Vol. X. No. 237. 



THE AGRICULTUKAL NEWS. 



W9 



would seem to indicate that the destructi<3n of the 

 protozoal organisms in the soil had led to increased 

 fertility, arising from the added activity of the nitrogen- 

 fixing organisms, in accordance with the indications of 

 the work of Russell and Hutchinson, described in the 

 second of the references that have just been given. 



phosphates to a comparatively small extent, while their 

 need for potash is correspondingly great. 



Exports of Ceylon, 1910. 



The last report of the Ceylon i 'hamber of Com- 

 merce shows that the amount of tea exported in 1910 

 was 181,682,817 lb.; the quantity lor the previous year 

 was 191,8(j0,059 lb. The exports of rubber were 

 similarly, 1, •512 and 666 tons, and of ( acao 70,278 cwt. 

 and 80,107 cwt. 



In regard to cocoa-nut products, the exports for 

 1910 and 1909 were as follows in order: cocoa-nut oil 

 616,377 and .581,478 cwt.; copra 766,906 and 772,0-32 

 cwt.; desiccated cocoa-nuts 27,201,074 and 2.5,978,8441b.; 

 cocoa-nut poonac (cake) 309,589 and 2.53,709 cwt.;cocoa- 

 nuts 16.114,088 and 18,135,658. The quantities of 

 citronella oil were 1,762,919 and 1,573,932 ft. 



The B<Kird of Trade Journal for March 23, 1911, 

 from which the above figures are rjuoted, states also 

 that, according to the Annual Report of the Planters' 

 Association of Ceylon for 1910, the exports of tea for 

 the present year are estimated at LS."> million pounds, 

 while those of rubber are expected to be about 2,232 

 tons. 



Effects of Nitrogen, Potash and Phosphates 

 on the Growth of Plants. 



An investigation has been undertaken recently in 

 connexion with this subject, the experiments being per- 

 formed in culture solutions which contained nitrogen, 

 potash and phosphate in different proportions; the 

 results of these are given in the Botanical Gazette, 

 1910, p. 1. 



The plants grew best, as may be expected, when 

 all three nutrient elements were present; the best 

 development was in solutions containing between 10 

 and 30 per cent, of phosphates, between 30 and 60 per 

 cent, of nitrate, and between 30 and 60 per cent, of 

 potash. Where the best growth was made, the least 

 difference took place in the proportions of the above 

 food elements, while, at the same time, the whole 

 strength of the solution suffered much more alteration 

 than when the growth was poorer. 



In a general way, the tendency seems to be fi:)r the 

 plant to remove the material from the solutions in those 

 proportions which would lead to its most favourable 

 development. Other indications of interest were, that 

 the greater the amount of any one constituent in the 

 solution, the larger is the extent to which it is taken 

 up by the plant, and that while the absorption of phos- 

 phate is low and that of potash high at first, the greatest 

 response towai'd the end of development arises from the 

 presence of nitrates. It is easily seen that the last of 

 these matters indicates that very young plants require 



gives a 

 purpose 



The Use of Potassium in the Body. 



An abstract of a paper given in the Experiment 

 Station Record, Vol. XXIV, p. 172 (February 1911), 

 note on work which was undertaken for the 

 of investigating the changes undergone by 

 potassium compounds in the human body. It was 

 shown that, if the amount of common salt in the diet is 

 increased, there is also an increase in the quantity of 

 potassium lost from the body; it is therefore concluded 

 that the taking of large doses of common salt may enable 

 the body to lose correspondingly large amounts of 

 potassium. It seems to be certain that, when the weight 

 of the body increases, the excretion of potassium is 

 likely to increase also; this is of interest, in relation to 

 a theory that the larger the amount of potassium in 

 the body, the larger is the breaking up of sugars and 

 starches, so that in this case there is a decrease in the 

 tendency to form fat, and therefore to gain in weight. 



The experiments show that the behaviour of sodium 

 was quite different in this connexion: there was never 

 an increased loss of sodium when gains in weight were 

 being made. Finally, in contradistinction to sodium 

 and calcium, potassium seems to be an element which 

 tends rather rapidly to leave the body than to remain 

 in it. 



Cocoa-nut and Ground Nut Meals for Horses. 



Circular No. 168 of the Bureau of Animal Industry 

 of the United States Department of Agriculture gives 

 an account of a short test that was conducted by this 

 Bureau, early last year, for the purpose of finding the 

 effect of substituting a mixture of 2 parts cocoa-nut 

 meal and 1 part ground nut meal for oats, in feeding 

 horses. The animals emploj'ed in the t^rials were ten 

 Morgan yearlings and four heavy work horses. The test 

 was of some interest financially as whole oats cost 

 i?43'75 per ton delivered, and cocoa-nut and ground 

 nut meal S28 per ton at the railway station, which is 

 distant 2 miles. 



None of the horses took eagerly to rations contain- 

 ing the meals, and the team of working horses was off 

 its feed for the first three weeks. There was no diffi- 

 culty otherwise, and the animals remained in good 

 condition. 



In the case of the yearlings the gains were larger 

 and cheaper with cocoa-nut meal and ground nut meal, 

 and the best returns were obtained where all the oats ia 

 the ration was replaced. Fairly satisfactory returns were 

 obtained with the work horses; this was in regard to 

 a saving in cost of feed rather than to increases in 

 weight. 



It is considered that the test indicates that, at the 

 prices paid for the food stuffs at the time, cocoa-nut and 

 ground nut meal, in the proportion of 2 to 1 by weight, 

 are capable of replacing oats, in feeding young horses, and 

 may be found advantageous for work horses when they 

 have become accustomed to the new ration. 



