Vol. XI. No. 271. 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



303 



colour' and the camphor oil was pale-yellow. N^o corrosion 

 took place during three months' use, and the joints, which 

 ■were soldered, showed no signs of leakage. The matters 

 thus described are of importance, as they show the way in 

 which one of the chief ditticulties connected with the distilla- 

 tion process, namely that of condensation, was solved. 



In the trials with the metal condenser, 5,338 lb. of 

 iprunings were used ; these gave, as a result of several distil- 

 lation.s, a total yield of camphor and oils weighing 34 ^'l ft)., 

 <jr 066 per cent, on the weight of the original material. 



Several other matters of importance are included in the 

 ■JBulletin, which is usefully illustrated to show the construc- 

 tion of the apparatus employed for distillation on a com- 

 oiiercial scale. 



AGRICULTURE IN PORTO RICO, 1911. 



Conditions were generally favourable. The acreage 

 ■under cultivation has been extended, and greater attention 

 is now given to methods, under the instruction of the 

 •experimental station at Rio Piedras. Gradually the old 

 ■plough drawn by oxen is being replaced by the steam plough, 

 {preference l)eing given to Briti.sh make. 



The acreage under cultivation in 1911 was as follows: — 



Total 1,989,-504 

 The following details are available concerning the live 

 •stock in the island: — 



Cattle 171,880 



Horses 34,171 



Mules 2,717 



Pigs 3,948 



Sheep 2,644 



Total 



21.5,360 



suoAK. The exports of sugar during the year amounted 

 to 323,000 tons, showing an advance of 13 percent, over 

 last year. The external sales aggregated 5,109,000, being an 

 approximate average of £15 IG*. per ton. 



coFKKE. The quantity shipped was not so great as in 

 1910, but the value was greater and netted about £1,042,000. 



niGAKS. This year's shipments reached 174,000,000, 



■ iind about 102,000,000 were placed in the local market. 



Less than 25 per cent, of the tobacco produced is shipped in 



3eaf. The total value of this industry amounted to 



. XI, 468,000. 



FRUITS. Oranges, pine-apple.s and grape fruit are now 

 -staples in the market. The total value of shipments in 

 1911 reached £417,000. 



Coco-nuts thriving nicely in sandy soil near the sea are 

 eaot in the way of any other plant. They are receiving 

 -more attentif)n every year. This year they contributed 

 JB52,000 to the income of the island. (From Diploniatic 

 '2:nd Consular Reports, No. 4894 Annual Series, .June 1912.) 



A NEARLY SEEDLESS MANGO. 



The following account of an almost .seedless m-dtigo 

 that has been given the name Oahu is contained in the 

 Annual Report of the Hawaii Agricultural Experiment) 

 Station fcr 1911, issued in April last: — 



HISTORY. A seedling tree about six or seven years of age 

 bore fruit this year, and its characteristics have given justifi- 

 cation for naming it Oahu. It is probably a cross between 

 the Hawaiian sweet mango and the Crescent. Although the 

 husk is present, the seed presents an undeveloped condition 

 with often just the seed coat present. About 75 per cent, of 

 this year's crop has had no viable seed. 



The Oahu is valuable as a large, fine-appearing fruit of 

 good quality. Its nearly seedless condition makes a thin husk 

 with a large proportion of flesh. No mango weevil {Cri/o- 

 lorhynclixis iiianfjirerae) has been found within these mangoes, 

 and it will be interesting to note what may be the result of 

 the attack of this insect on a fruit which contains no seed 

 upon which its larva may feed. The Oahu is also worthy of 

 propagation as a basis for breeding toward complete seedless- 

 ness. 



DEsii'.ii'TioN. Form oblong, heavily shouldered at the 

 cavity end and tampering toward the apical end; size large, 

 averaging in weight from 10 to 15 oz.; cavity shallow, flaring, 

 irregular: stem slender: apex- variable, ranging from a paint 

 to a depression: surface moderately smooth and undulating: 

 colour pale-yi'Uow with a reddish blush on the exposed side; 

 dots numerous, small, yellow, depressed; bloom bluish-white, 

 moderately abundant; skin moderately thick, tough, very 

 tenacious; flesh thick, bright-yellow, juicy, with an abundance 

 of fibre; seed dried up or represented by just the seed coat; 

 flavour rich, moderately sweet, quality good. Season .Juno 

 to August at Honolulu, Hawaii. 



This tree is of the average height and presents a broad, 

 spreading habit. 



The Cliocho in Mexico.— The following note on 

 the chocho, christophine, or chayote (see Aijrtrultm-al Xews, 

 Vol. XI, p. 203) as it is called in Mexico, appears in the 

 Journal of ihe Royal Soiieiy of Arts for August 9, 1912; 

 what is referred to there as a tuber is really a swollen root: — - 



'Thechiuchayote is the tuber of a gourd-like plant, grown 

 in the State of Ouadalajara, whose botanical name is ■Serh/.u/ic 

 edulf. The year-old tubers are boiled and candied and are 

 sold by street vendors, being very popular among labourers 

 and children. The larger two-year-old tubers are sliced and 

 fried for table use. The tubers yield an excellent starch, 

 similar to arrowroot or sago. Above ground the chinchayole 

 is similar to a gourd plant, with a smaller leaf, and the flower 

 develops into a bulbous fruit covered with prickly spines 

 called the chayote. The tubers are the part known as the 

 chinchayote, and these resemble a sweet potato in shape, the 

 colour under the skin being white. Hach plant produces ten 

 to thirty tubers, having a total weight of 5 to 30 lb., varying 

 with age, as some plants are allowed to grow for two years, 

 producing larger and more numerous tubers. For cultivatiou 

 the chayotes are sprouted in a moist place, and then planted 

 sometimes three plants together. The planting season, 

 according to the American Consul at ' iuadalajara, is from 

 February to April and the plant requires little attentioa 

 thereafter. The chayotes or fruits are gathered in September 

 or October, and the chinchayotes or tubers mature frorts 

 October to December, being taken up when they reach tht 

 desired size. The shrubs are planted 7 to 10 feet apart, 

 loose .soil that has been used for other crops being the best..' 



