252 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS, 



August 3, 1912. 



1 luring their recent visit to St Kitts, in June, the 

 Entomologist and Mycologist of the Department addressed 

 a meeting of the Agricultural and Commercial Society of 

 that island on the subject of sugar-cane pests and diseases. 

 It is reported that the visit of these officers has proved to be 

 of great use in directing the attention of planters in St Kitt- 

 to pest,s and diseases in general. 



GLEANINGS. 



Official returns show that the amount of rubber e.xported 

 from Ceylon during the nine months July to March 1911-12 

 ■was 7,961,778 K). The quantity for the preceding similar 

 period was 4,201,232 lb. For March 1912 the shipments 

 amounted to 1,012,107 lb. as compared with GO-l.OlG lb. in 

 March 1911. 



A table in Dij'lomatic and L'onstdar Rrjiorts, No, -1874 

 Annual Series, shows that the value of the chief exports from 

 St, Michael's, Azores, during 1911, was as follows: pine- 

 apoles £120,015. sugar £89,000, beans £67,793, maize 

 £ii"fi,869, alcohol £30,823, tobacco and cigars £13,091. 



Information concerning the work of the St. Vincent 

 Agricultural Department during June last contains the 

 interesting fact that thirty 65). lots of cotton seed from 

 plants showing a considerable amount of resistance to angular 

 spot were sent out to estates and to certain small land owners, 

 for trials in separate plots. 



An account of agricultural work received from the 

 Virgin Islands shows that, during June, His Honour the 

 Commissioner paid a visit to Jost van l)ykes and gave an 

 address at a meeting of small holders. An address was also 

 given on the occassion by the Agricultural Instructor, who 

 had accompanied Hia Honour, 



From the Proceedings of the Aariadtural artd Commer- 

 ■■Lal Society of Trinidad and Tobago for May 1912, it is 

 gathered that the total shipments of cacao from Trinidad for 

 the month amounted to 2,404,239 ft. During the previous 

 four months there were shipped 30,702,105 lb,, making 

 3, total for the year, to the end of Maj-, of 33,106,344 fc. of 

 cacao. 



The Government Gazette of the Federated Malay States 

 for April 1912, publishes a table showing that the exports of 

 rubber during the first three months of the present year 

 imounted to 8,535,926 ft., as compared with 4,736,233 ft, in 

 the similar period of 1911, The shipments in March 1912 

 were 3,JS9,583 %.; in March 1911 they were 1,916,219 ft. 



A report on the trade of Korea during 1911 has been 

 drawn up by H,M, Consul-General at Seoul, which shows 

 that satisfactory progress is being made with cotton-growinsr 

 in that country, and that there is every indication that it 

 will increase. Estimates of the area under cultivation and 

 the output during 1911 give these as 125,000 acres and 

 33,940,000 lb. This indicates rapid increase, for the shi[>- 

 ments in 1910 were 17,333,000 Iti. 



In Tm hoard of Trade Journa! for June 6, 1912, it is 

 stated that, according to official statistics published recently, 

 i,he total area under sugar beet in Russia for the present year 

 is 1,719,268 acres; this is a decrease of 59,861 acres from 

 Ihe area of 1911, In this year, 548,100 acres is owned by 

 lactories — an increase on the area held in this way during 

 last .sea,.son. 



An announcement in Tropical Life for June 1912 show a 

 that the prize of £50, offered jointly by Messrs. J. H. 

 de Bussy of Amsterdam, by the leading cacao manufacturers 

 in England, Germany and America, and by that paper itself, 

 for the best essay oa the fermentation of cacao, has beea 

 awarded for the essay, written in collaboration, by Mr. G. S. 

 Hudson and Dr. Lucius Nicholls of St, Lucia, No second 

 prize was awarded, on account of the absence of scientific 

 details from the other essays. 



According to the LTgaiida Offidal Ga-^eile for !May 1-5, 

 1912, the amount of ginned cotton exported in the period 

 April 1, 1911 to March 31, 1912 was 2,963 tons valued at 

 £184,638; the unginned cotton shipped during the same- 

 period was 2,105 tons value £42,755. The similar amounts 

 and values for the previous like period in 1910-11 were 

 1,634 tons and £120,664, and 2,513 tons and £44,748. 

 For the purpose of calculation, the percentage of lint may be 

 taken as 33 3, 



A useful hint in connexion with the taking of megasa 

 samiiles is given in the American Sugar Industri/ for June 

 1912, This is to the effect that the addition of 15 or 20 c,c. 

 of formaldehyde solution, shaken u[) in the cans containing 

 the megass about one and a half to two hours after com- 

 mencing the sampling, will prevent fermentation of any kind. 

 Any subsequent samples thrown into the tin remain in an 

 atmosphere containing formaldehyde vapours, which prevent 

 bacterial action. 



The Froceecli.ngi of the Ariricult tiral Society of Ti itiv- 

 dad and Tol'ago for June 1912 makes mention of a shipment 

 of palms supplied by the Trinidad Botanical Department, 

 which reached Sweden, by parcel post, in good order. The 

 method of packing was devised by Mr, H, Ciracciolo of the 

 St, Josephs nurseries, Trinidad, The result was obtained 

 by using a specially made crate, in which the plants were 

 placed vnth the mots washed clean and covered with slightly 

 damped moss, and then wrapped in oiled paper. The crate 

 itself waa coverel with oiled paper and then with light 

 can vas. 



