Vol. X. No. 247. 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



329 



present volume, they are to be found on images .57, 168 year three saw mills were in operation. In regard to 

 and 232. marine products, the sponge fishery produced 4,322 H). 



Lime and Nitrification in Wet Soils. 



Bulletin No. 37 of the Experiment Station of the 

 Hawaiian Sugar Planters' Association contains an 

 account, among other matters, of work undertaken for 

 the purpose of ascertaining the effect of various forms 

 of lime on nitrification, in a rich, acid soil, in a wet 

 district. It was found that nitrification was increased, 

 and larger amounts of lime and potash soluble in water 

 were recovered in the drainage water, when calcium 

 was added as the oxide, carbonate or sulphate. Of these 

 the last was most effective in all three directions. 



A further result of interest had reference to the 

 connexion between the acidity of the soil and nitrifica- 

 tion. The investigations showed that the calcium 

 compounds dissolved in the water of the soil seem to 

 exercise a greater control than acidity, as regards nitri- 

 fication. 



The nitrification of ammonium sul2jhate was 

 increased in rate by the use of soluble phosphoric acid 

 and sulphate of pocash, as manures. 



In the same connexion, another interesting result 

 was that, when the rate of nitrification was increased, 

 there was usually also an increase in the amount of 

 lime contained in the drainage water. 



Agriculture in British Honduras, 1909. 



Colonial Reports — Annual, No. (iG7, dealing with 

 conditions in British Honduras during 1909 has been 

 issued recently. It shows, first of all, that the amount 

 of mahogany shipped was 10,673,881 feet, of which 

 6,860,. 549 feet was the produce of the Colony. During 

 1908 and 1909, the export of cedar increased considerably. 

 There was a decrease in the number of bananas shipjjed, 

 but on account of the increasing demand in the United 

 States for plantains, the number of this fruit exportetl 

 increased from 939,000 in 1908 to 2,238,-500 during the 

 year under review. The latter circumstance is welcomed 

 by planters, who prefer to grow plantains rather than 

 bananas, because the former are hardier, and less likely 

 to be rejected for shipment. 



A record was made in the number of cocoa-nuts 

 shipped. With rubber, on the contrary, the exports 

 were the lowest since 1897. The quantity of chicle 

 (for chewing gum) exported was greater than in the 

 previous year; of the total amount a little over 33 per 

 cent, was produced in the Colony. There was a decrease 

 in the exports of sarsaparilla, and a slight improvement 

 in that of tortoiseshelj. The amount of logwood taken 

 ■by the United Kingdom, France, German}' and the 

 United States was 6,134 tons, the largest customer 

 being the United Kingdom, with 3,786 tons. 



The exports of cacao increased from 29,174 fh. to 

 89,868 11). Sugar was made by fifry mills, of which 

 fourteen were worked by steam, two by oil engines, and 

 the rest by cattle; with the exception "f 36 tons, all the 

 sugar made was consumed in the Colony. During the 



Sheds for Curing Tobacco. 



In The Journal of the Department of Agricul- 

 ture of Victoria for August "1911, an account is given 

 of sheds that are suitable for curing tobacco. This 

 commences by pointing out that such sheds should be 

 built in positions where advantage may be taken of the 

 prevailing winds; while at the same time it is nob 

 desirable that the site should be very exposed. The 

 soil beneath should be dry and well drained. 



For the production of bright leaf, the shed should 

 be small, and under the conditions, a scpiare shed meas- 

 uring 16 feet X 16 feet, four floors high, has been found 

 convenient; in thecireiinistances described this holds an 

 acre of tobacco. The lowest Hoor should be 9 feet from 

 the ground, and this as well as the others should be pro- 

 vided with poles 4 inches in diameter running from 

 end to end; the use of the ])oles is to carry the sticks 

 on which the tobacco is hung. The second floor should 

 be 3 feet 6 inches above the first, and the third the 

 same distance above the second. In the space below 

 the roof two rows of tobacco may be hung. 



For heavy tobaccos larger sheds are required, and 

 if the leaf is to be partly air-cured, arrangements 

 should be made so that the shed can be widely opened 

 or tightly closed. Such a shed is described which, 

 under the conditions, will hold about 1 acre of tobacco. 



The Grenada Land Settlement Scheme. 



The Superintendent of Agriculture of Grenada has 

 forwarded an account of a meeting which was held 

 under the Grenada Land Settlement Scheme, at the 

 Experiment Plot established in connexion with this at 

 Morne Rouge South. The Superintendent of Agricul- 

 ture, the Secretary of the Agricultural and Commercial 

 Society, Mr. A. E. Steele, and the Land Officer, Mr. H. 

 H. Walwyn, were present. 



The purposes of the meeting were to give the 

 peasants information concerning the growing of ordin- 

 ary crops and green dressings, and to explain to them 

 the use of the Experiment Plot. Such work is particu- 

 larly necessary on account of the errors made by them 

 in regard to agricultural operations, notably the 

 mistake of burning bush on their allotments each year 

 before planting, and thus quickly exhausting the soil. 



At the meeting, an address was given by the 

 Superintendent of Agriculture, chiefly with reference 

 to the use of green dressings, and practical demonstra- 

 tion was made of the existence of the nodules on the 

 roots of leguminous jilants. The information was em- 

 ployed to show how and when such plants should be 

 buried, and why they are preferable as green dressings 

 to ordinary crops. 



An examination was made of one of the allot- 

 ments, after the meeting, and the crops were found to 

 be in good condition, particularly maize, which had 

 reached a height of about 9 feet and was bearing well. 



