300 



THE AGKICULTURAL XEWS. 



September 17, 1910. 



A copy of the colour chart issued by the French Chrys- 

 anthemum Society, and described in the Journal of the 

 Royal Ilorticulticral Soctnty for March 1910, has been 

 acquired for the use of this Depaitment. It should be 

 especially valuable in connexion with the description of the 

 parts of plants in relation to classification, or in breeding 

 experiments. 



GLEANINGS. 



The condition of the cacao crop in Grenada has been 

 good, and record yields have been obtained on every estate 

 during this season. Some pickings were obtained even as 

 late as last month. 



It is announced that the following machinery is at 

 present for sale in the island of St. Martin: 1 Crossley L.L. 

 oil engine of -tf h.p., and 1 roller gin, by Piatt Bros. Enquiries 

 in connexion with these should be addressed to ^Ir. C. 

 Chittiek, Xevis. 



A report received from the Superintendent of Agricul- 

 ture, Barbados, shows that the present cotton crop is making 

 favourable progress. Caterpillars have appeared in certain 

 places, but have been promptly kept in check by means of 

 Paris green and lime. 



With reference to a note on p. 268 of the current volume 

 of the Agricultural News, stating that rain was required for 

 the cotton crop in the windward districts of Montserrat, it is 

 of interest that generally good rains have fallen since that 

 time, so that the crop is promising throughout the island. 



An article in Nature for June 16, 1910, entitled Goats 

 and Malta Fever, gives an account of this disease, and points 

 out the special danger in regard to infection that arises from 

 the fact that goats suffering from it do not give any evidence 

 of ill-health, nor do they .show a body temperature above the 

 normal. 



The Sxjyeriment Station Record of the United States 

 Department of Agriculture makes a note of investigations 

 undertaken with cassava flour in France, in w^hich a sample 

 of this, which was sold as a food for animals, was found to 

 contain 0-0041 per cent, of hydrocyanic acid — the poisonous 

 principle of cassava. 



With reference to past notes in the Aijricxdtural News 

 (Vol. IX, pp. 188 and 277) concerning the Manchurian soy 

 bean industry, it is of interest that, according to the Board 

 of I'rade Journal for August 11, 1910, several important 

 Japanese firms are considering the feasibility of establishing 

 a soy bean exchange at Dairen, for the purpose of putting 

 the trade on a sound basis. 



Information has been received from St. Kitts that the 

 growth of the sugarcane has much improved, during August, 

 in consequence of the increased rainfall; nevertheless, the crop 

 is still backward for the time of the year. The condition of 

 the cotton crop is good everywhere, and cotton from the May 

 plantings is already being picked on several estates. 



It is announced that the following sheep are for 

 sale in Barbados: the West African ram sheep 'Alaki', 

 imported by the Imperial Department of Agriculture, and 

 four Barbados ewes, in lamb for that sheep. Enquiries in 

 connexion with these should be made to Mr. F. C. Bancroft, 

 Moonshine Hall, St. George, Barbados. 



According to a recent advertisement in the Port-of- 

 Spain Gazette, the Board of Agriculture of Trinidad has 

 approved of an expenditure of £200 for the encouragement 

 of good cacao cultivation by peasant proprietors or contract- 

 ors. For the first year, two centres will be selected for 

 prizes, and these will be awarded in two classes, namely for 

 holdings above -5 and not exceeding 10 acres, and for holdings 

 not exceeding -5 acres in area. In both cases, in the event of 

 their being earned, five prizes will be given, ranging in value 

 from £2 lOs. to £20. 



The Colonial RepoHs — Annual, Xo. 640, states that 

 rubber, cacao, kola nuts, gum copal and ivory continue to be 

 the principal exports of Ashanti. According to the same 

 source, the exjiort of rubber from that country has risen 

 from 536 tons in 1908 to 1,319 tons in 1909. The increase 

 was mainly due to high prices; these ranged from \s. \d. to 

 2s. 2i,d. per ft)., although the average for the j-ear was as 

 much as Is. lOc^. per lb. This means that the amount 

 obtained for rubber in 1909 was £270,000, as against 

 £90,000 for 1908. 



It has been stated for general information that there is 

 for sale, near the seashore at Soiifriere, St. Lucia, a sugar- 

 cane mill, manufactured by John Musgrave, Lancashire, 

 England, which contains three rollers, 3 feet 3 inches in 

 length, and having a diameter of 22 inches. The mill is 

 arranged for operation by water power, and for this purpose 

 an overshot wheel 27 inches in diameter is provided. All 

 the fittings are intact and in good order, and include cane 

 and megass tables. Ofters for the purchase of the mill should 

 be addressed to the Chief Clerk, Government Office, Castries, 

 St. Lucia, and the purchase money must be paid before the 

 mill is removed. 



In connexion with the note in the Agricultural N^ews, 

 p. 220 of the present volume, stating that the India Ruhher 

 Journal was presenting a shield, value 100 guineas, for the 

 be.st sample of Plantation Para liubber shown at the Inter- 

 national Rubber and Allied Trades Exhibition, 1911, informa- 

 tion has been received from ilr. A. Staines Glanders, organ- 

 izing manager of the exhibition, as to the rules of the 

 competition. These show, among other things, that samples 

 must weigh not less than 10 B).; they must have been produced 

 solely upon the property of the exhibitor: and that entries 

 for the competition must reach the Award Committee of the 

 Exhibition bv the night of Mav 1, 1911. 



