Vol. XV. No. 371. 



THE AGRICULTUKAL NEWS. 



239 



:years ago. As it occurs now, it is very scattered and of no 

 •economic importance. 



In Trinidad, according to Rorer, the disease has been 

 found on cacao only at rare intervals, in the northern 

 -and eastern districts, and has not proved a serious trouble. 

 In Port Kico it occurs on cacao, has been found in tvfo 

 •instances on grape fruit, and in one situation on cciFee. The 

 iosts recorded in the publications of this Department are 

 •cacao, lime, pijieon pea, and oleander. To these records 

 E,orer adds Amherstia. 



The simplest and most effective way to treat the disease 

 is by cutting off the branch on which it occurs at its junction 

 with the next older branch or the stem, taking care to cut 

 ■well below the aifected part. The branch removed should be 

 burnt or buried. Tarring the affected parts may be adopted 

 as an alternative. 



W.N. 



WEST INDIAN PRODUCTS. 



STEAM STERILIZATION OF SOILS. 



In raising tobacco and onion seedlings it is often desir- 

 •able, if possible, to fumigate the soil of the seed beds. 



The ground may be sterilized by live steam from 

 a boiler conducted by a steam hose to a large pan or tank, 

 12 feet long by 6 feet wide and S inches deep. This is 

 inverted over the bed, the edges bf^ing pre.ssed firmly into 

 the soil and the ground tramped firmly against the edges 

 to keep the steam from escaping The steam is then turned 

 on gradually under a pressure of 100 R. at the boiler. The 

 • steam should be kept at this point and left on for at least 

 forty minutes, during which time the soil temperature should 

 rise to about 98° C. at 4 or 5 inches under the surface. This 

 temperature is enough to kill all insects, grass .seed, algae, 

 and fungus which may be in the soil. Moreover, the partial 

 sterilization of the soil has a beneficial effect on the growth 

 of the plants in the seed beds. 



When one 1 2-foot section of the beds is sterilized, the 

 ■ stea.m is turned off for a few minutes till the pan is carried 

 forward to the next section, and so on. The ground should 

 be covered with sacks when the pan is taken off, to conserve 

 the heat a while longer. About fifteen hours after sterilizing 

 the soil will be cold enough to sow the seed, which should be 

 done as soon as possible. The beds may be boarded up at 

 the sides or not, just as the planter desires; but some pro- 

 vision should be made for shading the beds with canvas or 

 cheese-cloth, at least until germination takes place, and a few 

 ■weeks afterwards. Also, seed beds sown early in the season 

 should be so fixed that they can be covered, and the plants 

 protected in time of hurricanes. At such times seed beds as 

 a lule are all lost because of e.xposure. (Modern Cuba, 

 December 191.5.) 



A lengthy article in Nature for May 25 describes the 

 present position of industrial research in the United States, 

 indicating the great deal that has been accomplished by the 

 Government, but more especially by individual firms. This 

 has regard to research connected with manufacturing indus- 

 tries. As regards agriculture, the article states 'the United 

 States Department of Agriculture is of .some interest in that 

 it carries on a scheme of investigational work on national 

 lines.' This remark appears to be inadequate!}' appreciative 

 of the importance of the United "States Department of 

 Agriculture, which is the largest establishment of its kind in 

 the world, and is comprised of an organization that might 

 ■well be imitated in any scheme having regard to the applica- 

 tion of science to the manufacturing industries in Great 

 Britain. 



DRUGS AND SPICES ON THE LONDON 



MARKETS. 



Mr. J. R. Jackson, A.L.S., has forwarded the follow- 

 ing report on the London drug and spice markets 

 for the month of May: — 



The state of the niy.kets in products of West Indiaa 

 origin, during the month of May, has shown but littl* 

 change since our last report. Imports and exports hava^ 

 both been fairly regular in bulk and values, with but slight 

 changes in the latter, tliough generally they have maintained 

 the advance prices assumed at the beginning of the war. 

 Citric acid is perhaps the one exception which reached it-s. 

 top figure of is. per B) and dropped to 3s. 9d. at the end 

 of the month. The following are some of the details. 



GINGEK. 



At the auction on the 17th, 288 bags of Cochin weret 

 offered and 128 sold. Good bright new washed fetchedl 

 •47s. dd. per cwt ; 16 cases of dull, wormy, unsortecL 

 native cut were all bought in at .51s.; a quantity of limecl 

 Japanese was also offered and bought in at 45s. per cwt. 



SARSAPAEILLA. 



At auction on the 4th of the month no grey Jamaica, 

 was forthcoming; Lima-Jamaica was represented by 7 

 bales, none of which sold; 11 bales of native Jamaica, 

 were brought forward and disposed of, dull pale red fetching- 

 lOd. per lb., and fair red Is. At the end of the month iti 

 was reported that grey Jamaica was selling at Is. lid., Lima- 

 Jamaica at l.<i. 7d., fair native red .Jamaica at Is. 2d., and 

 Mexican at 9^d. per lb. 



PIMENTO, LIME JUICE, LIME OIL, CASSIA FISTULA, AND KOLA. 



Pimento has been quoted at a very low figure due, it ii 

 said, to the prohibition of certain exports. A large quantity, 

 offered at the beginning of the month, was bought in at 3|rf. 

 per ft). There has been no change in the position of lima 

 juice since last month's report, though enquiries have been 

 made for it. Of lime oil, at auction on the 4th of the 

 month, i cases of hand-pressed St. Lucia were offered and 

 withdrawn at 10s. per !b., but a week later it was stated that 

 some sales had been effected at that figure, and for WesU 

 Indian distilled 9s. was paid. A week later fair West 

 Indian distilled was to be obtained for 8s. Qd. and 

 hand-pressed at from 9s. Qd. to 10s. At the first auctioik 

 in the month 50 packages of ■ Cassia Fistula pods, 

 were brought forward, but failed to find buyers. 

 A week later, however, some sales were effected at 60s. 

 per cwt. At auction on May 4, 23 packages of kola, 

 nuts were offered, and only one sold, 6^'/. per !b. being 

 paid for fair dried Grenada halves. Towards the end of the 

 month, however, the bulk of this cnsignment was disposed 

 of, fair bright West Indian fetching 6hd. per If'. 



The principal disease affecting sutrar-cane in British 

 Guiana during the past year was root disease caus d by 

 Marasruius sacchari. This was however, present to a less 

 extent than in the previous year. 



