Vol. IX. No. 221. 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



331 



occurs in widely separated portions of the island, so that in 

 all prolialiility it is generally distrilmted. But it is satisfac- 

 tory to note that it was not observed in many of the large 

 cacao plantations and in two extensive orange groves which 

 I inspected during thi; months of Decemljer and January 

 (1908-9). 



The most effective measure for the prevention of the 

 attacks of the insect is removal of the surface soil from the 

 base of the tree trunljs, replacing it with loose rock chip- 

 pings, or small stones. Unfortunately, the injury is often 

 done before the planter is aware of the presence of the pest. 

 Plantations of cacao or orange groves found harbouring the 

 grubs should, therefore, be carefully examined, and if the 

 infestation is found to be extensive, it may be neces,sary to 

 treat all the healthy trees in the way that has been 

 indicated. Carbon Iiisulphide, if olitainable in large 

 quantities and at a cheap rate, would doulitless prove effective 

 in destroying the grubs. 



A layer of gas lime spread round the stem of the trees 

 might weil act as a preventive against the beetles laying their 

 eggs at the foot of the plants. But even if it were proved 

 experimentally to lie an efficient measure of prevention, it 

 would be quite impossible to adopt this method in places 

 which are situated at great distances from the railway. 



THE OIL SEED CRUSHING INDUSTRY OF 

 MARSEILLES, 1909. 



The imports during 1909 have been the largest on record 

 for the previous ten years, viz., 596,156 tons, against 46.1,049 

 tons in 1908, and 501,811 tons in 1907. This increa.se is 

 chiedy in ground nuts from the Coromandel Coast, from 

 China and from Africa. Imports of gingelly seed have also 

 been large — 64,087 tons against 41,749 tons in the previous 

 year. 



The bulk (about seven eighths) of these imports has been 

 crushed by local oil mills, and this industry has proved 

 excejitionally pro.sperous to crushers, as by reason of the short 

 output of cotton seed oils in America and the enormous 

 deficit in the supply of olive oils, chiefly in Spain and Italy, 

 there was constant demand for Marseilles edible oils, and local 

 crushers met with a ready and remunerative sale of all their 

 production. 



The cost price of West African ground nuts in shell 

 ranged from 22 fr. 50c. to 31 fr. per 100 kilos., and for Bombay 

 white gingelly or sesame seed from 32 fr. 50c. to 40 fr. per 

 100 kilos, delivered on the quay at Marseilles. (West African 

 ground nuts and Bombay sesame seed are the two leading 

 staples crushed for edible oils.) 



In addition to the above-mentioned edible oils, there is 

 to be noticed the largely increa.sed demand for, and production 

 of, cocoa-nut oil, used for making butter substitutes. Several 

 well-known and reputed brands of this article are largely 

 made in Marseilles. 



Owing to the high value of lard in the United States, and 

 of kindred butter-oils, local crushers have had difficulty in 

 satisfying the increased demand for these oils, which have 

 sold at record prices, and this branch has been a most profit- 

 able trade. Large quantities have been exported to the United 

 Kingdom and to other countries in North Europe. The in- 

 creased consumption and remunerative prices paid for these 

 oils have ollered inducement for the erection of several 

 large mills in Hamburg, Lubeck, and also in the United States. 



By reason of this large consumj)tion of oils for edible 

 purposes, it has become difficult to produce a sufficient supply 



of the lower grades of copra oils for the soap mills, and the 

 result has been a constant ri.se in the value of copra. Manila 

 copra rose from 43 fr. 50c. in .January to 56 fr. in December 

 per 100 kilos., c.i.f. Marseilles. 



The value of soap oil having risen proportionately, the soap 

 makers have been j)laced at a great disadvantage by the 

 high cost of their raw material, and the soap trade lias 

 been much less profitable than in previous years. 



A very notable feature of interest in the oil seed and 

 crushing industry during the past year has been the 

 enormous export from Manchuria of .soya oil beans, an article 

 which is entirely new in Eurojie, and of which 380,000 tons 

 were exported during the year, mostly to the United King- 

 dom. Owing to the customs duty of 2 fr. 50c. per 100 kilos, 

 on these beans imported into France, there is no trade here in 

 this commodity. Further, these beans containing only about 

 12 per cent, of oil, arc chiefly crushed for the cake, which is 

 u.sed as a cattle food, and for this business the northern 

 ports are better placed than Marseilles. {Diplomaiic and 

 Consular Reports, No. 4516 Annual Series.) 



BANANA MEAL. 



An article in L'Agronmnie Tropicale for May 1910 

 draws attention to the fact that banana meal, made from the 

 fruits while they are still green, has attracted an increasing 

 amount of interest during recent years. Moreover, the price 

 of the fruit itself has become .so low, that it is now available 

 for the use of the general pulilic. Numerous analyses show 

 that a ripe lianana contains 4008 per cent, of sucrose, and 

 27'62 per cent, of glucose. The nutritive value of the banana 

 is very high; it gives, in energy units, 1 calorie per gram; while, 

 after drying, it furni.shes as much as 2'85 calories, iluch 

 attention has been given recently to the preparation of the 

 meal. In this, the unripe fruits are ground up, after a pre- 

 liminary drying 



The chemical composition of the meal is very different 

 from that of the ripe fruits. While peeled bananas only 

 contain 1 to 2 per cent, of starch, with 70 per cent, of sugar, 

 the meal made from the green fruit shows the reverse pro- 

 portion in these figure.s, namely, 80 per cent, of starch, with 

 3 to 4 per cent, of sugar. This shows plainly that, during 

 the ripening of the banana, there is a large transformation 

 of starch into sugar. 



DEPARTMENT NEWS. 



'rht'Impcrial.Cominissioner of Agriculture returned 

 to Barb.ados froiiiiGrenada, on October 4, by the R.M.S. 

 'Balantia'. Dr. Watts left Barbados, by the R.iM.S. 

 'Berbice' on October 10, for British (Juiana, for the 

 purpose of conferring with His Excellency the Governor 

 with regard to the preliminary arrangements for hold- 

 ing the forthcoming Agricultural Conference in that 

 colony. 



Mr. \V. X. Sands, Agricultural Superintendent of 

 St. Vincent, who recently visited Canada, on behalf of 

 the Im])erial Department of Agriculture, for the purpose 

 of assisting in advancing the interests of the West 

 Indies at the Canadian Exhibitions at Toronto and St. 

 .John, returned to St. \' incent on the cSth instant. 



