372 



THE AGKiCULTUKAL NEWS. 



November 23, 1912. 



FRUITS AND FRUIT TREES. 



LIME CULTIVATION IN MARTINIQUE. 



Page 196 of the last volume of the Aijricultund News 

 contained information regarding lime cultivation in 

 Martinique, and an opportunity to add to this has arisen 

 through the publication, in answer to an enquiry; of a letter 

 from the President of the Chamber of Commerce of that 

 island, in U Expansion Coloniale for October 1912. 



The letter states that the cultivati'U of the lime in 

 Martinique is little developed, so far, although numerous 

 plants exist in the Colony. It may be asserted that there is 

 no small holding in the country districts that does not 

 possess one or more plants near the house, and the total crop 

 from these might be reckoned at over 3,000,000 Bb., having 

 a value of a figure approaching £2-5,000. Actually, some of 

 these fruits are used for household consumption, and the rest 

 have been lost so far. 



The Chamber of Commerce has paid attention to 

 the possibility of recovering part of the wasted fruit, but 

 success in this direction is not expected. The idea has been 

 useful, however, in that the owner of a recently planted lime 

 cultivation proposes to buy fruit from this source until his 

 own trees are in bearing. This planter intends to manu- 

 facture citrate of lime. 



It is thought that this good beginning will certainly 

 draw attention in Martinique to the profits that may be made 

 out of the lime, and there exists the probability that the 

 example will be followed and that small citrate factories will 

 be established in different parts of the island. 



As is indicated above, however, the actual value of the 

 production is small, but it is hoped that the situation will 

 change. It was pointed out in the article mentioned, in the 

 Agrieultural News, that trials of lime cultivation have been 

 made during the past two or three years, and the latter states 

 that in this time several proprietors have commenced lime- 

 growing on areas estimated at about 250 acres. 



The letter concludes by prophesying an extension of the 

 cultivation in Martinique, in one case under the auspices of 

 a French company, provided that the present prices for lime 

 products are maintained: and points out that areas of land 

 exist in the island that are specially suitable for the grooving 

 of limes. 



SOME INTlilRESTING PLANTS IN 



DOMINICA. 



The following notes on three interesting plants 

 growing in the Dominica Botanic gardens have been 

 s-nt by Mr-. J. Jones, the Curator: — 



RAPHi.\ viNiFEEA. In September 1893, the Domini- 

 ca Botanic Gardens received from the Director, Royal 

 Gardens, Kew, 200 seeds of Raphia vinifera, the Wine Palm 

 of Lagos. A considerable number of plants was raised and 

 distributed, and an avenue was formed in the Botanic Gardens 

 of plants of this species. During the course of years these 

 have developed into medium-sized palms, having leaves of 

 from 6 to 8 feet or more in length with spiny leaflets. The 

 largest specimens have recently fruited. Their large spadices 

 with imbricated shining fruits have attracted a good deal of 

 attention. 



Raphia nnifera, also known as the Bamboo Palm, is 

 very common on thf^ low lying lands of Lagos. The stem, 

 leaves and fruit are used for many purposes by the natives of 

 that region, and it is also the source of African bass fibre. 



coLviLLE.\ K.ACEMOS.^. This plant, which is an interest- 

 ing ornamental tree of Madagascar, is now in flower in the 

 Dominica Botanic Gardens for the first time. It belongs to 

 the Natural Order Leguminosae and its genus is nearly related 

 to the genus Caesalpinia. The 'Treasury of Botany records: 

 'C. racemosa is a beautiful tree which attains a height of 40 

 or .50 feet and is furnished with elegant fern-like leaves. The 

 beautiful scarlet flowers are in dense racemes which arise 

 from the axils of the upper leaves, and are either simple or 

 branched, and about a foot and a half in length. The pod is 

 straight, about 6 inches long, containing a number of seeds. 

 The genus bears the name of Sir Charles Colville, once 

 Governor of the Mauritius." 



.MKLOC.^NNA BAMBUsoiDES The Superintendent of the 

 Royal Botanic Gardens, Calcutta, recently presented to the 

 Dominica Botanic Gardens five .seeds of Melomiuia hambu- 

 soides, of which two germinated and are growing well. 



In the Dicliom-.ry of the. Economic Products of India 

 this species is described as: 'a tall bamboo with stem from 

 50 to 70 feet long and from 12 to 13 inches in girth. It is 

 the common gregarious bamboo of the Chittagong hills. The 

 fi lit is large, pear-shaped, 3 to o inches long and edible.' 



