Vol. X. No. 229. 



THE AGRICULTURAL. NEWS. 



3Q 



agrees with him, and what does not. 



'Mouldy or damaged or inferior cotton seed meal should 

 be avoided, because it may cause sickness. 



'Only experience and experiments can tell us the part 

 which cotton seed meal should play in nutrition, and under 

 what conditions it may prove unwholesome.' 



For purposes of comparison the following details 

 of the composition of ordinary wheaten flour and 

 bread, taken from Church's Food, ai-e given here: — 



Ordinary flour, Ordinary bread, 



per cent. per cent. 



Water 13 Ui 



Albuminoids 10"5 lO'-i: 



Fat 0-8 0-3 



Sugars and starches 74'o 42'7 



Fibre O'T 1-7 



A.sh 0'7 1-5 



THE WORK OF THE AGRICULTURAL 

 DEPARTMENT IN GRENADA. 



A copy ot a progress report on the Agricultural Depart- 

 ment, Grenada, for the quarter September to November, 

 1910, has been received from Mr. G. G. Auchinleck, B.Sc, 

 Superintendent of Agriculture. This was laid before the 

 Grenada Agricultural Board at a meeting held on December 

 14, 1910, and adopted. It is of all the greater interest, as 

 it is the first report of the kind to be made in accordance 

 with the instructions issued by the Board at a meeting on 

 September 9, last. 



^luch of the work has l)een concerned with the fitting 

 up of the laboratory for various agricultural investigations. 

 These have included the physical analysis of soils, analyses 

 of pen manure, and the examination of sam[)les of lime juice. 

 An interesting result, in connexion with the last-mentioned 

 matter, is that it has been found that the yield of juice, and 

 its acidity, is greater from thin-skinned lime fruits than from 

 those with thick skins. Other analytical work has included 

 the examination of samples of drinking water. 



A large number of plant specimens have been subjected 

 to microscopic examination, mainly in connexion with fungus 

 diseases and scale insects. 



Among the more important reports that have been 

 issued by the Department are included that on a Prize- 

 holdings Competition in Carriacou (see A(jricultiiral Neips, 

 Vol. IX, p. 391), a General Agricultural lleport on that 

 island, a Keport on the L'arriacou Lime Industry, and the 

 Annual Report, for 1910, on the Botanic Station and Agri- 

 cultural Instruction. 



Candidates have offered themselves in all stages of the 

 examination in connexion with the Courses of Reading of the 

 Department. The numbers of these were as follows: Prelim- 

 inary two, and the same number in the Intermediate and 

 Final stages. 



The work of the Superintendent of Agriculture has 

 included several visits to the country districts, in furtherance 

 of the serving of the needs of planters who are not resident 

 near St. George's. 



An area near the Botanic Station, known as the Spout 

 Lands, has been handed over to the Department for the pur- 

 pose of extending that station. Although the fertility of 

 the soil in this area is not great, the accjuisition of these 

 lands should add to the usefulness and attractiveness of the 

 station. Another increase of area has been an extension of 

 the northern boundaries of the gardens; this will give more 



room for the carrying out of experiments with economic 

 plants. 



Among the definite experiments that have been under- 

 taken are those in the hybridization of cotton varieties. Trials 

 have also been made for the purpose of gaining information 

 in regard to the germination of Hevea seed. Another matter 

 of interest has been a practical enquiry as to the possibility 

 of growing green dressings under the shade of cacao. This 

 has not yet been concluded; the results are negative, so far. 



Among the planes that have been tried or established are 

 alfalfa, varieties of pine-apples, onions, the Bambarra ground 

 nut {VQandzeia sul/terrane(f), the Guayule rubber plant (Par- 

 tlienium argentafum). Soy bean {Glycine liixpida), the Perini 

 fibre plant {Hibiscus radiatus), and one or two varieties 

 of pasuire grasses. 



The question of making .Jippi-jappa hats was recently 

 brought before the Economics Committee, and since this 

 a great deal of interest has been evinced in the matter. The 

 result has been that 500 roots of the plant used for making 

 the hat {Carliixlooicajamaicensis) have lieen ordered from 

 .Jamaica, and are expected to Ije available shortly for planting. 



The Officers of the Department in Grenada have, during 

 the tinie under report, kept in touch with the Agricultural 

 Society, and have attended its meetings regularly. 



'TROPICAL LIFE' PRIZE ESSAY. 



Particulars regarding the essay competition in 

 connexion with cacao fermentation and drying, organiz- 

 ed by Tropical Life, were given in the Agricidtural 

 News, Vol. VIII, pp. 204, 220 and 237. In connexion 

 with this, the following announcement, contained in 

 Tropical Life for December 1910, is of interest: — 



It has been found desirable, owing tn unforeseen 

 circumstances, to postpone the final date for the reception of 

 essays on the above subject, as it is absolutely necessary that 

 the requirements laid down in connexion with the oft'er of 

 a prize be fulfilled. In fairness to the firms subscribing 

 towards the prize, the position will be carefully considered, 

 and when the points in question are settled, the particular.'^, 

 etc., as to the date fi.ved upon will be announced. 



The following gives full details of the subject on which 

 the essay is to be written. Papers sent in, therefore, must 

 be able to treat the matter from a scientific as well as from 

 a practical point of view, as the main object. i.s, as stated, to 

 obtain exact particulars of the biological as well as the 

 chemical changes that take place in the bean during the 

 process of fermentation. 



The es.say should record precisely and in full detail the 

 changes resulting from the processes of fermentation and 

 drying that take place in the liean from maturity in the pod 

 to the time of putting the cured beans into bags for market. 

 Biological as well as chemical changes should be noted. The 

 action of maximum, minimum and optinuim temperatures, and 

 of checks producing ditterences of times in the fermentation 

 and drying processes should be noted for every stage. The 

 differences due to such variations on the resultant cured bean 

 should be clearly traced. The possibility should be discussed 

 of producing at will by such variations, and independently of 

 the natural character of the bean, varieties of taste and of 

 colour, both internal and external, so as to simulate the 

 different kinds of cacao known on the market. Alterations 

 that might be made in ordinary methods so as to improve the 

 quality of the cacao should be explained. Waste product.s 

 should be considered, and their potential value indicated. 



