124 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



April 8, 191G. 



Notes on the essentUl oil market in the Perfumery awl 

 Essential Oil Record for February 22, 1916, state that 

 distilled lime oil has, as a result of great scarcity undergone 

 a considerable addition in value, being now 8.-.-. per D>. or the 

 same price as the hand pressed, which is unaltered on *he 

 market. It is stated in connexion with Bay oil : 'Bay oil is 

 unchanged at l-^s. to 13s. 6(7. per II).: the e-xperiments in 

 Moritserrat to improve production processes, outlined on 

 another page, are interesting, especially to di-stillers.' 



GLEANINGS. 



We learn from the Annual Report of the Director of 

 Agriculture, Cyprus, that attemps have been made to grow 

 Sea Island cotton at the fJovernment E.Kperiment Gardens. 

 The plants, although making good growth and producing 

 numerous bolls, failed to ripen them. It is understood that 

 "the experiments are going to be continued. 



According to Rerisla IndusUiitl y Agricoln dt Tucaman 

 ■for November 1915, certain Javan and Barbadian seedling 

 canes have been included in the experimental trials in the 

 Argentine. It is stated that B.3277 has proved satisfactory, 

 showing a high purity and ease of crushing. It is recommend- 

 •ed for cultivation in some of the cane-growing areas of North 

 Argentine. 



We have received from British Honduras the usual brief 

 report on the Botanic Station. The present publication is for 

 the year 1914. It has regard entirely to the nursery work 

 conducted within the station. It would be an advantage if 

 an effort could be made to extend this report .somewhat in 

 future years in order that readers outside the colony may 

 gain some insight into the general agricultural activities that 

 are taking place in British Honduras. 



The season 1914-15 was a satisfactory one in British 

 Guiana in regard to balata and rubber. In the report 

 on the Lands and Mines Deijartment, it is .stated that 

 1,9328). of rubber were exported in 191 4- l."),as against 1,2921b. 

 exported in 191314. As well as for the above products 

 there was a good demand for greenheart timber. This 

 industry on account of high prices held its own, although the 

 quantity actually exported showed a reduction. 



The remarks on Agriculture and Nature Study that appear 

 in the Annual Report of tlie Inspectors of Schools in Trinidad, 

 1914-15, show that the standard maintained is generally 

 satisfactory. The instructors report progress on tlie whole 

 but call attention to the inadequate supply of tools in many 

 assisted schools. .\s regards nature study, its aims and 

 objects ap])ear not yet to be understood by the majority of 

 teachers, but i)rogress is re'xu'ted in some schools. Apprecia- 

 tion is exjiressed in regard to the publications of the Imperial 

 Department of Agriculture, which are distributed among the 

 principal schools. 



A statement is made in the Austraii-m Suyir Journal 

 for January 6, 1916 to the etiect that the Federal Govern- 

 ment will endeavour to assist in the control of the cane grub 

 pest in Queensland by the appointment of a Federal Ento- 

 mologist. The appointment is to be very highly paid, and 

 for two years in the first instance. The opinion in Queens- 

 land appears to be that the cane grub problem will not be 

 any quicker solved by such action; they consider that what 

 is wanted is a special State Entomologist who can confine 

 his whole time to the problem until a satisfactory solution 

 has been arrived at. 



It is announced in Nutmr for January 6, 1916, that 

 the Government of British Columbia has presented to the 

 Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, a magnificent spar of Douglas 

 Fir to replace the old spar which was taken down in 1913 

 owing to decay. The tree from which the spar was made 

 measured 200 feet in length, 6 feet in diameter at the large 

 end, and 18 inches in diameter at the small end. Consider 

 able trouble was experienced, as may be imagined, in trans- 

 porting this huge obstacle from the Columbian coast to Kew. 

 The staff in its finished condition is 215 feet in length, 

 33 inches at the butt, and 12 inches at the top. Its weight 

 is about 18 tons. Its erection in the Royal Botanic Gardens 

 will be an operation of considerable magnitude. 



The nutritive value of new and old maize is the subject 

 of a note in the Monthly Bulletin of Agricultural Intellii/encs 

 and Plant Disease.^ for March 191."). The aim of the investi- 

 gations on which this note is based was to determine the 

 nutritive value of the last maize harvest and that of older 

 crops. The only regrettable feature of the experiments 

 appears to be that they were conducted on fowls and mice 

 instead of upon larger animals of greater economic impor- 

 tance. However, the results may be expected to have some 

 general biological application. They showed that new 

 maize is less capable of being digested and assimilated 

 than maize some seasons old, and that mice suffer more than 

 fowls from a prolonged and exclusive maize diet. Figures are 

 given in support of this conclusion. 



The latest report from the British Cotton Growing 

 Association refers to the fact that the grant of .£[0,000 from 

 the Imperial Government expires on March 31, 1916. It is 

 stated that the (Jovernment have recognized the necessity of 

 the continuance of the Association'.s work in the different 

 colonie.s, and a sum of .£1,(100 has been granted for the j-ear 

 1916-17. The Government expre.s.sed satisfaction that it 

 has been possible, notwithstanding the present urgent need 

 for economy, to continue on a small measure their financial 

 assistance towar<ls the Cost of the work of the Association, 

 and they appreciate the fact that the Association will be 

 prepared to continue its operations on the .same basis as 

 hitherto, except in the Gold Coast and Nigeria wliere it ha* 

 already been decided to close down the work. 



