rubber delivered from abroad. 

 It is suggested that these tests shall include a determin- 

 ation of vulcanizing capacity (rate of cure); tests on th* 

 vulcanized product for the purpose of determining tensila 

 properties, phy.'ical condition and stability. 



In addition to the testing station, the Committee recom- 

 mend the equipment of an experimental factory. This part of 

 the institution would undertake to advise regarding mixing, 

 processes, etc., and the best type of plantation rubber for 

 specific purposes The factory would also give its attentioa 

 to the introduction of new uses for plantation rubber, besides 

 providing the organization for bringing before the trada 

 the results of technological research. It is expected, too, 

 that steps will be taken to improve and standardize methods 

 on the plantations themselves. 



In the words of the Committee's report: 'We ara 

 strongly of opinion that the introduction of a system of 

 testing which would clearly indicate quality to the buyer ani 

 value to the seller, would result in a material appreciation of 

 prices all round compared with prices for finest grades of 

 wild rubbers.' 



As regards the starting and the management of tha 

 concern, the Committee recommend that a limited liability 

 company be formed with a nominal capital of £50,000, with 

 a first issue of, say. £20,000 in shares of £1 each. Each 

 rubber company (including continental companies) or indi- 

 viduals desiring to sell rubber under the testing station 

 certificate, .should be shareholders of the company. It is 

 estimated that the cost of testing 1 lb. of rubber in tha 

 first year with a tonnage to be reported on of 30,000, would 

 be 0103(i. In subsequent years this cost for the same 

 amount of rubber, and including both testing station and 

 factory examinations, would drop to as low as 046'i. per Tb. 



It is suggested that the Bureau should be placed itk 

 charge of a consulting technologist, who shall be responsible 

 to a Board appointed by tlie Rubber Growers' Association. ■ 



In connexion with the present production of plantatioa 

 rubber, it may not be without interest to give a brief accounts 

 of the distribution of the plantations in the East. At 

 present the Federated Malay States come first with 

 700,000 acres; Ceylon with 250,000 acres; then Sumatra 

 with 230,000 acres; followed by Java with 200,000 acres; 

 South India with 60,000 acres; Xorth Borneo with 60,000 

 aeres; Burma with 30,000 acres; and French Cochin China 

 with 30,000. It is worthy of note that the port of Singa- 

 pore occupies a very central geograpicat position in reganl 

 to plantation Para rubber, being as it were, within touch 

 of some 1,500,000 acres Singapore has undoubtedly a gre^it 

 future before it. {India Rnhber World.) 



