220 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



July 9, 1910. 



GLEANINGS. 



With reference.to tlie useful series of articles that are 

 appearing in the West Indi<t Cnuuiiittee Cirrular, entitled 

 'Cacao', by Mr. .J. H. Hart, F.L.S., it is stated that there is an 

 intention to publish these in book form, when they are com- 

 pleted. 



The output of coeoanut oil in Ceylon for the first 

 quarter of the present year was 98,511 cwt., against 81,621 

 rwt., for a like period in 1909. The similar figures for 



P -* <iI^^^K copra and decorticated nuts were respectively 13i, 302 cwt., 

 -^^^VTUw ■^"'^^ 119,873 owt,, and 4,741,7.51 Iti. against 4,910,386 tt) , 

 L. JIlA mP (The Troj, leal Affricidturist, Aprin9IO.) 



According to the report of the Agricultural Instructor, 

 Tortola, for last April, the cotton crop in the Virgin Islands 

 had been almost completed at that time, and the increasing 

 interest showed that a much greater area would be sown for 

 the coming season. A new cane mill has been imported for 

 the purpose of dealing with peasant canes, which are 

 bought on a basis of 4 D). sugar for 100 Hi. cane. 



Information has been received from Mr. F. Potter of 

 (ioodwill estate, Dominica, that he has certain sugar machin- 

 ery for sale. Some particulars of this will be found in an 

 advertisement on page 4 of the cover of this issue of the Aqri- 

 cultural Keii'S. 



The Antigua Sun of Monday, May 23, gives an account 

 of an address delivered in that island on May 18, by 

 ]\Ir. A. St. G. Spooner,of Bendals estate, dealing with the ques- 

 tion as to whether central factories are beneficial or otherwise, 

 in relation to Antigua. 



The examination results in the School of Agriculture at 

 Macdonald Collegs (Mc Gill University), published recently, 

 show that Mr. J. S. Dash, late of the Barbados Agricultural 

 Department, took the first place in Class I, General Profi- 

 ciency, for the First Year Course. 



In 1909, the maize exported from South Africa 

 to England was worth j£66.5,.59G; in 1908, its value 

 was £217,718. The conditions for maize-growing in South 

 Africa should make the importance of this plant in that 

 country greater year by year. 



The report of the Agricultural Instructor, Nevis, for 

 May 1910, .shows that there has been a prolonged drought 

 in that island, whicli^'if it continues, will seriously interfere 

 with the agricultural prospects of the island, and may even 

 prevent the realization of the sugar crop next year. 



The P roceediwjs of the Agrieultur<d Society of Trinidad 

 and ToUigo, for May 1910, shows that 7,009,896 tt>. of cacao 

 was shipped from Trinidad during that month. The total 

 amount exported, from January 1, to the end of May 

 1910, was 32,-507, 93.5 B). The .similar figures for 1909 and 

 1908 were 29,618,.547 ft. and 26,642,905 ft., respectively. 



In the Montlih/ Consular and Trade Reports, for ilarch 

 1910, it is stated that recent experiments in Trinidad have 

 proved that the wriod yielded by [lois doux (Imja laurina) 

 can be used successfully in the manufacture of rum punch- 

 eons, in competition with imported wood. It is specially 

 suitable because it does not impart any flavour or colour what- 

 ever to the liquor in the puncheons. This would seem to 

 suggest a use for wood of this kind from Dominica, where it 

 is common. 



In the three great rice-producing States of Brazil, namely 

 Minas Geraes, Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo, great progress 

 has been made in the cultivation of this plant. From 1897 to 

 1904, the average annual export of rice from the first- 

 mentioned State to other parts of Brazil was 1,068,228 ft: 

 in 1905, it had increased to 1,951,494 ft.; and in 1906 and 

 1907, to 9,0(;9,958 ft. and 18,168,605 ft., respectively. (The 

 Board of Trade Journal, June 2, 1910.) 



With reference to the statement on page 182 of this vol- 

 ume of the Agricultural News, that excellent prices and 

 yield of cotton have been obtained for the past crop by at 

 least two growers in Antigua, it is interesting to note that 

 one of these raised a considerable proportion of the crop 

 from seed produced at Rooms estate by the late owner, 

 Mr. J. H. Lee, from plants arising from a single cotton 

 plant selected by the Local Agricultural Department. 



The Turkish Government has appointed a Commission 

 to consider the question of which parts of the Ottoman 

 Empire are best suited for cotton growing. Syria, Mesopo- 

 tamia and Macedonia, at present, grow a certain amount of 

 cotton, the latter country producing about 6,500 bales last 

 year. This quantity is not enough to supply the needs cf 

 the South Macedonian mills, which, w^ith a total of 51,000 

 spindles, consumed 11,100 bales. (The Textile Mercury, 

 June 4, 1910.) 



The Experiment Station Record of the L'nited States 

 Department of Agriculture, for April 1910, p. 438, gives the 

 result of investigations that have been made on the occur- 

 rence of phosphric acid in the leaves of various plants at 

 different stages of growth. It was found that, generally, the 

 pho.sphorus content of the leaves became greatest at the 

 period of greatest growth, after which there was a steady 

 decrease until autumn. Red leaves were found to contain 

 less phosphorus than green ones, from the same plant. 



In regard to the forthcoming Iiiternational Rubber and 

 Allied Trades Exhibition, mention of which has been in the 

 Agricultural News, Vol. IX, pp. 60, 156 and 172, information 

 has been received from the organizing manager, Mr. A. Staines 

 Manders, that the Rubber Growers' Association, London, has 

 decided to present the committee of the exhibition with three 

 medals (gold, silver and bronze) for the best exhibits of cer- 

 tain kinds of crude rubber: full particulars will be published 

 soon. In addition, the India Rubber Journal (London) is 

 presenting a shield valued at 100 guineas for the best exhibit 

 of plantation I'ara rubber, the conditions of competition for 

 which will be issued .shortly. 



