Vol. X. No^. 240, 



THE AGRICULTDKAL NEWS. 



213 



from Nairobi, is packed in boxes, each containing oi fruits. 

 The 'count' increases as the size diminishes, and the .smaller 

 grades comprise 64, 72, 80, 90, 96 and 112 fruits, in a box. 

 The small 'counts', which consist of the larger fruits, are of 

 course the more valuable. The boxes in which the fruits are 

 packed measure 2 feet x 1 foot x 1 foot, and each box has 

 a partition in the middle to strengthen it. 



The fruits are wrapped in tissue paper and packed 

 diagonally to avoid crushing, and it is essential that each box 

 should be packed quite full, whatever grade of fruit it 

 contains, so that the fruit does not get shaken about and 

 bruised. The care taken in packing will be well repaid by 

 the superior condition of the fruit on arrival. 



There is a steady increase in the demand in this country 

 for grape fruit, which has been growing in popular favour for 

 some years past, and a constant supply from the East Africa 

 Protectorate would find a ready sale. 



AGRICULTURAL MATTERS IN DOMINICA 



The following facts, of more general interest, are taken 

 from a report by Mr. H. A. Tempany, E.Sc, Superintendent 

 of Agriculture of the Leeward Islands, on a recent visit by 

 him to Dominica, in connexion with the agricultural interests 

 of that Colony. 



On one estate which was visited, a large amount of 

 trouble had been experienced in former years from the fact 

 that oranges were eaten by a caterpillar; these attacks have 

 now abated, apparently in a perfectly natural way. On the 

 same estate, the rind of the orange fruits tends to be coarse, 

 and attempts are being made to remedy this by the employ- 

 ment of a manure which is stated to have given good results 

 in the Southern States of America; it is probable that the 

 defect will be remedied, in time, as the trees grow more 

 mature. The plants themselves are healthy and free from 

 scale insects; among fungi parasitic on the scales, Sphaevostilbe 

 coccopJdla and Ophiontctria coccicoln, were present in large 

 amounts, and it is well recognized by those in charge of the 

 estate, as well as by many other practical agriculturists in 

 Dominica, that these fungi are of the greatest importance in 

 the work of combating scale insects. On another estate, 

 indications were obtained that these fungi can do their work 

 effectively, even where the plants are wind-swept, provided 

 that there is a high rainfall. 



After referring to the necessity for still more improved 

 means for the transport of produce in Dominica, as well as to 

 certain schemes that are being proposed in connexion with 

 this, the report proceeds to draw attention to the extent 

 to which Para rubber is being planted in the island. The 

 area in which the greatest activity is being exhibited in this 

 direction is situated along the Imperial lioad, and the sug- 

 ge.stion is made that a product has been found, in Para 

 rubber, which meets the special requirements of this district, 

 in the circumstance that it possesses a small bulk compared 

 with its value, and is therefore easy of carriage. The total 

 area of Para rubber planted in this district is estimated to 

 be about 200 acres, and there are prospects of a considerable 

 extension in the near future. It is considered L)y Mr. Tempany 

 that the suitability of Hevea, for planting in Dominica, as 

 compared with that of Castilloa and Funtumia, appears to 

 have been clearly demonstrated. Funtumia is less success- 

 ful, while the small progress made by the Castilloa plant 

 .shows it to be unable to grow successfully without high culti- 

 vation, and under conditions of heavy rainfall. 



A visit was paid to a lime estate where a small Hornsljy- 

 Akroyd oil engine has been installed recently for the purpose 



of driving the mill for crushing the limes. Hitherto, water- 

 power has been used in this connexion on the estate; 

 the apparent anomaly of the introduction of mechanical 

 power, where free, naturally provided energy is available, is 

 explained liy the fact that only small quantities of water are 

 required for use on lime estates, so that a heavy fall of rain 

 is often followed hy accidents which interfere with the power 

 supply and cause great inconvenience in the works. Where 

 liquid fuel can be obtained with moderate ease, the economy 

 obtained by the regular working consequent on its empley- 

 meut makes its use more suitable than that of water power. 

 On the same estate, a cable way aliout SOO feet in length has 

 been made for the purpose of conveying limes to the works, 

 and the success obtained with this leads to the .suggestion 

 that such means of transport may well be adopted more wide- 

 ly in Dominica. 



Several others matters receive attention in the report, 

 which are not, however, of general interest. It only remains 

 to refer to an interesting attempt that is being made to 

 develop the vanilla industry in Dominica. This is being 

 done with the expert assistance of a grower formerly intere.st- 

 ed in vanilla production in Reunion, and a considerable por- 

 tion of the area has already been pknted, physic nut {.Tat- 

 ropha Curcas) being u>^ed for supporting the plants; the 

 planting material is supplied from the Botanic Station. The 

 matter is of more particular concern, in that it will give 

 indications as to the possibility of the future development 

 of a vanilla industry in Dominica. 



Plague and the Manchurian Soy Bean 

 Trade. — The British Acting Consul at Dairen states that 

 probably no great influence from the plague will be felt 

 during the present season. So far as can be ascertained, the 

 total export of beans and bean cake has bsen larger this 

 year than last, in spite of adver.se conditions, but the trade 

 has been practically limited to the ports of Japan and South 

 China, Europe taking some 7,000 tons only, as compared 

 with 228,000 tons during the corresponding period of last 

 season. The Harbin bean has been selling at 10s. per ton 

 cheaper than the southern bean. This season's large export 

 to Southern China has caused considerable surprise in view 

 of the high prices which have ruled throughout. From 

 October 1910, to February 1911, .333,977 tons of beans 

 arrived at Dairen, as compared with 387,236 tons in the 

 corresponding period of the previous season, while the quanti- 

 ties of bean cake which arrived were 8.5,793 tons, against 

 43,629 tons last season. The exports of beans during the 

 same period were 17.5,3.54 tons and 268,480 tons, respectively, 

 and of bean cake 181,893 tons and 72,480 tons, respectively. 



It is in the coming season and possibly in the one 

 following that the real effect of the plague will be felt. It is 

 already time for beginning to prepare the land for next 

 season's crop; labour, however, is scarce, and the quarantine 

 restrictions in Shantung and Manchuria will probably result 

 in a great reduction of coolie immigration at a time when it 

 is most essential. There are large stocks of beans still in 

 the country, but the farmers will not be persuaded to bring 

 them in, and owing to the exceptionally mild winter that 

 is just closing, the roads will break up earlier than usual, 

 with the re.sult that these stocks will for the most part be 

 held over until next winter, at the expense of considerable 

 deterioration from imjjerfect storage. It is, of course, 

 possible that, with steady and rapid improvements in plague 

 conditions, these stocks may yet be brought in and stored 

 in places convenient for shipment on demand. (From The 

 Board of Trade Journal, April 27, 1911.) 



