20 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



January 22, 1910. 



WEST INDIAN FRUIT. 



THE COLONIAL FRUIT SHOW. 



The tliirteenth exhibition of colonial-grown fruit and 

 British bottled fruits was opened by Princess Louise, Duchess 

 of Argyll, who was accompanied by the Duke of Argyll, on 

 December 1, 1909, at the Koyal Horticultural Society's Hall, 

 St. Vincent Square, Westminster. 



The West Indian colonies Avere represented through the 

 Permanent Exhibition Oommittees of Trinidad, Dominica 

 and Montserrat, and by several private agencies; the arrange- 

 ments in this section -were entrusted to Mr. Algernon E. 

 Aspinall, and Mr. W. G. Freeman gave valuable assistance. 

 It was stated by Sir Trevor Lawrence, who hoped that such 

 exhibitions would promote friendly rivalry between the 

 colonies, that this exhibition was much superior to any of 

 those which had been held before. 



The Duke of Argyll, in replying to a vote of thanks 

 to Princess Louise for opening the show, dwelt upon the 

 advantages that were afforded by cold storage, in the transit 

 of fruit from the colonies. 



The exhibits from Trinidad not only included fresh, 

 crystallized and preserved fruits, but specimens preserved in 

 formalin, as well, in order to permit of the exhibition of 

 fruits which were out of season, as well as those in season. 

 (See Agricultural Kews, Vol. VIH, p. 40L) 



The exhibit from Dominica was unfortunately smaller 

 than was intended owing to the miscarriage of some of the 

 crates and cases. One of the main objects of the Committee 

 ■was, of course, to further the popularity of limes, and to 

 aid in this, each visitor was presented with samples 

 of the fruit in a bag which was conspicuously labelled 

 ' Dominica Limes'. Besides the Permanent Exhibition 

 Committee, the exhibitors in this section were the Dominica 

 Fruit Growers' Association, the Botanic Station, and 

 the proprietors of the following estates : Ancaster Park, 

 Carholme, Everton, Wall House, ]\Ialgretout, Shawford, 

 Corona, Castle Comfort, Pointe ilulatre and Bramhall. 



The exhibit from Montserrat included Sea Island cotton, 

 preserves shown by the Montserrat Preserving Company, lime 

 oils, papain, etc. A photograph of the produce of the island 

 which had been offered for the acceptance of Her Majesty 

 the Queen created much interest. (See A</rirultwal Xeivs, 

 Vol. VIII, p. 393.) 



. Among the private exhibitors at the show were the 

 West Indian Produce Association, the .Jamaica Agency, and 

 the Roseau Valle)' Fruit Company. 



The West Indian awards were as follows : — 

 Gold Medals. — The Permanent Exhibition Committee 

 of Trinidad (fruits and vegetables). The Permanent Exhibi- 

 tion Committee of Trinidad (preserves). The AVest Indian 



Produce Association (fruits and vegetables). 



Silver Gilt Knightian Medals. — The Permanent Exhibi- 

 tion Committee of Dominica (fruits and vegetables). The 

 Dominica Botanic Station (citrus fruits). The Jamaica 

 Agency (fruits and vegetables). 



Silver Knightian Medals. — The Permanent Exhibition 

 Committee of ilontserrat (fruits and vegetables). Wall 

 House Estate, Dominica (limes). 



Silver lianksian Medals. — Mr. J. G. De Cannes, Trini- 

 dad (King oranges); Messrs. Gordon Grant it Co., Trinidad 

 (limes, and cocoa-nuts); Mr. J. G. Hains, Trinidad (cocoa- 

 nuts); Roseau Valley Fruit Co. (jams etc., and frosh fruits). 



Bronze Banksian Medals. — The St. Aroment Estate, 

 Dominica (oranges); Everton Estate, Dominica (oranges); 

 Corona Estate, Dominica (navel oranges); Carholme Estate, 

 Dominica (limes); Mr. J. J. Browne (cocoa-nuts). 



PURE STARTERS FOR BUTTER-MAKING. 



(Jiie of the most important factors in determining the 

 quality of butter and cheese is the 'starter' which is used to 

 ripen the cream from which butter is to be made, or to 

 hasten the acid fermentation of the milk for cheese-making. 

 A starter is a quantity of milk in which acid-forming 

 bacteria have grown until the milk contains large numbers of 

 them. The addition of the starter seeds the milk or cream 

 with great numbers of bacteria which are in a healthy 

 condition and which by their growth cause the acid fermenta- 

 tion to progress rapidly and in a more definite manner than 

 without the addition of the starter. 



The factor that has the greatest influence in determining 

 the quality of the butter or cheese to be made from a given 

 quantity of milk is undoubtedlj' the quality of the milk 

 itself. The (juality of the milk depends upon the conditions 

 under which it is produced on the farms, and on subsequent 

 handling. It is impossible to make good butter or fine 

 cheese from dirty milk; that is from milk having a high 

 degree of acidity, or abnormal odours or tastes. The 

 improvement of the milk supply can only occur through 

 a change in methods on the farms. The cheese and butter 

 maker can act onl}' in an indirect manner by educating the 

 farmer in better methods of producing and handling the 

 milk and cream. 



It is evident that the flavour of the butter will depend 

 on the kind of substances formed during the acid fermenta- 

 tion of the cream, or during the ripening of the starter. If 

 all the bacteria present are of kinds that produce no 

 substance that will impart to the butter an objectionable 

 flavour, the product will be good. If a part of the bacteria 



