Vol. IX. No. 211. 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



213 



The chief requirements of a good pineapple arc stated to 

 be: (1) a bright and even colour; (2) a tine, single crown, 

 green and bunchy; {3) absence of specks and bruises; (i) 

 clean appearance. r^y 



The latest rates for the carriage o/ pineapples ia Eng- 

 land are given as follow.*: London lo ^Manchester 45s. 2(7.; 

 London to Liverpool .39.s. id.; Southampton to Man- 

 chester 52s. 6rf. ; Southampton to Liverpool 4S.<. 7d. per 

 ton. These rates include tlie cost of collection and delivery, 

 within certain prescribed cartage limits, e.\cp]^ in the case of 

 Liverpool. * 



AVOCADO I'KARs. There is a limited demand for these, 

 and they must arrive in .sound condition. The largest and 

 greenest fruits obtain the best prices: these range during the 

 year from 6d. to Is. 3d. for each fruit. Avocado pears 

 from ^Madeira are wrapped in tissue j^aper, for the jjurpose of 

 preventing discolouration, and are packed in a box measuring 

 30 inches x 9 inches x 4 inches, having a division in the 

 middle, and the sides ventilated to a small extent. Each of 

 these boxes contains thirty to fifty fruits, according to size, 

 together with [)acking material, which consists of dry corn 

 husks. 



cifsTAuri Ai'iLKs. These must arrive green, packed in 

 the same way as that for avocado pears, and about the same 

 prices will be obtained for them. They meet a fair demand 

 during the winter, but do not keep in summer. 



(iKAXADiLLAs. There is a doubtful demand for these, 

 and the fruit is ditticult to carry, even in cool chambers. 



Ei;(; PLANT. There is always a limited demand for 

 this; the shape required is similar to that of the ordinary 

 (Natal) cucumber, but a little shorter, and straight. 



Information is also given in regard to French beans, 

 tomatos, Cape gooseberries, green ginger, chillies (capsi- 

 cums), and plums, but there is only an assured market for 

 the last of these. 



The information with regard to preserved fruits shows 

 that there is an extensive market in (ireat Britain for 

 crystallized fruit, and that this would form an opening for get- 

 ting rid of surplus citrus fruit. 'I'here ari; good prospects 

 for a finely flavoured pineapple put uii in tins, either whole, 

 in chunks, or in cubes. It is also the Commercial Agent's 

 opinion that there is a great oppertunity for the introduction 

 of granadillas and other passion fruits, shipped as pulp, and 

 put up in attractive jars or tins, with proper instructions as 

 to the preparation for food. 



Indian Soy Bean. — The rndlmi Trade Journal for 

 November 11, 1909, gives information as to the analysis of 

 fourteen sanqdes of ,soy beans supplied by the Director of 

 Agriculture, Bombay, and grown from seeil of Japanese origin 

 at the Manjri Experimental Farm. This shows that the 

 moisture content varied from 9 90 to 12 00 per cent., while 

 that of oil fluctuated between 16-44 and 22-48 per cent. The 

 report on the beans states that eleven of the fourteen samp- 

 les were distinctly good, and that those showing above 20 

 per cent, of oil were very good, the latter being better in this 

 respect than the best Sakura Manchurian beans. For pur- 

 poses of comparison, it is stated that the average Manchurian 

 bean contains about 19i per cent, of oil, of which about 

 6 per cent, is left in the cake. Further information concern- 

 ing the percentage oil content of beans of different origin is 

 quoted from the Reporter on Economic Products, India, as 

 follows: Chinese, 17-60 to 26-18; Japanese, 13-36 to 25-5:">: 

 Java, 18-37 to 26-18;grown in Europe, 1516 to 21-89:grown 

 in North America 18-42 to 19 52. 



THE RELATION CP THE EAR CHARACTERS 

 OP CORN TO YIELD. 



An extensive series of e.vperiments, conducted for 

 the purpose of findmcf out what characters of the ear 

 are associated with a his;h yield from corn, has been 

 conducted at the (jhio Ao^ricultui-al Experiment Station. 

 These are to be continued indefinitely. A summary of 

 the preliminary results are given, in Bulletin 212 of 

 that station, as follows: — 



(1) That the selection of seed ears of less than normal 

 length, for a given variety or locality, will reduce the yield, 

 and, if the selection be continuous, gradually shorten the 

 length of ear. 



(2) That shape of ear as regards cylindrisity is a matter 

 of less importance than many other of the prominent ear 

 characters. While the tapering ears have, upon the average, 

 led slightly in yield, the variation is neither important nor 

 consistent, and more evidence is needed before a pronounce- 

 ment can be made for either type. 



(3) That the continuous selection of seed ears having 

 1 to lA inches of bare cob at the tip will increase the 

 average amount of bare cob at the tip, diminish the total 

 number of ears having completely filled tips, and decrease the 

 yield of shelled corn per acre. 



(4) That, so far as indentation of kernels is concerned, 

 ears comparatively smooth —crease-dented — have proved some- 

 what su|)erior in yield to the rough-dented ears. 



(5) That, conditions of growth being ecjual, weight of 

 ear, as made up of slight increases in length, circumference 

 and amount of density of grain and cob, favours an increase 

 in yield, and is worthy of consideration in the final selection 

 of seed corn. 



(6) That a knowledge of the previous conditions of 

 growth is helpful in estimating the value of .seed corn. And 

 further, that seed for use under given conditions would 

 better be selected under slightly inferior, rather than a very 

 much superior environment. 



(7) That the germination box can hardly be expected 

 to pick out seed ears of superior hereditary merit. Its work 

 is completed in atoning, in part, for carelessness in the hand- 

 ling of seed corn. 



(8) That the main crop of corn on every farm should be 

 planted with varieties known to be productive and acclima- 

 tized, and that importations of seed corn from a distance 

 should be confined to a very limited area until, by careful 

 selection, they have become adapted to local conditions. 



(9) That a maximum yield of corn can hardly be secured 

 under good soil conditions in this State with less than 

 12,000 plants per acre. This stand may be had with three 

 plants per hill, in hills 36 inches by 42 inches. 



An article in lYatiire, for May 26, 1910, deals with the 

 latest work that has been done in connexion with pellagra. 

 This work is being carried out by a field commission in Italy, 

 consisting of Dr. Sambon and his assistants, and in pursu- 

 ance of it, several pellagrous districts in Northern Italy have 

 been visited for the purpose, among others, of searching the 

 streams for possible carriers of the disease. Results, so far, 

 have shown that the di-sease is not due to maize, as has been 

 believed by many, but that it is probably carried by one of 

 the sand mes^Siinullum replaim - whose larvae are common- 

 ly found on the stones and rocks in the streams of the infect- 

 ed districts. 



