Vol. X. No. 23.5 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS, 



14S 



the cutting. The effect of sunlight in killing the spores 

 which is made use of in this instance has been referred to 

 above. 



A similar disease was reported by W. V. Tower from 

 Porto lUco in 1906, in the Annual lieport of the Experiment 

 Station of that island. 



LEAF SPOT. Spots varying considerably in size and 

 shape were found to occur on the leaves of the pineapple. 

 In typical instances, the spots consist of a straw-coloured 

 central area surrounded by a dark margin A black central 

 portion may occur within the straw-coloured area, or 

 scattered black blotches may be found; Ijoth of the appear- 

 ances are due to the formation of the macrospores of 

 Thielaviopsls parado.ia. Sometimes, long white arms extend 

 from the black border, at others the spots are white or straw- 

 coloured throughout. The internal tis.sue is soft and decayed 

 at first, but .soon dries and leaves the injured area dry and 

 sunken. 



The fungus gains an entry through wounds in the sur- 

 face. These may be due either to grasshoppers, which feed 

 on the leave.s, or to the eft'ect of the spines and edges of other 

 leaves. The punctures made by a scale insect (Dianpis 

 bromeliaf) do not appear to act as sources of infection. The 

 disea.se is much more prevalent in damp, shady weather than 

 at other times, as in bright, sunny weather the spores of the 

 fungus are killed. The injury cau.sed by this disease in 

 Hawaii wa.s not sufficient to justify the expen.se of remedial 

 measures. It is clear, however, that any means tending 

 to reduce the general prevalence of the fungus would not be 

 without their etfect on this disease also. A similar disease 

 was reported by O L. Fawcett from Porto llico, in 1908. 



WEST INDIAN PRODUCTS. 



DRUGS AND SPICES ON THE LONDON 

 MARKET. 



Mr. J. Ft. Jackson. A.L.S., has forwarded the fol- 

 lowing report on the London drug and spice market, 

 for the month of March : — 



The anticipation mingled with hope, current in business 

 circles, that March would bring with it an increasing volume 

 of trade in drugs and chemicals, has been dissipated -from 

 week to week, and finally proved to be not realized, and thi.s 

 notwithstanding that the month has practically covered five 

 weeks' .sales, the first spice auction being held on the first of 

 the month and the last on the i!9th. Though the volume of 

 goods disposed of has not been remarkable, the general tone 

 of the markets has been satisfactory. No West Indian 

 product calls for any special comment, but, as will be seen 

 from the following details, the prices realized, and the quanti- 

 ties disposed of, have been quite of a normal character. 



GINGER. 



At the auction on the first of the month there were 

 large offerings of Cochin, Japan and Liljerian, but no Jamaica. 

 Rough washed Cochin, of which .31 4- bags were offered and 

 were bought in at 50s.; brown rough Calicut was also held 

 at 55».; 265 bags of limed Japan realized .37f. dd. to 38s. 6(1 

 per cwt., and 200 bags of Liberian character were sold at 

 from 31s. to 32s. per cwt. A fortnight later there was again 

 a very large supply, but no Jamaica was brought forward. 

 Prices were generally easier, Cochin and Calicut were repre- 



sented by 800 bags. 160 of which .sold without reserve, old 

 crops, fair washed Cochin fetching I5.s-. Qd. to 46s. C>d. The 

 reserve price on the new crop was 50s. to 55s., at which the 

 offerings were bought in. Brown rough Calicut fetched 

 52s. i'>d. to 55s.; 365 bags of limed .lapan were brought for- 

 ward and 227 sold without res(;rve, at 35s. (id. to 3(!.s-. (id. 

 per cwt. On the 22nd of the month some 549 bags of washed 

 rough Cochin were offered, and all bought in at 47,5. Gil.; fine 

 bright was quoted at 52s Cxi. and Liberian at 40s, per cwt. 

 At the last .sale on the 29th, some 460 packages of Cochin 

 and Calicut were offered, but no sales were ett'ected, 



NUTMEGS, .MACE .\ND PIMENTO. 



At the spice auction on the 8th, 58 packages of West 

 Indian nutmegs were offered, all of which sold at the follow- 

 ing rates: 76's 5|rf., 84's 5i(/., 86's to 89's 5^c/,, 93's to 99'8 

 ihd. On the 15th, 171 packages of West Indian nutmegs 

 were offered and sold at an advance of from \il. to Id. per lb. 

 on the above rates. Mace has occupied a firm position 

 during the month. At the auction on the first, 33 bags of 

 Eastern were lirouglit forward, and partly sold at 2s. 5d. to 

 2s. 6(/. Fair palish Singapore was bought in at 2s. (yd., and 

 ordinary Red Penang at 2s. 3d. On the 15th, there was 

 a steady market; firm rates were realized for 38 packages of 

 West Indian, good pale fetching 2s. Sd., fair palish 2s. id., 

 and fair red 2s. Id. to 2s. 3d. per lb. For Pimento there has 

 been but little demand; 140 bags were brought forward at 

 auction on the 1st of the month, and all were bought in at 2|'i. 

 At the last sale on the 29th, 109 bags were offered, and ■>! 

 .sold at 2lfd per It^. 



AltKoWllOOT. 



This article is attracting but very little attention; nothing 

 has been offered at auction until quite the end of the month, 

 and private sales have been reported as very dull. On the 

 29th however, 112 barrels of St. Vincent were offered, and 

 all bought in at from 2ld. to 2^d. per tb. Twenty-three 

 half-barrels of Bermuda were also offered and bought in at 

 Is. Id. per lb. 



SARS.M'AUII.LA. 



At the drug auction on the 9th, sarsaparilla was repre- 

 sented by 4 bales of grey Jamaica, 9 bales of Lima-Jamaica 

 and 31 bales of native Jamaica. The whole af the grey 

 Jamaica and Lima-Jamaica found buyers, but only 26 out of 

 the 3 1 bales of native Jamaica were disposed of, fair to good 

 red fetching ll<i'. to Is. Ohi., dullish mixed red and yellow 

 9d. to lOAd, and dull yellow M. per It). The 9 l)ales of Lima- 

 .Jamaica sold at lie/, to l\l<l. per tt>. for bright, ])art 

 roughish. The 4 bales of grey Jamaica realized from Is. >id. 

 to Is. 9tZ. per lb. At auction on the 23rd, 7 bales of grey 

 Jamaica were offered and sold at Is. 8d. to Is. dd. for fair, 

 part slightly rough; 26 bales of native Jamaica were also 

 brought forward, 5 only being sold, lOfZ. being paid for red 

 and yellow mixed, and for fair red; and M. for common grey. 



LIME JUICE, KOLA, IIASSIA FISTULA. 



At the beginning of the month, concentrated West 

 Indian lime juice was firm, small sales being effected at from 

 £18 2s. Gd. to £18 7s, Gd. A fair business was also done 

 in raw West Indian at Is. per gallon. Later in the month, 

 raw West Indian was quoted at Is. to l*. \d. per gallon. At 

 auction on the 9th, 7 barrels of fair West Indian dried kola 

 .sold at id. per lb., and a fortnight later 5 bags from Jamaica 

 were offered, and sold at Hid. to 3'jd. per lb, for part dark 

 mouldy. Cassia Fistula was represented at auction on the 

 23rd by 2 I bags West Indian, for which 20s. Gd. per cwt, 

 was paid. 



