Vol. XV. No. 3«0. 



THE AGEICULTUKAL NEWS. 



381 



THE GOVERNMENT GRANARY, 

 ST. VINCENT 



The rules for the purchase of corn by the Govern- 

 ment Granary in Antigua were published in the 

 Agricultural Neivs, Vol. XIV (1915), No. 341, p. 169. 

 It was stated that deliveries would be accepted on the 

 co-operaiive plan of part cash payment and later 

 distribution of bonus, for cash in full direct; or the 

 corn would be accepted merely for kiln-drying. By the 

 first plan a preliminary payment of 2s. 6rf. per bushel 

 of shelled corn was offered, to be followed by distribu- 

 tion 01 the net profits less 2o per cent. This latter 

 plan, with certain differences in prices, is also followed 

 at the Government Granary in St. Vincent, where 

 a corn drier and storage accommodation have been 

 installed. In the St. Vincent Government Gazette for 

 September 30, 191(5, the rules are stated thus: — 



1. Only good yellow corn will be purchased. 



2. Corn will be bought on a profit-sharing basis as 

 follows: — 



(a) Lots in lesser quantities than 2-5 fi). of corn on the 

 cob or 20 ft), of shelled corn will not be bought, 

 except from tho.se persons who have previously sold 

 corn during the then current season. 



(«) Corn will be paid for at the rate of 3s. id. for every 

 100 ft), of first gracVe corn on the cob or ^d. per ft>. 

 for shelled corn. This price is subject to market 

 riuctuations. 



(c) Any profits after paying all expenses will be divided 



by way of bonus, 15 per cent, to sellers and 25 

 per cent, to the Ginnery. 



(d) All corn brought tor sale on the profit-sharing 



system must be clean, sound, and well sun-dried. 

 Corn on the cob must have the husk removed. 

 Second grade corn will not be accepted under any 

 conditions. 



3. (a) Corn will also be received at the Ginnery for 

 shelling and drying at a charge of 4^d for every bushel of 

 56 ft), returned to the sender, and 



(6) Shelled corn received for drying only will be charged 

 for at the rate of 4rf. per bushel of 565). 



(c) Senders must provide their own bags. 



(d) A notice of intention to send corn for shelling and 



drying, or for drying only, must be given not less 

 than two weeks in advance, and corn will only 

 be accepted by arrangement with the Manager 

 within the capacity of the machinery. Any 

 kiln-dried corn left at the Ginnery for more than 

 01 e week will be charged for thereafter at the rate 

 of \d. per cwt. per week. 



(e) Kiln-dried corn will not be stored for more than 



a fortnight. 



4. Shelled corn will be ground into meal at the rate of 

 |cJ.per gallon. 



In connexion with the price of drying the corn, 

 St. Vincent charges 4i(/. against del. in Antigua, but 

 the Antigua charge varies according to the market 

 price of corn. In general the rules for both granaries 

 are much the same, and presumably the charges vary 

 with market prices in both cases. 



It is hoped that planters, both large and small, 

 will continue to make increasing use of these granaries. 

 It is highly desirably to produce as much locally grown 

 corn as possible. There is a strong tendency to neglect 

 corn on account of, for the time being, the higher cash 

 value of sugar-cane. 



WORKING OF THE ANDERSON OIL 

 EXPELLER IN ST. VINCENT. 



The Agricultural Superintendent, St. Vincent, (Mr. W. 

 N. Sands), has forwarded figures showing the result of the 

 working of the Anderson Oil Expeller at the Government 

 Cotton Ginnery, St. Vincent, for the 1915-16 crop. The 

 amount of cotton seed cru.shed was 320,714 H). or 14318 

 tons. This comprised both Sea Island and Marie Galante 

 seed, some lots of which yielded poorly, while others yielded 

 well. It is stated that a ton of good Marie Galante seed 

 yielded over 40 gallons of crude oil, whereas some Sea Island 

 gave far lower returns. In a general way, it would appear 

 that the percentage of meal obtained was up to expectation.s, 

 but the oil appear.s rather below the average. In connexion 

 with the infeiior oil and foots (3) only 540 ft), was 

 un.saleable. A local soap maker bought this oil. The 

 linters (4) are below the average, and this is of interest. 

 The working loss (5) was 6'51 per cent. This would indicate 

 seed with a high percentage of moisture. 



The figures actually obtained and those arrived at by 

 calculation based upon average yields in the United States 

 (see Cotton .Seed Products by Lamborn, p. 36) are as 

 follows: — 



U.S.A. 

 (Per cent.) 



(1) Meal with hulls 254,066 ft). =7922 per cent. 82-80 



(2) Crude oil— good 43,256 „ = 13-49\ = 13-98 1410 



(3) ,, inferior and foots 1,565 = -49] per cent. 



(4) Linters 927 = -29 „ M5 



(5) Loss in working 20,900= 6-51 ,, 1-95 



100 00 



100-00 



1, 



302-121 



(6) Meal per ton of seed 



(7) Crude oil — good 

 per ton 



A number of experimental trials have been made during 

 the season to reduce if possible the dark colour of the 

 crude oil, and thnse indicated that the heat of the tempering 

 apparatus should not exceed 130°F. The temperature 

 eventually applied to crushed seed before it entered the 

 expeller was 120° F. The result of reducing the temperature 

 of the tempering apparatus is not stated, but information on 

 this point has been asked for. 



Mangrove W^OOd. — Several attempts have been 

 made recently to induce railway companies to use the wood 

 of the mangrove (Rkhopliora MangU, L.) for sleepers, but 

 as the mangrove is usually a small tree, it is likely that 

 greater success would attend the introduction of the wood if 

 it could be utilized for i..;;io purpose where timber of smaller 

 dimensions is in demand. Mangrove wood might be used 

 successfully for pit props and other mine timber since the 

 wood is both stronj; and durable; it is, however, heavy, 

 a disadvantage wliere freight is concerned. As the sleepers 

 in question were shipped from West Africa, it might be 

 possible to import a cargo of the smaller-size wood cut to 

 suitable lengths for trial for pit props. The weight of the 

 wood apiiears to range between 48ft). and 65ft). a cubic foot. 

 {Kevj Bulletin of Miscdl'incous Information.) 



