Vol. XV. No. 360. 



THE AGRICULTUKAL NEWS. 



.-)3 



article under consideration an account is given of certain 

 well-defined types of Cuban mangoes, which should be con- 

 sulted for further detail. 



The next fruit considered is the avocado. Unlike the 

 mango, the avocado does not come true from .seed, and seeds 

 from an oval, green. avocado may produce round, oblong or 

 pyriform, fruits of green or purple colour. For this reason 

 the Cubans do not recognize in a popular way any different 

 classes of avocado. Some work has bi-en done in the matter 

 of budding selected varieties in Cuba, and it is hoped that this 

 •will be continued. The most important point in the selection 

 of varieties at the present time is latene-ss of ripening, since 

 it is the late fruits whicli bring the highest prices when 

 .shipped to northern markets. Keeping equality is also 

 important. 



Of the other Cuban fruits which deserve special attention 

 is the custard apple. Crosses have been made between the 

 sugar apple and the Cherimoya, and these have demonstrated 

 the great possibilities that exist. It is explained that the 

 Cherimoya, without doubt the finest flavoured of the cultivated 

 Anonas, does not attain perfection in a truly tropical climate. 

 The sugar apple, on the other hand, is perfectly at home and 

 fruits abundantly. The hybrid between these two species is 

 a plant with foliage remarkably similar to that of the Cheri- 

 moya, and with fruits a little longer than tlie average sugar 

 apple, with the divisions less deeply incised, and with a more 

 pleasant, slightly aciduous flavour, almost midway between 

 that of the Cherimoya and the sugar apple. It fruits some- 

 what more abundantly than the Cherimoya, but less so than 

 the sugar apple. Crosses should be made in Cuba and the 

 West Indies between these species as well as between the 

 sour sop and the (_!herimoya. 



Lastly in considering vegetables; mention is made of 

 sweet potatoes, yam.s, cassava, and Indian corn. Selection 

 work has been done with these in Cuba but there still remains 

 a good deal to be accomplished, and more attention especially 

 should be given to the selection of Indian corn. 



The facts and suggestions embodied in the foregoing 

 article should appeal to tho.se interested in fruit in the 

 British West Indies, and lead to greater attention being given 

 to the production of fruit for local consumption if not for 

 export. 



THE BONAVIST BEAN. 



Some useful information concerning the bonavist, 

 lablab, or hyacinth bean (Dolichos labial) is given in Bulletin 

 No. 31i^-, issued from the Bureau of Plant Industry of the 

 United States Department of Agriculture. Concerning 

 cultural characteristics, it is pointed out that the bonavist is 

 'closely comparable to the cowpea, but that it is more vigorous 

 and more viney. Like the cowpea, the bonavist is indeter- 

 minate in growth, blooming and fruiting as long as the 

 conditions remain favourable. In some parts of the trojiics 

 one plant of this bean will go on flowering for as long as 

 two years. 



This bean is markedly drought-resistant, and in many 

 situations has been found to excel the cowpea in this re.spect. 

 The bonavist is well adapted to planting with corn 

 or some other supporting crop. The principal weakness 

 of the bonavist, considered as a forage crop, which is 

 the chief American standpoint, i? the relatively poor 

 yield of seed, and the difficu'iy of harvesting the 

 same, which makes it expensive. From a seed produc- 

 tion standpoint the most desiralile varieties are those in 



which the pod retains its form when dry, as these are not 

 much affected by wet weather, and thrash out rather easily. It 

 should be noted here that in tropical and sub-tropical countries, 

 the bonavist is grown for human consumption and not for stock 

 feed. The young pods of some varieties may be used after 

 the manner of string beans, while in the West Indies the 

 dried seeds are utilized as food. In connexion with the value 

 of this bean as a human food, it may be stated that tests for 

 prussic acid in both dry and germinated seed failed to I'evcal 

 evidence of the presence of this poison. 



The bonavist in all its parts shows great variation At 

 the end of the Bulletin some notes are given describing 

 a large number of varieties introduced by the American Office 

 of Foreign Seed and Plant Introductions from 1899 to 1913. 

 This list includes varieties from British Guiana and from 

 Barbados. The Barbados variety is referred to as being very 

 fruitful. 



AN ECONOMICAL DIPPING TANK. 



The greater appreciation of the importance of dipping 

 live-stock in the West Indian islands that exists at the 

 present time renders of interest an article in the Rhodesia, 

 Agricultural Journal for October 191-5, describing how 

 a dipping tank can be erected cheaply out of home-produced 

 material on the estate. The sides of the tank instead of 

 being lined with expensive concrete are supplied with 

 slabs of rock. It is suggested that this rock material 

 can easily be obtained locally on most estates. The whole 

 of the stone material (except the end of the tank where the 

 cattle enter) may be laid in cla)' or earth mortar, leaving 

 the joints open facing the tank to a depth of 3 inches to- 

 receive the cement pointing. It will be understood that the 

 economy of this tank rests upon this fact — that a minimum 

 amount of cement mortar is employed. 



The following figures are given to show the cost of such 

 a tank that was erected on an estate in Rhodesia. In 

 giving the cost, no account for the labour and supervision of 

 the estate manager is given because, it is stated, it is part 

 of the ordinary farm work, and should be compensated for 

 by the improvement of the condition of the cattle through 

 regular dipping. Likewise charges for team work and 

 timber for posts, fencing rails, etc. are omitted. In many 

 islands of the West Indies this could be obtained on the 

 estate at almost negligible cost. The following are the chief 

 item.s of expenditure; — 



£ s. d 

 X barrels of cement fi 13 



Transport: 1,(500 tt). at 9.-. per 100 7 4 



Excavating tank pit: "-! boy.s, 4 days at If. per day 8 



Quarrying rock: 3 boy.s, .5 days at Is. per day 1.5 



Hauling rock: 3 boys, 3 days at Is. per day 9 



Building tank: 3 boys, 9 days at Is. per day 17 



Cement pointing: 3 boys, 7 days at Is. per day 110 

 Plastering tank: 2 boys, 2 days at l.«. per day 4 



Dressing rock (if care is exercised in selecting 



rock, only the course facing the tank requires 



dressing): 2 boys, 2 days at 1?. per day 4 



Building draining pen: 2 boys, 2 days at Is. 



per day 4 



Cutting and hauling timber for posts, rails, etc., 



3 boys, 2 days at Is. per day 6 



Spikes for fencing rails: 20 K). .5-inch nails (i S 



.£19 1 8 



