Vol. X. No. 227. 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



a definite change in a single character and continues to 

 resemble the parent variety in all other respects. Plants 

 that are going to produce liolls, or seeds, or lint, different 

 from those of the parent variety usually give notice well in 

 advance by changes in the external vegetative characters, as 

 well as in those of the fruit and seed. 



Some of the most injurious variations are the easiest to 

 throw out early in the seuson, if attention be given to the 

 external characters. Peculiarities of individual plants that 

 may appear to have no importance in themselves become 

 very significant for purposes of selection. 



SELECTION BY CH.^EACTERS OF STALKS AND LEAVES. YoUng 



plants of a well-selected, uniform variety, growing under the 

 same conditions, follow very closely the same course 

 of development. They have the same kind of leaves; 

 the joints of the stalks are of the same length; and the 

 branches develop at about the same rate and at the same 

 height above the ground. A definite dift'erence in any of these 

 features is warrant for suspecting a plant and giving it closer 

 examination. Another useful mark of distinction may be 

 found in the hairs of the leaves, or those of the leaf stems 

 and the branches. A difference in the habit of growth or in the 

 length of the joints is very likely to be accompanied by 

 a diflference in the amount of hairiness. 



The habits of branching have a very direct relation to 

 the earliness of the crop. The main stalk of the cotton plant 

 puts out two different kinds of branches. From the base of 

 the stalk come the vegetative branches, or 'wood-limbs', and 

 above these the true fruiting branche.s that bear the bolls. 

 The vegetative branches do not bear any bolls of their own; 

 but put forth fruiting branches like those of the main stem, 

 though shorter and of later development. Plants that grow 

 too rank and produce too many of the vegetative branches 

 cannot begin to put on their crop as soon as smaller plants 

 that produce fruiting branches closer to the ground. Even 

 for cultural reasons, it would be good policy to pull out any 

 unusually tall, rank-growing plants that do not begin to bear 

 early in the .season, if only to give better conditions for 

 neighbouring plants that have begun to set their crop. 



As has been stated, further information in connex- 

 ion with the subject will be given in the next number 

 of the Agrifiiltwral News. 



The -seed in all three sections germinated well, and con- 

 tinued to grow evenly. The following taljle gives the results 

 obtained: — 



TRIALS V/ITH GREEN DRESSINGS IN 

 DOMINICA. 



The following account of triuls that have been 

 made recently in Dominica, has been received from 

 Mr. A. J. Brooks, Officer in-charge at the Agricultural 

 School: — 



At the Agricultural School, the horse bean {Canavalia 

 ensiformis) is generally grown for the purpose of green 

 manuring, as this plant has given the best results, of all the 

 plants previously tried at the school. 



Seeds of two varieties of Vrofalaria verrucosa and 

 C. striata were recently received from Trinidad, through 

 Dr. H. A. A. Nicholls, C.M.G., for the purpose of testing 

 their suitaViility for green manuring. 



A plot of land was divided into three equal sections for 

 the trial; the first section was sown with horse beans, the 

 second with C. iierrucosa, and the third with C. striata. 



4.3 days 78 days 



24 inches 

 16 „ 

 12 „ 



30] tons 

 6, 



IGi tons 



■"50 



Crotalaria 

 striata. 



158 days 



84 inches 

 48 

 6 „ 

 3.5 /„ tons 



Canavalia Crotalaria 

 ensiformis. verrucosa. 

 Time taken to ) 



flower ) 



Height 1 3 inches 



Lateral spread 19 ,, 



Length of tap root 6 ,, 

 Yield of green ) 



manure per acre J 

 Yield when dried \ ,-, -j 



per acre J ^-« " 



From the tabulated results of this trial, it will be seen 

 that the Crotalaria varieties gave much better returns than 

 the horse beans. The horse bean plant is, however, a quick- 

 er grower and soon covers the ground. C. striata grew to 

 an average height of 7 feet, and although it gave a greater 

 return of fresh green manure, when dried slowly in the 

 shade it gave the same yield as C. verrucosa. The last 

 variety is, in the opinion of the writer, much more suitable for 

 green dressing purposes, as it is a much mure compact variety 

 and bears numerous small leaves. As the tap root is twice as 

 long as that of C. striata and of C. ensiformis, it opens the 

 soil more thoroughly. 



C. striata produces long, tough stems, but very few 

 leaves, and in consequence takes a much longer time to 

 decay than either of the other plants tried. 



Yerba Mate, or Paraguay Tea. — Yerba mate, or 

 Paraguay tea, is the daily househokl beverage of the masses 

 of Paraguay, and it is consumed to a great extent also in 

 Brazil and Argentina. It has been introduced into Europe, 

 where its use is increasing. This tea is the product of 

 a plant belonging to the species Ilex, an evergreen shrub or 

 small tree, well known in western Europe. The leaves of 

 this plant are carefully toasted near the place where they 

 are gathered, all the skill required in producing the tea being 

 applied in the process of toasting. This is necessary in order 

 to dry the leaves thoroughly and evenly, without scorching 

 or affecting their flavour liy smoke. After toasting, the 

 leaves are sent to the niill, where they are ground to fine 

 powder and packed solidly into bags for market. According 

 to the United States Consul at Asuncion, the tea is prepared 

 for drinking in Paraguay in the same manner as ordinary tea, 

 and may be taken with sugar, cream, lemon or brandy. 

 The universal manner of drinking it is by sucking it through 

 bombillas from mate cups. A bombilla is a tube, which may 

 be of the simplicity of a mere pipe stem, or an elaborately 

 decorated silver or silver-mounted work of art. Mate cups 

 vary in style from a simple little gourd to interesting speci- 

 mens of local craftsmanship in silver. It is the custom to 

 use a single mate cup, with its one bombilla, for an entire 

 household, including all the visitors who may happen to be 

 present, among whom it is passed like a pipe of peace. To 

 refuse to partake would be a breach of etiquette. As an 

 article of commerce, Yerba mate has steadily increased in 

 importance, until it has become one of the leading exports of 

 Paraguay, ranking fourth in value in 1909, when the exports 

 amounted to £110,000. In .July 1910, the entire product of 

 the country for the year had been sold. (.Tournal of the 

 Roijal Society of Arts, November 25, 1910.) 



