Vol. XIII. X... .■3:^0. 



THE AGRICULTURAL X KWS. 



iU9 



Disintegration of Rice Grain. 



Ill the Agricidtural Neivs (\'<il. XIII. }). L3-'>) 

 ;i short accdunt was givfii uC a nirtlidd tin- ilistiiii;uisli- 

 iiij; the starches nf (litieieiit rices bv a j)riices.s ut' 

 fractional lii|Uet'action. In continuation of this note. 

 Mr. F. J. Warth an.! 1 ). H. Darabsett have described 

 -(Bulletin No. :>.S ot tlie Agricultural Research Insti- 

 tute, Pusa) a satisfactory inean.s for disintegrating the 

 grain without damaging the starch by means of dilute 

 alkali. The action of alkali has lieen found to be 

 regular ami distinct toi- ditfei-ent varieties and it 

 .•i])j)ears to be possilile liy means ot' it to distinguish 

 roughly the dittereiit ijualitii's of rici'. It is believed 

 that the method will be found jiarticularly useful in 

 .stuflying the ripening of paddy, a suliject which tor the 

 rice miller is one of some importance. 



sent to market undersized. It is stated that the pork 

 and lard consumption for 1909 presented an increase 

 of (il 2,000 lb. tor 1009 as Compared with 1900, and 

 amounted 1,, 7,(i:!4.(iO().()00 lb. 



Wild Tamarind as a Soil Renovator. 



This leguminous tree known botanically as 

 Leucii-na glauca is coiniuon in the West Indies and in 

 other parts of the Tropics. Accoiding to a ])aper 

 jiublished in the Pliuippina Agncalturist and 

 Forester ( \'ul III, No. 1) Tpil-ipil', as the tree is 

 called ill the Philippine Islands, might be employe*! 

 profitably as a soil renovator (jii account of the large 

 amount of nitrogen fi.xed by the bacteria li\iiig in 

 .symbiosis on the roots. It is stated that the value 

 of the tree in adding niti'ogeii to the soil is about ii|u.il 

 to its value fin- wood production which is ii'yOO pescjs 

 per annum ])er hectare. Since roots and tops both pay, 

 it is suggested that the tree could be emjiloved as 

 a shade tree for young coftee. cacao and other delicate 

 jilants. A further and jieihaps more practical sugges- 

 tion, at least from the West Indian point of view, is that 

 wild tamarinds might be jilanted on waste land whi'fe 

 the trees Would |)erform the dcjuble t'unction of jiroviil- 

 ing a financial ivturn ,is well as imjiroxing the fertilit\ 



of the s.iil. 



The Outlook as Regards Pig Production in the 



United States. 



The npiiteiits of Farnu'i's Bulletin, No. .57.) of 

 thv United States Department of Agriculture, show 

 that in regard to meat animals, the Department's 

 estimate indicates an accumulated shortage since the 

 last census year (1910) of appro.xiinately 19-2 per cent, 

 of cattle, lU(i per cent, of sheep and .")2 per cent, ot 

 swine. The decline of swine is partly accounted for 

 by xhf extensive prevalence of hog cholera, bv high 

 priced corn, by the deficient proiluctioli of lOUi 

 because of a severe long continuous and extensive 

 drought, anil because of the high prices of swine for 

 slaughter. Notwithstanding the high price of swine 

 for slaughter, the farmers found they could not jiiofit- 

 ably lW-i\ thi' high priced corn. At the same time, the 

 ])rice of hogs j)er 100 lli. was high relatively, although 

 not as high as corn. In this situation hogs were often 



West Indian Awards at the Tropical Products 

 Exhibition. 



In connexion with the above international Exhibi- 

 tion the British ( 'ottoii (!i-owing A.s.sociation presented 

 a Silver Trophy .-uid three Silver Cups for competition, 

 anil the awards have now been made as follows: — 



("lass A. A Silver Trophy for the best general 

 exhiliit of \arious varieties of cotton shown by any 

 (jt<jveriimi'iit I »epartineiit of Agriculture of any Briti.sh 

 Colony oi- Protectorate or of Egypt or the Anglo- 

 Egyptian Sudan, such i-xhibit to have been grown 

 during litl.'i oi- Ii)l4 on any farm or farms under 

 ( tovernmeiit supt'ivisioii. 



Trojihy awarded to the (Jovernment Agricultural 

 Department of .S<putherii Nigeria. 



Very highly coiumeiided — the Sudan (joverniueiit 

 Agricultural Departnu'Ut: Commended — Mr. Shepheifl, 

 Agricultural Superintendent, St. Kitts, West Indies; 

 the (lovernnieiit .Agricultural Department of Northern 

 Nigeria: the ( Jovi'iument .\gricultui'al Department, 

 I'unjab, India, 



( 'lass I'l. Three Silver Cups, namely, one each for 

 I he West Indies, N'yasalaiid and the Anglo-Egyptian 

 Sudan for the best type of cotton grown on any farm or 

 plantation dming the years 1913 or 1914. 



West Indies!. Silvercupawarded to Mr. Alexander 

 Smith, St. \'inceiit;verv highlycommeiided — Mrs, Howes, 

 .Montserrat: highlycommeiided — Mr. Sltepherd, St. Kitts. 



Xyn-ialand. Silver Cup awarded to A. L. Bruce 's 

 Estates Ltd.. for Nvasaland Upland Cotton. 



\'erv liighly commended — Mr. James Dockie, 

 ( 'hirala Estates, for Asfili Egyptian Cotton. 



Sudan. Silver Cup .iwardeil to Mr. C. H, Ne\ die, 

 for American (juality cotton. \'i'rv highly comnieiideil 

 — Salini Bashur, for Assili cotton. Highly commended 

 — Abdul Aziz Vehia tor .A.ssili cotton, Gwad walla, 

 Haboosha for .A,ssili cotton, ("apato Estates for Affifi 

 cotton, ( ■onnneiided — Mr, ( ieo. Alexander, for Affifi 

 cotton. 



Tile Wi'st Iiiili;i ( 'oiuiiiitti'e also iii.-idi' special 

 awards. The West India Committee Silver Cup for 

 the best Comprehensive display of tropical products 

 exhibited bv any of the Permanent Exhibition Com- 

 mittees participating: Awarded to the Permanent 

 Exhibition Committee of British Guiana. 



A Silver Cupotfired by the West India Committee 

 for the best iiidix iilual exhibit of any article or articles 

 of tropical produce: Awarded to St. Aroment estate, 

 Dominiea. 



A Silver ('u|) offered by the West India Committee 

 for the best samjjle of rubber from individual exhibitors 

 from British (iuiana, British Honduras or the West 

 Indies: Awarded to Hills plantation, British Guiana. 



A (!old Jledal by .Mr, K, X. Martinez: Awarded to 

 the Permiueiit Exhibition C uiuiiittee of St. V^incMifc 

 for their exhibit of Sea Island cotton. 



