Vol. IX. No. 206. 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



85 



react in the direction of raising the market value of the 

 nutmegs. 



(6) The field for nutmegs as a spice is much larger than 

 that as a material for the oil. Even if the nutmeg tallow 

 (obtained from the oil) could be used on a larger scale, for 

 manufacturing soap, the price paid would be too law to make 

 it profitable to grow nutmegs. 



(7) In view of the fact that the demand for nutmegs is 

 not greater, and that there does not seem to be any prospect 

 of its increase, Dr. Treub recommends that growers in Java 

 should not enlarge the area under cultivation, but that they 

 should replace the jjiant by another crop, as soon as possible. 



In their Semi-Annual Report, dated October 1909, 

 Messrs. Schimmel ife (_'o. say: — 



Nutmeg oil remains unchanged at low pi-ices. There 

 has been no lack of cheap nutmegs suitable for distilling, 

 and occasionally exquisite material could be found at ridicu- 

 lously low prices. All those interested in the article are 

 advised, when requiring l-Atge parcels, to ask us for special 

 <|Uotations. 



To return to the nutmeg itself, an account is given, in 

 the Bi'ime di'n Cultut-ex Colonirdex, Vol. xlX. pp. 343-4, of 

 the way in which it is prepared for export at Djati Roengge, 

 .Java, from which the folluwing is translated: — 



The preparation of the crop for export is very simple. 

 The mace is carefully removed from the ' seed', in order to 

 prevent the growth of moulds, and then the latter is washed 

 in brine. Drying is conducted in suri.shine, or by means of 

 a drier, as quickly as possible. The nuts, separated from the 

 shell, are rolled in slaked lime and then packed in cases, the 

 interior of which is coated with lime; these cases measure 

 45 X 45 X 45 centimetres (1 foot inches each way), and are 

 each capable of holding (10 kilogrammes (abfiut 132 ft.) of 

 nutmegs. The mace is packed in unlimed ca.ses, which are 

 lined with paper. These measure 61x01x61 centimttres 

 (about 2 feet Oi inch each way), and each also holds about 60 

 kilogrammes. These measurements are the ones preferred by 

 the importers at Amsterdam. The cases are strengthened 

 by means of iron bands or iron wire. The treatment of the 

 nuts with lime is for the purpose of preserving them from 

 a boring beetle called ' boeback'. At Banda, they are some- 

 times smoked for the .'ame purpose, though this does not 

 appear to be necessary. The n.itraegs are graded into nine 

 kinds, and the mace into four kinds. 



In dealing with the question as to the advisability of 

 expressing the oil (fat) from the nuts for shipment, careful 

 experiments are required for the purpose of ascertaining what 

 proportion of the oil can be extracted. To approach the 

 question theoretically, on consulting various authorities, it 

 was found that the average proportion of oil that can be 

 expressed from the powdered nuts, with the aid of heat, is 

 about 25 per cent, of the weight of the material pressed. 

 A barrel of nutmegs weighs approximately 165 a., so that 

 this quantity would yield about 41 lb. of oil. As far as the 

 essential oil is concerned, according to Gildemeister and 

 Hofifniann's Volatile Oils, the amount of oil obtained by 

 distilling nutmegs varies from 8 to 1 5 per cent, of the weight 

 of the material taken. Allowing a simple average of 10 per 

 cent., this would give 16i fl). of e.s.sential oil from 1 barrel 

 of nuts. 



In considering, however, the advisability of placing 

 the oils on the market, the chief matter of serious 

 import is that, as is shown above, there is only a very 

 limited demand for either of them. 



THE IMPORTANCE OF BROAD BREED- 

 ING IN CORN. 



Tart IV of HuUetin No. 141 ..f the Bureau of Plant 

 Industry of the United States of America has been recently 

 issued under the above title. Its contents are of much 

 interest to all those who are engaged in attempts to improve 

 corn by breeding and selection. The special importance 

 which attaches to it is that it points out, in an unmistakable 

 manner, the dangers of attempting to improve corn by 

 narrow breeding. Corn is not a plant which, like wheat, is 

 close-bred under natural conditions: on the contrary, its 

 floral arrangements arc such as will give almost the best 

 chance for cross fertilization. Again, uniformity of variety 

 is not /requisite in the case of corn, as it is in those of the 

 sugar-beet or tobacco. Finally, if narrow breeding is 

 conducted with it, the unnatural mode of reproduction will 

 cause deterioration of the seed — the very part of the plant 

 that gives it a value. Breeding on narrow lines must 

 therefore be avoided in all attempts to ett'ect an improvement 

 in corn. 



In the bulletin to which reference is made, particulars 

 are given as to a way in which broad breeding in corn may 

 be carried out simply and easily. These may be tabulated 

 as follows : — 



(1) For the purpose of obtaining hybrid seed, plant two 

 distinct varieties in alternate rows and detassel the plants of 

 one of the varieties. 



(2) T'se the seed from the detasselled variety for the next 

 year's general planting. 



(•3) Keep the seed from the different cobs of the variety 

 that was not detas.selled separate. 



(4) Make selections from this seed (3) for the purpose 

 of supplying the breeding-plot for the next two crops. 



(5) Obtain a stock of pure seed of the other variety 

 (that is the variety that was not detasselled at first), in the 

 next crop, by detasselling it. 



It is seen that, in this way, pure stocks of seed of the 

 two varieties may be maintained. During every crop, there 

 would be obtained: (1) a stock of hybrid seed for the general 

 planting of the next year, (2) a stock of pure .seed of one of 

 the varieties for planting in the breeding plots during the 

 next two crops. 



The same result may be obtained approximately by 

 jjlanting in the way described above and detasselling each of 

 the varieties in diti'erent halves of the field. In this method, 

 however, the crossing that takes place is not under such rigid 

 control, so that it is not recommended for adoption in 

 definite breeding experiments. 



Rice in British Guiana. 



The last fortnightly report of Messrs. Sandbach, 

 Parker & Co., of Georgetown, on the rice industry of 

 British Guiana, dated March 4, 1910, gives informa- 

 tion as follows : — 



The weather during the last part of the fortnight has 

 lieen very wet, and as a consequence, deliveries of rice to town 

 have been reduced. 



Prices have remained firm, and we luck for higher prices 

 in the near future. 



Shipments to West Indian islands during the fortnight 

 amounted to 4,593 bags. 



We quote to-day, f.o.b. Demerara, for good export 

 quality : — 



Nominally 16s. 9d. to 17s. 9d. per bag of 180 ft. gross. 

 15s. 9 J. to 16s. 9d. „ „ „ 164 ft. „ 



