ii 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



February 3, 1912. 





-^ASSri^ 





The exports of copra from the Philippine Islands amount 

 to more than one cpiarter of the total production in the 

 islands. In 1910, they were 118,500 tons; of this quan- 

 tity the United Kingdom took 4,000 tons, France 75,000 

 and other Kuropean countries 32,000 tons. There is 

 a .steady increase in the demand, and the high prices obtain- 

 able are encouraging the natives to give more attention to 

 the production of copra in the Philippines. 



GLEANINGS. 



Information has been received from Mr. R. F. Parkinson, 

 Honorary Secretary of the Barbados Goat Society, that the 

 first prize of .$10, offered by the Commissioner of Agriculture 

 in Class III at the Society's Show on December 13, w.as won 

 by his goat Chamy. 



A report by H. M. Minister at Panama shows that the 

 exports from the Republic in 1910 reached £364,059; in 

 1909 and 1908 they were £300,495 and £351,427, respec- 

 tively. In 1910 the value of the bananas e.xported was 

 £189,456, and that of rubber £35,127. 



The Proi-etdtngs of the A<iricultmal Societ;/ of Trinidad 

 and Tohago for December 1911, gives the exports of cacao 

 from Trinidad during that month as 3,293,651 lb. It is also 

 shown that the total export of cacao from Trinidad for last 

 year was 46,790,353 lb., as compared with 57,839,074 B). in 

 1910, and 51,575,109 »). in 1909. 



The Board of Trade Jomiidl for November 16, 1911, 

 give.s information showing that, up to September 21, 1911, 

 the exports of rice from Saigon, Indo-China, had reached 

 about 600,000 tons, and that about 40,000 tons remained 

 to be shipped on existing contracts. Further shipments than 

 this are prohibited, on account of the scarcity of rice in the 

 country. 



Diplomatic and Consular Bepoj'ts, No. 4788 Annual 

 Series, dealing with tlie trade and shipping of Cartagena 

 during 1910, shows that the chief exports to the United 

 States were as follows: coffee 5,566 tons, value £161,445; 

 lumber 4,934 tons, valued at £19,781; ivory nuts 2,102 tons, 

 valued at £36,891; sugar 1,221 tons, valued at £14,610; 

 hides 1,092 tons, valued at £89,393; rubber 230 tons, valued 

 at £63,389; cocoa-nuts 983 tons, value £6,356. 



The BulletiH if the Bureau of Ayricidtur,d Intelligence 

 and of Plant Diseases for March 1911 gives an account of 

 experiments for the purpose of comparing the re.sults from 

 the inoculation of soil with nitro-bacterine, with nitragin, 

 and with naturally inoculated soil. Both in a former series, 

 and in the trials under review, the best results were obtained 

 from the use of naturally inoculated soil. 



According to the Tactile Mercuri/, for November 1911, 

 the cotton crop of Aeapulco, Mexico, in 1910, amounted to 

 1,830,831 tt). It was smaller than that of the preceding years, 

 largely on account of the substitution of sesame for cotton in 

 the section. The production of cotton has decreased for some 

 years. The raising of sesame seed on a commercial scale 

 commenced about fifteen years ago. 



The British Acting Vice-Consul at Yokohonia reports, 

 under date November 15, that the loofah crop of Japan this 

 year amounts to 20,000,000 pieces, as compared with an esti- 

 itnated total last year of 13,000,000 pieces. A stock of 

 2,000,000 pieces remains over from last year. Owing partly 

 to increased production and partly to the bad quality of the 

 loofas grown, the prices, so far, are considerably lower than 

 those paid last year. The market caimot yet be regarded as 

 being in anything like a settled condition. (The Board of 

 7Varfe 7"o«/-na/, December 28, 1911.) . 



A report of a tour made by the Chief Forestry Officer, 

 Uganda, for the purpose of inspecting the principal estates 

 in the Chagwe District is contained in the Official Gazette 

 for November 30, 1911. The Inspector expresses himself as 

 having been favourably impressed with the growth of Hevea 

 lirasiliensis on most of the estates, saying that this compares 

 very favourably with the development attained by the tree in 

 the Federated Malay States. He utters a warning, however, 

 against the practice of interplanting; such crops as Ceara rub 

 ber, coffee, cacao and chillies having been employed in this 

 connexion. 



Th^ Ceylon Administration Reports, 1910-11, Part IV, 

 contains information concerning school gardens, given by the 

 Superintendent. According to this, the number of school 

 gardens in the island has increased from 224, in the previous 

 year, to 246. It seems that some of the best progress is being 

 made in the Tamil districts, where the schoolboys are described 

 as born agriculturists. Regret is expressed that, generally, 

 sufficient emphasis has not been placed on the educational 

 value of the gardens, in the past; but it is intended that defi- 

 nite arrangements shall be adopted for: 'bringing the garden 

 into closer touch with the routine work of the school.' 



In the Scotsman for December 26, 1911, it is stated that 

 H M. Legation at Copenhagen reports that a discussion has 

 been taking place in the 1 >anish press as to the future of the 

 Islands of St Thomas and St. Croi.x, in connexion with the 

 Panama Canal. The statement is further made that a light- 

 house is to be erected on the north-west point of St. Croix, 

 and that a thorough survey is being made of the waters 

 round St. Thomas, while the harbour is being deepened to 

 30-32 feet in places where a greater depth is necessary. 

 The need is expressed for the acquirement of an adequate 

 floating dock, a wirele.ss telegraph station and ample rcpiiiring 

 facilities for shiiis and engines. 



Information has been obtained by the Board of Trade, 

 from H. M. Trade Commissioner for Australia, concerning 

 the production of ramie fibre in the States where it is grown, 

 namely New South Wales and Queensland, the details having 

 been furnished in the first instance by the Agricultural 

 De[)artments of those States. In the first mentioned State 

 the crop has only been raised on an experimental scale, not- 

 withstanding the fact that the Commonwealth Government 

 encourages fibre-growing by granting a bonus of 10 to 20 

 per cent, on its market value. The growing of ramie has 

 existed in Queensland for several years, but not to any 

 extent, chiefly because of the fact that no satisfactory method 

 of decortication, M-here labour is dear, has been devised. 



