Vol. IV. No. 9.5. 



THE AGR [CULTURAL NEWS. 



377 



Coffee Market. 



Attention is ilrawn in the October issue of the 

 Bulletin of the Department of Agricidture, Jamaica, 

 to the fact that the rate of exchange with Brazil has 

 gone up in nine months from 12[?. to 17(?. per mih-eis. 

 This will have the effect of increasing the cost, reckoned 

 in sterling, of growing coffee in Brazil, and therefore 

 tend to reduce production. Consequently, higher prices 

 may be expected for coffee in the world's markets. 



The increased consumption of coffee and a diminu- 

 tion of supplies from South America are likely to 

 combine to bring about a better outlook for coffee in 

 the course of a few years. By this improvement 

 Jamaica planters might profit if they were to extend 

 the area in coftee cultivation ; for coffee planted now 

 would come into bearing in about four or five years. 



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Cultivation and Curing of Tobacco. 



The most recent addition to the pamphlet series 

 issued by the Imperial Department of Agricidture is 

 a pamphlet on the Cultivation and Curing of Tobacco, 

 which has been published with the view of generally 

 encouraging the cultivation of this product in the 

 West Indies. It is mainly based on information 

 originally published in the Bulletin <f the Department 

 of Af/i'iculture, Jamaica. 



Tobacco cultivation is one of the most promising 

 industries in Jamaica. For some years a useful series 

 of experiments in tobacco production has been carried 

 on at the Hope Experiment Station, and these notes 

 are a record of some of the experiences gained thereby. 

 They form a simple and reliable guide to the various 

 details of tobacco growing and curing. 



A section of this pamphlet is devoted to the 

 cultivation under shade of Sumatra tobacco for cigar 

 wrappers, which appears to offer prospects of a fairly 

 remunerative character. 



Jamaica Tobacco for the Navy. 



In a letter addressed to the.Under-Secretary of State 

 for the Colonies, dated October 21, 190-5, the Secretary 

 to the Admiralty states that, with the assistance of 

 Mr. F. V. Chalmers, the Admiralty obtained a supply 

 (1,-508 lb.) of leaf tobacco from Jamaica, for trial in the 

 Navy; but, as it transpired that this tobacco by itself 

 was not suitable for pipe smoking, and that there is 

 not, at the present time, any colonial -grown tobacco 

 suitable for blending with it, arrangements were made 

 for it to be blended and manufactured with a quantity of 

 Virginian-grown tobacco, the proportion being 1,.508 tb. 

 of Jamaican to .5,07-5 if), of Virginian. This preparation 

 is now undergoing trial in the fleet, and the results of 

 the experiment will be communicated in due course. 



It is hoped that, should this preparation meet 

 ■with the approval of the sailors, a great impetus will 

 be given to tobacco growing in the West Indies. 



Every effort will have to be made to see that 

 a regular and constant supply be forthcoming to meet 

 the demand that would arise from this source. This 

 is a matter to which the most careful attention must 

 be paid both by growers and merchants in order to 

 establish the industry on right lines. 



Fuzziness of Sea Island Cotton Seed. 



In an interesting report on the above subject, the 

 Agricultural Superintendent at St. Vincent mentions 

 that, in dealing with upwards of 32,000 lb. of Sea 

 Island cotton seed, considerable variation in fuzziness 

 was noticed in the seed from difterent estates, all of 

 which were supplied with, and grew, only Rivers' seed. 



Mr. Sands expresses the opinion that this fuzziness 

 is decided, more or les=i, by local climatic conditions. 

 This is a point upon which the interchange of seed 

 within the island is likely to afford useful information. 



It is important to observe that the price of the 

 lint was not affected by the fuzziness of the seed from 

 which it was obtained, the lint from all the estates 

 mentioned in the report realizing lid. to 18J. per lb. 



I M — »-^— 



Exports of the Philippines. 



According to the Consular Report on the 

 Philippine Islands for 1904, the total quantity of 

 Manila hemp exported during the year was 121,6-37 

 tons, valued at £-4.,183,835. There has been a large 

 increase in the production of hemp in recent years, but 

 this is apparently attributed to the unsettled state of 

 the islands (the natives neglecting rice cultivation for 

 hemp stripping), and is not likely to continue. 



Sugar has shown a steady decline for the past 

 three years. The exports of leaf tobacco have remained 

 fairly steady: the total quantity exported during 1904 

 was 18,640,612 lb., of the value of £197,904. The value 

 of manufactured tobacco exported was £203,846. 



The copra trade has steadil}' increased, while that 

 of coffee has practically disappeared, and it is not 

 likely that coffee cultivation will again be taken up 

 until some means have been found of controlling insect 

 and fungoid pests. 



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Pine-apple Juice. 



The Imperial Commissioner of Agriculture having 

 received a request for directions as to the preparation 

 of pine-ajiple juice, an endeavour has been made to 

 obtain some information on this point. There do not 

 appear to be any records of actual experiments having 

 been made for the purpose of ascertaining the best 

 method of extracting and preserving the juice, nor of 

 attempts to place the juice upon the market. 



Dr. Cousins writes that attempts were made in 

 Jamaica, but apparentl}- with little success, to start 

 a trade in sliced pine-apples and in pulp. The former 

 were preserved in a solution of sodium bisulphite. He 

 suggests thatthe juice might be extracted by pressing 

 slices of pine-apples in a cider press. The addition of 

 a little calcium bisulphite (i per cent.) would serve 

 to preserve the juice for shipment. 



In a communication on the same subject, 

 Dr. Watts points out that sterilizing by heating would 

 not be satisfactory, as the flavour of the pine-apple 

 would be lost. The use of salicylic acid might be 

 suggested, but this is objected to by health authorities. 

 Sulphurous acid or sulphite of soda might be tried, 

 but its success is doubtful as its flavour is objectionable 

 if freely used. 



