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THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS 



Deceiibek 30, 1916. 





GLEANINGS. 



On December 5 the following products wtie shipped 

 from Dominica by the S. S. 'Spheroid': lime juice, 350 pun- 

 cheons and 103 hogsheads; cacao 350 bags: sugar 173 bags; 

 citrate of lime 44 packages; and 60 boxes of fruit. By the 

 S.S. 'Parima' on December 6, 300 barrels of limes were 

 shipped. 



It is stated in the Journal uf the New York Botanical 

 Gardens for October 1916, that a valuable collection of 

 ferns from the Hawaiian Islands has recently been added to 

 the Garden herbarium. A collection of over 500 specimens 

 of ferns and flowering plants has also been received from 

 various parts of Jlexico. 



Determination to displace German goods in the 

 chemical apparatus trade is shown by the enterprise in sending 

 out displayed samples of filter paper by a leading Maidstone 

 firm in England. The samples are of various kinds, and 

 printed notes are attached as to cost and quality. Hitherto 

 a large amount of chemical apparatus trade has been in the 

 hands of the Teutonic Powers. 



We have been furnished by the Director of the Botanic 

 Station, Seychelles, with a copy of an address delivered before 

 a meeting concerning the culture of Para rubber and the 

 preparation of rubber in that Colony. The address deals 

 with various aspects of the question, such as tapping, coagu- 

 lation, drying, and financial returns, and is a useful summary 

 of the position of rubber cultivation in the Seychelles. 



In the Journal of Agricnltural Research for November 

 6,1916 (Vt)l. VII, No. 6), there is a paper which explains the 

 nature and importance of the grain of tobacco leaf. This 

 grain is a pimply appearance on the leaf caused by distension 

 of the cells owing to the presence of small masses of 

 crystalline substance. It has been found that there is 

 a correlation between tlie grain and burning properties, the 

 mineral substances being injurious in this respect. 



It is .shown in Colonial Reports— \nnna.\, Xo. SS7, on 

 Fiji for 191"), that this Colony does a very considerable trade 

 in bananas with Australia, though during the year under 

 review same loss was occasioned by high winds and a flood. 

 It is believed that a trade in pine apples, mandarins, and 

 sweet potatoes could be more largely developed with Au.stralia 

 and New Zealand. The cultivation of coco-nuts in the 

 Colony continues to grow notwithstanding extraordinary con- 

 ditions which, during the year, have unsettled and restricted 

 the copra market. 



According to Colonial Report.^ — Annual, No. 904, dealing 

 with Ceylon during 1915, there has been a general increase 

 in that Colony in crime against person and property. It is 

 pointed out that the proportion of murders and crime 

 generally to population in Ceylon i.s three times as high as 

 in the neighbouring continental Madras Presidency. In 

 Ceylon a murder is committed every other day. This ia 

 exclusive of the criminal disturbances that occurred during 

 UU."), necessitating the institution for a time of marshal law. 

 It has been found necessary to strengthen the Police Force 

 and increase the number of court sessions. 



According to Colonial Reports — Annual, No. 904, oa 

 Ceylon for 1915, an attempt has been made to supply elemen- 

 tary agricultural instruction by a scheme of school gardens 

 conducted in connexion with government schools. The 

 gardens are under the supervision of tlie Department of 

 Agriculture; there is a Superintendent of School Gardens, 

 who is as.sisted by three inspectors. School gardens number- 

 ing 287 attached to Government schools are worked under 

 this .scheme, and fifty-six grant-in-aid schools receive garden 

 grants. Seeds and implements are supplied by the Depart- 

 ment of Agriculture, and prizes are offered for competition. 



An editorial in the West India Commit'ee Circular for 

 November 16,1916, gives an account of the Ithodes Scholarship 

 Scheme, and draws attention to the fact tliat now those scholar- 

 .ships which were allocated to Germans have been withdrawn, 

 it will make available an extra nulnberfor the British Empire. 

 It is held that the one .scholarship at present allocited to 

 Jamaica cannot be considered adequate recognition for the 

 West Indies, and it is urged that now that changes are to be 

 made, three more should be given to the West Indies for 

 competition in Trinidad and Tobaao, British Guiana, the 

 Windward and Leeward Islands, the Bahamis and British 

 Honduras. A .system of rotation is outlined. 



The action of manganese under acid and neutral soil 

 conditions is the subject of Bulletin No. J/J^l of the United 

 States Department of Agriculture. It appears that the 

 productivity of the soil can be increased by manganese under 

 neutral or slightlj- alkaline conditions. With wheat, rye, 

 timothy, beans, corn and cowpeas, the yields were increased. It 

 is stated that manganese decreases the oxidation in acid soils, 

 which is in harmony with the decreased yield on such soils; 

 but its action in iacroasiui; the oxidation of neutralized soil is 

 in harmony with the increased yield. It is therefore necessary 

 thoroughly to lime soils before adding manganese sulphate, 

 which may then be applied with advantage at the rate of 

 50 lb. per acre. 



The question as to whether cacao shells when fed ;is 

 fodder are poisonous to stock is discussed in Tropical Life for 

 October 1916. Although cases have occurred in which horses 

 have died after consuming rations containing large amount.s 

 of this by-product, there is other evidence to show that this 

 by-product can be consumed in moderate quantities without 

 harmful ofl'ects whatsoever. From a physiological aspect 

 it would appear that the subject requires farther investigation, 

 though, of course, cacao shells being a by-product in the 

 manufacture of cocoa makes it a matter for investigation by 

 the manufacturers themselves. In the same issue of Trofdcal 

 Life the value of cacao shells as manure is pointed out. The 

 subst<ance appears to be of particular value in nursery work. 



