204 



THE AGRICULTUKAL NEWS. 



Jln-e 20, 1914. 



'^'^j^Jk 



GLEANINGS, 



A catalogue on lime-crushing machinery, lime con- 

 centrating plant?, and of various accessories for the trans- 

 mission of power, has been received from Mr. T. A Siddall, 

 engineer, 19 St. Dunstan Hill, London, EC'. 



L'Aaronomie Colonial^ for April 30, 1914, publishes 

 statistics to show that in 1913 there has been a considerable 

 increase in the exports of sugar, molasses, rum and cacao 

 from Martinique. A reduction is indicated in the case of 

 coffee and cassava 



Arcldtf vow de Snil-erindiatrie in NederJandsch-Indie 

 (April 1914) contains two interesting botanical articles 

 respecting the sugar-cane: (1) the course of the bundle.^, and 

 the cortex of the root; (2) a comparison of the taking in and 

 giving out of water in serehdiseased and healthy plants. 



Recent issues of the Louisiana Plarder have contained 

 an interesting series of articles on the electrification of cane 

 sugar-mills. These contributions are by Mr. W. S. Scott, and 

 are illustrated by a large number of interesting photographs, 

 which clearly show the details, and the working of the whole 

 system. 



Mededeelinfjen Van Met Agrindtuv.r Chemisch Labora- 

 toriuni (Xos. VI and VII) contain interesting articles on 

 the results of manurial experiments carried on in Java with 

 ground nuts, cassava, sweet potatoes, etc. The general 

 iustructicnc as regards manuring (Xo. VI, p. f>6) appear 

 especially interesting. 



It is stated in the Annv.al Report of the Inspector of 

 Schools on Elementary Education in Trinidad, for the year 

 1912-13, that distinct progress has been made in the schools 

 as regards nature study and agriculture. The nece.ssity, 

 however, is keenly felt for the supervisioc in this work of 

 a specialist in agricultural education. 



The exports from British Honduras for 1911 and 1912 

 are published in ihe Canada-West India Maaa~.ine lox May 

 1914. Except in the case of rubber and sugar, all the 

 exports have shown an increase The output of cedar has 

 been nearly doubled, whilst large increases have occurred in 

 the case of mahogany, coco-nuts, rum and bananas. 



The contents of Der Tropenjlanzer for May 1914 

 include articles on sheep, ostriches, and as regards crops, 

 Manihot rubbei (German East Africa trade in 1913), and 

 the oil palm industry. It is notified in this copy that a new 

 German book has been published on cotton culture — 'a pure 

 compilation, whose author is neither -vn agriculturist nor 

 a botanist.' 



In Antigua the kiln drying of corn experiment was finished; 

 during May. The Curator states further that increased interest 

 is being taken in the coco-nut induitry, and that about 

 7.000 nuts will be needed for planting purposes this year. 

 Furthermore, in consequence of good rains received during 

 May, the young cane crop in this island is rapidly recover- 

 ing from the effects of drought. 



Studies of Ammonifieatioc in Soils by Pure Cultures is 

 the title of Vol. I, Xo. 7, of the University of California publi- 

 cations in agricultural sciences. In this Dr. Lipman and 

 C B. Burgess state that marked differences have been 

 observed in the ammonifying power of fifteen organisms in 

 pure cultures. The nature of the soil as well as the nature 

 of the nitrogenous material, markedly modify an organism's 

 ammonifying power. 



In connexion with the report in this issue on the 

 Reunion lands in St. Lucia, the J'oice of St. Lucia (May 23, 

 1914) calls attention to the allotments which are now avail- 

 able for purchase, and states that applications for these lots 

 are now invited and should be made in writing to the Land 

 Officer, Reunion estate, Choiseul, St. Lucia, who will proceed 

 to allocate in accordance with the regulations referred to in 

 the review on page 197 in this issue. 



The Acting Curator, Tortola, Virgin Islands, reports 

 that there has been a considerable amount of activity dis- 

 played b}' cotton growers in the matter of cleaning up their 

 lands, thereby ensuring an early planting for the coming 

 season. In this connexion, the address given by the Acting 

 Curator to growers on cotton and coco-nut cultivation at 

 Virgin Gorda may be regarded as having served a useful 

 purpose. At the meeting referred to the Chair was taken by 

 His Honour the Commissioner. 



During May, a considerable amount of time was devoted 

 by the agricultural oflicers at the Island Experiment 

 stations in connexion with the forwarding of exhibits to the 

 International Tropical Products Exhibition now open to the 

 public in London. At Dominica, it is proposed that exhibits 

 will be forwarded also to the Canadian National Exhibition 

 at Toronto. The proposal has been sanctioned by the 

 Government. Exhibits are also being forwarded from Antigua, 

 St. Kitts-Nevis, Montserrat, St. IjUcia, St. ^'incent, Grenada, 

 Barbados, and Trinidad. 



In England pulilic interest is being aroused in what is 

 known as 'vegetable milk' manufactured by infusing in 

 boiling water the bruised kernels of the Soya bean {Glycine 

 hispida). The Botanical Journal, for April 1914, remarks 

 that the infusion contains both fat and casein, and can well 

 be used as a substitute for cows' milk in certain conditions. 

 L'nlike cows' milk, it does not readily become rancid, and 

 will keep for any reasonable length of time. Of late years, 

 it has been manufactured in Germany, where it is said to 

 have met with a favourable reception. A question was 

 asked in Parliament as to whether the article was likely to 

 be sold under the naqie of ordinary milk. The President of 

 the Board of Trade replied that such an action would be 

 open to procedure under the Sale of Foods and Drugs Act. 



