140 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



App,il 27, 1912. 



The work in the Botanic and Experiment stations, 

 St. Kitts, received serious interference during last month. 

 through drouglit. At the Experiment Station, the plots were 

 kept clean, and in the P.otanic Station the plants were main- 

 tnined alive by vi-atering them. Much of the eft'ort during 

 the month was concerned with the important work of cotton 

 peleclion 



GLEANINGS. 



An article in thg Union Gazette of South Africa for 

 January 19, 1912, shows that last year 1,018,630 bags (of 

 200 lb. net) of maize were shipped from British South 

 Africa. The amount in 1910 was 1,7GO,20S bags. 



The distribution of plants from the St. Lucia Botanic 

 Station continues to indicate a maintained interest in lime- 

 growing, for during March it included 1,350 lime plants. 

 There were sent out 1,6G1 plants altogether, of which 300 

 were cacao plants. Seventy-one packets of seeds were also 

 distributed. 



The distribution of plants fn.im the Botanic Station, 

 Dominica, during March last amounted to 1,463, including; 

 limes 1,050, Para rubber 300, cacao 50, nutmegs IS, grafted 

 mangoes 4, miscellaneous 41. The total distribution from 

 this Station during the twelve months ended March 31, 1912, 

 ■was 76,363 plants. 



The Board of Trade Jomnal for M^arch 7, 1912, showed 

 that the number of bales of cotton imported into the United 

 Kingdom, up to the end of February last, was 1,303,714, 

 including 1,518 bales of British Weal Indian, 90 British 

 West African, 5,936 British East African, and 396 liales 

 Foreign East African. 



In connexion with the importation and erection of an oil 

 •engine and mill for the pur))Ose of assisting in the work of 

 of sugar-cane experimentation in Antigua, it is reported 

 that this machinery is now available for use, and that the 

 engine has shown satisfactory behaviour in a trial run con- 

 ducted during last month. 



With reference to Phylloxera, the well-known parasite 

 of the grape vine, it is of interest that in the year 1909, 

 6,120 tons of carbon bisulphide was used, in Hungarj', for 

 the control of this pest. As it is found on the roots as well 

 as on the leaves of the plants, the employment of carbon 

 bisulphide as a measure against it is easily understood. 



Attention is given, in the Experiiiunt Station Record 

 for August 1911, p. 120, to experiments that have been con- 

 ducted for the purpose of observing the rate at which 

 common salt and sodium nitrate travel through soil. It was 

 shown that, even in sand, the rate of travel of the former is 

 very low, while it i.s strongly absorbed liy clay. The rate at 

 which nitrate of soda diffuses through loam soils was found 

 to be much le.ss than is generally assumed, and the trials 

 would indicate that there is little danger of loss of nitrate, 

 in strong soils, during the time that the crop is growing. 



A note in the IJiilletin Af/ricole, Mauritius, for January 

 1912, draws attention to experiments that have been con- 

 ducted in Cuba, which have shown that the yield obtained by 

 using the roots of sweet potatoes for planting is about three 

 and a half times as great as that given when cuttings are 

 emplojed for the same purpose. Similar results have beea 

 olitained in the British West Indies, more definitely in the 

 Leeward Islands and in Barbados. 



It is to be doubted whether the extent of monetary loss 

 cau.sed by parasitic fungi is generally realized. The following 

 figures are, therefore, not without interest. The official esti- 

 mate of the loss due to the attacks of rust on cereals amounts, 

 in Prussia alone, to about £20,000,000. The loss from this 

 cause amounts to about £3,000,000 in the case of wheat, to 

 nearly £9.000.000 in that of rye, and to about £8,000,000 

 in oats. (The Gardeners' Chronicle, February 24, 1912.) 



Twenty-four thousand eggs of the silkworm weigh a quar- 

 ter of an ounce; the worm lives from forty-five to fifty-three 

 days; it increases in weight, in thirty days, 9,500 fold, and 

 during the last twenty- eight days of its life eats nothing. For 

 739 lb. of mulberr}' leaves, 70 lb. of cocoons are obtained; 

 10,000 cocoons give 8i lb. of silk, and 1 lb. of cocoons will 

 produce a single- thread 83,000 fathom.?, or 100 miles, in 

 len£;th. (The Queensland Aaricultural Journal, February 

 19r2.) 



An abstract, in the Journal of the Chemical Sucietp, 1910, 

 page 1106, gives an account of an indicator that is made by 

 placing radish skins in alcohol of 96 per cent, strength, and 

 carefully neutralizing the solution, if necessary', with .semi- 

 normal potassium- hydroxide. The indicator turns green with 

 alkalis, and intensely red with acids. It is claimed to be mora 

 sensitive than methyl orange or phenolphthalein; it resembles 

 the latter, however, in giving an acid reaction with carboa 

 dioxide. 



It is reported from Montserrat that, during March, the 

 destruction of old cotton plants in the island was well ad- 

 vanced, and tha't a large area was ready for the sowing of 

 seed. It is expected that this area will be at least as large 

 as that planted in cotton in 1911. As regards selection and 

 manurial experiments with cotton, Mr. K. P. Penchoen has 

 again kindly placed 2 acres of land, situated at Dagenhani 

 estate, at the disposal of the Agricultural Department, for the 

 carrying on of this work. 



An abstract contained in the Bulle'in of the B^treuu of 

 Aijricultnral Jntelligence and of Plant Diseases for January 

 1912, p. 95, slates that the examination of authentic speci- 

 mens of a plant from the island of Tenos in the C'yclades 

 (Greece) has led it to be considered that they belong to a new 

 species of Trifoliuni, namely T. pilulare, which was re- 

 garded hitherto as being confined to Asia Jlinor. It is 

 supposed that the dispersal of the seed of the plant has beea 

 effected by wind. 



