Vol. X. No. 251. 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



397 



STUDENTS' CORNER. 



DECEMBER. 



Second Period. 



Seasonal Notes. 



During the time that the cacao crop is ripening and the 

 pods are attaining maturity, a careful loolcout.. should be kept 

 for diseases of the fruits, and information should be obtained 

 as to the nature of the best means by which they may be con- 

 trolled. Discuss the usefulness and merits of spraying, for 

 this object, under conditions with which you are familiar. 

 Make observations in order to trace whether, in cases of 

 disease, the infection proceeds from the fruits to the stems, 

 or from the stems to the fruits. What general practice, in 

 regard to the working of a cacao estate, should be followed, 

 in order that the chances of infection with pod diseases should 

 be lessened as much as possible ? 



Careful notes should be made of the different stages in 

 the preparation of cacao for market, as well as of the reasons 

 for the procedure at the different times. Information should 

 also be available always as to the state of the cacao market. 

 What are the chief reasons for the fluctuations in the market 

 price of cacao ? 



The grafting of cacao may be resumed, now that the 

 hurricane season is past. Gain as much information as you 

 can concerning the practical details of this operation, and 

 give an account of its advantages. Why is it that grafted 

 trees do not always exhibit immunity from diseases l 



Where it is necessary to remove dead branches from 

 lime trees, this should be done at an earl}- stage, as the decay 

 rapidly spreads downwards; and tardiness in the matter leads 

 to the nece.ssity for cutting away a large amount of wood, 

 while even then it is often impossible to remove the whole of 

 this, on account of the e.xtent to which the decay has .spread. 

 Even when all the dead parts have been removed, the severe 

 cutting that is required in bad cases increases greatly the 

 difficulty with which the tree heals the wounds. What is the 

 process of the healing of wounds in dicotyledonous plants, 

 and what portion of the stem takes the most active part in 

 this? 



Note that where lime trees have received particularly 

 good cultivation, the effect is quickly seen in the improved 

 development and colour of the foliage. Where such trees are 

 grown in gras.s, they most frequently show a yellowish tint 

 m the colour of the leaves. Give an account of any theories 

 that have been proposed for the purpose of e.\plaining the 

 unfavourable elfect of grass on trees. 



Questions for Candidates. 



PRELIMINARY dUESTIONS. 



(1) Why is it sometimes e.xpedient to lessen transpira- 

 tion from plants, and how is this done ? 



(2) What is the special value of farmyard manure, in 

 relation to tillage ? 



(3) State the changes that take place during the germi- 

 nation of the castor oil seed. 



INTERMEDIATE QUESTIONS. J. .^ 



(1) What is the chief difference between water transpired 

 from plants and that absorbed from the soil 1 



(2) Discuss the precautions to be observed in the stor- 

 age of farmyard manure. 



(3) How is the oil obtained from the castor oil seed, and 

 which process gives the most valuable product ? 



FINAL QUESTIONS. 



(1) Give an account of the water requirements of a crop 

 with which you are familiar. 



(2) What is the nature of the (a) favourable, (b) unfav- 

 ourable changes that may take place" "in stored farmyard 

 manure? 



(3) Write an iiccount of the cultivation and po.ssible 

 uses of the castor oil iilant. 



TRADE AND AGRICULTURE OF FIJI. 



1910. 



The total trade in respect of the year 1910 is the highest 

 yet recorded in the history of the Colony, and, notwithstand- 

 ing the disastrous hurricane, e.xceeds that of 1909 — the ne.xt 

 highest — by an amount of £2.50,461 (exclusive of bullion and 

 specie), imports being responsible for £191,779, and exports 

 for £58,682, of that amount. 



The bulk of the Colony's trade continues to be with the 

 Australian Colonies and New Zealand. Other countries with 

 which tjiere is considerable trade are India, Canada, and the 

 United States of America. 



The exports of the staple products of the Colony, during 

 1910, were: sugar, 61,761 tons, value £669.432; copra, 13,078 

 tons, value £258,841; green fruit, value £47,302. It will 

 be seen that, so far as values are concerned, the year, in 

 regard to the export trade, was an exceptionally good one, 

 and it is to be regretted that the green fruit trade was retard- 

 ed, to the extent shown above, by the effects of the hurricane. 

 This industry, however, was revived considerably, and the 

 figures of this year are anticipated to exceed those of 1909, 

 which are the highest recorded. The quantity of bananas 

 exported during 1910 was 27 1,024 bunches and 81,225 cases*. 

 The total area of land under .sugar-cane cultivation on Decem- 

 ber 31, 1910, was estimated at 49,828 acres, from which were 

 produced 547,399 tons of sugar-cane. The area under cocoa- 

 nuts, or cultivated by Europeans, and exclusive of native 

 plantations, is estimated at 30,741 acres. The estimated 

 cultivated area under bananas and pineapples, on December 

 31 last, was 4,742 .acres. This does not include native plantar 

 tions, from which the bulk of the fruit is derived. 



After deducting the three principal items of export from 

 the value of the total exports of the Colony, the value of the 

 minor products exported during 1910 amounted to £30,171. 



The principal minor exports were ' sici', or trocas shell 

 (£12,331), molasses (£11,240), turtle .shell (£1,596), and 

 hides and pelts (£1,498). 



It will be noticed that the principal minor export in 

 1910 was ' sici ' (trocas) shell, which is placed on the list for 

 the first time. This shell is found on the reefs surrounding 

 the greater part of the Colony. It is exported for use princi- 

 pally in France and .Japan, where it is used in the manufacture 

 of buttons. For .some months the local price per ton ofl'ered 

 for the shell was very high, but the large quantity exported 

 has apparently had the effect of lowering the market price 

 consideral)ly. The shell is abundant, and is now an addi- 

 tional easy source of income to the natives living on the coasts 

 of the islands, who gather and sell it to European merchants 

 in the Colony. It is gratifying to note that the total value 

 of molasses exported has increased almost 100 per cent., and 

 that hides and pelts continue to hold their place as one of the 

 principal minor exports. (From Colonial Reports — Annual, 

 No. 689, p. 8.) 



